Putting the Puzzle Together

OK; so earlier I said this about "Frustrated Ex-Press Secretary Gate:"

I'm just saying that "s/he did it for the money" is a lame reason for dismissing any writer, author or book. If we take that out of the question, we are left with two other tried-and-true neoconservative smear tactics: (a) call the person a liberal hater (which is ridiculous considering his former job), or (b) claim that the person doesn't have Clue One what s/he is talking about (well, then, why the hell make this person a Press Secretary?).

Well, Dana Milbank from the WashPost reminds us that

Of course, nobody's really puzzled about anything. They're peeved and perturbed. But they can't admit that, so they have retreated to the practice -- time-honored in the Bush White House -- of discrediting your opponents by labeling their actions confusing and irrational.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's claim that Bush can't launch military action in Iran without congressional consent?

"I'm puzzled," Perino said at the time.

The media's interest in John McCain's criticism of the Bush administration's Iraq war?

"It's puzzling to me," Perino said.

Opposition by Democrats to Iraq war spending?

"I'm puzzled," said Vice President Cheney.

Problems with deficit spending during a war?

"I'm always puzzled," said then-press secretary Ari Fleischer.

Disagreements over Bush's Medicare proposals?

"Very puzzling," Fleischer said.

But perhaps nobody spent as much time being publicly -- and implausibly -- puzzled as McClellan himself did, from the White House podium.

An article on the treatment of prisoners? "Puzzling."
Democratic complaints about Karl Rove's fear tactics? "Puzzling." Changes to
restrict information on the White House Web site? "I'm somewhat
puzzled."

It's almost like "puzzling" was the White House's default response to any story or event that revealed their incompetence or indifference.

I could say, "I told you so," but that would imply that these people aren't predictable.