I get a kick out of the way politicians try to portray themselves as "public servants" who "serve" the rest of us. There is a degree of honor in working for government agencies, especially when young, idealistic people sign up hoping to help improve the lives of others.
Three decades ago, I recall interviewing a young official in the Environmental Protection Agency, which had been formed in 1972 in response to the growing environmental consciousness sweeping the nation. His name was Steven Johnson, and his area of expertise was pesticides. He seemed all right, but what struck me most of all was how cautious he was. Unlike most of my EPA sources, and I had a lot of them, he seemed overly concerned with covering his own back than in helping solve problems.
Over the past year, this same Johnson has been in the news a lot, but not for a good reason. He has been exposed as the Bush administration's hatchet man in a regulatory scandal involving -- you guessed it -- pesticides.
Power corrupts. Holding a position in a bureaucracy too long corrupts grossly.
Most politicians I've interviewed are among the most ambitious people I've ever met -- second only perhaps to certain CEOs. Mayors, in particular, specialize in various kinds of corruption, involving misusing their power to punish enemies and reward friends.
Those who are the most corrupt (and arrogant) continue acting like local power brokers as they move up the political food chain in the state or federal government. Sometimes they become Governor, or even Vice-President. The Republican Party suffered a huge embarrassment during the Nixon administration when it came out that Vice-President Spiro Agnew was still taking bribes from construction patrons from his power broker days in nearby Maryland.
"Abuse of power" -- a phrase that covers many sins, is almost always a serious danger sign in a rising politician. Once allegations surface, reporters will run down every detail. The higher the office; the harder they will fall. It's worth paying attention to this fact of life this fall.
Agnew, like most corrupt power brokers, blamed the press. He built most of his standing among Republicans by relentlessly attacking those of us who were trying to do our jobs and report the truths as we uncovered them.
This past week, I found it hypocritical in the extreme for the right-wing extremists to blame the press for the Palin pregnant daughter brouhaha...no one in the press broke that story, although plenty of reporters knew about it. Rather it was the Palin family that broke the story, in the process loudly blaming the Left and the press with one broad stroke.
There is zero evidence to back up the charge that the Obama campaign was in any way involved in spreading rumors about the Palins -- nada. If you have some, show it to us. Otherwise, back off!
Again, it is often an indication of personal corruption when a politician tries to shove blame off on the press. We're such an easy target -- have been ever since Plato's Cave.
If anyone thinks reporters will back off examining all the evidence under this kind attack machine, think again. I've always told my employees and students if they come under this unwarranted attack, redouble your effort. "(S)he doth protest too much."
Remember, we've been around this block too many times. Get ready for some explosive developments, ye who cast the first stone...
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