[PhiKapMom]

Wanted to share this editorial with all of you!

[PhiKapMom]

FYI! Looks like Bob Kerrey who had a lot to say about the President not allowing enough time left early! Would guess from the comments since the President talked to the commission that the President hit a home run!

[samtheman]

We will hope for pleasant surprises in the commission's findings -- substance, insight and real prescriptions for changes in the way intelligence is gathered, analyzed and distributed -- that will make it very hard for another 9/11 to occur.

What a good laugh line. What great sarcasm. A very subtle wit.

[annyokie]

Thanks, Mom!

[Peach]

Thanks for posting this.

People are "getting it".

[deport]

Participants said Bush, not Cheney, did most of the talking in response to questions, upsetting the myth that Bush needed Cheney as a crutch to get through the interview.

---

But they never seem to learn that the President does think on his own..... They would have you believe that he can't tie his shoes without someone else such as Rove, Cheney, etc.

[Aeronaut]

Thanks for the ping PKMom.

[jmstein7]

BUMP!

[Helms]

[dufekin]

I have to agree with you. The Oklahoman has some of the best editorials in the country. Perhaps they should syndicate, say, to The New York Times. It would help make that paper somewhat more "fair and balanced."

[Caipirabob]

Great post. While the expectations aren't really there, the public pressure and absolute solemn obligation for the 9/11 commission to produce a valuable and immediately implementable recommendations to secure this nation against possible future terrorism will be extremely high. I suspect there may be more than one member of this commission who is losing sleep over the potential self-destruction of their political career over their on-the-record behavior and performance on this commission. That includes the Republicans (read: RINOs) involved, too.

[Enterprise]

As the commissioners left they could hear President Bush and Vice President Cheney singing in unison:

Rope, rope, rope the dopes
gently down the stream
merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
love to hear 'em scream

[McGavin999]

Very good editorial. The commission is sunk.

[sgtbono2002]

Kerrey and Hamilton both left when they found they couldnt get anything bad on GWB.

[prairiebreeze]

"The president was very forthcoming and answered all of our questions," said Commissioner Richard Ben-Veniste. "I don't think we have the need to ask any further questions of the president."

Whoa! You gotta know that if the human oil slick doesn't think there is anything else to ask AND termed Bush as "forthcoming" that the President hit it out of the park with these fools.

This must have KILLED Ben-Veniste, Bwahahaha!

Prairie

[hattend]

Commission Chairman Thomas Kean said the 31/2-hour meeting produced information the panel didn't have previously, but no surprises.
=====

"One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq the capacity to develop weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them. That is our bottom line." - President Clinton, Feb. 4, 1998

"If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear.. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program." - President Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998

"Iraq is a long way from [here], but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face." - Madeline Albright, Feb 18, 1998

"He will use those weapons of mass destruction again, as he has ten times since 1983." - Sandy Berger, Clinton National Security Adviser, Feb,18,1998

"We urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S.Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs." - Letter to President Clinton, signed by Sens. Carl Levin (D-MI),Tom Daschle (D-SD), John Kerry( D - MA), and others Oct. 9, 1998

"Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process." - Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA), Dec. 16, 1998

"Hussein has ... chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies." Madeline Albright, Clinton Secretary of State, Nov. 10, 1999

"There is no doubt that .. Saddam Hussein has invigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical and nuclear programs continue apace and may be back to pre-Gulf War status. In addition, Saddam continues to redefine delivery systems and is doubtless using the cover of an illicit missile program to develop longer-range missiles that will threaten the United States and our allies." - Letter to President Bush, Signed by Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL,) and others, December 5, 2001

"We begin with the common belief that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and threat to the peace and stability of the region. He has ignored the mandate of the United Nations and is building weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering them." - Sen. Carl Levin (D, MI), Sept. 19, 2002

"We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country." - Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002

"Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power." - Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002

"We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction." Sen. Ted Kennedy (D, MA), Sept. 27, 2002

"The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retains some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare capabilities. Intelligence reports indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons..." - Sen. Robert Byrd D, WV), Oct. 3, 2002

"I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force-- if necessary-- to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security." - Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Oct. 9, 2002.

"There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years . We also should remember we have always underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction" - Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D, WV), Oct 10, 2002

"He has systematically violated, over the course of the past 11 years, every significant UN resolution that has demanded that he disarm and destroys his chemical and biological weapons, and any nuclear capacity. This he has refused to do" - Rep. Henry Waxman (D, CA), Oct. 10, 2002

"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members. It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare,and will > keep trying to develop nuclear weapons." - Sen. Hillary Clinton (D,NY), Oct 10, 2002

"We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of mass destruction." - Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL), Dec. 8, 2002

"Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime . He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation ... And now he is miscalculating America's response to his continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction.... So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real" - Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23. 2003

====

Yep, nothing new

[Paul Atreides]

"The president was very forthcoming and answered all of our questions," said Commissioner Richard Ben-Veniste. "I don't think we have the need to ask any further questions of the president."

In other words: "We didn't get anything in which to hang him."

[kddid]

The Commission members are trying to salvage some credibility by patronizing their critics (Truth Seekers). Kerrey and Ben-Veniste have much to whine about. Maybe we’ll learn about the meeting in some new books.

[JLAGRAYFOX]

Good editorial, but not needed! The 911 Commisssion is DEAD On Arrival. Congress should disband it right now and form a more objective 911 Commission after the November election! This one is a farce, especially with Jamie Goerlick "The Murderer of American Innocents: as a member!

[cynicom]

Wonder if old Ben-Venistie (sp) stood on Bushs desk and slobbered all over while he was frothing at the mouth.

[isthisnickcool]

Some years back, before "W" was on the national radar screen I attended a meeting in Huntsville Texas that included a group of eggheads Bush had working on a project in the Texas prison system.

These people were Phd.'s from various universities. Several were from U.T. Austin. They made it very clear that Bush was extremely smart. And that he had incredible organizational skills. On the project they were working on they said that if they "did not hit their marks" timewise on the project they would be gone. And "W" would replace the with someone that would get the job done.

I'd love to have been in that meeting today. I'm not exactly sure what happened but I'm very sure it was an eye-opener for those that have not dealt with "W" one-on-one.

We are in good hands.