Indulge me in a hypothetical, will you?
Let’s imagine Bill Clinton was trying to scrunch together the nation’s budget numbers while avoiding dipping into the Social Security surplus — that is to say, without busting open the hallowed ‘lock-box’. He realizes he has to dip into the Social Security funds. But instead of coming clean and admitting what he’s doing he comes up with a new way to calculate the numbers which — surprise, surprise! — resolves the problem for him.
How do you think the press would report that story? (Okay, yes, David Maraniss would probably bang out a quick new book on the tie-in because personal morality and fiscal morality. But I mean, beside him. How would everyone else play it?)
And how will they report it now that that’s exactly what George W. Bush is doing?
Ask not for whom the box locks, George. It locks for thee!
