White House Lies Are "Nothing Personal"

Your Democracy is being destroyed, innocent lies are being lost, billions of your taxpayer dollars are being wasted, the USA is going down the toilet but - hey! - it's nothing personal OK?

Here's the latest Scotty "Comical Ali" McLellan White House press pack transcript. Highlights include this question about Bush from veteran hack Helen Thomas:

What is his problem? Two years, and he can't call Rove in and find out what the hell is going on? I mean, why is it so difficult to find out the facts? It costs thousands, millions of dollars, two years, it tied up how many lawyers? All he's got to do is call him in.

The relentless pressure on McLellan prompted one reporter to ask him how he was holding up "on a personal, human" level:

Connie, this is nothing personal. Everybody is doing their job here, and I respect the job that you all are doing in this room. And I look forward to having a continuing constructive relationship with everybody in this room.

Maybe so, Scott - but who has any respect for the job YOU are doing these days? You may have a "relationship" with the press corps but this can hardly be called "constructive". In fact, "destructive" is far more appropriate, on far too many levels...

It's even destructive to the GOP and the Bush White House itself:

Skepticism about the administration's cooperation has jumped. As the initial investigation began in September 2003, nearly half the public, 47 percent, believed the White House was fully cooperating. That fell to 39 percent a few weeks later, and it's lower still, 25 percent, in this new ABC News poll.

This view is highly partisan; barely over a tenth of Democrats and just a quarter of independents think the White House is fully cooperating. That grows to 47 percent of Republicans -- much higher, but still under half in the president's own party.

Business is business, Scotty? Not when people are dying for your lies.