Thursday, September 04, 2008
The stakes just got higher
Joe Biden is offering a new incentive to the Bush-haters:
Democratic vice-presidential nominee Joe Biden said yesterday that he and running mate Barack Obama could pursue criminal charges against the Bush administration if they are elected in November.
Biden's comments, first reported by ABC news, attracted little notice on a day dominated by the drama surrounding his Republican counterpart, Alaska governor Sarah Palin.
But his statements represent the Democrats' strongest vow so far this year to investigate alleged misdeeds committed during the Bush years....
Obama sounded a similar note in April, vowing that if elected, he would ask his attorney general to initiate a prompt review of Bush-era actions to distinguish between possible "genuine crimes" and "really bad policies".
It is interesting that even after "the pivot" the Democrats think they can grab incremental votes by threatening to prosecute President Bush and his staff "if they are elected." Really? Does the Obama-Biden administration really want to make its decisions in defense of the country knowing that they might be next?
There is an obvious constitutional solution to this problem that George W. Bush would do well to consider: A blanket pardon for himself and all the men and women who worked for him. Obama and Biden have opened the door, and I, for one, think Bush would be nuts not to think about it.
11 Comments:
By 
, at
Thu Sep 04, 12:51:00 AM:
This is wonderful!!! What a great opportunity. Can you give me the contacts for Biden's son? I want to make a proposal. No, NO, of curse, it is not a bribe, no, not a bribe, but I would be prepared to pay Biden's son a great deal of cash (or shift of wealth in an alternative methodology) if he would tell his father to influence his support, as he has done often in the past, to my position, as he has done so many, many times before.
By 
clint, at
Thu Sep 04, 12:56:00 AM:
Wow.
That's going to be a great sell to an American populace that's sick of the partisan sniping in Washington.
By Miss Ladybug, at
Thu Sep 04, 01:05:00 AM:
God forbid Obama actually win, and then actually pursue this, but that would be an incredibly bad precedent to set. Congress, if they truly think the Bush Administration has acted criminally, has the power to impeach. Criminalizing political differences is very dangerous ground to tread...
By , at
Thu Sep 04, 04:50:00 AM:
I find this a tough call.
IMO nothing would hurt Obama/Biden more than running on such promises. Bad luck to them. And lots of it.
If the American people encourage and reward these tactics then I don't care to be an American.
OTOH Bush should not issue a blanket pardon. Fight it out! Hiding behind technical privilege is not a way to make the electorate admire your party or reject unjust political prosecutions.
By not issuing a blanket pardon the public will be forced to look, whether they like it or not, at what happens.
Unfortunately, w/o the pardon people, may get hurt. Defending yourself can be a ruinous process even if you win.
By Dawnfire82, at
Thu Sep 04, 07:32:00 AM:
"Criminalizing political differences is very dangerous ground to tread..."
That opens the door to political persecution and civil war. I imagine, however, that this is really just a bone thrown to the cultists who have been whining about prosecuting the 'criminals' in Washington for years now.
By , at
Thu Sep 04, 08:11:00 AM:
Obama and Biden must be real Civil War buffs, because this kind of bone-headed idea might very well bring on a SECOND Civil War.
Joe Biden: Sooper Geenyus
By , at
Thu Sep 04, 09:01:00 AM:
So the main ingredient it takes now to win POTUS is Bush hatred......
These people aren't fit to lead America; or even BE Americans.
By , at
Thu Sep 04, 10:30:00 AM:
Do you think Barry and Joe are aware that Pelosi is only two heart beats away from the Presidency?
By , at
Thu Sep 04, 04:17:00 PM:
That opens the door to political persecution and civil war.
Given the very public violence and vandalism currently engaged in by the left, I don't think they have any problem with that. Obama may decry it, but in my opinion it's in a "savor the fruit while cursing the vine" sort of way.
By , at
Thu Sep 04, 04:41:00 PM:
It starts by investigating the lowest level of the politically vulnerable, and coercing them to turn "for the prosecution". Then it moves up the ladder, until they can get the real big fish they want to humiliate: Rumsfeld, Cheney, and of course, George W. Bush.
Think Richard Rich and Thomas Moore. It could happen if enough people could be intimidated by jail or impoverishment (fighting the legal fight) or reward, to turn them.
They've already got several: Scott McClellan, Colin Powell and Richard Armitage. More names may come to mind.
And yes, Civil War could be one outcome. Destruction of the two-party system; who would run as a Republican if that meant criminal indictment upon leaving office?
-David
By Dawnfire82, at
Thu Sep 04, 04:58:00 PM:
Don't forget which side has all the guns.
