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.