Early 1970s: Nixon in throes of Watergate. Privilege absolutely necessary say the Nixon-ites. How can we do bizness if the public knows our secret inner workings?
Republicans: Hell ya!
Democrats: Hell NO.
Supreme Court in U.S. v. Nixon: Not so fast there, tricky Dick
Mid 90s: President Clinton invokes privilege vis’ a vis’ Whitewater and the Lewinsky scandal – Needed to do government business
Democrats: Hell ya!
Republicans: Hell No!
Current Day: President Bush from the beginning of his administration (Karl Rove and his Gang ‘O Energy policy) to today’s discussion about judicial firing – We need it to do government business.
Republicans: Hell ya!
Democrats: Hell NO!
Presidents have been invoking Presidential privilege since Washington. The Supreme Court since Marshall have agreed that ‘the Privilege’ exists, but is not absolute. The Court in U.S v. Nixon continued the denial of the notion that Presidential privilege is absolute.
My advice to Bush: Give it up. The truth is going to get out there…see Nixon on Watergate, and Clinton on Lewinsky.
Good handle on this: This guy
