Why did the Bush Administration speak to Woodward??

[faithincowboys]

I am watching 60 Minutes and I am utterly shocked that the Amdinistration would allow Woodward unlimited access. This is just stunning. Sometimes this administration behaves so stupidly it is baffling.

[Keith in Iowa]

Perhaps they didn't want Woodward whining all over the media about how the Bushies wouldn't let him in...one of those damned if you do, damned if you don't things...I think they figured they could refute what he says easier than they could defend not letting him in.

[grb]

Woodward made it sound like he was in on all these secret meetings. It must have been his anonymous sources

[faithincowboys]

Well, I think tonight proves it was a manifestly bad idea. This is unreal!!

[dogbyte12]

His first book was flattering to the president. My guess is that the Prez thought this one would be as well.

[faithincowboys]

This story is going to be ubiquitous in the days and weeks to come-- a real bad move to have let Woodward in. Even if Woodward is embellishing (which I am sure he is), it was incomprehensibly stupid to grant him access.

[sam_whiskey]

"I am watching 60 Minutes..."

There's your first problem...

[RightWhale]

Ask Sec'y Colin Powell. Also ask him why he screwed up his UN presentation on Iraq's WMD programs.

[jwalsh07]

Thus far the most shocking revelation by 60 minutes and Bob Woodward is that the Bush Administration had the temerity to plan for an attack on Iraq in a post 9/11 world.

These are the same yoyo's who have been screaming about "no plan" for the past year.

Of course Cheneys guarantee to Bandar that Hussein was "toast" if and when we attacked Iraq is equally shocking. Imagine the nerve of the VP stating succinctly the policy of America since the Clinton era, "Regime Change In Iraq".

Shocking stuff, absolutely shocking.

[faithincowboys]

Woodward set the Pres up and it speaks badly of the administration that they fell for Woodward's trap.

I bet they wish they hadn't!!!!

[wagglebee]

I'm not sure Woodward has ever met with anyone, I think he got lucky with "Deepthroat" on Watergate and the left adores him.

[dogbyte12]

No, the damning thing was that we let Bandar see the war plans, and that we made a deal with Bandar to manipulate the oil markets vis a vis the November elections.

This better be untrue, or the President is in trouble. The american people will not tolerate the Saudis meddling in our affairs.

[jwalsh07]

Woodward also offered a transcript of the dialogue between Bush and Powell in a one on one meeting. Who was his source? Powell, Bush or the infamous and fictional Deepthroat.

[StarFan]

Woodward made it sound like he was in on all these secret meetings.

That is what I find most upsetting. GWB keeps things close to the vest, so I suspect it's anonymous sources who are embellishing this. The media is eating this up and lest anyone miss 60 Minutes, Woodward will appear on The Today Show and Hardball tomorrow (that I've heard thus far).

[Pukin Dog]

Uh, no, it was a brilliant move.

You folks have got to remember what day this is. November is a LONG way away. The time to get ideas about Democrat dirt is now. No late October surprises that can be dealt with now. Woodward is to Democrats their bottom line. If you can get them to shoot their best shot in April, that is a wonderful thing.

In their zeal to get the President, Democrats have reveled all of their strategy, while Bush keeps the powder dry. This knee-jerk emotionalism over what the Democrats do really should end. We act as if our side knows nothing. WE WON DIDNT WE?

[faithincowboys]

The narrative he has is damaging--he has buttressed the "Bush is a God nut", "Bush is Cheney's puppet" and "a reckless cowboy." Woodward has mentioned a couple of times that the "Constitution doesn't say that..." he is using rhetoric that suggests the Articles of Impeachment should be prepared.

[Petronski]

Who was deepthroat? A composite of two people:


Deepthroat was Woodward when he was making up stuff for the stories.

Deepthroat was Bernstein when he was making up stuff for the stories.

[OpusatFR]

Why do take Woodward's words at face value?

I really doubt that a journalism studen would get a passing grade if he turned in a report like this with 74 out of 75 sources anonymous. Impossible to verify.

Looks like one huge fantasy on Woodward's part.

[kabar]

Powell is the leaker who is more concerned about his personal image than supporting the President. Powell is the consummate bureaucrat who worked his way through the world's largest bureaucracy, the Pentagon, and came out on top. He knows how to play to the Washington elite.

[federal]

I think President Bush being basicly honest and not really from the Beltway misjudges how badly the jerks and crooks in Washington resent and hate someone who has the gall to be open and honest.

And he misjudged how greedy unethical people get when they realize if you write a smear of him you get millions of dollars of free ad time from the slanted media.

I haven't watched 60 minutes in 10 years I'll bet and I wouldn't watch it tonight, but basicly it's a failing show which has discovered a way to get ratings feeding off the radical left, never mind they spew nothing but lies.

Of course none of this is coordinated with the DNC.