Wednesday 4 January 2006

Bushapalooza Planned As Abramoff Plea Has Bush, GOP Citing Bad Intel, Reclassifying Donors

Pioneer Status Earned Only If Not Indicted; Charities Battered By Pols To Accept Tainted Money

The White House today defended President Bush accepting donations from Jack Abramoff, citing "he had the same intelligence as the rest of the GOP" but indicated that "steps will be taken" to reclassify donors.

Already putting down the shoe leather, to sell his reasoning for starting the Iraq War, and defending his usage of domestic wiretapping and eavesdropping, the White House, with the aid of the Republican National Committee, are in the early stages of planning another media and speaking blitz by the President, tentatively titled Bushapalooza: Strategy For A Scandal.

Bushapalooza will lead up the State-of-the-Union Address by the President later this month, and, if necessary, go well into the winter and early spring.

"The President was as shocked as most of you were, I'm sure," stated Scott McClellan, at a White House Press Briefing this morning. "The 2004 Bush-Cheney Campaign had no idea of the practices of Mr. Abramoff. He was considered a loyal party member and energetic fundraiser."

"We had the same information, the same intelligence, as everyone else in the GOP," McClellan added. "It's our understanding, that key members of the GOP Executive offices were briefed as to Mr. Abramoff and his activities."

Abramoff, 47, the lobbyist of lobbyists on K Street, pleaded guilty to three felony counts - fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy to bribe public officials - and negotiated a plea arrangement with prosecutors in exchange for his testimony against congressmen, lawmakers, Bush Administration and GOP officials.

Abramoff has been in exhaustive and extensive discussions with government lawyers and federal prosecutors for months leading up to yesterday's plea.

Abramoff lavished his targets with luxury trips, such as golf outings at St.Andrews in Scotland, skybox seats and fundraisers, campaign contributions, jobs for their spouses, and meals at Signatures, the his upscale restaurant in Washington, D.C.

"The corruption scheme with Mr. Abramoff is very extensive," Alice S. Fisher, head of the Justice Department's criminal division, said at a news conference with other high-ranking officials of the Internal Revenue Service and the FBI as reported by the Washington Post. "We're going to follow this wherever it goes."

The RNC issued a statement this morning, supporting the comments of President Bush, as to receiving the same information, and also announcing changes in their donation policies.

Beginning immediately, those that raise $100,000, or more for the GOP, and were bestowed with the honorary title of "Pioneer", will now have to wait for the recognition, "at least three-years and incumbent upon their not being indicted, or convicted of any illegal fundraising activities."

"The RNC," the statement offered, "will continue to accept donations in one door, and dole them out another to registered PAC's and elected officials. We want to be clear of that distinction."

When reached for comment, RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman indicated that "we're looking at a number of new titles for our legitimate fundraisers, something to tide them over until they can be called pioneers."

Mehlman also confirmed that "we're not slowing down at all" when it comes to fundraising.

And neither is the White House.

After announcing last month the extension of the President's speaking tour, Chief of Staff Andy Card came up with the "Bushapalooza" idea during the holiday break.

"I think," said Ed Hutcheson publisher and editor of "K Street Kings - K as in Thousands", the monthly publication that tracks lobbyists, "Andy looked at the plummeting approval ratings, the argument over the war, the intelligence leading up to the war, DeLay's upcoming trial, Libby's indictment, Rove's pending indictment and now this drops on them. They had to do something big."

Card, reportedly, doesn't have any worries about rolling out a new program in January.

Bushapalooza will have new stage props, with a high-tech lighting show, and, according to Hutcheson, Christian rock bands. Other politicians and GOP officials will get stage time, mainly to pound home the talking points, pitch the Iraq War, the wiretapping and the passing of the Patriot Act (accompanied by a "dazzling fireworks display").

Christian Conservative groups are signing on to Bushapalooza, to provide a tent, and run classes on Intelligent Design.

For the young children of Republicans attending Bushapalooza, there'll be a retro tossing game of throwing a softball, but instead of knocking over milk bottles, they'll be aiming a plastic replicas of the heads of Senator Jack Murtha (D-PA), Senator and Minority Leader Harry Reed (D-NV) and Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

It's not confirmed yet, if Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT) will join and tour with Bushapalooza.

"If it hasn't shown already," said Hutcheson, "with the Strategy For Victory In Iraq rollout, there'll be no mistake with Bushapalooza. It will be a full-throttle, campaign-style happening."

In a related matter, the White House also announced that they will be donating the money given by Abramoff to charity, in this case the American Heart Association.

Charities have been reporting today a deluge of offerings from Washington politicians.

A spokesperson for the American Cancer Society said that it has been overwhelming.

"We had House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill) pounding on our doors at 3AM this morning, cash-in-fist, demanding we take his donation."

Bushapalooza is planning to pull out all the stops in selling the President's vision and agenda, as well as looking to get the Administration and GOP as far away from the Abramoff Scandal as possible