Monday, November 15, 2004
Departures, Departures - Who's Left to Take the Blame (or Rely On)?
So the Cabinet continues to empty - today's announcements are said to include Colin Powell, Ann Veneman, Spencer Abraham and the previously leaked Rod Paige. So when they're added to the already announced Ashcroft and Evans departures, we're left with 9 of the current 15 slots filled with last month's members. More will jump ship soon. What does it all mean? People with tons more access than myself will speculate all across the board. But I'm willing to say unflinchingly that these are the smart rats we're seeing flee before the downfall (oh, and Ashcroft - sick as a dog, ready to meet his alleged maker very soon). Remember, you heard it here first.
It's been announced that William Safire is retiring from the NYTimes. Can't say that I'm sorry to see him go. I've always hated his style of smugness, and his "On Language" column in the NYTimes Mag is the only piece I always skip no matter what he's trying to write all cute about. The fawning pronouncements of his brilliance are soon to come from all across the conservative spectrum. Screw him. Like so many others, I think he's worried to death about the future and can't stomach having to defend just what his Party is planning to do to the country.
Much, MUCH, more disturbing, however, is the wave of departures roiling the CIA. Two more announced this morning. Porter Goss brought with him a bunch of jackasses from his House committee staff who are running roughshod over the career professionals already in place, hoping to find a way to give Bush short-term credit for shaking up the agency. In the meantime, who's minding the store? The interview on "60 Minutes" last night with Michael Sheurer (who wrote "Imperial Hubris" as Anonymous) was pretty frightening in its specificity about Bin Laden and his worthiness as an adversary. Oh, and of course, Sheurer also resigned from the CIA on Friday. If ever there was a time when the U.S. was most vulnerable, I think that would definitely have to be...now.
So the Cabinet continues to empty - today's announcements are said to include Colin Powell, Ann Veneman, Spencer Abraham and the previously leaked Rod Paige. So when they're added to the already announced Ashcroft and Evans departures, we're left with 9 of the current 15 slots filled with last month's members. More will jump ship soon. What does it all mean? People with tons more access than myself will speculate all across the board. But I'm willing to say unflinchingly that these are the smart rats we're seeing flee before the downfall (oh, and Ashcroft - sick as a dog, ready to meet his alleged maker very soon). Remember, you heard it here first.
It's been announced that William Safire is retiring from the NYTimes. Can't say that I'm sorry to see him go. I've always hated his style of smugness, and his "On Language" column in the NYTimes Mag is the only piece I always skip no matter what he's trying to write all cute about. The fawning pronouncements of his brilliance are soon to come from all across the conservative spectrum. Screw him. Like so many others, I think he's worried to death about the future and can't stomach having to defend just what his Party is planning to do to the country.
Much, MUCH, more disturbing, however, is the wave of departures roiling the CIA. Two more announced this morning. Porter Goss brought with him a bunch of jackasses from his House committee staff who are running roughshod over the career professionals already in place, hoping to find a way to give Bush short-term credit for shaking up the agency. In the meantime, who's minding the store? The interview on "60 Minutes" last night with Michael Sheurer (who wrote "Imperial Hubris" as Anonymous) was pretty frightening in its specificity about Bin Laden and his worthiness as an adversary. Oh, and of course, Sheurer also resigned from the CIA on Friday. If ever there was a time when the U.S. was most vulnerable, I think that would definitely have to be...now.
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