How Bush will weasel out of responsibility for illegal wiretapping

[Atman]

If it ever actually gets to the point where he might have to fess up, just to calm things down a bit...hey, could happen...anyway, if we get to that point, here's my bet; Bush will simply say, "Hey, sorry. My legal advisors said I could do it. I guess they were wrong." And then he'll expect that to suffice for a mea culpa, end of story. Isn't that what he's trying to do with Iraq? It's the old "easier to apologize afterward than to get permission beforehand" approach to governing, and it's probably served him well his whole life. Just say "Oops, but now we gotta deal with NOW!" and expect everyone to drop it on cue.

That's what will happen with the spy scandal. George will say, "Hey, I didn't know, I acted on the best advice available, and it was wrong. I won't let it happen again, and besides, I was about to phase out that program anyway since we recently caught the #3 guy in Al Qaeda." And the talking heads and apologists will march in lock-step, telling us that we need to be looking forward, not backward, and that forgiveness is in order for such a great, brave leader willing to do whatever it takes to protect us. Bet on it.

Any takers?

[liberal N proud]

1. A republican congress with weasel democrats who will not stand up

to the corruption in congress and the white house.

[Walt Starr]

2. Sorry, he already fessed up. December 17, he admitted it. n/t

[drdtroit]

5. And the media will conveniently sweep it under the carpet, along with

the rest of the items on Bush's huge laundry list of indiscretions.

[RumpusCat]

11. down the memory hole

It's kind of depressing, but it just seems to be where all of this crap goes.

[democrat_patriot]

3. He "relied on faulty intelligence?"

sigh.

[napi21]

4. That will probably be the excuse, but if it also comes out that

many legal begals in the NSA disagreed with that decision, then that doesn't let him off the hook!

I've read in several posts here on DU that many lawyers disagreed with Gonzales on this decision.

Simply haveing your own attorney agree with you doesn't mean much.

[Drum]

6. As as the case with many disasters,

his Dick is to blame.

[berni_mccoy]

7. That won't fly

If your lawyer said you had justification to go rob a bank, something that is clearly illegal (as is violating the 4th ammendment) in order to feed your children (a good cause, but there are other legal ways that would accomplish the task), then you would still go to jail. You could certainly SUE your lawyer, but you would still go to jail. The court may be lenient and give you the minimum sentence, but you would STILL GO TO JAIL.

[jim3775]

8. Here is Peter Daou's prediction about how this scandal will fade

The Dynamic of a Bush Scandal: How the Spying Story Will Unfold (and Fade)

[mattclearing]

9. I'll see your I didn't know, and raise you an I knew, and did it anyway

Did you seen Howard Dean's email yesterday? Bush has said on the record that you can't do what he admitted to without a court order.

He knew.

He knew it when he said the government couldn't do it last April 20th.

He knew it when he reauthorized the thing 30 times.

He knew it when he begged the New York Times editors not to run the story last week.

He knew it when he admitted having done it to reporters this week.

[Just Me]

10. I'll raise that with a, "I'm going to continue to do it, too,...and,...

,...there's not a damned thing you can do about it 'cause I rule!" x( Criminal asshole!

[mattclearing]

12. Yeah, that ain't gonna work out too well.

The media and even the congressional Republicans have turned on him. He needs something spectacular to bail him out this time.

Another terror attack on his watch is going to reflect poorly on him, no matter what.

The conservative elites (the Aspens) have turned on him...I don't think there's any getting out of it.

[johnnyburma]

13. Why did John Schmidt come out for Bush???

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0512210142dec21,0,3553632.story?coll=chi-newsopinioncommentary-hed

[Silverhair]

14. He is already bragging about it. NT