Bush Backpedaling

On the campaign trail President Bush proclaimed his intention to "uphold the honor and dignity of the White House,” but the reality of his administration has been far less noble. The Rove controversy is a prime example of the president's credibility problem. His backpedaling from saying that he had "made it very clear to people in his administration that he expects them to adhere to the highest standards of conduct. If anyone in this administration was involved in it, they would no longer be in this administration,” to stating that "If someone committed a crime, they will no longer work in my administration,” brings his credibility to new lows.

The sad part is that Bush doesn't seem to understand how damaging the situation is becoming for him. This president hasn't learned the lesson of Watergate or any of the subsequent "gates" that have rocked administrations. The American public clings steadfastly to the idea that wrongdoers should be brought to justice. We simply do not forgive Presidents who try to protect subordinates from the consequences of their actions. For the White House, the damage is not the result of the leak, but the cover-up. For the president, the consequences of trying to protect members of his administration is likely to be even more damaging because he has built his reputation on being a straight shooter. His conduct this week leaves him with a dilemma. When the honor and dignity of the White house is at stake will he stand for truth and justice or will he continue to backpedal to protect his friends?

The Karl Rove Problem

There has been a lot of talk this week about the need for the Bush administration to fire Karl Rove. This is the wrong question at the wrong time. Our system of justice demands that everyone be presumed innocent until proven guilty. It is too soon to be talking about firing Mr. Rove. It is not too soon to remove him from his position pending investigation.

Treason is the most serious crime one can commit against a country. The accusations against Rove warrant launching an investigation. Those accusations do not warrant either the administrations efforts to protect Rove or the Democrats launching a "Fire Rove" campaign.

The fact that our nation is debating his job prospects rather than launching an investigation into his actions reveals the underlying problem with the current political climate in the United States. It is time we stop playing politics. We must return reason and the rule of law to our national government. Both parties know that our national security depends on those with security clearances keeping sensitive information confidential. If Rove is guilty of revealing the name of an undercover agent to the press he should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. If he is not, he deserves the right to defend himself in a court of law. Either way, we have a responsibility to Mr. Rove and to the nation to find the truth.

Finding the truth is a responsibility we cannot afford to take lightly. The Karl Rove problem is adding to the larger credibility problem at the core of American politics. It must be addressed quickly and decisively. Most of all, we must put aside partisan politics to achieve impartial justice.