Lickers and Apologists

Tonite I was watching the Newshour with Jim Lehrer on PBS. Every Friday, the show has a segment featuring Mark Shields and David Brooks where “opinion and insight” on the weeks events are offered. The audience can usually rely on truth – based upon fact from Mr. Shields, and spin – based upon Rethuglican talking points from Brooks. Tonite was a particularly servile performance from Brooks – one could actually see the indentations on his chin from a variety of Bush administration scrotums.

Brooks actually had the audacity to spout nonsensical talking points about Lewis Libby's recent conviction on obstruction and perjury charges – that he didn't really 'commit a crime'. Add this to the sorry outpouring of sympathy being expressed by some members of the Libby jury that they felt Libby was the 'fall guy' and one would think that a grave miscarriage of justice had just befallen an innocent candy striper with a heart of gold. Libby is apparently an adult, he was Chief of Staff for arguably the most powerful person on the planet – Cheney (the real President), he is not stupid, not forgetful, not some poor sucker who was duped into undertaking the actions he did. He did it – knowingly.

Think about the charges he was found GUILTY of – obstruction and perjury. People on trial, people being deposed, people testifying, have a sworn obligation to answer truthfully, thereby enabling the American justice system to serve the public. Prosecutors take a very dim and harsh view of those that impede their efforts, for obstruction and lying weakens our judicial soul. Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald could easily make the case against Libby, but he could not against those that Libby was lying to protect – Cheney, Bush, et-al. America would have been better served with Cheney in the docket, but that hope is not yet lost.

So the chorus of boo-hooing about Libby is just the latest example in a very long trail of phony claims from the Bushies and their acolytes. Lickers like Brooks and others like him that are sent out to muddy the waters do not deserve audiences – they deserve to be shut off.
Posted on The Human Stain