But Do We Believe Him?

As White House Press Secretary, Scott McClellan had a lucrative career lying to us. Now, with the recent change in political climate, he makes his bucks exposing those lies. His most recent revelation is that George W. Bush outed CIA agent Valerie Plame (if video doesn't show, click here):



So this video is already a week old. Has Bush been impeached yet? Let me check... nope. However, Dick Cheney has been indicted on something totally unrelated. I'm shocked -- the charges aren't shocking but the indictment itself surprises me. In a government where an executive order can grant the VP limitless power, I thought Cheney was untouchable...

So let's optimistically imagine we can get to the point where Bush is put on trial, and Scott McClellan is called as a witness. I am sure that McClellan's loyalty and character will be attacked along with his honesty. In an astonishing contradiction, Scott McClellan told members of the House Judiciary Committee last June that he didn't think that the president knew in advance about the Plame Wilson leak. He has clearly changed his story.

However, I still feel that McClellan's claims corroborate other reports and charges against Bush and Cheney. I could care less about McClellan's apparent lack of loyalty to a political party. I just wish he wasn't a professional liar.

More Convention Coverage

Dennis Kucinich gets credit for the greatest line never spoken at a Democratic National Convention. Apparently Obama's campaign objected to this line addressing the Republicans: “They’re asking for another four years — in a just world, they’d get 10 to 20.”

Kucinich has balls for pushing the case for impeachment, but maybe the convention is not the proper time or place. This convention is for focusing on Barack Obama's message. Joe Biden did just that. He passionately pointed out that McCain has been wrong and Obama has been right on issues of national security:



That's the message the Obama campaign really needs to loudly proclaim.

Of course Hillary and Bill also gave good speeches, but I think the most remarkable speech you probably missed came from John Kerry. He spoke of a mission to restore America's influence and position in the world... using our values. He was also bold and brutal in his assertion that the Republicans have not made us safer. Where was this John Kerry in 2004?

I haven't really been following the Republican analysis of the Democratic National Convention, but I heard that their panties are in a bunch over the elaborate stage where Obama will deliver his Thursday night acceptance speech. I think maybe the neocons are taking the debate over the party platform a little too literally. Next they'll complain about the carpet and the feng shui.

Worse Than Watergate?

If the video doesn't show, click here. Also, watch the follow-up exclusive with Ron Suskind.

Another new scandal, and if the charges are true, this is impeachable.

And in response to this news, I have a question for Nancy Pelosi. How do you do it? How do you stand up there in front of the U.S. House of Representatives? I mean, I heard that it's impossible to walk or even stand if you're spineless!

Non Impeachment Hearings

Yesterday The House Judiciary Committee held hearings on the limits of executive power... or hosted a three ring circus... whichever you want to call it. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) was up to the old Republican obstructionist tricks. Cindy Sheehan was booted. And John Conyers (D-MI) still reminds me of Droopy Dog.

However, Vincent Bugliosi, author of The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder, was a formidable witness. H/T to Crooks and Liars for the following videos:



In this first video we learn that nobody is allowed to accuse anybody of a crime at these hearings. So all witnesses will be forced into linguistic gymnastics... but who are we kidding? The title of Bugliosi's book says it all.

I believe many of the documents Bugliosi presented were part of last month's Senate report which I duly wrote about.



In this second video, Bugliosi precisely explains the WMD issue: the concern is not over Bush lying about weapons of mass destruction. The real crime is that he lied about Saddam Hussein being an imminent threat.

Conyers, the panel chairman, had to repeatedly note that the sessions were not formal impeachment hearings. Rep. Steve King (R-IA) seemed to think they were. The official purpose was to examine limitations on presidential powers and arguments about what constitute impeachable offenses.

But I, like so many others, demand accountability. This is not about getting revenge on a president we don't like. This is about saying nobody is above the law. This is about telling all future Presidents and Congressmen that they cannot commit these grave injustices while the people sit by silently.

But this Non-Impeachment Hearing is all we get. This is what passes for "working for the people."

Reason Number 36

Well, Dennis Kucinich now has one more charge to add to his 35 articles of impeachment against President George W. Bush. CNN's Lou Dobbs believes Bush should be impeached for failing to protect American consumers from the recent salmonella outbreak which has made 383 people sick.



At about 4:30 into the video Dobbs expresses his frustration:

You know, I have heard a lot of reasons over the years as to why George W. Bush should be impeached. For them to leave the Food and Drug Administration in this state -- its leadership in this sorry condition and to have no capacity apparently or will to protect the American consumer –- that is alone to me sufficient reason to impeach a president who has made this agency possible and has ripped its guts out in its ability to protect the American consumer. It’s insane what is going on here.

I totally understand the anger over this... I hate poop on my salad too... but I think there are much better reasons (about 35 or so) for impeachment... wiretapping, outing a CIA agent, suspending habeas corpus, torture, starting a war on false pretense, etc.

By the way, if you've ever wondered "how do tomatoes get salmonella," then you should check out Slate's excellent explainer on the subject.