The Washington Post's Al Kamen is amused by the latest transparent and unbelievable lie from the Bush administration. Just why do these people do it? Why don't they even consider not lying?
Posted by DeLong at November 3, 2003 07:34 AM | TrackBackNot Wavering on Policy Changes (washingtonpost.com): Some media and foreign policy types last week thought they may have heard an exception to the Bush administration rule that, no matter what, policy never changes. It happened Tuesday, when Deputy Secretary of State Richard L. Armitage was at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee saying that, six months after halting talks with Iran, the Bush administration was now prepared to resume talks with the Iranians over Iraq, Afghanistan and other issues.
This is something Tehran had been pushing. Armitage's testimony had been carefully nuanced, massaged, vetted and checked among the usual administration suspects. But when asked whether this new willingness to talk to Iran after months of refusing to do so amounted to a change in policy, the White House answer was a resounding no. "I think what secretary Armitage said yesterday in his testimony was reiterating administration policy," White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters. "And he -- you know, we -- we have long had existing established channels of communication with Iran. And we will continue to use those channels to raise issues of mutual concern. But our policy towards Iran remains the same."
Who could think otherwise?
Frankly, if I could get away with lying, I'd be a lying bast*rd. But I can't, so I've got to be careful about what I say.
This administration has been subject to very little outside discipline. They've learned that
they can lie and get away with it, so why not?
They aren't responsible for their behavior. They listen to the lying voices in their heads. Who would have thought both Ayn Rand and God could tell the same lies through the same mouths?
Posted by: John Thullen on November 3, 2003 08:38 AMI don't think they see it as lying. Since we now know that W only gets his news from "the most objective news sources he knows" you can see that he personally would not know the difference between lying and not lying.
And since all Bush administration retainers have been selected for #1 loyalty and #2 doesn't matter, this all becomes quite predictable.
Posted by: Alan on November 3, 2003 08:49 AMWell, it is amusingly Orwellian, this Administration, but working in the Middle East I can only say I am glad when they do step back from their incredibly benighted policies now and again.
Posted by: collounsbury on November 4, 2003 02:39 AMWell, it is amusingly Orwellian, this Administration, but working in the Middle East I can only say I am glad when they do step back from their incredibly benighted policies now and again.
Posted by: collounsbury on November 4, 2003 02:42 AMWell, it is amusingly Orwellian, this Administration, but working in the Middle East I can only say I am glad when they do step back from their incredibly benighted policies now and again.
Posted by: collounsbury on November 4, 2003 03:01 AMWell, it is amusingly Orwellian, this Administration, but working in the Middle East I can only say I am glad when they do step back from their incredibly benighted policies now and again.
Posted by: collounsbury on November 4, 2003 03:04 AM