Whether loyalty is a virtue or a vice depends on what a person is loyal to and at what expense. George W. Bush, the man, is well known for being a loyal friend and confidant. That is something we all want in a friend. As a leader, he’s also demonstrated strong loyalty to his staff which is something we all want in a boss and a leader. But loyalty to friends and staff is not why we elect a President.

The Presidential Oath of Office is defined and required by Article II, Section I, Clause 8 of the Constitution. It makes clear that a President’s loyalty is to reside with the Constitution above all else. It appears that President Bush’s personal loyalty takes precedence over his professional loyalty.

President Bush’s personal loyalty is so strong that he has demonstrated time and again that he’s willing to sacrifice the focus of his administration, the effectiveness of his governance, and the confidence of the nation. It must be very reassuring to those in the administration that no matter their level of ethical fortitude, professional performance, or strength of memory they can count on having the full confidence of President Bush. This has been demonstrated most notably by the tortuously long reign of Donald Rumsfeld as Secretary of Defense, Michael Brown as FEMA Director, and Attorney General Gonzalez just to name a few. Only after someone has become a political rotting corpse will the President take action.

It makes me wonder by what measure does his staff lose the President’s confidence? I imagine it begins and ends with personal loyalty to President Bush. This would explain why this administration places a premium on having “loyal Bushies” in appointed positions rather than loyal Americans. This also explains why one of President Bush’s favorite appointees, former U.N. ambassador John Bolton, argues for appointing only those who share the President’s viewpoint.

President Bush’s loyalty to the Constitution has even been called into question by the relatively conservative think tank, CATO Institute. They published a white paper concluding that “President Bush’s constitutional vision is sharply at odds with the text, history, and structure of our Constitution.” The institute goes further to state that President Bush’s record overwhelmingly displays “contempt for constitutional limits,” and that he has “weakened the constitutional order on which the American way of life depends.”

Loyal Bushies receive far more vigorous protection than the Constitution under this President. George W. Bush is a very loyal man. That is why it is especially disheartening to see that the President has chosen to be more loyal to his friends and sycophants than the Constitution he swore an oath to defend.