Re: Staff of criminals
Given that we all only 'know' what we're presented by the media, and news outlets censor by definition (because they can't report everything, all the time), I'd still like to point out that Obama seems to be doing alright and seems to be liked. There, that's the scientific bit out of the way.
Now, just to put things in perspective, let's look at the Bush administrations' brightest stars, according to citizensforethics.org:
=== Claude Allen ===
Presidential assistant on Domestic Policy, was arrested in 2006 on two charges for stealing merchandise from Target and Hecht’s stores: theft by scheme over $500 and theft over $500.
=== Lewis "Scooter" Libby ===
Vice-Presidential Chief of Staff. Convicted in 2008 of lying and obstructing a leak investigation over the run-up to the Iraq war.
=== Darleen A. Druyun ===
Served as the number two acquisition executive for the U.S. Air Force. In April 2004, following a criminal fraud investigation, Ms. Druyun reached a plea agreement with the government where she admitted illegally favoring Boeing in billion-dollar contract negotiations.
=== Karl W. Rove ===
Chief Presidential Strategist. Linked to the firing of several US Attorneys and the wrongful conviction of former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman. No convictions were made, and the investigations were not pursued after extensive lobbying 'convinced' the Justice Department that such a course of action would not be in the public interest.
=== Kyle “Dusty” Foggo ===
Executive director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Mr. Foggo resigned as executive director after news reports stated that he had attended poker games organized by Brent Wilkes, a defense contractor under federal investigation for bribing former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham.
=== Janet Rehnquist ===
Inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Rehnquist resigned on June 1, 2003, while the subject of ongoing investigations by the U.S. General Accounting Office (“GAO”) for "Undermining the Integrity of the Office". Rehnquist is the daughter of former Chief Judge William Rehnquist.
=== Robert T. Schofield ===
Assistant deputy director of Examinations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS-INS). In June 2006, Mr. Schofield was arrested and charged with illegally granting residency and issuing naturalization certificates to more than 100 unqualified immigrants as part of an eight-year long scam run out of his Fairfax, Virginia office.
The list goes on and on - the top 25 Most Corrupt Bush Administration officials can be found here: http://citizensforethics.org/files/execcorruption/executivecorruptionreport.pdf.