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By Dylan Matthews
Former Bush Chief of Staff Andrew Card thinks Obama is disrespecting the office of the presidency. Guess why:
CARD: I found that Ronald Reagan and both President Bushes treated the Oval Office with tremendous respect. They treated the Office of the Presidency with tremendous respect. And some of that respect was reflected in how they expected people to behave, how they expected them to dress when they walked into the symbol of freedom for the world, the Oval Office. And yes, I’m disappointed to see the casual, laissez faire, short sleeves, no shirt and tie, no jacket, kind of locker room experience that seems to be taking place in this White House and the Oval Office.There's something telling about the fact that Card thinks administration officials can authorize torture, engage in warrantless wiretapping, and purposely manufacture intelligence to justify wars of aggression, and not disrespect the Office of the Presidency in so doing, but that allowing Rahm Emanuel to unfasten the top button of his shirt is just a bridge too far. I guess I'm just naïve for thinking that actually earning the Office's role as "the symbol of freedom for the world" is more important than sartorial concerns.
