Diverting Hostile Fire

Here's something that isn't getting NEARLY enough attention. Brownie opened up his email box:

Michael Brown, former director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said Friday that he received the e-mail five days before his resignation from a high-level White House official whom he declined to identify.

The e-mail stated that Bush was relieved that Brown -- and not Bush or Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff -- was bearing the brunt of the flak over the government's handling of Katrina.

The September 2005 e-mail reads: "I did hear of one reference to you, at the Cabinet meeting yesterday. I wasn't there, but I heard someone commented that the press was sure beating up on Mike Brown, to which the president replied, 'I'd rather they beat up on him than me or Chertoff.' "

The sender adds, "Congratulations on doing a great job of diverting hostile fire away from the leader."

The White House is denying the authenticity of the email, and CNN won't verify it either, other than saying the email address came from eop.gov, which stands for Executive Office of the President. But did anyone check the KERNING!!!??? .

But this is consistent with the scapegoat and fall guy approach of this administration. They jettison people like Brownie and John Snow and Paul O'Neill rather than taking responsibility for their actions. They are supposed to be the party of personal responsibility, but they are the party of "Blame Somebody Else First." And in fact they appreciate the loyalty of those who take the fall.

"Diverting hostile fire" is apt. None of these guys have ever been in a firefight in their lives. Cowards.