Bush's effort to shore up his legacy suffered another blow today with claims by senior aides that Bush was in control of his administration all along. White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and national security advisor Stephen Hadley said the notion that Bush was kept out of the loop on important matters was "hooey" and "bunk," thus destroying any of the president's efforts to blame the last eight years on Rove or Cheney.

The aides painted a picture of Bush being briefed every morning at 7 AM on all pressing matters, including specifics about Iraq war casualties and major foreign policy strategies. The two aides appeared sympathetic to Bush, making it unclear why they strove to blame the Bush administration on him. They must be aware that Bush's best shot at being remembered fondly is if most people assume he had nothing to do with the decisions made during his presidency.

So why would Bolton and Hadley, two longtime Bush loyalists, try to assert that Bush was involved in the decisions that led to the Iraq invasion, Abu Graib, the drowning of New Orleans after Katrina, and the current economic crisis threatening to destroy our nation's economy? Are they protecting Cheney? Rove? Or is there a more shadowy figure who exists even deeper behind the scenes, so deep that not even Bush or his senior aides know that he's been playing them all along?

Whatever the reason, it is expected that Bush will respond soon, denying that he had any say whatsoever in the events that took place during his presidency, and voicing the hope that history will remember him as nothing but a guy who just did what they told him to do.

Posted by: Bob Powers      I’m a fan of Bob Powers