Sept. 11 commission sets Rice hearing for April 8

Associated Press ^ | 4-1-04 | HOPE YEN

[Oldeconomybuyer]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice will go before the federal panel reviewing the Sept. 11 attacks next Thursday.

Rice will testify under oath for about 21/2 hours, with much of the questioning expected to focus on what outgoing Clinton officials told her about the al-Qaida threat and her response afterward.

[mewzilla]

She should bring Miniter's book with her, and set it out on the table in plain sight.

[MEGoody]

Darn! I'll have to figure out a way to get the day off. I want to see Condi put it to 'em straight!

[Cboldt]

*bump* Many people were asking this question earlier in the week. (When is Dr. Rice going to testify?)

[Archangelsk]

Eh, all I have to say is that everyone remembers Oliver North, but very few can remember his chief inquisitor.

Arthur Liman

[mcshot]

Would I love to see that. And would they (Dems) ever scream and squirm.
mc

[mewzilla]

I wonder if Kristen Breitwieser has read Miniter's book?

[bcoffey]

"The commission looks forward to hearing from her."

And I look forward to hearing from her, too. (heh, heh, heh)

[Political Junkie Too]

She should focus on how the Senate Democrats were obstructing the confirmation of Bush's lower-level nominees and how that prevented Bush from putting his team in place in time.

She should focus on how the Clinton administration's holding up of transition funds during the Florida court proceedings cost Bush a month of organization and preparation prior to being sworn in.

If the Democrats want to know what was going on in the earliest months, they should look in the mirror.

-PJ

[freedomlover]

And quite a few of us remember Fawn Hall

[Wolfstar]

"The commission looks forward to hearing from her."

The commission has already heard from her. Sheesh! There IS dishonestly galore surrounding these hearings — the majority of which seems to be coming from the committee, itself.

[angkor]

She should bring Miniter's book with her

And Steve Coll's "Ghost Wars", which everyone in Washington has read at least in the Washington Post excertps (Coll is a WP managing editor).

In the published excerpts, Coll describes incisively how during the Clinton admin (a) OBL was treated as a criminal suspect (b) the CIA field operatives knew without question of OBL's threat to the U.S. (c) the Reno DoJ repeatedly issued field directives which contained ambiguous directives for the use of lethal force against OBL, and (d) the Reno DoJ basically left CIA field ops at the end of the noose with regard to OBL.

It doesn't take a whole of brains to see that the Reno DoJ approach to terrorism was a massive CYA operation for Reno hersolf and for the Clinton White House.

Why isn't Janet Reno being questioned?

[oceanview]

She must do something to throw the Dems on the committee off right from the outset. Like with Clarence Thomas, once the words "high tech lynching" came out of his mouth, you could see the Dems crumble.

they are going to have some new lines of questioning that she hasn't heard before, count on that. my guess is something about the saudis, and something about using an economic plan to get rid of the Taliban - i.e., this oil pipeline stuff with Cheney, etc.

[TheDon]

It's rather obvious the commission has nothing to do with making the nation safer, but rather is a partisan vehicle for the Demorats to attack President Bush. Condi is about to get her "hi-tech lynching" from the Demorats. I wish her well.

[RightWingMama]

She must do something to throw the Dems on the committee off right from the outset. Like with Clarence Thomas, once the words "high tech lynching" came out of his mouth, you could see the Dems crumble.

That was a beautiful thing to watch.

[kellynla]

April 8, Holy Thursday...Let's hope there's not a crucifixion to follow...

[Sacajaweau]

The difference with the Bush administration and the Clinton years is that THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION actually created a plan, both defensive and offensive to eliminate terrorism.

One has to go back to the Clinton administration where new "Airline Security Measures" were deemed too expensive (Thanks Mrs. Daschle) and the INS people were "just collecting a paycheck". (Which also gave us the sniper)

[BreitbartSentMe]

1. I was hoping that Condi would testify on a Saturday, so everyone could watch. I guess a lot of us will be taking the day off.

2. Does anyone know how the audience is selected to sit in the chambers during the hearing? Is it on a first come-first served? Could we get a contingent of FReepers to get seats inside? Are the seats for the families set aside specically for them, or part of the general seating? It would be great to have someone to counter the 'booing' and 'applause' from the 'grieving familes' in the room.

3. One of Condi's constant replies, whenever possible, should be, "As I told the commission when I met with them before......." I'm sure they are going to be prepping her with leading questions, and looking for her statements to the media that they can claim conflicts with her appearance before the commission. (You only have to listen to the Dems now to see that) I hope they come up with answers beforehand to each and every one they find. Quoting back the question that the response was in answer to is a good method to show how the two responses do NOT contradict each other, but that the questions were different.

4. As a football fanatic, I'm sure Condi believes that the best defense is a strong offense. I'm looking forward to seeing her in action, and finding out for sure if she is as impressive as I think she is.

5. This will be a great way for many Americans to get their first up-close look at Condi. I know my sister-in-law, who is a very staunch Republican, and pretty much supports W all the way, assumes that Condi is just another AA appointee, and hasn't been impressed yet by what she's seen. If she makes a strong impression here, the sky's the limit for her.

6. FOX needs to make sure to run a good biography on Dr. Rice BEFORE her testimony, so people can get to know her credentials first.

7. Some of the 9/11 commissioners have already said that they are going to go back and compare her public statements with testimony she had given them previously. I would only hope that one of the Repub commissioners would do the same when Bill Clinton/Janet Reno goes before them, and asks them to respond to the tape of Bill Clinton admitting that he was offered Bin Laden but said we had no authority to take him at that time (even though he was under indictment). I won't hold my breath, however.

[Archangelsk]

It would be great to have someone to counter the 'booing' and 'applause' from the 'grieving familes' in the room.

That would be the quickest way to get one's ass tossed out of the hearing. Committees like this tolerate nothing from the peanut gallery.