Ridge Holds Briefing at 3:30 EST

Fox Cable News | 12/29/2003 | FNC

[StarFan]

If we were to go to Elmo, I would think that announcement would come from Bush, rather than Ridge. Excellent point, whew!

[Not A Snowbird]

A "red" firetruck might be a constant reminder....

And a very somber one at that...

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Usually it Clinton Chasing the... well you get the idea.

[Mulder]

You know, they're damned if they do and damned if they don't. First people complained that they weren't forewarned that there had been a lot of chatter and unspecific warnings prior to 9/11. So they started to keep us abreast when the level of unspecific threat changed. That leads to people complaining that since they can't be specific, they should just keep it to themselves. I'd be willing to bet that at least 80% of the people complaining about the first are the same ones complaining about the second.

The administration brought this upon themselves when they decided to lie about not having some prior knowledge about 9/11.

They were faced with a decision right after 9/11.

They decided to lie about having no prior knowledge so that people would put their trust in the government, instead of questioning the effectiveness and competence of that government. This would make it easier to pass the Patriot Act, Homeland Security, etc...., as well as increase the popularity of incumbents.

If they had told the truth, it would have resulted in them having to replace many senior bureaucrats, and it would have likely resulted in them repealing many laws so that the feds could concentrate on fighting terror. Seeing how inept their gov't really was, more Americans would buy guns for themselves and insist on more liberal CCW laws.

But this is certainly nothing new. Klinton did the same thing after OKC.

[StarFan]

All the more reason for my son to stay local! I do not trust Bloomberg's assurances.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Maybe Ridge is going to announce, "Hispanic votes be damned. We're closing the borders off ASAP. Anyone out of work who has a firearm report for training. If you don't have a firearm, go to your local pawn shop and put down some cash."

[Mulder]

They need a new way of approaching this, or they're just wasting time and risking actually making people less vigilant via this sort of content-free 'briefing'.

It's administrative CYA. It's an election year, so I would expect to get these "warnings" every couple of weeks.

That way, if there was an attack, the democrats would have more difficulty in blaming the Republicans.

[MEG33]

I've waited since '91,so I may keep on celebrating a long time!

[Mulder]

He has to stand up tell us we are safe & yet leave the borders unsecured. It's a joke - he's a joke.

Yep.

If the feds were serious about preventing terrorist attacks, they'd secure the borders, and leave the rest of us alone.

[Jackie-O]

Bloomberg better get a better security plan...
Check this story out...
http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Northeast/12/29/security.violations.ap/index.html

[Squantos]

Not so bad IMHO cept they never issue them deck apes deck shoes. Trashes the boat. Should'nt have to put up with damage....just damn wrong to have your boat damaged . I don't have problems with random safety / security inspections during high threat but get angry and personal with the boarding party when they disrespect ones property who hasn't provoked such distruction.

I always agreed with em, helped em and had my ducks in a row for their visits. They have saved my bacon in the past and I respect them for that but the recent crop of salt nazis is outta hand in some cases.

I suspect that some bean counter mandates a certain number of searches each watch thus your "available" and easy to work with thus they are gundecking the process by searching you more than normal. Or .....your the only one in their AOR ..........:o)

Don't let em get ya too mad . .........Stay safe !

[exile]

"I've got the bad feeling that Eddie Munster is going to cancel New Year's Eve parties and celebrations. He's going to tell the sheeple to hunker down in their basements."

I actually wish he had the power to cancel the US's New Year's Eve celebrations, for the following reasons:

1. Who needs Dick Clark?
2. It'll teach them youngins what it's like to be an old married fart (like old almost 30 years old, Exile) who never gets to have any fun.

[John W]

If by "prior knowledge" you mean thay had the pieces to the puzzle and din't put them together-both the Clinton & Bush administrations,I agree.No one,to my knowledge,from either administration has said "We messed up,big time."But,I don't believe they had specific foreknowledge of the 9/11 attack and did nothing to stop it.

[Coop]

If the feds were serious about preventing terrorist attacks, they'd secure the borders, and leave the rest of us alone.

Thanks for reminding me to kneel down tonight and thank God that you're not in charge of Homeland Security.

[Mulder]

I think it's the government trying to tell people "you need us" and "remember this the next time we ask for expanded powers and money

Bingo! We have a winner.

[MEG33]

Get well soon!

[ASA Vet]

I can think of more than a few ways to end the situation right now

Might this be one of them?

[cajungirl]

So do tell,,are yall terribly busy at Homeland Security,,any insider tips for us.

[alnick]

They didn't lie about not having foreknowledge about 9/11. What they had, and what they stated publicly that they had had, was a lot of very unspecific pieces of chatter. Being able to pull the idea of commercial passenger jets being flown into the WTC and the Pentagon was not spelled out in advance for them, and what they had that may have led them to a conclusion anywhere near that was buried amongst info leading to a ton of other conclusions.

That they didn't find the needle buried in the huge haystack does not equate to lying.

[Dog]

What is wrong with people om this site Coop....I guess they forget how it felt the morning of 9/11.