Posted on 08/10/2004 2:19:12 AM PDT by kattracks
(CNSNews.com) - Despite the allegation by Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, that President Bush was slow to establish the position of "intelligence czar" in the aftermath of the 9/11 Commission report, Kerry passed up an opportunity to co-sponsor Senate legislation last year that would have done just that.There were six co-sponsors of the Intelligence Community Leadership Act, introduced by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) in January 2003. But neither Kerry nor his vice presidential running mate, Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, who was a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence at the time, added their names to the bill.
The legislation called for the establishment of a director of national intelligence.
A Republican Senate aide who did not want to be identified, told CNSNews.com that it was "a little disingenuous" for Kerry not to join "members of the Senate to address this very issue," and then to later criticize the Bush administration's actions following the release of the 9/11 Commission Report.
"If he [Kerry] thinks it is so important now, why wouldn't he have stepped up before and drafted legislation?" the GOP staffer asked. "Senator Kerry is not on that legislation, nor is Senator Edwards, so it begs the question of who is politicizing what, where, when, and why."
Kerry was a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee between 1993 and 2000. As a result, according to the Senate Republican aide, Kerry "was given access to highly sensitive information on [the Intelligence] Committee.
"He could have easily seen what was going wrong in terms of the intelligence community, and yet, he did nothing about it either," the aide said.
Neither the Kerry presidential campaign, nor Kerry's Senate office on Capitol Hill returned calls seeking comment for this article.
But in an April press release, the Kerry campaign stated that, "if the President were truly interested in fixing the intelligence system, he would have long ago listened to what experts and leaders on both sides of the aisle have said is the key reform needed to ensure better intelligence gathering: the consolidation of the competing security agencies under one Director of National Intelligence."
Early last week when President Bush announced he was creating the position of director of national intelligence, a primary recommendation from the 9/11 Commission Report, Kerry charged that Bush had not acted fast enough.
The last action taken regarding the Intelligence Community Leadership Act was its referral to the Senate intelligence panel, on which Feinstein also serves.
Hmm... so their being for it this year is an election year stunt. Much ado about nothing.
Why can Kerry get away with this? Because other than obscure websites and magazines, you'll never hear anything about this.
S.190
Title: A bill to establish the Director of National Intelligence as head of the intelligence community, to modify and enhance authorities and responsibilities relating to the administration of intelligence and the intelligence community, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Feinstein, Dianne [CA] (introduced 1/16/2003) Cosponsors (6)
Latest Major Action: 1/16/2003 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Intelligence. COSPONSORS(6), ALPHABETICAL [followed by Cosponsors withdrawn]: (Sort: by date)
Sen Graham, Bob [FL] - 6/14/2004
Sen Lott, Trent [MS] - 6/14/2004
Sen Mikulski, Barbara A. [MD] - 6/14/2004
Sen Rockefeller, Jay [WV] - 6/14/2004
Sen Snowe, Olympia J. [ME] - 6/14/2004
Sen Wyden, Ron [OR] - 6/14/2004
Johnny see, Johnny do...nothing.
Mr. Kerry and Mr. Edwards are much too rich and important to be bothered with something as trivial as the Senate and voting to protect the common man.
Ping worthy!!
Well there's the problem, Kerry was out that day - actually out those days - and didn't hear about it. Pesky little attendance records. I guess we could say "When it came to Intelligence, Kerry was absent" Hey, I found a new tag line!
Good one too......
Nothing new here. Once again, Kerry was against something before he was for it.
They must have talked about it when he was in the bathroom because he drank too much iced tea (or koolaid). Or maybe it was during one of those rare meetings that he missed.
Oh, for crying out loud! WHEN will the media report on these lame jokes' refusal to show up for the work they are paid to do while they are asking for the responsibility to do more? People in EVERY state should be writing to their newspapers and asking why sKerry and Edwards, the two richest Senators, are failing to show up for the work they were elected to do and are paid for not doing!
Sorry, I just couldn't resist.
WAKE UP AMERICA
Off topic, but does anyone else find it insulting that they choose to use the term "czar" for American officials?
Yes ... and have believed the term "czar" has been wrong to have been used with any office in the United States. Nothing wrong with administrator, secretary, director or any number of other choices.
Ditto for "homeland" ... sounds too Euro-centric for me.
It is even bigger than this....
The joing 9/11 panel of the House and Senate intel committees recommended this move in their Dec. 2002 report.
But, neither Kerry nor Edwards....who is on the Senate intel committee....moved at all.
Why wait for the 9/11 independent commission before going nuts over the proposal?
It is an election year.
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