The guy who needs the ethics class most won’t get it

November 9, 2005

Late last week, Bush ordered the entire White House staff to attend mandatory briefings on ethical behavior and the handling of classified materials. The Bush gang made a point of emphasizing that everyone has to take the refresher course; the memo to the staff specifically explains, “There will be no exceptions.”

Unfortunately, it depends on how you define “staff.”

The courses, run by Harriet Miers and Ethics Officer Richard Painter, began yesterday. But as yesterday’s press briefing made clear, there’s at least one person in the White House who needs the course but won’t get it.

Q: Scott, is anyone in the White House exempt from participating in these and —

McClellan: No, it’s a mandatory session.

Q: Would the Vice President have to attend?

McClellan: It’s mandatory for all White House staff. That’s who it’s for.

Q: And he’s considered staff?

McClellan: No, he’s considered the Vice President. (Laughter.)

Q: So he does not have to attend?

McClellan: All White House staff is required to participate in these sessions.

Pity. If anyone needs to be reminded about ethical standards, it’s the Vice President.

Can you picture Rove sitting through a class/briefing in ethics?

  • Hey no one claims this class is there to teach people to act more ethically, they can just use the class as a guide to how Republicans are NOT expected to act. Hell, that will probably be exactly how the class itself is taught. It wouldn’t surprise me if Karl teaches the class himself.

    “OK folks, an ethical person would do this. Here is what I would do.”

  • Note to Scotty:
    It’s not the staff that needs a course in ethics. It’s the management. And it’s really too late for them. They are deseased and beyond help.

  • I’m slightly encouraged that someone had the balls to ask the question…basically inferring that Cheney has no ethics.

  • Someone should ask Scotty why, if ethics are so important, there has been no one appointed to be Director of the Office of Government Ethics for well over a year I think.

  • Would it kill the man to give a straight answer?

    Actually he appears to contradict himself.
    Q: Scott, is anyone in the White House exempt from participating in these and –

    McClellan: No, it’s a mandatory session.

    Then he goes on to split the hair that Cheney is not staff… but that wasn’t the original question.

    Next question: who else is not considered “staff”? Will someone ask?

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