A Government That Can't Remember Anything

Bob Schieffer Wonders Why No One Can Remember What Happened To The U.S. Attorneys

(CBS)  Weekly commentary by CBS Evening News chief Washington correspondent and Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer.

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I have a travel advisory for visitors from outer space.

If you've been following the news lately, you can be excused for believing that government service is harder on human memory than Alzheimer's.

As the recent trial of Scooter Libby showed, White House work left him unable to remember anything.

But his problem was nothing compared to the epidemic of memory loss at the Justice Department, where federal prosecutors got fired. The Attorney General couldn't remember talking to his own staff about the reasons why, where as lower officials couldn't remember whose idea it was. And nobody at the White House could remember anything except they didn't do it.

Among the prosecutors who got fired was one who sent a Republican congressman to jail on corruption charges, another who did not push corruption charges against Democrats fast enough – at least not fast enough to please the Republican senator who complained.

Pressuring federal prosecutors to play political games is serious business. The president says he's not happy about it, and the attorney general says mistakes were made. Well, of course they were. But confirming the obvious is not enough. From the top down, the word must go out this will not be tolerated, and those responsible must be held accountable.

Even an alien from outer space can see that or smell it, because this one stinks to high heaven.

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[judiann22]

Why do we have 93 federal prosecutors anyway there are only 50 states?
are there prosecutors in federal territories and protectorates too?
I though the justice department was creatd as a cabinate post to assure that justice would be fair and just?
if each political party can hire and fire to their own tune how can they be fair or just?

Is this a patronage job like the old post office?
why isent it a civil service job like working for the welfare department?

And how much money do these 100 fair and just solicitors recieve for nada?
And who defends americans if they are prosecutors why dont we have federal defenders also?

I just dont understand whats the big deal about getting rid of employees who are out of step with the latest dictator of our 'democracy'. the US isnt a democracy anway its a republic OYE VEY!
Well little ireland like little italy and little isreal have the right of return and we can take our debit card with us
judiann22

[zoroastor]

Notice how anything on this thread posted by a neo-con is off point and, well, rather pathetic?

Is the steam running out? I mean, at what point does the average Rep. voter throw in the towel and say uncle - "our president sux."?

It's like the losing side of a chess match in - all they can do is try to postpone the inevitable as long as possible. But they are running out of squares that are safe to land on.

[rharrin1]

In the contra hearings Reagan used the lapse of memory thing also. He used it so much I thought he used it all up. ( like none left for anybody else to use )

[bobnjersey]

[Just can't figure out how to defend the little worm can you?]

didn't that train leave the station roughly six years ago? is this all you guys have ... an incessant focus on what clinton did ... he's gone ... long gone.

who's defending? the law should be changed ... regardless of party. it stinks all the way around! why are US attorney's political in any way shape or form.

they attempted to use provisions of the patriot act (how ironic) to remove attorneys w/ excellent performance reviews for obvious political reasons.

what you say now ... mr. processor2?

[naber1961]

they cant remember because Liars always forget what they have said it the past. This administration has been lying to the American public and the world since day 1. They actually lied before that when they stole the election.

[observantx]

Atta Boy Bob!

Short and sweet and to the point!

You're right, this stinks so bad it would knock a buzzard off a rotting corpse.

[adventurepa]

The sad thing about this is nothing will happen.
An investigation will be nothing but politics and the dog and pony show it has always been.
They will change the subject with some other report to take the focus away from this event and everything will continue as usual.
When will enough be enough?

[condumism]

Ronald Reagan could not remember his role in the Iran-Contra scandal. Now we know that REagan already had Alheimer's, and that the White House was covering that up during his last etem in Office. Now all Rethuglicon's are using the Alzheimer's defense every time they get caught doing their illegal deeds. The amazing part of the story is that there are still a hard core 24% if the America people that support these fascist's no matter how low they go. Thanks God the huge majority of these traitors are in the Southern States where they will soon be voted out of america once and for ever.

[dallison7]

Well,if if some of you believe that,I assume,all
of you are anti_amricans. Thank God for George
W. Bush. America needs people like him.
DEMONCRATS,will destroy our country. They want
the White House to do so. Shame on Clinton.

Posted by j02281


MY GOD!! I WONDER IF THEY LET THIS ONE VOTE??!!!
SOMETHING MUST BE DONE!!
WE NEED AN IQ REQUIREMENT AT THE POLLING PLACES!!

[dallison7]

to all lib's

Were you this upset when Clinton fired attorneys???
Posted by processor2


YADA, YADA, YADA, CLINTON, CLINTON, CLINTON, SWIFTBOAT, SWIFTBOAT, SWIFTBOAT, SLUR, SLUR, SLUR, YADA, YADA, YADA

Just can't figure out how to defend the little worm can you?

[clestes-2009]

AMEN BROTHER BOB!!

[dallison7]

Any GOOD, and reasonable answers, anyone?? PLEASE speak up, we just might be able to stuff THIS Genie BACK into the demonic bottle it arose from!!

PEACE!!

Posted by revdr72741


The answers have been shouted all across the nation at the peace rallies, in the opinion columns, in blogs like this one, and in congressional hearings. The roar of the answers is deafening! The inetlligent and patriotic Americans who want to save our beloved country from total destruction are screaming the answers! But those with the rolling thunder of party loyalty in their ears cannot hear.

The answers to your questions are:

Remove the criminal administration now in power

End the illegal war

Elect a leader with the ability to think clearly

And, get back to caring for the citizens of America

[bluestardad]

GOOD JOB BOB!

Republicans are Screaming Support the Troops! Their policies do anything but that! Screaming for Pardon for Libby while they have the Impeachment blood of a president on their hands for the same offense. Unless you have been on your knees with your eyes shut in front of some Stalwart Republican like Mark Foley or Tedd Haggert you would have seen that Iraq did not attack America on 9/11 and that Iraq is in a Religious Civil War. The Republican Hypocritical Abortion hating, Pedophile, Gay Bashing, Sausage Smoken Evangelicals who steals millions of dollars from widow women promising them Salvation while all the time seeing male Prostitutes behind their wife%u2019s back are not good Republican character references. While Pedophile Republican Congressmen are still at large. For six years Congress and its Rubber Stamp Oversight of the Cowardous Neo-Con, Chicken Hawk, Draft Dodgers WERE sending others to war without ever serving themselves in the Military. The Republicans SUPPORT THE TROOPS rhetoric but can not even care for our Military wounded who live with Rats and Cockroaches at Walter Reed Hospital. The Sunni are funded by Saudi Arabia the Bush Family friends. Bin Laden is still active while Bush is secretly funding Sunni al Qaeda in Lebanon in an Iran Contra style under the table financing scheme outside Congressional approval.

CONTACT your Republican Congress person and tell them http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

[bobnjersey]

[Some news station are telling their true ... People will make a pick.
DEMONCRATS,will not provide,moral,dignity,and
family values. They will destroy it.]

george ... is that you again? still can't construct an intelligible sentence?

let's review ... like i showed you in the 1'st level phonics book:

their [should be] the
true [should be] truth
pick [should be] choice
commas [should not be between] (every word in a sentence)
very high marks on the periods though ... that's something to feel good about.

do phonics first ... once you master that ... then we can move on to the repbulican talking points. and you know what i told you about fox news ... they'll say anything.

now crawl back into your hole you idiot and don't come out until you can represent our party as the master manipulators that we are. who's going to believe all our propaganda when you mangle the message?

[j02281]

God help us. Please do not allow DEMONCRATS
take the power. You know ,they will destroy America.

[j02281]

Some news station are telling their true.
True for our enemies,true,true for anti-americans
true for traitors,but ,the true is: We have two
sides in America. 1: Against America,or 2: With
America. People will make a pick.
DEMONCRATS,will not provide,moral,dignity,and
family values. They will destroy it.

[bobnjersey]

[Thank God for George W. Bush. America needs people like him.]

for what? not enough people picking up after their dogs? he's not even qualified to do that.

i'll bet the 'brush clearing' has to be redone once he finishes playing rancher.

[j02281]

Well,if if some of you believe that,I assume,all
of you are anti_amricans. Thank God for George
W. Bush. America needs people like him.
DEMONCRATS,will destroy our country. They want
the White House to do so. Shame on Clinton.

I agree, Mr. Schieffer. It boggles the mind that so many government employees have Alzheimer's these days. I suppose they think we Americans are so stupid we will accept any feeble excuse, or maybe they are counting on Rush and Fox to persuade the flock that night is day and day is night.

[frankbowers]

Yeah! gWbush the idiot did appoint the 8 that rove had fired the fact they would not do as he said got them fired they prosecuted cunninghan the ohio ney and several other republicans and this sort of upset the idiot and his aid rove. The fact one judge was working at outting a defense conractor that was bilking america out or billions while producing nothing had a lot to do with him being fired.the fact that the Patroic Act now allows the ag to appoint with out senate confirmation meant they can appoint those who will call rove and ask him how to rule on a case or if they should even consider taking it.So I say what the f**ck do we even need them for let it all hang out for two more years and save what money we can and not hire anyone just ask rove what to do and forget the rest the best of good byes frank bowers in austin,tx