retrosteve's Journal: Fear and Loathing in the USA

From my friend Wm:

One can only wonder what manner of holy terror is being rained down on
anyone stupid enough to be publicly critical of our current
administration, to make them backpedal so quickly and violently:

1. Congressman NICK SMITH (R-MC):

BEFORE - November 24, 2003
"Members [of Congress] and groups made offers of extensive financial
campaign support and endorsements for my son, Brad, who is running for
my seat. They also made threats of working against Brad if I voted no
[on Bush's Prescription Drug plan]."
http://www.ourfuture.org/issues_and_campaigns/medicare/
apsmith11_24_03.cfm

AFTER - December 4, 2003
"I want to make clear that no member of Congress made an offer of
financial assistance for my son's campaign in exchange for my vote on
the Medicare bill. I was told that my vote could result in interested
groups giving substantial and aggressive campaign 'support' and
'endorsements.' No specific reference was made to money."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?
pagename=article&node=&contentId=A37128-2003Dec4&notFound=true

2. Former Faith-Based and Community Initiatives director JOHN DiIULIO:

BEFORE - October 24, 2002
"There is no precedent in any modern White House for what is going on
in this one: a complete lack of a policy apparatus. What you've got is
everything - and I mean everything - being run by the political arm.
It's the reign of the Mayberry Machiavellis."
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?
res=F50913FB355C0C718CDDAB0994DA404482

AFTER - December 17, 2002
"My criticisms were groundless and baseless due to poorly chosen words
and examples. I sincerely apologize and I am deeply remorseful. I will
not be offering any further comment, or speaking or writing further on
any aspect of my limited and unrepresentative White House experience or
any matters or persons related thereto. I regret any and all
misimpressions."
http://www.davidcogswell.com/Political/DilulioAffair.html

3. Former Treasury Secretary PAUL O'NEILL:

BEFORE - January 8, 2004
"When you have people with a strong ideological position and you only
hear from one side, you can pretty much predict the outcome. ... The
only way I can describe it is that, well, the president is like a blind
man in a roomful of deaf people. There is no discernible connection."
http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/01/12/timep.oneill.tm/

AFTER - January 12, 2004
"It was not my intention to be personally critical of the president or
anybody else. If I could take it back, I would take it back."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1122654,00.html