Independent Institute
by Ivan Eland

10/31/05

The normally formidable Bush spin machine, which has perfected Orwellian doublespeak to an art form, has obviously been rattled by the Lewis Libby indictment and the whole Valerie Plame affair. The administration's uncharacteristic and lame response has taken a well-worn page from a public relations playbook: try to change the subject. It has pursued this strategy by speeding up the selection and announcement of the Supreme Court nominee of the month. But this mere diversion might actually signal that the White House has done something wrong. Furthermore, trying to change the subject shows weakness that could embolden critics. That's the kind of response one would expect from a weak-kneed Clinton administration. Remember the U.S. cruise missile attacks on Sudan and Afghanistan in 1998 on the day that Monica Lewinsky was testifying before the grand jury? The Bush administration would never want to be caught dead imitating the Clinton administration's 'small thinking'...

http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=1600


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp