What a Coicidence!

Michael: Johnny! You don't know my brother Fredo, do you, Johnny? Johnny Ola - Fredo.
Johnny: (holding out his hand to Fredo) We never met. Johnny Ola.
Fredo: (nervously) Pleasure.

Fredo-in-Chief, via his messenger boy Dan Bartlett, is spinning furiously in matters Abramoff, insisting that a half dozen photos (curiously, as yet unpublished--would a Democrat...or the Clenis..receive such deferential treatment?)...anyway, that a half dozen photos of the two of them together just bad timing...or something like that:

"He doesn't have a personal relationship with him," White House counselor Dan Bartlett said of Bush and Abramoff, who recently pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from his lobbying practices and has pledged to cooperate with government prosecutors.

"We acknowledge he (Abramaoff) attended some Hannukuah celebrations," Bartlett said in an appearance on NBC's "Today" show. "Any suggestions by critics or anyone else to suggest the president is doing something nefarious with Abramoff is absurd."

Bush himself has said that he doesn't recall meeting Abramoff...

On ABC's "Good Morning America" Monday, Bartlett said, "I don't think it's a surprise to anybody that there's probably widely-gathered events where the president does photo-line opportunities."

The White House has not released any photos featuring the president and Abramoff, who was declared a Bush "pioneer" for raising at least $100,000 for the Bush-Cheney '04 re-election campaign.

Contributions that came directly from Abramoff, his wife and one of the American Indian tribes he represented _ a total of $6,000 _ were donated to the American Heart Association by the campaign just days after Abramoff entered his guilty pleas.

The White House, after playing down the Bush-Abramoff photos and the lobbyist's ties to the president, criticized Abramoff for breaking the law. "Mr. Abramoff admitted being involved in outrageous wrongdoing," spokeswoman Dana Perino said Sunday.

I wonder if Shrub bestowed a nickname on him, like with "Kenny Boy" Lay...who likewise became so much dandruff to slough off Fredo-in-Chief's shoulders ("I believe Mr. Lay contributed to my opponent") when the shit and fan made their fateful acquaintance.

Must suck to be Jack Abramoff these days (watch for dripping sarcasm--there's literally gallons of it on the way). Something tells me there were more than "Hannukuah celebrations" on the White House agenda...now, everyone wants to know two days in advance before he shows up...so they won't be around.

Here's hoping hell hath no fury like Abramoff scorned...