Varifrank: Libby: A chill wind

Libby: A chill wind

Libby convicted.

There is only one lesson to learn from this whole adventure.

Scooter Libbys Rules of Public Service:

Rule 1) Under no circumstances talk to anyone in the press about anything, no matter how trivial or mundane the subject may seem at the time.

Rule 2) The press is not interested in the truth or "giving you a voice", they are interested in their own future book deals and getting invited to the right kind of cocktail parties. If they thought they could get away with outright killing you,( which would naturally get the producer of the Bill Maher show to call their agent and get them booked on the show - because they'd be considered "edgy and provocative"), you'd be dead in a parking lot somewhere, face down with an ice pick in your skull by lunchtime that afternoon. I dont care how much they smile at you, in Washington, every microphone is a snipers rifle, every television camera is an IED. You're not a senior administration official on background, you're a target for a future indictment.

Rule 3) If you are in doubt at any time during your service about what to do when meeting a "member of the press", refer immediately to rule #1.

Rule 4) If you ever think about bending rule #1 "just this once because the truth needs to come out"; refer immediately to Rule #2.

For a press corp that has spent the last 6 years bemoaning access to the White House, I can't see how this helps them. I can tell you that if I worked in Washington and my phone rang this afternoon from anyone in the media, there is no way in hell I would ever pick up the phone. The Sunday chat shows are about to be filled with reporters talking to each other, because no one at any level of government will dare even sit at the same table as the press.

Kinda makes me wonder if this was all part of "Bush's evil plan" after all...

Posted @ March 06, 2007 09:49 AM | Current Affairs