Posted on 11/15/2003 1:47:51 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
A Democratic staff memo discussed how best to gain political advantage from the Senate Intelligence Committee's investigation into the Bush administration's use of intelligence prior to the war in Iraq. The memo is a sorry example of putting party politics ahead of the national interest.
The memo, which was leaked to Fox News Channel commentator Sean Hannity last week, caused a terrible rift between Democrats and Republicans on the traditionally nonpartisan Senate Intelligence Committee, which has access to the nation's most closely held secrets, and struck a body blow to whatever bipartisan cooperation there was on the Senate floor.
Written by a staff member of the committee's vice chair, Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., the memo talks of the need for Democrats to "pull the (Republican) majority along as far as we can" and then to "pull the trigger" next year on launching an independent investigation into Bush's use of intelligence information. Obviously, an independent investigation that stirred up doubt about the Bush administration would be helpful to next year's Democratic presidential nominee.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., in a floor speech said "those responsible for this memo appear to be more focused on winning the White House than they are on winning the war against terror." Frist said the plan, as outlined in the memo, would "so politicized the Intelligence Committee as to render it incapable of meeting its responsibilities to the United States Senate and to the American people."
The Chronicle has criticized the Bush administration for being too secretive. Yet, how much cooperation can be expected if Democrats are inclined to use information provided to the Intelligence Committee for partisan gain?
Rockefeller says the memo was only a draft and never circulated to other Democrats. In a clumsy attempt to shift blame, Rockefeller wants an investigation into how the memo got leaked.
He should apologize, and the aide who wrote the memo should be fired.
I've been looking out the window, periodically, to make sure there isn't a flock of pigs flying over the neighborhood.
Hannity was leaked a memo.
The Judicary Memo...
The Intelligence Committee memo detailing the relationship between Saddan and Osama.
Watch them panic....as it dawns on them.
Memo(heh, heh, heh) to Dims, even your partisans draw the line at TREASON!
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