Canadian versus American politics.

Let's be clear about one thing -- I don't much like the current incarnation of the Liberal Party, and I really don't like Paul Martin. I'm not much more of a fan of Dalton McGuinty but I will at least give him credit for sticking to his promise and relieving Finance Minister Greg Sorbara of his position when Sorbara became an official target of a criminal investigation.

As you can read here, McGuinty defended Sorbara as long as Sorbara was never under official investigation:

Mr. McGuinty said Mr. Sorbara agreed when this issue first came to light that he would step aside if he became the subject of an investigation.

Exactly. And when that happened, McGuinty at least kept his word. (And you know where this is going, don't you? Of course you do.)

Compare the above with the sleazy tap dancing of one George W. Bush, whose sleight of hand is on detail here (relevant parts emphasized):

-- NBC Nightly News led with it, as Brian Williams teased: "The CIA leak: President Bush pressed again today about his advisor, Karl Rove, in the outing of a CIA operative. Is the President raising the bar for dismissal?"

Williams began: "Good evening. This is not what President George W. Bush had in mind for this point in his second term. Over the weekend and again today, more claims and allegations in the story involving presidential right-hand man Karl Rove. While it is still unclear whether a crime has been committed here, the leak investigation is not going away, nor is the pressure on Mr. Rove. And the President was forced to take on this topic again today. We begin here tonight with NBC News chief White House correspondent David Gregory. David, good evening."

Gregory explained: "Good evening, Brian. The President today sought to reaffirm his pledge to fire anyone involved in blowing Valerie Plame's identity. But with the heat still on his senior advisor Karl Rove, Mr. Bush appeared to raise the bar today for what would trigger a dismissal. With the leak investigation casting a shadow over the President's official agenda, today Mr. Bush said again he would take the special prosecutor's findings seriously."

George W. Bush, at press conference with India's Prime Minister: "I would like this to end as quickly as possible so we know the facts, and if someone committed a crime, they will no longer work in my administration."

Gregory: "Two years ago, Mr. Bush also said he would dismiss anyone who violated the law, but last summer the President issued a broader pledge to fire anyone who leaked Valerie Plame's name."

Unidentified male reporter, June 10, 2004: "And do you stand by your pledge to fire anyone found to have done so?"

Bush: "Yes."

So we know exactly what George's word is worth. And if Boy Genius Rove is actually found guilty of treason, one can only imagine the ensuing bar raising:

Bush: "I want to make it absolutely clear that if anyone leaked a covert agent's name, and committed a crime, and sodomized Pakistani earthquake orphans, that person will absolutely not work in my administration. Um ... sodomized more than one of them. Let's make it more than one. And their dog."

Compared to that, we can safely say that Dalton McGuinty is a tower of principle, no?

AFTERSNARK: I fought the urge but it was too much, as I will now direct you to this delightful bit of buck passing over at America's Dumbest Wanker™:

Officials tell ABC News the alleged spy worked undetected at the White House for almost three years. Leandro Aragoncillo, 46, was a U.S. Marine most recently assigned to the staff of Vice President Dick Cheney...

Federal investigators say Aragoncillo, a naturalized citizen from the Philippines, used his top secret clearance to steal classified intelligence documents from White House computers.

WHAT??? How is this possible??? What kind of people is President Bush hiring???

Oh, wait...

In 2000, Aragoncillo worked on the staff of then-Vice President Al Gore.

Well, that explains a lot.

Why, yes, yes it does. It explains how, even when crimes happen directly on Commander Chimpy's watch, if you go back far enough, you can always tie it to a Democrat somehow.

So how, we ask ourselves, does Weasel Boy dismiss the fact that Chimpy's brain, Boy Genius Rove, has clearly violated the law by leaking the identity of a covert CIA operative to the press? (And, no, this is no longer a point of debate, it is now a matter of public record as even George W. Moron has implicitly admitted when he so obviously changed the standards for dismissal.)

So, how will Weasel Boy deal with this? Apparently, one can smear Al Gore for the acts of some anonymous underling. What does one do with the criminal behaviour of a long-time trusted aide and confidante? How, oh how, can one ultimately blame Karl Rove's law-breaking on Bill Clinton?

Let the weaseling begin.

THERE'S A PATTERN HERE: Apparently, Karl really has a problem keeping his mouth shut:

Senators yesterday demanded disclosure of the secret that top Bush aide Karl Rove told a conservative activist last week to reassure him about Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers, but the White House insisted there is no secret to divulge.

Many politicians and activists reacted with surprise last week when conservative Focus on the Family founder James Dobson announced his support for Miers and said on his radio show Wednesday that Rove told him things about Miers "I probably shouldn't know."

Yeah, Karl really does have a nasty habit of telling people stuff they shouldn't know, doesn't he? Quick, Boy Weasel, to the Bat Political Spin Machine! There must be a way this can be blamed on smear-minded, partisan Democrats! Or ... maybe not:

Three senators - Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) - said yesterday on morning talk shows that Miers' confirmation could be derailed if there were what Specter called "any backroom deals" on her votes on abortion or other issues that come before the Supreme Court.

Oops.