George W. Bush

King George: A "uniter" at long last…

Who would've thunk it... Bush had the capacity to be a uniter after all.

BRUCE FEIN, constitutional scholar and former deputy attorney general in the Reagan Administration: I think the answer requires at least in part considering what the occupant of the presidency says in the aftermath of wrongdoing or rectification. On its face, if President Bush is totally unapologetic and says I continue to maintain that as a war-time President I can do anything I want – I don’t need to consult any other branches – that is an impeachable offense. It’s more dangerous than Clinton’s lying under oath because it jeopardizes our democratic dispensation and civil liberties for the ages. It would set a precedent that … would lie around like a loaded gun, able to be used indefinitely for any future occupant.

NORM ORNSTEIN, AEI scholar: I think if we’re going to be intellectually honest here, this really is the kind of thing that Alexander Hamilton was referring to when impeachment was discussed.

Maybe there are some Republicans with the capacity to understand that the precedents established under Bush could turn around to bite them if and when a Democrat takes over. To these Republicans, I say: you FINALLY understand the progressive movement. It's not about party affiliation -- it's about accountability! For all elected officials (and corporations, too, by the way)!

Think Progress kicks ass.