Executive Privilege

"Evidently, [the president] wants to shield virtually any communications that take place within the White House compound on the theory that all such talk contributes in some way, shape or form to the continuing success and harmony of an administration. Taken to its logical extreme, that position would make it impossible for citizens to hold a chief executive accountable for anything. He would have a constitutional right to cover up."

This doesn't come from any Democratic member of Congress furious with President Bush over his wishy-washy offer to let Karl Rove and others answer questions regarding the firings of the eight U.S. attorneys in secret, with no transcriptions and not under oath. No, it comes from none other than Tony Snow. He wrote this in 1997 regarding President Clinton's claim of this privilege. This says several things, but most of all, it says that Bush and his cronies will say or do anything to do or get what they want.