The Puzzled Presidency

'Puzzled' really means 'Clueless'.

These folks have just drunk too much of the Kool Aid for too long to recognize what the rest of the world has known for some time.

"they have retreated to the practice -- time-honored in the Bush White House -- of discrediting your opponents by labeling their actions confusing and irrational."

Yes, because all other Presidents and politicians embrace their critics and hail their attacks as spot-on.

Milbank is just another liberal partisan voice at the Post. What else do you expect him to say?

What most of us find puzzling is why so many people consider the Republican National Committee's next wholly owned candidate, John McSame, to be a good presidential prospect.

Mike here wants 4 more years of the Republican National Committee running the country. Do you hate America that much?

Sit Spot, Sit.
Good dog
Spot growls
Spot nips Master
Spot pees on front lawn
$ee $pot run

And these bright people went to school at our most elite institutions? I'm puzzled that thier all puzzled.

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"Puzzled" is just the subconscious code word for "We're liars. We're traitors. We're criminals. And, NO, we don't care what the American people think about us."

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How come right-wingers always blame the liberal media when they don't like what they see? It's your liberal media that allowed the Bush administration to get away essentially with murder. Plus the Wash.Post is no longer a liberal newspaper and hasn't been for sometime.

Being "puzzled" means never having to say you're sorry, or wrong, or lied, or broke the law, or made a mistake, or care. A perfect political statement. Why are you so puzzled by its use in Washington?

The "Puzzled Presidency"? It's the "I sh*t you not" Presidency.

The talking point "word of the day" list given to the rats who have not yet abandoned the sinking ship to attack the rats who have..."puzzled","disgruntled", "not the Scottie I knew". How about "all us rats knew it was all lies all the time"?

We knew it and so did they and so did the MSM.

Milbank is just another liberal partisan voice at the Post. What else do you expect him to say?

Posted by: Mike | May 29, 2008 12:23 PM
______________________________________

Yes, Mike. Nothing this administration does is different than any other administration. Any criticisms are merely the result of liberal partisans like Scott McClellan, the liberal media (including the liberal White House press corps), liberal Lt Gen Sanchez, liberal Gen Anthony Zinni, and... well let's just say about 70% of the United States citizens are now liberals. Bush right. Everyone else, wrong-headed liberals. Is that about right?

I am sure they will all be still puzzled as the jail door slams shut on them!

@ ALLOST- "Liberal media"? Maybe once, but it's a fairy tale now, they're all in the Administration's pocket. If we truly had a "liberal media" in this country, maybe some hard questions would have got asked back when it might have done some good. Instead, they just printed the Administration's boldest lies, and justified it by saying, "That's what they said, we're just reporting it, you decide if it's true." Adios, First Amendment!

I'm puzzled why Millbank is still employed?

I guess for the same reason that Olberman and C. Matthews are.

That's a forecast of why the WP will head the same direction in the sewer pipe as MSNBC will. BTW, don't be puzzled but the sewage flows only one direction - down and out

The right always blames the "media media" when they've been caught in yet another deception. It's the same tactic as "I'm puzzled," meaning that they are trying to discredit the source to avoid blame.

Puzzled? Sounds like they were told to say puzzled. No bewildered, perplexed or baffled.

Demand loyalty to Bush II no matter how crazed he becomes and you have a big problem because the loyalty demand then demands that an attack must be made on Bush II to break out of the straitjacket Bush II put on McClellan. It is puzzling to me why Republican congressmen still support Bush II on every vote which is why I will not vote Republican again until all the Bush supporters in Congress are history. Ditch Mitch-Boehner in 08!

one of the oldest tricks in the books. when faced with a proposition of which your position instantly brands you a liar, a damned fool, or worse, plead befuddlement.

my usual response: "look, a-hole, i'm not speaking chinese here."

How about puzzling Mr. McClellan under oath, before Congress?

Mike,

Frankly, I find your comments and your support for the Bush Administration quite puzzling.

What puzzles me is how those who continue to be self-brainwashed by Bushlove are unable to recognize reality. But at least one of them is able to break free occasionally, e. g. Scott McClellan. Oh, by the way, what pisses me off is having my good name misappropriated here by one of the brain-dead.

What is so puzzling? That McClellan STOPPED lying? That the Kool Aid wore off?
This whole Administration is puzzle---with a number of pieces missing.

Milbank is just another liberal partisan voice at the Post. What else do you expect him to say?

Posted by: Mike | May 29, 2008 12:23 PM
______________________________________

Yes, Mike. Nothing this administration does is different than any other administration. Any criticisms are merely the result of liberal partisans like Scott McClellan, the liberal media (including the liberal White House press corps), liberal Lt Gen Sanchez, liberal Gen Anthony Zinni, and... well let's just say about 70% of the United States citizens are now liberals. Bush right. Everyone else, wrong-headed liberals. Is that about right?
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Dear Allen,

I think Mike will find your comments to be quite . . . puzzling.

What puzzles me is how those who continue to be self-brainwashed by Bushlove are unable to recognize reality. But at least one of them is able to break free occasionally, e. g. Scott McClellan. Oh, by the way, what pisses me off is having my good name misappropriated here by one of the brain-dead.

Posted by: The Real Mike | May 29, 2008 1:59 PM
------------------------------------------
Excellent point. For the rest of this blog you shall be named "The Real Mike" and the brain dead one shall henceforth be known as "The Puzzled Mike". Afterall, we don't want him to be puzzled anymore than he already is.

Thank you for your support.

C'mon, everyone knows I'm going to win the election. The results from this poll say everything!

http://www.votenic.com

What's so puzzling? When you elect morons, don't expect them to understand. When you recruit from Pat Robertson's law school, you're going to get people of limited intellectual heft. The blind can never fully comprehend sight.

Regardless of his intentions, this book may have been the only thing he could think of to avoid a long trial and prison sentence for War Crimes and Treason by all the White House staff, especially the Pres and VP.

As we approach Jan 21, 2009, expect to see many more such exposes - as insurance against being sent to jail for crimes against America.

It's effective rhetoric to say you're "puzzled" by people who oppose you. It suggests that you're sincerely trying to understand the dear souls but despite your best efforts you still cannot - Poor things. They must be crazy. What can a person do?

Milbank is just another liberal partisan voice at the Post. What else do you expect him to say?

Posted by: Mike
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Whatever Milbank's political orientation, he is speaking the truth - too bad his tone puzzles you.

Puzzled is Bush speak for 'Pissed.' What they mean is they are livid that someone had the audacity to break ranks and divulge the dirty deeds that are the embodiment of this administration.

I am puzzled at this puzzling situation. I wish somebody would solve this puzzle, or is everyone muzzled. Others are also befuddled. But I am totally baffled. Ultimately we were all bamboozled.

the only puzzling thing about how Mr. McClellan's critics are reacting to his book is that they have yet to label him a treasonous traitor who cut and run from his duty. Guess they are trying to kill him with kindness before they bring the real heavy guns to bear. Watch out, Scott, you have yet to see what a ....storm you are going to experience for coming clean. Hell hath no fury like a gaggle of scorned neo-cons!

Historians will call George Bush the Puzzled President. George found many things puzzling....
9/11 attacks, Katrina relief, 5 million missing emails, 250% increase in gas, lost US pretige, Iraq reconstruction, objections to torture and wiretapping, to name but a few puzzling issues for George.
Poor George...Crawford Texas awaits you.

A whole administration in job beyond their pay grade.

Puzzle solved.

Of course, I am NOT puzzled and will CLEARLY state there is NO doubt in my mind Scott is telling the truth.

While I don't know about any of you commenting on this site or reading from home or work, I can tell you that I CANNOT WAIT TO GET MY HANDS ON THAT BOOK to find out "what happened" to the idealist George Bush I voted for in 2000 (notice there is NO mention of 2004).

I will be very PUZZLED if this story is not continued and investigated for the rest of the term, and beyond, of these criminals. I remember the "BLUE DRESS". Didn't that go and on and on..... for what???? A lie about an AFFAIR!
Not a LIE that has killed and injured hundreds of thousands, destroyed a country,bankrupted our country and sent us into a DEPRESSION. Not to mention the TREASON commited with leaking Valerie Plame's name. The complete destruction of the Constitution, Civil Rights, Women's Rights, The Geneva Convention, etc... You watch, all the LIARS in the media, reporters, writers and newscasters, will not continue to investigate, they don't know how to anymore. It's been so many LONG years of being told what to say and write, they are just too PUZZLED to think for themselves. The Senate and Congress are NO better. They too are very PUZZLED.
They have corporate lobbying jobs waiting for them. They can't help with the TRUTH, it might hurt their future job opportunities. Dana, get your head out of your a--, start being a real journalist, DIG IN, keep the story alive with facts, not just the crying from the white house as usual. We are all SICK & TIRED of the PUZZLING BULL S*@T!

KYJurisDoctor - why are you so sure he is telling the truth? because it is what you want to believe? he very well may be. but i haven't read the book.

honestly, i think there is probably some truth in whatever he says. i would also suspect some self-serving pieces and some clearing himself from blame.

i never cared for McClellan as WH spokesman. i always saw him as a bit of a sleaze ball with an apple pie face. Now that he abandons ship and blasts them while doing nothing while there only confirms this, IMO. CYA and get as much $$ you can. terrible.

I'm also puzzled. Puzzled as to how an administration made up of so many government veterans could go into a war so unprepared & on such flimsy inteligence. Puzzling. How time & again they use identicle tactics to try & discredit their critics. I am puzzled there as well. How they pretend to fight terrorism when they are clearly growing & encouraging it...yes puzzling. The fact that mcCain is making any kind of showing in the polls when he wants to proceed full speed ahead with this same neocon thinking may be the most puzzling indeed.

In all the words, opinions, discussions about "the book", I have heard exactly once mention of the 4,000 dead, the terribly wounded, the mental health cost. These are our people. Every discussion about the Iraq War should start there. We talk about War Trials, trying these liars in our criminal courts. A far better solution. Let each one spend time in Iraq with the soldiers. Let them taste the realities of war, the war they championed and created. This might be a way to stop future wars, you want it, it's yours. I suspect there will be few takers!.

All friends of the White House were puzzled, to be anything else, was to be off point.

It has taken nearly 8 years for the media to mock the White House' talking points.

How ironic, the White House's media army became a caricature, with their uniformly robotic psycho/trashing of a former White House Spokesman.

The folks in the White keep calling McClellan "disgruntled." I guess that just means all the loyal Bushies still working there are "gruntled."

And when you are gruntled, you must certainly be puzzled.

On Hardball, Chris Matthews kept asking Ari Fleischer why all the talking heads from the White House were using the exact same words in response to questions about the book. They all found it "puzzling" and they all said that the book was written "not by the Scott they new." It was so obviously scripted it was funny.
Ari never did answer the question asked.

Anyone puzzled by what Mr. McClellan is saying is not smart enough to be running my country. Of course, the last seven years are proof of that!

I'm not puzzled. Men don't know how to govern other men. It's not in their imperfect makeup.

'Puzzled' really means 'Clueless'.

These folks have just drunk too much of the Kool Aid for too long to recognize what the rest of the world has known for some time.

Posted by: HillRat | May 29, 2008 12:21 PM

It doesn't mean "clueless." It means they're lying.

A good synopsis of the past 7+ years or perhaps Mr. Bush's autobiograpy... "The puzzled years - My failed presidency" - by George DUH-bya Bush.

236 days till the end of the Bush presidency.

On Hardball, Chris Matthews kept asking Ari Fleischer why all the talking heads from the White House were using the exact same words in response to questions about the book. They all found it "puzzling" and they all said that the book was written "not by the Scott they new." It was so obviously scripted it was funny.
Ari never did answer the question asked.

Posted by: granny | May 29, 2008 3:00 PM

Same thing Katie Couric asked on CBS last night. Fleischer didn't answer then, either.

That's OK, though, Katie didn't bother to follow up. Times don't change.

Ha ha, the typical neo-con knee-jerk reaction to truth is hatred and fear, but if they have enough time to calm down and think about it, it puzzles them. They no longer have any concept of what truth and integrity are. They spend all their time listening to trashy propaganda outlets like fox news and rush limbaugh in order to block out any semblance to truth and honor, that when they're faced with it, they just can't comprehend the meaning. Fortunately 80% of this country along with the rest of the world can sit back and have a hearty laugh just observing them. It will be even more hilarious when we get to watch them squirming under oath when Edwards becomes the next AG.

What's puzzling is how the media is puzzled by what to say about McClellan's charge they were "complicit enablers" in Bush's rush to invade a country that posed no threat to us. Surely McClellan was in a perfect position to know who was doing the enabling and why. Which media outlet will step forward and say to the American people, "We the media failed you and we are sorry so sorry."

In politics, being an idiot is less offensive then being a liar.

Everyone is "puzzled" because McClellan beat them on the scope. They all thought they were smarter than McClellan.

McClellan's book proves the old saying, "The fish rots from the head."

The other talking point that cracked me up was..."This is not the Scott we knew."

It's puzzling to me why the White House is only now finding out that effective lying is so much harder than it used to be. Could it be that the Sleeping Giant awaketh?

Well, look. Ya find a guy you think is a dumb goat,

who's remained loyal and taken it on the chin a bunch of times, left out, stuff.

Then load him up with lies and send him out to take the flack.

And when he finds it all out, ya think he's gonna be delighted? Think?

I guess the good news is that the number of puzzled Americans is shrinking. It's down to about 25% puzzled.

At least we now have a clear picture of the leaders of that 25%.

Dana - this was fun to read. Thanks!

Puzzled??? I can not see any reason why the Bushies are puzzled why McClellan chose to write the book.
I am puzzled why a more creditable person such as Colin Powell, a person of so called honor, chose to forget that , as Sec of State , he was appointed to represent the USA in that position to protect the intrest of the USA as opposed to a morally corrupt administration which led us into war, leading to the deaths of over 4000 brave Americans and inflict untold hardships of the rest of the American population.
McClellan's book is useful if only to draw attention to the administrations philosophy of partisant and incompetant governing.
I would have much prefered a statement from Colin Powell followed by his resignation out of principle when he discovered he was misled by this morally corrupt administration.
Perhaps, had he taken such action, 4,000+ brave Americans would be home today with their families .
In my opinion, McCllan's book surves a useful purpose and the denials coming from the White House hacks should be considered for what they are when measured against the book

Wow, based on the huge preponderance of anti-dubya sentiment here, I'm starting to feel a little sympathy for those poor embattled Bushies hunkered down in their bunkers......
NAAAAAH!

From: Head of State
http://headofstate.blogspot.com/2008/05/ah-scotty.html

Thursday, May 29, 2008
Et Tu, Scotty...

From the Post:

"Former White House press secretary Scott McClellan writes in a new memoir that the Iraq war was sold to the American people with a sophisticated "political propaganda campaign" led by President Bush and aimed at "manipulating sources of public opinion" and "downplaying the major reason for going to war."

McClellan includes the charges in a 341-page book, "What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception," that delivers a harsh look at the White House and the man he served for close to a decade. He describes Bush as demonstrating a "lack of inquisitiveness," says the White House operated in "permanent campaign" mode, and admits to having been deceived by some in the president's inner circle about the leak of a CIA operative's name."

It would be utterly inconsistent to praise McClellan for his revelations, now that he needed to find something sensational from his anxiously subservient, painful-to-watch tenure as Press Secretary, which at best could only evoke sympathy for his agonized predicament. It might have helped in eliciting such praise if these revelations had emerge at some point between the end of his tenure and the beginnings of promotion for the book.

Ironically, in now falling to the likely demands of his current masters for something to add spice and sales power to an otherwise agonizing episode, one might posit that he is repeating the same pattern that occurred during his work in the Administration. Nevertheless, this is a man who has demonstrated beyond doubt his characteristic fear of censure. That he comes forward with these accusations, despite putative motive, is of considerable note.

The claims that McClellan makes have the benefit of being supported by numerous contemporary and highly confirming reports (Woodward, Suskind et al). Now, the fact that even McClellan, the truest of camp followers, endorses them, gives them an additional bottom line power--the fearful, sweaty, anxious party line stalwart, who was also among those closest to the action, now confirms what all but the most deluded now must know.

McClellan, like other Press Secretaries before him, could have downplayed, soft pedaled, or diffused these critiques--as they did, in their books, which also had sales imperatives. He does not. Instead, he emphasizes and confirms the critical through-line narrative--a war, driven and unvetted by a lack of necessary curiosity regarding likely effects on our nation, our citizens and the world; a sales campaign yoked to this poorly vetted effort in the most cynical ("one doesn't unveil new products in August") fashion, and, overall, a brutal narrowness of vision, combined with the excitedly combative anti-intellectualism, masked by a shallow pose of ideological self-certainty (i.e. half-blindness) that characterized this administration.

Now, we are seeing the counterattack, the essential message being that they are "puzzled" that this does not "seem to be the Scott" they knew.

Presumably, this "Et tu, Scotty?" translates as an attack on his unwillingness to continue to faithfully toe the party line, in the face of significant evidence to the contrary--to maintain the fantasied walls of the court dominion--a change to be welcomed.

His willingness to express, in print, Bush's tendency to convince himself of what he wanted to believe, and this Administration's embrace of secrecy is a genuinely noble and a brave act.

But, ah, Scotty. The wreckage.

Cite:
Head of State
http://headofstate.blogspot.com/2008/05/ah-scotty.html

We now have official confirmation that the 18th Century Electoral College, designed to protect land baron's, needs to be scrapped. We should never again let a handful of politicians override the popular will of the people, as was done in 2000.

ASLLOST above:

So glad to hear someone else note that the WAPO is no longer a liberal newspaper.

It is a neocon paper, and so Israel centric that everything comes through that lens. Except too scared, and playing a coy hand, about bombing Iran.

But watch them take the pole and run if/when Bush triest to spike up some excuse to bomb Iran before he leaves office. He promised Sharon, and others.

To paraphrase Chris Rock, this White House loves to keep it real.

Real dumb.

These people are ignorant and stupid. Like the men around Hitler. It was puzzling that "educated" men and women decided to murder 6 million people because of their religion.

If I were invoking Darwinian theory, I would say this is one neocon who evolved a conscience.

Unfortunately, I'm a Darwinian cynic. So I think this is a neocon who grasped the concept of "take the money and run."

Now that's not puzzling at all. That's business.

My favorite Bushism, when asked about the Iraqi war debacle, the National Debt, or the Katrina response, etc, etc, etc, is "miscalculation." But, what puzzles me, is there are still people out there that think invading Iraq was a good idea, I personally think they're miscalculating.

Bush 2nd and all his nazi faschist neo coms war mongers will be tried as war criminals held responsible for the deaths of Americans and Iraqs. They will be puzzled as they look at the business end of firing squads

"Puzzled and bewildered". Poor Scotty must be having a mental breakdown...

Typical reaction from hard-core Bushies.

Anyway, McClellan's conversion is just the latest attempt by a former devoted Bushie to redeem his reputation after worshipping at the altar of a White House run by sociopaths.

Now that the Bush creature and his noxious clique of delusional Neo - Con cultists have been widely discredited, lil' Scotty is trying to make us believe that he's finally gotten religion. He's just a sleazy little opportunist.

I've been puzzled for years about how this lying jerk got elected and then after 4 miserable years he got reelected.

All this Bush-bashing is lots of fun, but you guys who are advocating war crime trials and firing squads need to back off a bit. War crimes probably were comitted, but we all know that in the real world no one will ever stand trial for them. As for firing squads, all I can say is- let's try to be a little more reasonable, and humane, than they are.

I'm a teacher. When I don't do a good job, because they're not afraid of me, my students tell me. But I don't stare at them and pretend to be puzzled at their criticism, because I was self-aware enough that I already knew what my fault was. Self-awareness to this administration is the same as self-castigation. Of course, if you do a whole lot of stupid things then I guess self-awareness would subsequently be self-castigation.

To Patriot3:

Correction: it's the "I sh*t you *always*" Presidency.

I'm not puzzled. I'm amazed that there are still apologists for the Bush administration out there. Evidently, there are still some who believe the swill that pours from the White House through the current press secretary, Dana 'I'm puzzled" Perino. Nice legs, no ethics. Ya, I know. I'm a sexist pig.

They mis-spoke. They mis-thunk. They mis-lived.

To The Real Mike: "let's try to be a little more reasonable, and humane, than they are". That's a bit like moving over for someone in a BMW 6 inches from your bumper when you are doing 70 mph in the left lane in a 55 mph zone. In other words, rewarding bad or, in this case, criminal, behavior. I think what we need in this country is to enforce the law, already built into the Constitution by some very smart people, for the kind of behavior we've seen in the last 7 years. We got rid of Nixon for a lot less, remember? And despite the fashion for talking about Gerald Ford's courage in pardoning Nixon, I think he did exactly the wrong thing. Nixon should have been tried for his crimes, and so should Bush (and Co.). *If* guilty, he/they should pay an appropriate price, just like ordinary citizens, instead of waltzing into a luxurious retirement and getting to build a fancy library with other peoples' money.

Dana Perrino will be really puzzled when it comes time for Cheney and Co to throw her under the bus. Scott McClellan is like Carrie from the Stephen King novel and movie. All the cool kids invited him to the party only to use and humiliate him and now he's lashing out. He was as impotent as General George McClellan.

To Don Allen- I'm not really disagreeing with you that they should be held accountable. I'm just saying that it ain't going to happen, and it won't do any good to fantasize that it will. Let's be happy just to get rid of them (it would have happened in 2004 if so many voters had not been fear-mongered successfully by Bush, Cheney, Rove and all the rest).

What is really puzzling is why there's no impeachment investigation of Bush
and Chaney.
Another puzzling thing is none of the big
book chains have the book in stock!

Hi yo Hubris, away! Regarding McClellan's dissension: the Lone VP disdainfully deigns to direct his deputies to deliver their decree to us, the demeaned: they are discombobulated.

thanks to thesaurus.com

Mike seems to be repeating himself in his posts.

Must be similar to being "puzzled".

The only thing I'm puzzled about is 1)WHY Americans have allowed this Administration to continue it's criminal and immoral acts. 2)Why is everyone on Capitol Hill afraid of Bush and Chaney, and 3) why ALL of his administrtion continues to act like deer in the headlights when they're asked to be accountable. If they can't be accountable after the deed is done why are they all signing on to DO THE DEED? They think we're stupid and our inaction and lack of protest spurs them on. Since his 1st day in office this man and his entourage have done nothing but LIE and knowingly do everything in their power to decieve the American people while adding to their ever growing (Swiss and offshore) bank accounts. "I don't recall" or "I am not/was not aware" is the biggest lie they ever told...they can all remember Bush was truthful...but ask them what he's been truthful about....
If they're "puzzled" it's only about how they are going to atone for all they've done. We are living with the fallout- they have to live with themselves. KARMA is not puzzled about this; she's already working it out.

Mr. McClellan, thank you for speaking up. While long overdue, your book is much appreciated.

As far as journalism goes, we need many more people like Bill Moyers and those he featured in his outstanding investigative documentary, "Buying the War", such as John Walcott, Jonathan Landay and Warren Strobel of the, then, Knight Ridder newspapers. They burrowed deep into the intelligence agencies to try and determine whether there was any evidence for the Bush Administration's case for war. "Many of the things that were said about Iraq didn't make sense," says Walcott. "And that really prompts you to ask, 'Wait a minute. Is this true? Does everyone agree that this is true? Does anyone think this is not true?'"

As for the White House administration, well, I've written about this years ago with little response.

The White House Neo-Con-men should be put on trial before the public for the atrocities they have caused. And Speaker Nancy Pelosi should be investigated for aiding them, saying the issue of the Iraq War is "off the table", and as she states in a letter to me last week, "I believe impeachment proceedings against Vice President Dick Cheney will distract us from our mission...". Well, to Ms. Pelosi and all those who are relentlessly enabling this epic tragedy of senseless death, shattered lives, broken families, mind-numbing abuses of our hard-earned tax dollars, savage corporate exploitation; I say, there is no justice without impeachment. JUSTICE IS NO DISTRACTION!

And regarding Mr. Conyers, if he prays, I hope he asks for the strength to stand up and finish what he had so thoroughly and courageously begun on impeachment proceedings. The time has come to stand with his allies in the Congressional Black Caucus who made passionate presentations on the eve of the U.S. led invasion on Iraq. I shall forever remember that night in 2003--those powerful words of Rep. Maxine Waters:

"...What we see and we are witnessing is the mismanagement of America. Someone today criticized Senator Daschle because he talked about the diplomatic disaster. Mr. President, it is a diplomatic disaster. We are watching before our very eyes the mismanagement of our beloved country. Our schools are falling apart. You said you wished to leave no child behind, but, Mr. President, you have not funded assistance to education that will have our children in the best possible situations where they can learn. Our health care system has fallen apart. In my city, in my county we are closing healthcare clinics. We are closing hospitals....

Mr. President, you are not able to tell us what this war is going to cost and what the cleanup, what the revitalization, the reconstruction of Iraq is going to cost. The American people need to know where our dollars are going. The American people need to understand the cost of this war and why....

Mr. President, we must raise these questions. We must raise these questions because we are patriots. We are folks who love this country. We are folks who have stood by this country no matter what, and we will continue to stand by this country. We will continue to stand by our soldiers. But, Mr. President, you are going to have to account for the leadership that you are giving, and I say to you and all those who are advising you, be it Wolfowitz, be it Secretary of State Colin Powell, be it Condoleezza Rice, be it Karl Rove, or any of those in the inner circle, you are going to be held responsible for what takes place in this world, what takes place with this preemptive strike, what takes place with our soldiers and our families....

It is not too late, Mr. President. We will all stand up and applaud you if you do the courageous thing of saying, yes, we deployed; yes, we spent billions of dollars to do it; but we do not have the allies, we cannot afford the costs, and we cannot afford the loss of lives. I am going to bring our soldiers home."

Indeed, JUSTICE IS NO DISTRACTION! Impeachment now!

Maybe the Washington Post can please explain why analysis, criticism - even just plain ole reporting - of the Executive Office activities has all but ceased in the last 6-8 months.

What did they do, put a proverbial hammer lock on your reporting? If you think the rest of us haven't noted the medias silence, a complete absence of comment and criticism of the White House, you're wrong.

It is puzzling that Bill Clinton, who did the nasty in an alcove off the Oval Room at the White House, and lied about it, got himself impeached -- mainly for lying about it. Bush and Cheney lie continuously for eight years about affairs of state, affecting the lives of millions, ending or negatively altering the lives of hundreds of thousands to millions, and that's perfectly all right because that lying is covered by Executive Privilege. At least it isn't about SEX! The Bush Family has a South American compound ready to receive refugee family members in case the threat of lawful arrest looms large. Just like certain war criminals of the Nazi regime, but more comfortable.

Puzzled? How about "befuddled" and "confused". All the President's men and women seem willing to act stupid in order to protect their boss. The standard response to whistle blowing like McClellan's is to claim the once-beloved colleague/staffer is bereft of his senses, else he could not have said such uncomplimentary things about The Boss. In other words, he was bright and sensible when he was served Bush, but either lying or crazy when he blew the whistle. Historians will have a field day when they begin to study this surreal administration!

Let's hope that "puzzled" is the precursor for another crutch, "I need to go spend time with my family now"....

The situation shouldn't be so puzzling at all.

McClellan was paid at one time to say what his boss or the boss's administration told him to say.

McClellan is now paid to say what he thinks.

What really is puzzling is that McClellan's old boss seems to have put on blinders and earplugs and refused to consider any options that deviated from his. That is dangerously close to a dictatorship or repressive autocracy

Can't you come up with meaningful commentary instead of this adult, linguistic version of schoolyard mocking? I mean, there's no actual substance or useful information underlying the parroting picture you paint, just disrespect. The tone and intellectual quality of this kind of commentary just implies that you took the book, are jumping up and down on it and thumb your nose at the White House, saying Yaa, Yaa!

I really got fed up with this no-brainer disrespectful, meaninglessly posturing excuse for political journalism when it was directed at Clinton. Now, I have little patience for this kind of adult ad hominem mockery, even against conservatives.

Get a real job.

Puzzled? I think the Bush folks are only puzzled as to how they can keep the cash flow going now that Bush has been totally exposed as a war criminal.

By observing how Bush & Co. attack Scott McClellan, it is simple to make a conclusion: Bush & Co. is a (political) cult. Like a any cult, it pretends that anyone who deserts from the cult is strange and abnormal, asserting if that person leaves the cult, he or she will not have any friends. The cult tends to act in secrecy. It claims Scott McClellan was out of the loop while he was serving in the administration. If the press secretary is out of the loop, how about the rest of American people. We must be all out of the loop. Scott McClellan's descriptions of Bush and Co. fit a description of a cult very well. Doesn't Condi Rice look like a cult woman who is always accommodating. How about Bush himself who does not lack any chrisma of a cult leader. The lessen for the American people is it is time to view personalities as a tool but not the end that can serve good or bad objectives. In the case of Bush, it serves the bad objectives. In the name of democracy, Bush and Co. have done more to destroy democracy than anyone in American history. However, Scott McClellan appears not to be able to completely break away from Bush and Co.'s cult. His criticisms of the cult are rather mild compared to what Bush and Co. has done to the country and the world. The irony is Bush and Co.'s secrecy cannot hold back the truth forever. The mass defection of the cult is just beginning (remeber his 90% approval rating when the cult was in fashion?).

By observing how Bush & Co. attack Scott McClellan, it is simple to make a conclusion: Bush & Co. is a (political) cult. Like a any cult, it pretends that anyone who deserts from the cult is strange and abnormal, asserting if that person leaves the cult, he or she will not have any friends. The cult tends to act in secrecy. It claims Scott McClellan was out of the loop while he was serving in the administration. If the press secretary is out of the loop, how about the rest of American people. We must be all out of the loop. Scott McClellan's descriptions of Bush and Co. fit a description of a cult very well. Doesn't Condi Rice look like a cult woman who is always accommodating. How about Bush himself who does not lack any chrisma of a cult leader. The lessen for the American people is it is time to view personalities as a tool but not the end that can serve good or bad objectives. In the case of Bush, it serves the bad objectives. In the name of democracy, Bush and Co. have done more to destroy democracy than anyone in American history. However, Scott McClellan appears not to be able to completely break away from Bush and Co.'s cult. His criticisms of the cult are rather mild compared to what Bush and Co. has done to the country and the world. The irony is Bush and Co.'s secrecy cannot hold back the truth forever. The mass defection of the cult is just beginning (remeber his 90% approval rating when the cult was in fashion?).

I don't have the time to write up a whole paper explaining why, but the McClellan book has "Obama campaign hatchet job" written all over it.

From the vague, ungrounded stereotypical memes that will resonate with Democrats and Independents disaffected with the Bush Administration and the Iraq War, to the way this book came out from left field to suddenly "expose" the war as a big joke and make McCain look like a foolishly, misguidedly militant tool, the book makes fools out of all the Republicans, to the anti-war Democratic nominee's advantage. Moreover, it has done so in such a way as to frame the Republican Washington crowd as "old politics" corrupt fools and tools.

I've been watching the Obama campaign use dirty tricks, behind-the-scenes, coordinated sabotage to humiliate and undermine Clinton all year. Like hyenas setting her up with other hyenas attacking from all sides in a coordinated instigator-and-media-attack-dogs set piece.

McClellan is a press guy. The media is all sucked into the Cult of Obama. He's one of them, now, like a pod person. He's probably got some job or appointment waiting for him in the new Obama Administration.

McCain can't win against Obama. Obama's got the most well-networked, impassioned, sneaky, will-do-anything-to-win crowd behind him. McCain would not only need a "War Room", but a full counterintelligence and tactical disinformation and propaganda unit and an army of media professionals behind him, to beat Obama.

In order to beat Obama, McCain would have to have a very committed, deadly serious and resolute unified party behind him. He doesn't.

When I think "puzzled" I think of Jethro Clampett's expression every time the door bell rang.

And that's Bush. The look on his face when he says he's puzzled by criticism of his administration is EXACTLY the same look the Beverly Hill Billies made when that mysterious chiming could be heard.

Ten years from now when the remaining three or four former Bush-Cheney administration officials, still loyal to their masters, when asked why Bush is rated in the bottom five of all presidents so far will each reply, " I am puzzled."

Just like Obama, there is no substance and nothing specific in this book.

Like Obama is the product of posturing and media hype, any attention paid to the factually sparse posturing in this book is the product of pro-Obama media hype.

Obama doesn't have political leadership skills so much as his campaign has mastered the Machiavellian world of manipulative press and popular press propaganda.

"?"

I may have read this, but I'm not sure. If that other person said I did, then... it's possible; but like I've said, I'm not sure.

I'm certain that I am not sure about... I know for a fact that I cannot say for certain...

The meeting? I attended some meetings, and yes, I am certain that I met with him, but I cannot say if it was at that meeting because I'm not sure if that was a meeting in which I was there or not there.

What did I discuss when I met with him? That I cannot remember. Which meeting are you talking about... because like I said, I am certain that I do not know if that was the meeting in which I met with him... it could have been a different meeting that I do not remember what we dicussed.

I am not trying to be evasive. I have been consistent in my testimony.

all those good White house folks being "puzzled" at the same time. Hmmm, in this case that group-cluelessness can only mean one thing: obfuscation

That's defined thusly:

bewilderment: confusion resulting from failure to understand

mystification: the activity of obscuring people's understanding, leaving them baffled or bewildered

darkening or obscuring the sight of something
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

Obfuscation refers to the concept of concealing the meaning of communication by making it more confusing and harder to interpret.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obfuscation

Isn't it, in the final analysis, another way the Administration is saying to the public that which Cheney said to a Demo Senator: Go **** yourself!

all those good White house folks being "puzzled" at the same time. Hmmm, in this case that group-cluelessness can only mean one thing: obfuscation

That's defined thusly:

bewilderment: confusion resulting from failure to understand

mystification: the activity of obscuring people's understanding, leaving them baffled or bewildered

darkening or obscuring the sight of something
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

Obfuscation refers to the concept of concealing the meaning of communication by making it more confusing and harder to interpret.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obfuscation

Isn't it, in the final analysis, another way the Administration is saying to the public that which Cheney said to a Demo Senator: Go #### yourself!

Hi, I'm George Soros, who created MoveOn.org. The publisher of McClellan's book is PublicAffairs, which specializes in policy books by billionaire me. I'm also a staunch Obama supporter who has funneled aid and support to him in a variety of ways. I intend to direct the outcome of the American Presidential election from my behind-the-scenes Dr. Evil war room using my money, influence, connections and ability to corrupt and turn close associates of his opponents.

Wait a minute here, the Iraq war and Scotties book are in fact part of a clever ploy hatched by Obama to secure the White House?
OK, now I'm puzzled...
Moving on to something that has a basis in reality, don't be so quick to suggest the administration is out of the legal woods yet.
Baby Bush gets a bite at the apple during his last round of pardons just before he leaves office. Baby will issue a blanket pardon for "all crimes connected", just like Poppi did when they had half his staff on lock down at Wharton for selling weapons to Iran (Looking at you, Ollie North) and using the proceeds to finance right wing death squads in Central America.
Pardoning yourself and your lackeys is a Bush family tradition (but we just keep electing them so who is really to blame here).
For the moment, it's best to let it sit. DoJ is way too busy trumping up charges against Democratic politicians and staging show trials to take on a project of this magnitude, better to wait until their is a Democratic Attorney General and a staff of lawyers chosen for their skill rather than their loyalties. Attempting to do this right now would only lead to failure. In the end, it will come down to how wide a blanket pardon Baby weaves and how well he words it. We can be heartened by the sure and certain knowledge that the odds are good he'll screw this up too.

As we older folks say the worst is yet to come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The White House and its friends are now saying that as Press Secretary, McClellan wasn't privy to key important meetings, and that as Press Secretary he really didn't know what was going on because he was kept "out of the loop" on discussions regarding Iraq, Katrina etc.

So my question is, why the Hell then should any of us listen to Dana Perino? Why should we believe anything we ever heard from Tony Snow? According to the White House, these people's words are simply meaningless, because they're in no position to know what's really going on.

Why does the White House have Press Secretaries to explain say, national security policy to the media, and thus to the American people, when Press Secretaries apparently aren't even told what the real policy is?

I challenge the White House press corps, whom McClellan described as "complicit enablers", to ask this question of Ms Perino at the next press conference, the next time she says anything about national security or Iraq.

How did this become Barak Obama and George Sorros's fault?
Good grief.
All right, all right, it was my dog, Bear. He's the one who's secretly taken over the main stream media, Dana Millbank, the power elites, George Sorros, George Bush and every other famous individual connected to politics whose name you recognize.
He's even the one who made Scottie write this book.
He's also the one who is going to insure Obama gets elected. My back yard neighbor is an elderly guy who likes him and gives hims table scraps. Unfortunately for you guys, he's black. It may seem an odd way for the leader of the worlds last super power to be chosen, but in fact Obama will be our next president simply because my dog Bear believes if he were ever to meet Barak Obama, he will likely have some fat from a barbecued steak for him.
What can I tell you, fellow rednecks, he's just a dog (albeit with super powers and permanent case of the wind), he's not smart...like you.

The secret of every good con man is to keep everyone puzzled.

If I were Obama, I would promise to make Scott McClellan the next press secretary of the White House. Then, politics is fun and beautiful!

No free passes for the Bush Administration. Thats what they want, a free pass for all their miscalculations, misdeeds, misunderstanding, and mismanagement. No free passes for the Bush Adm.

I am not surprised that Bush and his croonies are puzzeled, the Bush administration has been a gigantic puzzel. If all the pieces ever come together Bush and his croonies could find themselves in prison.

Puzzelled=befuddled=inebriated and unable to think clearly