The cover-up worse than the crime

The weekend media gasbags seem to believe that "Guard-Gate" will soon fade, leaving little damage to Bush's election prospects. Thus saith the pundits on PBS's "Washington Week," and CNN's "Capital Gang."

I am not convinced. There are compelling indications that George Bush's military record is a time bomb that might (repeat, might) toss Dubya out of the White House come January, 2005.

First Nixon, then Clinton, and now Bush, all behave like the wolf that was snared by Peter's rope: the more they thrash about trying to break free, the tighter the knot that closes around them. And now, at long last, the press corps is waking up, smelling blood, and circling around the wounded prey.

Thirty years ago, George Bush cut corners on his sworn obligation to the Air Force. Today, sitting in the Oval Office, he looks at a TV camera and through it to the American people, and he lies openly and without scruple. In so doing, he betrays his office and degrades the integrity of the United States government, and he erodes the credibility of that government to the American people and to the world.