THE STAIN OF GEORGE BUSH

Am I the only one who is beginning to think that everything and everyone touched by President Bush is not exactly being "Touched by An Angel" these days? It seems like everything he does and says, starts out being golden and then turns to mold and mildew, leaving a nasty looking stain or a foul stench that would make a skunk think he's bathed in Chanel No.#5.

Like I did when I wrote the blog "President Hypocrite" as a BuzzFlash Commentary a few months ago, I am going to point out what I mean by "The Stain of George Bush."

(1) Colin Powell - Before joining the Bush Administration as Secretary of State, he was a widely respected Joint Chief of Staff under two Presidential Administrations. Decorated war veteran considered a brilliant stretegist. There was even talk of his running for the Oval Office himself. After signing on with the Bush Administration, we watched in disbelief as Colin lied to the U. N. about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction, despite evidence to the contrary, back in February 2003. His performance and results afterwards, have forever branded Powell as a sellout and rendered what credibility he had, non-existant.

(2) Condoleezza Rice - Although revered as an Academic Star at Stanford University, before she succeeded Colin Powell as Secretary of State, she was the National Security Advisor who maintained that a Presidential Daily Briefing Memo entitled "Bin Laden Determined to Strike the U. S." was not alarming enough to tell Bush to interrupt his vacation and hightail it back to DC to possibly prevent September 11th from occuring. At the hearings on September 11th, she proceeded to tell lie after lie about not knowing...anything. Moreover, she appears to always be joined at Bush's hip, even in recreational times, when, perhaps, the First Lady should be present. Since her association with the Bush Administration, Dr. Rice is little more than a laughing stock and there's widespread evidence that the global leaders do not take her seriously in foreign policy matters. Perhaps, if she wasn't referring to Bush as "her husband", maybe they would.

(3) Paul O'Neill - The former Treasury Secretary was a highly respected CEO of Alcoa, Inc. According to the book, "The Price of Loyalty" O'Neill had to be persuaded to take the Treasury Secretary position. His mistake: actually thinking he had authority to do the job of being in charge of the Nation's economy, and advising Bush accordingly. Yet, when he dared to tell Bush the truth about pushing through those massive tax cuts, as in "How are we going to pay for this, cause those tax cuts are going to dry up that surplus Clinton left?", the President fired him. After being unceremonially dismissed (as well as publicly dissed) O'Neill lets the world know that Bush wanted a war with Hussein long before September 11th, and was going to do anything to get it. O'Neill gets slimed in the MSM, and by the likes of Hannity, Limbaugh and O'Reilly as pay back. Such is the penalty for associating with George W. Bush.

(4) Richard Clarke - He made the same mistake as O'Neill; telling the truth to the Bush Administration and they didn't want to hear it, regarding Bin Laden and who was responsible for 9/11. 'Nuff said. A regimented smear campaign ensues against Clarke, when his book is published, just like they did with O'Neill.

(5) Joe Wilson - His association with the Bush Administration, earned him an assignment to prove WMDs, and the purchase of yellowcake uranium. He came back and said nothing like that was happening. Bush tells us in the 2003 State of the Union that Saddam was trying to buy Yellowcake from Niger. Joe Wilson hears that, knows it to be a lie and proceeds to write an op-ed piece for the NYT. Wilson's wife, an undercover CIA operative, is outed by a White House official; and right now, the betting money is on Karl Rove. Thank you for playing, Joe Wilson - here's your parting gift of being stained by GeeDubya!

(6) Karl Rove - Speaking of the "Turd Blossom" there's nothing in Rove's past to indicate that at one point, he was a decent human being. Everything about him, from his education (college drop out) family life (abandoned by father) and who mentored his development (Lee Atwater) suggests that he not only carries the stain of being associated with Bush, he strongly facilitated and developed Bush's stain. Outing a CIA Agent? Par for the course.

(7) Alan Greenspan - The Nation's Point Man on the Economy. Used to be reliable to the point that the stock market fluctuates according to whatever came out of his mouth. Sold America on the idea that the massive tax cuts and privatization of Social Security were good for the economy...until the Social Security issue blew up in his, and Bush's face. Now, he's only seen as a partisan hack - and this, after serving at least three Presidential Administration, regardless of his political party affiliation.

(8) Rafael Palmeiro - A highly respected baseball player who came before Congress, swore on a Bible in his testimony that he never, ever took steroids, period - and threatened Jose Canseco with a lawsuit for slander because he maintained Canseco lied about injecting him with steroids in his book, Juiced. Then we learn that Palmeiro not only has been juicing recently (and got a 10-day suspension when he couldn't explain how he had steroids in his system) juiced side-by-side with Canseco when they played for the Texas Rangers, a team then owned by the President.

When told by the media about Palmeiro's getting busted for juicing, Bush says, "I believe him because he says he didn't use steroids. He's a friend of mine..."

Now, the only way Palmeiro gets to the Hall of Fame is if he's there to support another ballplayer being honored. Forget respect - he lost it with what I like to call his "Bill Clinton" moment ("I have never, ever used steroids. PERIOD!)

With the exception of KKKarl Rove and possibly Condoleezza Rice, the individuals I've pointed out (and there's probably others) entered into Government service, most likely with a desire to serve their country (or in Palmeiro's case, MLB). What they all have in common is:

(a) They worked for Bush and was considered a friend;
(b) If they did what they were told, and were loyal to Bush, they got awards while their reputations got stained, or;
(c) If they disagreed with Bush on principle and ethics, they got slimed by the media.

Given what I've said here, you can tell yourself, "It's not what you know, but WHO you know" in order to advance in your career. But if you are associated with an individual who will most likely be recorded in history as this Nation's WORST PRESIDENT EVER (an honor not even awarded to little known Presidents like Millard Fillmore) - a stain on your reputation and honor is left.

For ethical individuals like O'Neill, Clarke and yes, Canseco, the truth has been revealed. Their reputations are in tact and the stain washed away with ethical Tide. For the rest, the truth revealed them to be liars and no amount of ethical bleach can wash away the stain or the stench of their association with George W. Bush. And they know it, but are either too ethically and morally corrupt and bankrupt to care.

Part II - Democratic Congressional Members who Associated with Bush...and are beginning to pay the price.