I think it’s too broad. I don’t even know who “Mr. Card” is.
How about Bush, Cheney, plus any Cabinet level member of GWB’s staff? That seems a lot more straightforward.
Let’s be clear- “accepting responsibility” is in no way an apology. In effect, it means nothing. Exactly what is meant by “accepting responsibilty”. Some businessmen accept responsibility for a corportate scandal by resigning from office, as Martha Stewart. When a politician “accepts responsibility” it means diddly squat. Did Reagan resign? Was he fined? What then, did “accepting responsibility” actually mean?
How about Uncle Cec?
Andrew Card, the WH Chief of Staff. He likes to keep a lower profile than most of his recent predecessors, and apparently it works.
This is a test of leadership. Only the leader is responsible for his own leadership. It comes from the man upon whose desk the buck is supposed to stop, or it doesn’t mean anything.
Not that it will happen, anyway - given Clarke’s apology and the WH’s attempts to trash him for it (among other reasons), Bush cannot turn around and do it himself. The half-statements such as the one he made in the press conference about how he’s sorry people died but accepts no responsibility whatever for it are all we’re ever going to hear.
You need to convice **SimonX ** of that, not me. 
Mr. Card if GWB’s chief of staff. I don’t think that he’s a member of the cabinet though.
I’ll consider some of the other points that have been raised since this morning.
Adding McClellan and the CoS to the cabinet would be fine by me. CoS is not going to be making any kind of apology to anyone regarding adminstration policy or actions. McClellan’s job is to say what the prez wants him to say, so he ain’t saying nuthin’ that Bush wouldn’t say.
Well guys, after kicking the idea around for a few minutes, I think I’m going to pass. Partly because as John said, I do tend to try to avoid getting involved in partisan debate on this board and partly because I suspect any resolution to the bet would rest on an answer weasely enough that I’d have to flip a coin to decide ;). Maybe Airman will take up the challenge to arbitrate.
But good luck with the wager, assuming you can ever decide on the ground rules.
- Tamerlane
I’ve been thinking it over.
I’ll go with “Bush, Cheney, plus any Cabinet level member of GWB’s staff.”
Well, I’m not willing to contest this.
In this instance however, I’m just speculating on what I think will happen, rather than what should happen.
Originally, I voted for GWB. Then I grew more apathetic and indifferent toward the Admin. Then I began to be suspicious. Then I grew to be “concerned.” Now, the more I look, the more distressed I become. I’m all but thoroughly disgusted with this “big government conservatism” that’s coming from the WH.
If you read the link you’ll notice that he at least replaced members of his cabinet.
Done.
Done.
Now we just need to find an acceptable arbiter.
Ooh OOh! Pick me! I follow the White House as close as anyone you know AND have connections on the press corps! I might know before you guys do!
And Simon, I would have limited it to GWB, Cheney, McClellan, Rumsfeld, Powell, Ridge, Ashcroft, myself. Really, would anyone NOTICE if Elaine Chao offered it?
Fine by me.
What do you say JM?
Well, you’re a bit more knowledgeable in these things than I am.
Too bad I forgot to make sure that McClellan was in the mix. Ooops.
Who’s Mclellan?
WH press secretary
Mr Fleischer’s replacement
Current ‘cabinet level’ folks in the administration:
Agriculture: Ann Veneman
Commerce: Don Evans
Defense: Don Rumsfeld
Education: Rod Paige
Energy: Spence Abraham
HHS: Tommy Thompson
Homeland Security: Tom Ridge
HUD: Alphonso Jackson
Interior: Gale Norton
Justice: John Ashcroft
Labor: Elaine Chao
State: Colin Powell
Treasury: John Snow
Veteran’s Affairs: Anthony Principi
John Mace has graciously offered to add…
Press Secretary: Scott McClellan
Chief of Staff: Andrew Card
To the mix. That strikes me as fair because it’s most likely that if the apology comes from GWB it will be McClellan who delivers it.
The bet: One of the persons above will apology for the 9/11 attacks, on or before election day 2004, and accept responsibility for not preventing them (or doing enough to prevent them, as the case may be).
The payoff: The loser forfeits his right to post in GD or the Pit for one week.
If Simon and John agree then we have a bet.
What say YOU?
Well, as much as I would like to add Mr. McClellan, I already agreed to a list that didn’t include him.
I’ll abide by what I agreed to.
However, if Mr. Mace/ were amenable to the ammendment, I’d be too.
Lay out exactly what you need me to arbitrate and I’ll do it.
What about Karl Rove? Just today he expressed regrets about using the “Mission Accomplished” banner during Bush’s carrier visit, so he might come into play over 9/11 as well.
Why do people always bet with posting rights? I mean, the sorts of people fair and honest enough to honor a bet lost are the ones I like hearing from. Why punish the rest of us? Bet a bottle of scotch or something.