Posted on 01/14/2002 12:38:50 AM PST by kattracks
THE RAPID COLLAPSE last November of the Houston-based energy firm Enron, whose executives have close ties to President George W. Bush, has fired the Washington rumor mills and stirred talk of a White House scandal similar to the campaign fund-raising misdoings that plagued the Clinton and Gore administration. But the differences between the Clinton/Gore transgressions and what we know so far of the Enron debacle are many and significant. Much has been made of the half million dollars Enron donated to Bush's run for the White House and of Bush's apparent friendship with Enron chief Kenneth Lay. But there is no evidence of a scandal here. First, Enron reportedly has directed about three quarters of its political donations to Republicans since the first Bush administration, so donating to the Bush campaign was to be expected. Second, if Texans Lay and Bush are friendly acquaintances and share similar political ideals, why wouldn't Lay and his company donate to the Bush campaign? Third, all of the Enron donations to the Bush campaign were legal and above-board, unlike many of the donations made to the Clinton/Gore campaigns. Furthermore, the Bush White House has been most forthcoming with information about its dealings with Lay and other Enron executives. Rather than try to hide information, as Clinton and Gore did, Bush has been up front with the media. He released a list of phone calls between Enron and the White House and announced a federal investigation of Enron's collapse. And Attorney General John Ashcroft has recused himself from the investigation, unlike Janet Reno, who oversaw the Justice Department's investigation of Clinton/Gore campaign abuses despite the obvious conflict of interest. Even some former Clintonites are careful not to jump to any conclusions about the Bush/Enron relationship. Former Clinton scandal consultant Lanny Davis told The Washington Post last week, "I don't think there's any shred of evidence that the White House has any connection to what went wrong with Enron. Democrats should not go down the road of focusing on innuendo." Quite right. The old saying that "where there's smoke, there's fire" is true. But in this case it looks like the fire is entirely contained within Enron's camp and President Bush just happens to be standing downwind.
Big surprise?!? Only to disappointed Democrats who are used to Bubba's antics and, applying that low standard, wrongly assumed no administration could actually be ethical. They're totally desperate to get ANYTHING to distract attention from GWB's astronomical popularity and their own obstructionism (a fact which apparently has become obvious even to the sheeple and the talking heads).
It's perfectly delightful watching them stew in their own juices for a change.
It says it all so clearly. I wish I knew how to send this to CNN and MSNBC.
Lanny Davis also wrote a column in 2000 praising the character of President Bush and warning Dumbocrats/Gore to be not engage in their usual character assassinations.("My years at Yale with George W. Bush").
The Dumbocraps (as ususal) ignored Lanny's advice, continued in their CarVILE/BUGala politics of personal destruction, and the rest is history.
ROTFLOL!!!
Kenneth Lay’s new lawyer: “No, sir, it’s 10b5, sir, Rule 10b5. It’s a security rule.”
Kenneth Lay (Texas Bidniss wizard): “Ten be five? Yew sayin I’m goin to prison cuz I dint know dat ten be five?”
Kenneth Lay’s new lawyer: “Yes, sir, I’m afraid that’s correct, sir.”
My take: This Enron mess is just a sneaky way to get more Federal funds for Texas schools.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.