Time publishes first Bush-Abramoff Together @ White House foto

Wanna see Jack Abramoff in the same photo (at a White House reception for Native American leaders) as President George Bush?

Time Magazine has just published the first Bush-Abramoff photo. Unfortunately, Agence-Vleeptron Presse can't figure out how to filch it and put it here.

When journalists previously asked the White House about this reception at the Executive Office Building (next to the White House, it contains White House and presidential working offices), the White House said they had no record of Abramoff's having been there.

Well, you know security at the White House these days, all kinds of people wander in off the sidewalk and nobody keeps track of who's who. So if you're in DC and want to stroll into the White House and be in the same room as the President, you can, but the White House won't have any record that you were there. Steal me an ashtray.

You have to go to the Time site to see the photo, but just to stay in shape, Vleeptron filched one paragraph from the Very Interesting Story:

Now, finally, the first such photo has come to light. It shows a bearded Abramoff in the background as Bush greets an Abramoff client, Raul Garza, who was then the chairman of the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas; Bush senior advisor Karl Rove looks on. The photograph was provided to TIME by Mr. Garza. The meeting took place in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building adjacent to the White House on May 9, 2001. Told about the photograph in January, the White House said it had no record that Abramoff was present at the meeting. Shown the photograph today, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said the White House had still found no record of Abramoff's presence but confirmed that it is Abramoff in the picture. McClellan told TIME: "The president has taken countless, tens of thousands of pictures at home and abroad over the last five years. As we've said previously a photo like this has no relevance to the Justice Department's investigation (of Abramoff)."

I love Scott McClellan. If he told me the Sun was going to rise tomorrow (I live in the temperate zone), I'd have trouble believing him based on his track record. If you trust Scott McClellan or President Bush to Tell The Truth, please Leave A Comment. Support your contention. Show your work. Best yet: Leave Your Damn Name. No Driveby Comments on this one. The Bush White House has an odd track record of pitching pro-Bush crap in plain brown wrappers. No Drivebys on this one.

I close this post with the words of Molly Ivins:

... And part of that calls on American journalism to get over reporting the Bush administration as though it were a credible source. We need to face facts.