Here's the thing. If you intend to downplay the significance of one
isolated Abramoff sentence by sarcastically pretending that's all
there is to the scandal, you're simply being dishonest. RW's
point, I believe, is that our president, George W. Bush lied when he
said he didn't know Abramoff. Now I know that presidents who lie to
us are nothing new, but the right's hypocritical denial of GWB's
lies is a bit hard to swallow.

The Abramoff corruption scandal of influence peddling in the Republican
party cannot be dismissed by a little snarky humor, especially when it
clearly reaches the Oval Office. Bush said he didn't know the guy.
That is a bold-faced lie. There is more than one instance of friendly
conversation between him and Bush, there are photographs of them
together at events that go well beyond mere photo ops, and there's no
doubt that Abramoff was selling access to the President either directly
or through Rove. While Clinton may have sold the Lincoln bedroom,
George Bush is selling the Oval Office. Oh yeah, and he's lying
about it.

As I've said on many occasions, I understand and share many political
positions of my Republican friends and acquaintances. What I cannot
understand is why they are so willing to deny the reality that George
W. Bush is a liar. Because it will hurt the Republican Party to
acknowledge it? The Abramoff scandal stinks all the way to the top.
Where does party loyalty end and patriotism begin?