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“Mr. Gonzales shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near [the U.S. attorney general] office.”

Sojo.net: Bill Moyers: ‘How do we nurture the healing side of religion over the killing side? How do we protect the soul of democracy against bad theology in service of an imperial state?’

Yesterday I was peering into what’s behind this week’s tidal wave of Democratic candidate Howard Dean criticism and merrymaking. As ABC News put it —

Dean’s guttural yells Monday night punctuated his poor finish [in Iowa] and raised questions about his political judgment and temperament. …

A humbled Howard Dean, saying “I have my warts. I sometimes say things that get me in trouble,” argued Thursday that voters will see through his flaws and rally to his troubled presidential candidacy.

I have a scream. Dean’s post-caucus Iowa speech on Monday night, variously called his “barbaric yawp” or “primal scream” speech, is here (Real video). I see fatigue-induced goofiness, maybe, but crazy? Nearly every football game I’ve ever been to is crazier than this. Looks like everyone there was having fun.

Why is it not “presidential” for Dean to coach and rev his tired supporters after a disappointing finish in Iowa, but is “presidential” for Bush to look and sound like — let’s face it — a total effing moron illiterate on national TV?

We’re being way too gullible to what the media tubesters tell us. Most of us can think for ourselves, so why the hell aren’t we?

As Dr. Dean said later about the event, “I was giving everything to people who gave everything to me.”

[2004-01-24 insert: Remixes of this event have become an Internet phenomenon. What started as ridicule has become a vehicle for getting the message out — cool! Some remixes are funny, and this one, You’ve Got the Power (MP3 audio, 3.9MB), is outright inspiring. See DeanGoesNuts.com for more.]

I am one voter — a Christian voter in the U.S. South — who likes this passion and this whole-person commitment. I’ll spit out lukewarm in a heartbeat, just like someone else I know.

So why do I find this campaign hot? Because I want my country back. I want hope, not hopelessness. Cooperation, not division. Straight talk that doesn’t insult my intelligence, not secrecy, empty promises, and lies. Compassion, not disdain for everyone who’s different. Responsibility, not the wanton squandering of lives and resources. In particular, fiscal responsibility, not the saddling of our children and our children’s children with debt. Faithfulness, not the blasphemy of associating God’s name with behavior God abhors.

What a difference a day makes —

Dr. Judy in the house. Last night Diane Sawyer interviewed Howard and Judy Dean on Primetime Live (transcript and video links). The realness, warmth, and candor conveyed in this interview confirms my longstanding discernment that Dr. Dean’s campaign is where the grace falls. If God indeed guides our paths, rescuing us from ourselves — and of course I think he does — then this is where I sense he’s busiest. And where he’s smiling.

[2004-01-24 insert: Naturally now I can’t help but wonder if this wacky remix phenom might be another case of “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good” (Joseph, Gen. 50:20). :-) ]

We may yet derail what’s going on — and/or I could be <gasp> wrong about its details — but this burst of sunlight gets me back to knowing that we are being cared for.

2004-01-29 update: For my notes (and links) concerning Diane Sawyer’s surprise mea culpa — an apology of sorts for contributing to the media’s gross misrepresentation of this speech — see blog entry If Howard screams in a crowd, can anybody hear it?.

“Rather than taking responsibility for his words, Bush and his advisors did everything to avoid taking responsibility.”

Bush shifts blame to the CIA and its director George Tenet for not stopping his use of the Niger uranium fiction in his SOTU speech as a justification for war with Iraq.

Where is the outrage? I got yer outrage right here.

Take responsibility for what comes out of your own mouth, man.

You said it. It wasn’t true. You take responsibility for it. Say, “I said so-and-so in my speech, which I now know was not true. I apologize for the error and its ramifications.”

(I’m setting aside for the moment the question of whether passing on known unreliable information as fact is a sign of manipulative lying or managerial incompetence.)

Accept responsibility. Repent for mistakes. That’s all it takes to demonstrate some measure of character, all it takes for me to give anyone the benefit of the doubt.

But almost no one in the Bush Administration, as far as I can see, is willing to do either. Meanwhile, the mistakes and their consequences are reaching epidemic, catastrophic proportions.

“It’s not my fault for misleading the public because the CIA didn’t stop me”?

That’s unacceptable. It’s beyond unacceptable.

In fact, it’s beyond politics: Anyone who won’t take responsibility for his or her own words and actions is not fit to be class president, much less President of the United States.

See also Billmon’s rant-free Spin Dry and, on a related but lighter note, his Rogues Gallery.

2003-07-18 update: Josh Marshall provides a bit of the transcript from yesterday’s White House press conference:

QUESTION: Regardless of whether or not there was pressure from the White House for that line, I’m wondering where does the buck stop in this White House? Does it stop at the CIA, or does it stop in the Oval Office?

Scott McClellan: Again, this issue has been discussed. You’re talking about some of the comments that — some that are —

QUESTION: I’m not talking about anybody else’s comments. I’m asking the question, is responsibility for what was in the President’s own State of the Union ultimately with the President, or with somebody else?

Scott McClellan: This has been discussed.

QUESTION: So you won’t say that the President is responsible for his own State of the Union speech?

Scott McClellan: It’s been addressed. …

QUESTION: Scott, on Keith’s question, why can’t we just expect, basically what would be a non-answer, which is, of course the President is responsible for everything that comes out of his mouth. I mean, that’s a non-answer. Why can’t you just say that?

Scott McClellan: This issue has been addressed over the last several days.

Wow, these guys in the White House can’t even say they accept responsibility for what happens on their watch.

Martin Sheen uses AA Twelve Step language “very, very dysfunctional” to assess the Bush Administration (and these times, and this society).

Yes. Personal responsibility is a core necessity for healthy and functional individuals. By extension, it’s also necessary in quantity for healthy and functional organizations and societies. Its lack is a measure of an individual’s (or a society’s) illness.

2003-07-31 update: According to the AP yesterday, I see that at least some manner of bravo is warranted —

Bush accepted blame for his Jan. 28 State of the Union claim that Saddam Hussein was shopping for nuclear materials in Africa.

“I take personal responsibility for everything I say, absolutely,” the president said. Previously, he let CIA Director George Tenet and a national security aide take blame for the controversy.

I’m frankly surprised, but I’m willing to give credit where due. Late, very late, but better than never.

2003-08-06 update: OTOH, Marc Ash at truthout reasonably asks, “What does ‘Bush takes responsibility’ mean?” —

Does it mean that George Tenet was lying when [Tenet] said he was responsible? Or does it mean that George W. Bush was personally responsible for deciding that Tenet would lie? … Does it mean that Bush now admits what is clearly obvious, that he knew the Niger reports had no merit but insisted on using them anyway, over the objections of the intelligence community and his senior staff? …

Is personal responsibility a public relations slogan, or are there ramifications for those who are personally responsible? What is the downside for Mr. Bush if he is really held responsible? 285 men and women of the US. and British armed forces have given their lives so far for this wanton military profiteering. You can bet that they were personally responsible. The Iraqi people are personally responsible; their suffering is unimaginable.