Once She Went Astray Long Enough to Play

by Molly Ivors

Picking up on Thers's call for impeaching Alberto Gonzalez, below, I have to say I agree. I listened to Gonzo's testimony on Tuesday, and I was appalled. An appointed official saying to an elected legislator "I'm not answering that question"?!? No executive privilege, no Fifth Amendment, nothing. Just "No. Fuck you." And make no mistake, conservative blogosphere, there are many, many ways to say "fuck you," many not including the word fuck. But the meaning is the same.

Given the fact that Bush is willing to send his toadlike toadie (all Gonzo lacks is Delores Umbridge's little bow) out to lie to Congress directly, to refuse to answer questions, and to obfuscate and run out the clock for all he's worth, one must then wonder what kind of secrets Hariet Bellatrix Miers is clutching in her little hand. Because she can't be less willing to lie than Gonzalez. If anything, she owes even more of her legal career to the incurious, lazy man at the helm than Gonzo does, and we know that her relationship with Bush is even cutsier and crushier than the AG's. (If we need reminding of this fact, remember this?) On even less legal experience, this woman was nominated to the Supreme Fucking Court.

And so I ponder, what kinds of things must Harriet know that make her unwilling even to give a Gonzo-like performance, to risk Contempt of Congress and, yes, jail, to protect George? What meetings was she in? What skeletons has she swept up? Is she the maker of The List? Is she the mysterious extragovernmental liaison between the West Wing and DoJ? Is she afraid the mean Senators and Representatives will make her cry and her improbable 1959-era eyeliner will run? Do they not trust her to lie effectively? How in he name of any god you can think of, could she possibly do worse than he did?

Wormtongue Rove, we know, knows where the bodies are. He's Bush's brain and he's a nasty, nasty human being, with no conscience--the perfect mate for the sniggering fratboy-in-chief. And Bolten is your standard-issue consigliore crook. So it's Harriet I really wonder about.

Below: Alberto Gonzalez and Harriet Miers consult on chickenhawk feather care.

Comments

[Ruth]

These thugs don't think the laws apply to them. They'll be much happier in Paraguay, with all the other illeguls. Sorry, I shouldn't insult the Paraguyans.

[eRobin]

She's the mob lawyer - but to be that she must be smarter than all available evidence indicates. On the other hand, you don't need smart when you don't worry about needing to obey the law even a little bit. You just need guts and a completely broken justice system.

[Ripley]

Also - don't forget that Bush really, really, really wanted both of these clown on the Supreme Court. I have to think it's more than just a reward, it has to be protection for Bush/Cheney.

One can't help but infer that there's something terribly insidious and very illegal ocurring behind closed White House doors. What else is an American citizen to think?

[Captain Goto]

I like Muppets.

[Duckman GR]

What astonishes me is how Abu G can sit there and lie lie lie without the least bit of human expression. The "man" shows no body language, no clenched jaw muscles, no raised eyebrow, nuthin!

Either he's not human, or he is truly Heinrich Himmler revisited. Or is that redundant to say?

[Brighid]

It is said that sociopaths aren't really human. Now we know it's true from watching FREDO in the Judiciary Committee. Fredo knows where the bodies are buried, and the DUI records on George, and he's not letting his friend George forget that; Harriet knows how to play that game, too. She is probably telling her friend George to keep her from testifying by invoking executive privilege. She knows the secrets about how she got Barnes to wipe George's military records clean after he went AWOL from the TNG.

[Captain Goto]

driftglass referred to Fredo as "a half-bright, skeevy Houston fixer". If I ever had to shake that fucker's hand I'd feel dirty for a week.

[Jake T. Snake]

Amazing...but I did experience a wonrous moment of levity thanks to Gonzo. I was listening to NPR and was so disgusted with the stonewalling I flicked it off and put Peter Gabriel in the CD player. Minutes later I was chortling softly to myself as I imagined Gonzo singing along with Mr. Gabriel,"I don't remember, I don't recall, I've got no memory of anything...absolutely anything at all...hee! hee!