So where do we go with that? We don't believe the liar in chief. We don't trust him. We listen to what he says and assume the statements are peppered with lies.
I'd say the same, perhaps even worse applies to Vice President Dick Cheney. He is more despised, mistrusted and not believed.
What effect does this mistrust have on the nation? I would assume that the rest of the world feels the same way about Bush and Cheney, that there are literally billions of people who consider Bush and Cheney to be liars who can not and should not be trusted.
Bush could appoint someone who the people of the US and the world trust. A naive idea, yes. It is the nature of the office of Whitehouse press secretary to prevaricate, isn't it? Well, maybe it isn't. Maybe the toxic level in the Whitehouse has brought us to a point where we just assume that the replacement for Scott McClellan will be another liar. But maybe that doesn't have to be. Maybe there is some fleeting vestige of integrity in one of the advisors at the Whitehouse-- no, not Karl Rove, Donald Rumsfeld or Condi Rice. They are a blend of liar and co-conspirators at perpetuating fraud. They should be receiving regular mainstream media coverage villifying their roles in perpetrating the lies that led us into war in Iraq.
But maybe there is someone there who could argue that the Whitehouse is such a laughed at joke that it desperately needs someone who is honest enough to help instill trust back in the Whitehouse.
I may be fantasizing that there is any such person, that even George Washington would be seen as a dupe to these chronic liars.
The thought that there is talk of taking one of the sleazeballs at Fox News-- Shepard Smith's name has been raised-- is really funny, like plastic vomit--funny, but disgusting. Could they really think that he will be at all trusted or believed by any but the diehard thirty some percent of greedy wealthy, religious extremists and macho guys who use Bush tough talk for vicarious Viagra support.
No, it is highly unlikely that there is a person who will be able to replace McClellan who will be any more trustworthy. We can expect more of the same sandbagging, stonewalling and flat out lying that we've been getting.
The world is used to it. We in the US are used to it. But why can't the mainstream media start making it part of the news-- making jokes about anything the whitehouse says, commenting on how lame the lies are.
It's about time.