06E070
Rules for (and of)
the Rulers
Abramoff's Realization: Sometimes knowing Jack isn't
such a good thing.
Ailes' Abstraction: News is what we decide is news and how we decide
what is news is our business, for which we are very well paid.
Alito's Way: A conflict of interest isn't a conflict of interest as long
as a judge says it isn't a conflict of interest and only a judge with a vested
interest in the conflict has the ability to judge that.
Brownie's Dogmatism: Even the inept can get a job if they know the
'right' people.
Cheney's Construction: When in a jam, you can always find better things
to do.
CNN's Complexity: We are the most trusted name in news as long as it
doesn't interfere with Time Warner's profits.
Condoleezza's Principle of Footwear: You can spend enough on shoes to
cover the earth in leather.
Coulter's Confabulation: Extensive footnotes always add an air of
perfumed veracity to the stench of sordid propaganda.
Dean's Directive: When on TV, always use your 'indoor' voice.
DeLay's Dictum: If you use a hammer often enough, you will eventually
hit your own thumb.
Dick's Declamation: Plausible deniability only works when it's
undeniably plausible.
Dobson's Diversion: There is nothing so stupid that it cannot be relied
upon to increase donations.
Dubya's Denouement: Ultimately, like Caesar, it is your friends who will
do you in.
Falwell's Fundamentals: God never changes his mind unless I do first.
Fox's Fulcrum: If there is no one on the other side of the
teeter-totter, you are sitting on the ground going nowhere.
Frist's Instruction: Outrage is no substitute for honesty, and what part
of 'blind trust' don't you understand?
Greenspan's Locution: Always accept enormous amounts of credit for small
amounts of work.
Hannity's Howler: I love America so much I want to own the place.
Kerry's Conundrum: A politician must always strictly adhere to his or
her positions of the past, even after a tank has run over your cavalry horse.
Miers' Meme: Cronyism has its limits and the cronies are always limited.
Novak's Nullification: The sewage drainpipe is the most important part
of modern plumbing and the highest function of the political journalist.
Robert's Rule of Place Your Order: To cinch a lifetime appointment to
the Supreme Court, reveal less about yourself than a teenager has to reveal
applying for part-time job at a fast-food restaurant.
Rove's Reminder: Remember, both Machiavelli and McKinley ended badly.
Rumsfeld's Redoubt: If you don't know how to use the army you have,
don't start any wars.
Scooter's Posit: Commit perjury until the election's over so that the
politician you helped elect can then pardon you for perjury.
Walton’s Mountain: Low prices and healthy competition are the American way. Well, one out of two ain’t bad.
Wolf's Whistle: Large TV screens and an urgency in the voice always make
the trivial appear important.
Woodstein's Corollary: The most damning information always comes from
sources that wish to remain anonymous.
[End]