Untrammeled Hypocracisy

That rank hypocrisy dominates the baseless and puerile rhetoric that passes for argument and fact among the Bush Administration and its apologists and supporters should, by this point, no longer be considered a new story. This week has seen conservatives offer several striking examples of limitless hypocrisy.

Nearly before the judge's gavel had struck for the final time the right wing was falling all over itself in a rush to call for a pardon for Scooter Libby and to dismiss his conviction as a 'travesty of justice.' These were largely the same individuals and outlets who had called for President Clinton's head on a platter during his impeachment. Remember President Clinton was impeached on the grounds that he perjured himself in regards to a sexual infidelity. Mr. Libby stood accused and has now been convicted of perjury in regards to the disclosure of a covert agents identity, obstruction of justice and making false statements. If President Clinton's transgressions merited his impeachment then surely Mr. Libby's crimes deserved prosecution.

Apparently the rule of law is only an important concept to be upheld as long as it does not go against the conservatives. Unfortunately for the American public the rule of law means little if anything to the current Administration who continues to disregard the law and the Constitution as it sees fit.

One of President Clinton's most prominent detractors, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich admitted today that he was engaged in an extra-marital affair while leading the impeachment proceedings against President Clinton for lying about having an extra-marital affair. Perhaps a new level of hypocrisy even for Mr. Gingrich.

To round out the hypocritical field Senator Hillary Clinton, in an interview with Think Progress, pointed out some of President Bush's more glaring moments of hypocrisy in regards to military readiness. In 2000 Mr. Bush, then a candidate said:

So let’s get something straight right now. To point out that our military has been overextended, taken for granted and neglected, that’s no criticism of the military. That is criticism of a president and vice president and their record of neglect. [CNN, 11/3/00]

While the military then was not dangerously over-extended and ill-equipped it certainly is now. Is Mr. Bush willing to stand by his earlier statements and take responsibility for the illogical and embarrassingly poor treatment and state of the American Military or would he rather pass the buck and expose his true, hypocritical nature.

Hypocrisy is never a pretty sight. It is particularly sickening to see it celebrated throughout the mainstream media and foisted upon the American public and the world at large by the Bush Administration.