Tread lightly on the things of earth

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.