Remembering To Lie Right

by digby

Alberto Gonzales “wrote” an op-ed for today’s WaPo and now they’ve released his prepared statement (for reasons that seem obscure to me as a matter of damage control, but whatever.)

You will find in both of these documents that the Attorney General of the United States has serious problems with his memory and he’s very sorry about it but he really, really means well.

Here’s a good rundown from Michael Sherer at Salon:

But don’t expect Gonzales’ appearance to settle all the outstanding questions about U.S. Attorney-Gate. Gonzales is clearly planning to spend a lot of time Tuesday dwelling on everything that he does not think he remembers, or is sure he doesn’t know, or maybe only knew in some way, for which there was a vague memory he might have had, but now no longer possess, or whatever. The phrase “I do not recall” shows up three times in the prepared remarks, a preemptive strike before any senator has even asked a question. “I have not spoken with nor reviewed the confidential transcripts of any of the Department of Justice employees interviewed by congressional staff,” Gonzales plans to say. “I state this because, as a result, I may be somewhat limited when it comes to providing you with all of the facts that you may desire.”

The memory lapses could possibly include Gonzales’ own role the scandal. At one point in the testimony, he discusses the deliberations that were conducted about the firings. “To my knowledge, I did not make decisions about who should or should not be asked to resign,” he plans to say.

That’s the kind of statement that should give everyone confidence that he’s just the man to run the most powerful police agency in the world. I know I feel better.

(I can sort of understand why he needed all that rehearsal, now. Those are not easy lies to keep straight. Look at the trouble Scooter got himself into…)

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