Posted on 01/12/2002 4:59:48 PM PST by A Citizen Reporter
They can't pin this on Bush
By Mark Steyn
(Filed: 13/01/2002)
THE first time I gave any thought to Enron, the world's biggest energy trader, was during last summer's California blackouts, when the state had a go at blaming their woes on the company's chief executive, Ken Lay. "I would love," said Bill Lockyer, California's Attorney-General, "to personally escort Lay to an 8 x 10 cell that he could share with a tattooed dude who says, 'Hi, my name is Spike, honey.'"
Fortunately for Mr Lay, he lived not in California but in Texas, beyond the reach of Mr Lockyer's summary cell-share programme. And, as Enron itself has now short-circuited, in the largest bankruptcy in US history, Lockyer and his fellow Democrats have moved on. These days, they and their media chums are positively salivating at the prospect of using Enron to do to the Bush Administration what the State of California wanted Spike to do to Mr Lay. On Friday on CNN, in the corner of the screen where of late "AMERICA FIGHTS BACK" has been emblazoned, there loomed instead the dread suffix: "ENRONGATE". The New York Times has lapsed into its lethal passive voice: "Questions were being raised."
The only "question" really being "raised" is: How can we pin this on Bush? Short answer: You can't.
For those who want to turn a bona fide business scandal into a political one, Ken Lay is supposedly the unacceptable face of Bush capitalism - of a particular Texan energy-industry backslapping business culture. The argument is that Lay has been writing cheques to Dubya's political campaigns since he first ran for dogcatcher, and that in return he's been rewarded with "access". Thus the headline in Friday's Washington Post: "Enron Asked For Help From Cabinet Officials. CEO Sought Intervention Before Bankruptcy."
Hmm. I must fish out The Washington Post of November 23, 1963: "President Makes Visit To Dallas. JFK Well-Received By Most Texans." The real news in the story is not Lay's phone calls but the officials' response: when Dubya's buddy tried to call in his chits, the Bush guys were unmoved. The headline should have read: "Cabinet Officials Declined To Help Enron. CEO Told, 'Awfully Sorry To Hear About All These Problems, Ken. Look, I Gotta Run, But Let's Get Together And Do Lunch Sometime Next Year.' "
Meanwhile, the Attorney-General, John Ashcroft, has recused himself from the Justice Department investigation on the grounds that he too has been the beneficiary of Enron's largesse. At a stroke, Ashcroft sets the bar at a height the Democrats can't rise to. After all, in terms of their political investments, Enron had a widely diversified portfolio: 71 of America's 100 Senators got cheques from the company, among them half the Democratic caucus, including Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton. If Senators and Representatives are as punctilious about conflict of interest as the Attorney-General, there'll barely be enough of them to man the Congressional hearings.
In other words, if this is "another Whitewater", it's a bipartisan one: in Monica terms, it's as if, in between oral sex with the President, she was squeezing in bondage sessions with Newt Gingrich and rounding out the day lapdancing with Strom Thurmond.
In so far as anybody did "special favours" for Enron, it wasn't Bush but the Clinton Administration, which lavished over $4 billion in Federal funds on the company.
But Bush? Ken Lay must be utterly bewildered: he gives half a mil to his Texas buddy and what does he have to show for it? Nothing, except investigations by the Justice Department, Commerce Department, Securities and Exchange Commission and eight Congressional committees. Right now, 30 days with Spike would be a pretty good plea bargain.
I heard she scored highly at 'multi-tasking'.
The only "question" really being "raised" is: How can we pin this on Bush?
ON THE HEAD, MARK!!!!
Now there's a mental image guaranteed to give you nightmares.
Yuck.
A. Cricket
Even Clinton Butt-Boy extrodinaire Lanny Davis cautioned his fellow liberal talking heads about this scandal not being a smoking gun against Bush & Cheney the other night on CNN. I guess ole Lanny Boy doesn't want too much scrutiny since some of Enron's past doings lead straight to Enron officials "accessing" the Clinton Administration and fellow Democrats as well. Unfortunately, I think that both parties will do little against Enron in the long run...
Jeers.
Yeah, as if we hadn't figured on something like that, already. Thanks for the ping. Steyn hit another homer.
This thing is such a joke. I bet W is laughing is pants off - it's all turning towards Clinton.
Has a nice way with words doesn't he ?
Of course, they were trying to pin all that on Sen. Gramm & his wife.
Democrats are blinded by their faith.
In socialism...
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