Price?  Magic beans?  Giants in the sky?

I was right -- this administration was written by the Brothers Grimm.

Absolutely he was used.  I totally loved that guy going in.  He should have resigned sooner and cut them down by 2004.  I think he was honestly torn about what was the best way to serve, and I think he chose dead wrong.

Dunno if you like my opinion any more now, but I hope I made myself clearer.  Colin Powell had the moral high ground and he didn't use it - at least not successfully.

I think he was honestly torn about what was the best way to serve, and I think he chose dead wrong.

I think you are totally right and I think we are on the same page.  And to clear up my point -- its not that I think he had the wool pulled over his eyes -- I think he disagreed at the time and was overruled.  Like a good soldier he followed orders, gritting his teeth as he did.  The administration, as they have done with our soldiers on the ground, used him as tool -- used the deserved respect that he had earned to further their agenda.  I don't think he sold his soul, because he got nothing in exchange.  I think he had his soul ripped from him.

Ah, gotcha. Exploited Powell's lifelong commitment as a solider to a cause, as man who lives loyalty day in and out.

Still makes me sad.

Still makes me sad.

It is one of many sins for which this Administration should be held accountable. 

"Well, why, all of a sudden, if he had all these grave concerns, did he not raise these sooner? This is one-and-a-half years after he left the administration. And now, all of a sudden, he’s raising these grave concerns that he claims he had. And I think you have to look at some of the facts. One, he is bringing this up in the heat of a presidential campaign. He has written a book and he certainly wants to go out there and promote that book."

Scott McCellan talking about Richard Clarke.

Here's a great editorial by Tom Friedman that is a challenge to the candidates -- similar to something I wrote many pages back and a challenge I wish one of them would take up:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/28/opinion/28friedman.html?ex =1369713600&en=2d8ea931b2ec4211&ei=5124&partner= permalink&exprod=permalink  

It is an illusion cultivated by candidates and elected politicians alike that they are surrounded by the best and brightest.

I blame David Haberstam. :o)

As others have pointed out, Clinton's "gaffe" is also more serious (as far as these things go) because it was a scripted remark, not an off-the-cuff comment, so the excuse about lack of sleep and talking all day is not relevant for her. 

To me that makes it even more relevant for her, not less.  If she was on the top of her game (i.e. not suffering from lack of sleep and talking all day) she would have noticed what the speech writers wrote and questioned it.