Why Bill Plante Still Matters

The current national political discourse reminds me, not of Watergate, but of the Ronald Reagan Era Iran-Contra debacle. When, in the early days of President Reagan's second term, Attorney General Ed Meese took the podium in the White House Press Room, he announced to the utter disbelief of the assembled media reps that, without the knowledge or approval of the President, an obscure retired Marine, Oliver North, working for the National Security Council in the White House basement, had himself acquired and sold large quantities of anti-aircraft missiles to America's sworn enemy, Iran.  Then, again by himself, Colonel North took the millions in his illegal gun running profits and gave it to armed rebels fighting a communist government in Central America.

When the Attorney General concluded his defense of President Reagan by emphasizing the "rogue" nature of this National Security Council operation over three continents involving tens of millions worth of military assets, dozens of Air Force cargo planes and cakes with keys, the WH Press Room erupted in outrage.  One of the most angry Patriots demanding accountability from the President was the CBS Chief White House Correspondent, Bill Plante, who literally shouted at Meese: "If the President didn't know, then WHY DIDN'T HE?  In 1980's America, the nation's media, indeed the entire national political establishment, unequivocally rejected the Sargeant Schultze: "I know Nothing" stance of Meese.

Thirty years later, first in the "Fast and Furious" DOJ gun running criminal conspiracy, and now with the Benghazi/Petraesis/Allen scandals, where is Bill Plante and the national clammer that our President  know what his subordinates are doing when hundreds, if not thousands, of Mexican innocents, a American Ambassador and three American heroes are dead.

When the CIA Director is sleeping around, the General Officer running the Afghan war is spending more time e-mailing a woman not his wife than he is in the trenches, keeping these matters from the President - because neither rose to the level of a national security risk, is OK.  WHAT?  - the top national security official makes himself liable to blackmail by Iran, China, Russia, even France, and the media accepts Holder's nonsense that we didn't tell Obama because Pretraesis' dalliance was merely a personal indiscretion?  That is a national disgrace.  Now, I know that Bill Plante still is not dead.  Therefore, I expect he and every American Patriot to demand better.  The traditional America of accountability following responsibility must be preserved in the 21st Century.