March 30, 2004

Worse Than Watergate?

johndean.jpgIn his new book, "Worse Than Watergate," John Dean, of Watergate fame, says, "I've been watching all the elements fall into place for two possible political catastrophes, one that will take the air out of the Bush-Cheney balloon and the other, far more disquieting, that will take the air out of democracy." Likewise Phil Krugman, in a New York Times op-ed today, writes that "[T]his administration's reliance on smear tactics is unprecedented in modern U.S. politics -- even compared with Nixon's. Even more disturbing is its readiness to abuse power, to use its control of the government to intimidate potential critics." This Isn't America [nytimes.com]

To be fair, Senator Bill Frist's suggestion that Mr. Clarke might be charged with perjury may have been his own idea. But his move reminded everyone of the White House's reaction to revelations by the former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill: an immediate investigation into whether he had revealed classified information. The alacrity with which this investigation was opened was, of course, in sharp contrast with the administration's evident lack of interest in finding out who leaked the identity of the CIA operative Valerie Plame to Bob Novak.

Wow. Just a few weeks ago, after John Kerry's victory in the Iowa caucuses, I blogged that American politics had become boring. Nothing like a little character assasination to spice things up.

 Posted by glenn

Comments

How's your blood-pressure?
If you can stand a little tachycardia, read Robert Reich in April 2004 edition of The American Prospect. Best wishes, I

Posted by: irene myers daitch at March 30, 2004 08:10 PM