The Little Things
May 25:
He lies as easily as he breathes. When it doesn't even matter.
Even if they didn't want to spoil the announcement just because a reporter happened to ask a well-timed question, he could have said something like "You know, there have been rumors about Secretary Snow's departure for months, and I'm not going to get involved with that." Then a quick couple sentences bragging about the economy, and he's done. But no. Not this guy.
He comes right out and says to the reporter's face that Snow had not talked to him about resignation when, in fact, Snow had not only talked to him about it, he'd done it, and his replacement had already agreed to take the job!
In the press briefing today, spokesweasel Tony Snow tried to suggest that they were worried about the effect it would have on the markets, as if that was an excuse for an outright lie. He would have us believe that the markets hadn't already accounted for John Snow's imminent departure months ago, when it became an open secret they were struggling to find his replacement. And if the economy is so robust and going gangbusters, how bad would it be? It's not like John Snow is the darling of Wall St.
On the scale of Bushian mendacity, this is pretty small potatoes, but it seems telling. This isn't a case of being technically accurate but misleading, nor is it a case of having been told something that your wanted to believe and choosing to believe it. There isn't a way you can parse this to make what he said true. And he didn't need to lie. It was just easier to lie, and, to him, lying doesn't matter.
Q Has Treasury Secretary Snow given you any indication that he intends to leave his job any time soon?Today:
PRESIDENT BUSH: Secretary of Treasury Snow?
Q Has he given you any indication he intends to leave his job any time soon? And related to that, Americans -- macroeconomic numbers are indeed good, but many Americans are concerned, increasingly concerned about rising health care costs, costs of gasoline. And does that make it hard for your administration, Treasury Secretary Snow, and everyone else to continue to talk up the economy?
PRESIDENT BUSH: No, he has not talked to me about resignation. I think he's doing a fine job. After all, our economy is -- it's strong. We grew at 3.5 percent last year; a good, strong first quarter this year. We added five -- 2.5 million new jobs, we've got 4.7 percent unemployment rate nationwide. Productivity is up, home ownership is high, small businesses are doing well. He's done a fine job.
Q Do you have any tick-tock on the policy pick? When did the President reach out to him?Right. So Hank Paulson, Snow's replacement had already accepted the job by May 25th, when the President said "No, he has not talked to me about resignation."
MR. SNOW: Yes, the tick-tock is the two of them met on the 20th of May and there was a conversation, and Hank Paulson accepted the job a day later.
He lies as easily as he breathes. When it doesn't even matter.
Even if they didn't want to spoil the announcement just because a reporter happened to ask a well-timed question, he could have said something like "You know, there have been rumors about Secretary Snow's departure for months, and I'm not going to get involved with that." Then a quick couple sentences bragging about the economy, and he's done. But no. Not this guy.
He comes right out and says to the reporter's face that Snow had not talked to him about resignation when, in fact, Snow had not only talked to him about it, he'd done it, and his replacement had already agreed to take the job!
In the press briefing today, spokesweasel Tony Snow tried to suggest that they were worried about the effect it would have on the markets, as if that was an excuse for an outright lie. He would have us believe that the markets hadn't already accounted for John Snow's imminent departure months ago, when it became an open secret they were struggling to find his replacement. And if the economy is so robust and going gangbusters, how bad would it be? It's not like John Snow is the darling of Wall St.
On the scale of Bushian mendacity, this is pretty small potatoes, but it seems telling. This isn't a case of being technically accurate but misleading, nor is it a case of having been told something that your wanted to believe and choosing to believe it. There isn't a way you can parse this to make what he said true. And he didn't need to lie. It was just easier to lie, and, to him, lying doesn't matter.
posted by Paul at 8:24 PM |
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