Look! Ari Fliescher is offering the Democrats some helpful advice!

And that's one of the beauties of this thing of ours the press has with Republicans--Once you're out of the administration, you get to be quoted as offering putatively objective commentary, as if you weren't still part of the VRWC. It's so beautiful it brings a tear to my eye. Look who Times stenographer Sheryl Gay Stolberg gets a quote from on subpoenas for Rove. They're serious!

“There’s a big problem for both the White House and Congress on these subpoenas, and that is that everybody looks bad,” said Ari Fleischer, Mr. Bush’s first press secretary. “The White House doesn’t want to get into a visible public executive privilege court fight because it makes it look like they’re hiding something. Congress shouldn’t go down this subpoena line because they’re only cooking their own goose. It’s great for the base, but lousy for the country.”

Thanks for your concern, Ari. We'll take that under advisement.

[Reach me that bucket, wouldja hon?]

And now take a look at the headline:

White House and Lawmakers Alike Face Risks in an Executive Privilege Fight

Who are the extremely objective, non-partisan experts that stenographer Stolberg quotes on Democratic strategy and these "risks"? I'm glad you asked"

Ari Fleisher.

Roger Black.

David Rivkin.

Dana Perino.

With the exception of a single sentence quoting Schumer, every single one of Stolberg's sources is a Republican.

Your liberal media at work!

NOTE I don't have any problem with Republican operatives offering Democrats helpful advice. It's cute, and as long as nobody takes it seriously, not damaging. Why our famously free press keeps giving them a forum, and not the Democrats, is another issue, of course.