Been waiting patiently for the Bush gang to go on the offensive against Patrick Fitzgerald? Wait no more.
As the White House and Republicans brace for possible indictments in the CIA leak probe, defenders have launched a not-so-subtle campaign against the prosecutor handling the case.
“He’s a vile, detestable, moralistic person with no heart and no conscience who believes he’s been tapped by God to do very important things,” one White House ally said, referring to special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald.
The fact that Thomas DeFrank added that the source was referring to Fitzgerald was helpful, because it seems to me the description applies to someone else.
Nevertheless, I still believe it’s far too late to try and smear Fitzgerald as some kind of 21st century combination of Ken Starr, Inspector Javert, and Cotton Mather.
Indeed, for every Bush ally whining about Fitzgerald being “vile,” we have RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman saying he has “tremendous confidence” in Fitzgerald and the president himself praising Fitzgerald for the “dignified way” in which he’s conducted the investigation.
For that matter, we have scores of professional colleagues noting their respect and admiration for the guy, plus a sterling record that includes work against organized crime, the 1993 World Trade Center bombers, and Osama bin Laden.
That one of Bush’s buddies would even use such ridiculous rhetoric about Fitzgerald just goes to show how desperate they really are. How sad.