More of the same

We know that in the Bush Administration, politics ranks above policy, competence, or anything else really. FEMA, Justice, DHS – you pick an agency and these bastards have corrupted it for the greater good of the Republican Party. The mark left on these places is Karl Rove’s slug trail. Now we have news that they leaned on the Surgeon General as well:

WASHINGTON, July 10 — Former Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona told a Congressional panel Tuesday that top Bush administration officials repeatedly tried to weaken or suppress important public health reports because of political considerations.

The administration, Dr. Carmona said, would not allow him to speak or issue reports about stem cells, emergency contraception, sex education, or prison, mental and global health issues. Top officials delayed for years and tried to “water down” a landmark report on secondhand smoke, he said. Released last year, the report concluded that even brief exposure to cigarette smoke could cause immediate harm.

Dr. Carmona said he was ordered to mention President Bush three times on every page of his speeches. He also said he was asked to make speeches to support Republican political candidates and to attend political briefings.

I find it just plain weird that they specified the number of Presidential name drops per page. Talk about micromanagement. And it bears mentioning once again that this is the Worst. President. Ever.