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JoJo
Lv 4
JoJo asked in Politics & GovernmentPolitics · 1 decade ago

I was watching The Daily Show this evening, and Jon Stewart showed various clips of Bush appointees saying....

That they "serve at the pleasure of the president?" Anybody have any thoughts, serious or humorous, on what this exactly means? The latest victim to fall back on this line is Alberto Gonzales. Others have included Rummy, McClellan, etc. That's interesing, both of them have resigned....hmmmm....

Update:

ALL great answers!!! Keep 'em coming!! :-)

Update 2:

Excellent answers! I received the very thought out, serious answers and then the very funny! Thanks for all of them. It'll be hard to choose a best answer. I think I should let y'all do it! What do you say?

8 Answers

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    "To serve at the pleasure of" a president or governor means only that one's tenure in the office may be ended by the chief executive at any time with no reason required for termination.

    In American government, this is a status usually applied to senior "policy making" officials and is intended to assure that the chief executive retains control over the policies of his administration.

    Lower level staff, whose roles are more functional, typically hold some sort of "civil service" protection, which requires that a fair hearing be held and just cause shown for termination from their jobs.

    Of course this is a simplification of the system, but I expect that it should reasonably explain the concept.

  • Anonymous
    4 years ago

    that's a comedy teach, first and maximum suitable. Comedy in the form of a pretend newscast isn't something new. NBC's Saturday evening stay has been doing it for over 30 years. The on a daily basis teach is definitely humorous and that i attempt to catch the 8:00 reruns on each and every occasion i will (i'm oftentimes asleep by using 11:00). lots of Jon Stewart's comedy takes the form of selectively chosen soundbites that make stronger regularly held stereotypes approximately public figures, extremely those in the present presidential administration. Examples of such stereotypes incorporate "Bush is dumb," "Cheney is evil," and "Rumsfeld is deceitful." people who already carry those opinions element to the soundbites and say "See? i'm splendid". people who do no longer accuse the teach of liberal bias or maybe "usa-hating." finally, people who comprehend the teach for what that's (a comedy teach), snigger at Jon's humorous faces and with a bit of luck seek for out honestly information sources to hold mutually their preparation and make judgements as to how and by using whom they like to be ruled. The on a daily basis teach isn't turning individuals into cynics. the unequalled hypocrisy and political pandering of our elected officers from the two events are doing that on their very own.

  • 1 decade ago

    As long as they give Bush the pleasure of calling them by a stupid nickname like "Gonzerito" and making sure no one in their department questions the Bush agenda for world wide domination they have a job (unless Cheney says they smile too much or they are caught watching anything but Fox News at anytime in his employ). Bush also demands they walk his dog at his whim and rub his belly while Bush takes video for Barney's later viewing pleasure. Gonzerito has been assigned to dog poop pick-up duty because he didn't hid the emails chronicling his struggles to rank his lawyers in order of their political obedience to Bush's semi-illegal policies.

    Those who give Bush much pleasure are allowed to pet Bush's stuffed monkey and awarded a $500 million a year consulting position with Haliburton after they get out of prison for lying to protect Bush and/or Cheney from impeachment

    for the illegal cat fights that are held in the Whitehouse basement on Saturday nights...and for plotting to start WWIII

    just cause they needed something to do to make their mark on world history.

    Source(s): "Scooter" Libby aka "The Fall Guy", and Barney's websites- .www.barneygoeswild.com and ratebarneyspoop.com
  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Boy, McClellan does not have much good to say about Bush. I just saw him the other night on T.V. but can't remember which show.

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    If they resign though they still get paid full benefits. If fired they don't unless it's mentioned in their Contract Claus. Which is pretty much a given with his pleasuring b*tt buddies.

  • 1 decade ago

    Well, it simply means that he and all the Bush crowd, including Bush, are not going to answer the question, period.

    This is the same answer we have been getting from Bush the last six years.

  • 1 decade ago

    "hehe, Hey Condi, come here, time to serve at the pleasure of the President"

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    You are watching Jon Stewart,when you could be watching WWE!! shame!

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