The Bush administration and their amen corner continue to rain down hellfire on Newsweek magazine for the Koran desecration flap. Scott McClellan called it "irresponsible" and Ohio Representative and Tom Delay crony Bob Ney termed it "criminal."
As I cautioned yesterday, the administration would do well not to overplay its hand. The image of the United States around the Muslim world was already deeply tarnished. And American credibility, after Abu Ghraib, Iraq WMD, and too many other instances to list here, was already in tatters before the Newsweek imbroglio. Only last week, General Richard Myers claimed the Afghan violence was not a response to the Newsweek piece, but related to domestic political conflict. It's no wonder Keith Olbermann called for McClellan's resignation.
The fence mending has to come to from the top. President Bush needs to show accountability for American missteps large and small, from the hate speech of Crusader-General William Boykin to Abu Ghraib and the Iraq war rationale. Bush ought to show contrition and make amends.
Until that happens, Scott McClellan et al should follow Dick Cheney's unapologetic admonition to Pat Leahy on the Senate floor.