Dubya's time is expensive...

Jack Abramoff helped get Bush to meet the leader of Malaysia, a former associate says When the government of Malaysia sought to repair its tarnished image in the U.S. by arranging a meeting between President Bush and its controversial prime minister in 2002, it followed the same strategy as many other well-heeled interests in Washington: It called on lobbyist Jack Abramoff for help. It was a tall order. The then-prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, had been chastised by the Clinton administration for repeated anti-Semitic statements and for jailing political opponents. But it was important to the Malaysians, according to a former Abramoff associate who attended meetings with the Malaysian ambassador and the lobbyist. Abramoff contacted presidential advisor Karl Rove on at least four occasions to help arrange a meeting, the witness said. Finally, the former associate said, Rove's office called to tell Abramoff that the Malaysian leader soon would be getting an official White House invitation. In May 2002, Mahathir met with Bush in the Oval Office; his photograph with the president was beamed around the world. Abramoff received $1.2 million from the Malaysian government for his lobbying services in 2001 and 2002, the former associate said. Documents obtained by Senate investigators appear to confirm at least $900,000 of that amount. The White House says the meeting was arranged through normal channels.

"Normal channels", all right. Normal for this administration. Man, wouldn't that be a nice way to make $1.2 million? Just set up a meeting through your buddy Turd Blossom and get a couple of foreign business guys to spend a few minutes with Dubya while he plays with Barney, and bingo, you've made a cool $1.2 million. It doesn't get any better than that. How much of a cut did Turd Blossom get, you think? Maybe even Dubya get's a cut, too, huh? Nah, these guys are too ethical for anything like that...