Nobody Could Have Predicted...

Do you remember Travelgate. To hear the GOP at the time, it was a major scandal worthy of a congressional committee investigation. Of course, like most scandals during the Clinton era, either it was grossly exaggerated, an outright fabrication or lies by omission but nevertheless producing mountains of feigned outrage. Like the federal prosecutors, the Travel Office staff "serve at the pleasure of the President." How very different the reaction by GOP apologists, however.

To read more and learn some of the facts about the faux scandal go to

http://archives.cjr.org/year/96/2/travelgate.asp

Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Tex.): . . . I believe that this nation sits at a crossroads. One direction points to the higher road of the rule of law. Sometimes hard, sometimes unpleasant, this path relies on truth, justice and the rigorous application of the principle that no man is above the law.

Now, the other road is the path of least resistance. This is where we start making exceptions to our laws based on poll numbers and spin control. This is when we pitch the law completely overboard when the mood fits us, when we ignore the facts in order to cover up the truth.

Shall we follow the rule of law and do our constitutional duty no matter unpleasant, or shall we follow the path of least resistance, close our eyes to the potential lawbreaking, forgive and forget, move on and tear an unfixable hole in our legal system? No man is above the law, and no man is below the law. That's the principle that we all hold very dear in this country.

The president has many responsibilities and many privileges. His chief responsibility is to uphold the laws of this land. He does not have the privilege to break the law. . . . October 9, 1998

I guess, unlike federeal prosecutors, the staff at the White House Travel Office under Clinton did not "serve at the pleasure of the President."

Remember the fake outrage about the firings of staff who plan travel itineraries by dolts like Tom Delay who now dispute the seriousness of the politically motivated and likely illegal conspiracy to fire federal prosecutors.

Thankfully, there are no really important issues to deal with so that Sixty Minutes has the opportunity to do a segment tomorrow night on Simon Cowell of American Idol fame. Now that's what I call hard-hitting, investigative journalism that keeps the American electorate informed.

Have we reached that point where there's an 'appearance of impropriety' from the Bush administration? You know, that promise that was made back in 2000-2001 that they would act like adults unlike the previous adminstration, operate with transparency and be so ethical there would not even be an appearance of impropriety!

Anyone who's followed Bush's appointments to critical positions is accutely aware that job qualifications are often overlooked in favor of partisan cronies such as Michael Brown of FEMA infamy. Now, with the scandal at Walter Reed and the deplorable conditions that wounded vets were forced to endure, perhaps it's time to review the qualifications of Jim Nicholson who Bush appointed to as Secretary of Veteran Affairs in 1994.

ABC has a short bio of Nicholson at the time of the appointment and subsequent unanimous confirmation by the Senate. It's important to note that the Department of Veteran Affairs is the second largest department in the federal government with 220,000 employees and provides various levels of health care services to 25 million veterans. One would assume then that anyone slated to head such a department would have significant experience and background in managing such an agency possibly with some medical background as well.

Jim Nicholson has an impressive resume. He graduated from West Point in 1961 and went to Vietnam where as an Army Ranger he was highly decorated. He was on active duty for 8 years and in the reserve for 22 years finally retiring as a full colonel. He received his masters degree in Public Policy and a law degree from the University of Denver. It is unknown to this author whether he ever took or passed a bar exam or practiced law. When it comes to government service, other than in the military, his job experience seems to be limited to being Ambassador to the Vatican. But, he held one position that would seem to make him abundantly qualified for a position in the Bush administration; Chairman of the Republican National Committee.

This resume, while impressive, does not seem to this author to suggest any experience in managing such a large and critically important department. But hey, I could be wrong.