Should George W. Bush Take a Cue from Judy Miller?

By: Greg Mitchell We should all thank much-maligned Judith Miller for, unintentionally, pointing the way out of what was called, in another era, "our long national nightmare." Her severance agreement with The New York Times, announced Wednesday, could be used as a model for the dignified departure of President George W. Bush from his current position.

We're sure that many newspapers would join us in offering to give the president ample space in our pages to publish his own "Farewell Letter" to the electorate. Also, they would be happy to make clear, as Bill Keller, the Times' executive editor, did Wednesday in regard to Miller, that the president had no sexual "entanglement" with Scooter Libby. Approving a generous financial settlement is guaranteed, if Halliburton pays for this cleanup.

Like the Miller deal, The New York Times ought to support this proposed agreement, having suggested earlier this week in an editorial that the country may not survive another three years of Bush at the helm. Many Americans seem to agree, with the president's approval rating plunging almost hourly toward the mid-30s, perhaps heading to his vice president's current mark of 19%.

There is much logic to this link, since many of the troubles surrounding Bush and Miller share a common source: embracing Ahmad Chalabi; falling for -- and promoting -- errors about WMD that led to war; playing a central role in the Plame/CIA leak probe. Add to that the president's problems surrounding torture, Katrina, Karl Rove, Jack Abramoff and Tom DeLay, not to mention Everyone Hates America Abroad and a massive budget deficit, and surely you have the makings of a deal.

But will Bush's employer, the American people -- and their sometime surrogates, the press -- demand it? Newspapers, at least, are all too familiar these days with the concept of early retirement and buyout packages.

Again, Judy Miller should stand as a fine precedent for the president. Like her, he is still in the prime of his life and owns some swell real estate. He can leave his job before his colleagues completely abandon him and his employer locks the door. A lucrative book deal certainly awaits (especially if he has been keeping a personal journal during these last, darkest months), and the guy gets a presidential library, and a plush office there, to boot.

Like Judy, he can say that he is leaving for the sake of his employer, explaining that it is always bad for the country when "the president becomes the story." He could even quote Miller's current complaint about becoming "a lightning rod for public fury over the intelligence failures that helped lead our country to war."

Surely, just as Miller announced last night that she was now a "free woman," Bush can proclaim himself a "free man" -- free, at least, to pursue endless biking trips with his buddy, Lance Armstrong, also now on the retirement trail. Someone else can deal with, or shrug off, the next hurricane disaster.

And here is one added benefit: If Bush leaves office, a la Nixon, then his successor could pardon him for any alleged crimes now and forever. Even if Vice President Cheney, finally succumbing to the torture of low public opinion, also takes a buyout package, another Republican is next in line -- at least if Bush moves quickly.