Mokhiber: The newspapers in recent days have been filled with articles about lying, cheating, and criminality at high levels. So, you have Martha Stewart charged with insider trading, indicted for obstruction of justice. Sammy Sosa using a corked bat. On the front page of the Post today -
Ari Fleischer: Russell, you are not going to blame President Bush for Sammy Sosa, are you?
Mokhiber: Just asking a question here.
On the front page of the Post today, you have WorldCom execs inflating revenues, and Freddie Mac execs fired for doctoring books, and so forth.
Is the President concerned about a culture of cheating, lying and criminality taking hold in the country? And if he is, what does he plan to do about it?
Ari Fleischer: That's a rather pessimistic statement to make about the American people and the American character. The President wouldn't share that. To the President, what it indicates is a need to have a society of laws, where the laws are vigorously enforced, no matter who violates them. And to have ethics that are followed at home, in the workplace, in corporate boards - that's how the President approaches it. But no, the President would take a different approach to what it means society wide.
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