[stylin19a]

AS: What I will tell you is I was told by 2 DoD officials today directly that it is their understanding that the Secretary of Defense directed that we not testify tomorrow. That is my understanding.

How is this a direct order ?

[vadkins]

I see that Captain's Quarters has linked to my transcript tonight. Ed Morrissey describes Rumsfeld as ordering Shaffer and Philpott not to testify. Morrissey also says that there's no way that this story will be silenced. I so hope he's right and Mac Ranger is not.

[Eagles Talon IV]

"AS: What I will tell you is I was told by 2 DoD officials today directly that it is their understanding that the Secretary of Defense directed that we not testify tomorrow. That is my understanding."

First of all Shaffer did not get a direct order from Rumsfeld and what is this he is saying about "it is the understanding of the 2 DoD officials that the SECDEF ordered the gag." Either he did or he didn't order the gag. It sounds like these 2 sources at DoD themselves heard this second hand. This sounds like an attempt to make it look like Able Danger would pose an embarrassment to this Administration which given what it was all about hardly seems possible.