January 5, 2003
Bush Thugs to "Restore Dignity"
Gerald Plessner asks a good question: What's up with Bush putting convicted liars in top jobs? Wasn't he supposed to "restore dignity" to the White House?Plessner is generous indeed to the thugs who are actively dismantling democratic institutions and restoring the thuggery of Reagan, Bush and Nixon administrations to the executive branch. He calls Condoleezza Rice "a person of good reputation" and calls Kissinger "perhaps the most sophisticated practitioner of international relations of our generation".
These statements can only be taken seriously if you excuse their assault against lawful democratic government in the US. It's akin to saying John Wilkes Booth was a good actor.
Kissinger was a sophisticated practitioner of high crimes on a massive scale (see The Nation for a thumbnail sketch of Kissinger's life of crime). And Rice is a person of good reputation, yes, within the oil industry.
While I respect his generosity of spirit toward those particular liars, I don't think it is justified by the facts. His indignation in regard to Bush's elevation of some of the less celebrated liars, however, is certainly appropriate.