July 19, 2005
Who moved the goalposts?
Tom Maguire and the rest of Right Blogistan keep complaining that the media has "moved the goalposts" by misinterpreting GWB's "Yes" when asked whether, if it came out that Rove had leaked Valerie Plame's identity, he would be fired.
But that wasn't Bush's only comment on the subject. He also said:
Listen, I know of nobody -- I don't know of anybody in my administration who leaked classified information. If somebody did leak classified information, I'd like to know it and we'll take the appropriate action.
Note that Bush said nothing about "committing a crime."
Now we know what "take the appropriate action" means in Bushese. It means "Sit around and wait to see if our friend can beat the rap on a technicality."
We also have the English translation of the Bushese idiom "I'd like to know." It means "I will take no action to find out, and if the press finds out for me I will refuse to pay attention."
