That's the behavior of newly minted CIA Director Michael Hayden, who has done the Bush Administration a huge disservice by reinforcing the Democrats' "Bush lied" theme in his confirmation testimony.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Correcting the Hayden record

But of more serious concerns are the partisan divides beneath the competing conspiracy theories, including majorities of Republicans believing that global warming is a hoax and majorities of Democrats believing that the Bush administration intentionally lied about WMD's in Iraq to get the USA to invade (Margaret and Dean have a particularly lively debate on that one).

CNN: Podcast: Kim's tantrum--with nuclear weapons

Mr Bush's opponents say the president lied when he said he could not remember meeting Mr Abramoff.

ECONOMIST: The presidency

Still, most Americans believe Mr Bush waged the war in good faith though one senior Democrat, Bob Graham of Florida, has raised the notion of impeaching Mr Bush if he is found to have lied in making the case for war.

ECONOMIST: More questions than answers | The

Whether you think him corrupt, naive, goofy, aloof, or all of the above, there is no evidence to date that he knowingly lied to his superiors or NCAA investigators regarding Reggie Bush.

FORBES: Will NCAA Show Consistency When Ruling on Ohio State's Infractions?