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Politicized Memo Creates Row
Washington Post ^ | November 6, 2003 | Dana Priest

Posted on 11/06/2003 4:53:36 AM PST by Peach

Edited on 11/06/2003 5:08:27 AM PST by Lead Moderator. [history]

A barely contained partisan squabble over assessing blame for the apparent failure to find chemical and biological weapons in Iraq broke into the open yesterday when Republican senators said they had a memorandum indicating their Democratic colleagues were preparing a campaign to disparage a Senate committee report on the quality of prewar intelligence before it is even completed.

A senior Democrat countered that Republicans had probably stolen the memo from a trash can or a computer file.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 2004memo; committee; intelligence; rockefeller; rockfellrmemo; senate; treason
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To: Just mythoughts
When Graham said that he wasn't running for anything, I had the same thoughts that you had. Your thoughts posted below:

Maybe this is why Senator Graham is leaving the Senate.

His whole focus was on "INTEL" and accusations about deception by President Bush. He was a tool, with supposed credibility that has kept the drum beat going, planting the seeds for getting an "independent counsel". Maybe even leaking parts and pieces of "INTEL".

61 posted on 11/06/2003 7:00:41 AM PST by Grampa Dave ("If you don't like change, you're going to like irrelevance even less.")
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To: Peach
A senior Democrat countered that Republicans had probably stolen the memo from a trash can or a computer file.

Translation: Yes, it's real, and we are panicing right now.

62 posted on 11/06/2003 7:02:49 AM PST by Chad Fairbanks (The Truth is to see The Gift)
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To: Just mythoughts
ya think?
63 posted on 11/06/2003 7:05:27 AM PST by bayourod
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To: Peach
"I believe a Democrat gave a copy of that memo to Sean Hannity. He said we'd be shocked at who gave it to him. We'd hardly be surprised if it was a Republican. "

I wouldn't be surprised even if were the Syrian Ambassador.

64 posted on 11/06/2003 7:12:48 AM PST by bayourod
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To: familyofman
being political when attacking others for being political

Sen. Zell Miller (D) is calling for "heads to roll." Is that political? He's mad specifically because being political IN THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE is just WRONG and DANGEROUS to American Security. Intl Commt membership is historically 50/50 to avoid just this kinda thing.

Your fairplay sentiment is overstated. There is a stink here. It is a dead skunk. It needs to be removed no matter how it was discovered.

65 posted on 11/06/2003 7:21:02 AM PST by sam_paine (X .................................)
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To: The Wizard
bump to see how the liars cover(UP) the story...

You have that right.

66 posted on 11/06/2003 7:30:00 AM PST by af_vet_1981
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To: familyofman
If it is truly a national security issue that has everyone upset, then concentrate on national security & not the political party of the offender. Stick to the point of security, not politics & others will join, but to make it an issue of R vs D just lets it slip into the mud that is all too prevalent in DC. Concern for the country should trump concern for party - right?

No. Two things: politics are the cause of this national security offense as the memo implies. This commitee is to be at all time above politics and is now being used for a witch hunt for political gain that also fits nicely into enemy hands. The reason for the treason is part of the problem and needs stopping before it becomes common practice.

It looks like concern for country is trumping concern for national party. Zell Miller the strongest critic so far is a democrat. I expect there to be other Southern democrats following his lead as the story becomes more know, that is if they want to try and retain their seats. It would be an unforgivable sin to let politics be used to hurt our nation in any way, in the South.

67 posted on 11/06/2003 7:30:52 AM PST by Lady Heron
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To: Peach
I believe a Democrat gave a copy of that memo to Sean Hannity. He said we'd be shocked at who gave it to him. We'd hardly be surprised if it was a Republican.

It must've been a "Hannitized Democrat".

68 posted on 11/06/2003 7:39:06 AM PST by b4its2late (I love defenseless animals, especially in a good gravy.)
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To: Peach
Do something about the memo HERE:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1015696/posts
69 posted on 11/06/2003 7:42:09 AM PST by jmstein7
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To: uncbob
Bush and Rowe will continue to play Nice Nice with the democrats in congress

And continue to win...

70 posted on 11/06/2003 7:49:56 AM PST by Coop (God bless our troops!)
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To: Peach
Clark is too hard to take first thing in the morning. And his plan will be impossible to follow as he waffles so much. So glad to see his poll numbers tanking. hehehe

The un-named Democrat has a name now and they don't like him either. Still looking for the un-named Democrat to lead is like fishing in an empty bucket.

71 posted on 11/06/2003 8:06:14 AM PST by Only1choice____Freedom (If everything you experienced, believed, lived was a lie, would you want to know the truth?)
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To: longtermmemmory
He was definitely sent out with this diversionary tactic yesterday.
72 posted on 11/06/2003 8:14:46 AM PST by anniegetyourgun
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To: familyofman
Oh yes I can, and do. My first priority is country, not party affiliation & you would do well to do the same

First, the release of the memo didn't disclose any state secrets, unless of course you consider the DNC's political strategy a state secret.

Second, what these critters do on our time and on our typewriters is certainly OUR business and such memo's written on company time are certainly subject to full disclosure to us just like any other document of the federal gov't that has no compelling interest to keep secret.

73 posted on 11/06/2003 8:28:19 AM PST by VRWC_minion (Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and most are right)
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To: Peach
Did anybody see ANYTHING on the lamestream news yesterday about this memo? I watched Petah Jennings and saw NOTHING. However, Petah must have been VERY AWARE of the memo since he led off his broadcast with a story (delivered in urgent tones) about some obscure Lebanese businessman who claims that a bigwig Iraqi was willing to let an American disarmament team into Iraq shortly before the war broke out. This turned out to be a complete NON-STORY (nothing much in the news about this today) but it served as a convenient smokescreen for Petah to use to divert attention away from the memo.

Let's see. Petah reports on a non-story about Iraq and completely ignores a major story concerning the memo. Way to go, Petah!

74 posted on 11/06/2003 8:40:30 AM PST by PJ-Comix (The Early Bird Gets The Early Worm)
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To: b4its2late
It must've been a "Hannitized Democrat".

Rangel?

75 posted on 11/06/2003 8:45:42 AM PST by Only1choice____Freedom (If everything you experienced, believed, lived was a lie, would you want to know the truth?)
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To: Only1choice____Freedom
Graham?
76 posted on 11/06/2003 9:03:52 AM PST by maica (Leadership matters)
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To: Peach
I hope this is getting a lot of play with our brave troops in Iraq. Being used as pawns for the Dems political machinations should enrage a few of them. Can they write to papers and criticize the Senators for this. It isn't like they are the CinC.

It is bad enough that the constant criticisms by the Dems, in particular the Great Bloviator, Ted Kennedy, is giving aid and comfort to the terrorists in Iraq and putting the soldiers in mortal danger. In this time of the internet and satellite television, nobody of any significant brain capacity could deny that the terrorists are watching the Dems create an atmosphere of fear, uncertainty and doubt, and take heart that their efforts are successful in wearing down public support for the war of liberation in Iraq. There is blood on the hands of the Dems here, IMHO.

And no, there has been virtually no coverage in the lamestream media. The NYTimes has a small story today on the bottom of page A12. It is hard to notice, being titled "Republican and Democratic Panel Leaders take feud to floor." You can imagine the rest.

77 posted on 11/06/2003 9:08:43 AM PST by SpinyNorman
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To: Peach
"A barely contained partisan squabble over assessing blame for the apparent failure to find chemical and biological weapons in Iraq broke into the open yesterday when Republican senators said they had a memorandum indicating their Democratic colleagues were preparing a campaign to disparage a Senate committee report on the quality of prewar intelligence before it is even completed.

A senior Democrat countered that Republicans had probably stolen the memo from a trash can or a computer file."

Talk about spin.

The very first sentence of the WP article : "...blame for the apparent failure to find chemical and biological weapons in Iraq ...". (it's all Bush's fault.)

And : "Republican senators said they had a memorandum ...". (placing doubt on the authenticity of a document that the Dems have admitted they generated.)

And : "indicating their Democratic colleagues ...". (just indicating I guess. I read it and it was doing a lot more than indicating - it was one of those "plans" that Dems love so much.)

And in the 2nd sentence: "...probably stolen the memo from a trash can ...". (Conjecture is more important than the facts for the WP.)

78 posted on 11/06/2003 9:11:44 AM PST by InterceptPoint
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To: InterceptPoint; maica; jmstein7; Peach; VRWC_minion; anniegetyourgun; PJ-Comix
Dear [Washington Post],

I just read today's (11/6, "Politicized Memo Incites Row") article, featured on page A27, about the Democrat attack plan regarding intelligence data. I did notice this article's interesting angle how both parties seem to be viewed with equal suspicion. All in the interest of objective journalism, I'm sure.

But compare this scandal to the Joe Wilson/CIA leak scandal. Both involve intelligence and both involve presumed political pressure to embarass an opponent. Yet this well balanced article is buried on page A27, while the latter scandal was featured - at a minimum - on pages:

A01, 1 Oct, "Man Behind the Furor" (Wilson...)
A01, 28 Sep, "Bush Administration is Focus of Inquiry"
A06, 25 Oct, "Democrats Seek Wider Inquiry"
A08, 24 Oct, "Bush's Press Aide, Rove Questioned in Leaks Probe"

While I already know the answer, I'm curious to hear the Post's explanation of the blatant double standard. Thank you for allowing me to express my opinion.

Coop
Note: I have had letters to the editor published in close to a dozen papers across the country over the years, yet despite having more submissions to the Wash ComPost than any other, they have yet to print one of my letters. I do not expect that streak to be broken here. :-)

79 posted on 11/06/2003 10:07:42 AM PST by Coop (God bless our troops!)
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To: Coop
VERY good job, Coop. Bravo. If we weren't leaving for a trip to see my husband's new granddaughter, I'd be working on one right now too. We started one last night and it's doubtful we'll get time to finish it, but perhaps in the car....
80 posted on 11/06/2003 10:10:21 AM PST by Peach (The Clintons have pardoned more terrorists than they ever captured or killed.)
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