Posted on 11/01/2005 4:27:06 PM PST by new yorker 77
Perhaps the best explanation for the Democrats' decision to virtually shut down the Senate today can be found in one passage from CIA leak prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's news conference last Friday:
This indictment is not about the war. This indictment's not about the propriety of the war. And people who believe fervently in the war effort, people who oppose it, people who have mixed feelings about it should not look to this indictment for any resolution of how they feel or any vindication of how they feel....The indictment will not seek to prove that the war was justified or unjustified. This is stripped of that debate, and this is focused on a narrow transaction. And I think anyone who's concerned about the war and has feelings for or against shouldn't look to this criminal process for any answers or resolution of that.
Fitzgerald's statement, and his decision to confine the indictment of Lewis Libby to charges of lying and obstruction, threatened to dash the Democrats' hope of using the CIA leak case as an opportunity to re-debate the reasons for going to war in Iraq. So the party, or at least its leaders in the Senate, has decided to use another route, the shutdown of the Senate, as a way to achieve that goal.
Posted at 03:34 PM
Let's see...Tucker Carlson, another MSNBC no-audience host. Since Tucker is rarely correct, I wouldn't take his word for it. That being said, the Republicans have some work to do...but appeasing the Dems is not going to win them seats! Stand up for their principles and they might have a chance. (And let the Dems shoot themselves like they did today! This shut-down is so transparently a stunt and no one really CARES about the indictment.
Bob Woodward was on Larry King the other night with Sen. Chris Dodd. Woodward tried to hand Dodd a Senate report, signed by all the Democrats on the Committee (intelligence committee, I think) and all the Republicans.
The report stated that Wilson lied and they knew and admitted he lied and that his findings from Niger actually bolstered the case that Saddam was trying to purchase yellowcake.
Dodd wouldn't accept the report or even touch it. Doesn't want to let his opinions get in the way of the facts.
Definitely the OKC bombing. Thanks for the reminder, Rod.
I should have posted some of Hayes excellent research on this matter. He's been the best investigative reporter in the country about the connection between OBL/Saddam.
tone in rush's voice
a mistress in every state helps as well.
REID is soon to be known as DASH~HOLE JR. Bye Bye.
I am so wantig t know what was said in that close door session to steam Roberts,,is anyone leaking about that?
No problem and thank you again for the post, lots of work there.
And if our Republicans don't toughen up, I am going to get really angry. It seems that freepers do a better job defending the war and policies of the administration than the Republican senators or the administration does for itself. It's frustrating in the extreme.
Hi, cajungirl. Maybe tomorrow we'll hear some leaks. Because the Republicans weren't kicked out (to my knowledge) so we should be able to hear just what went on in there.
The only reason, imo, they would want closed door session was to get attention. And to pave the way toward impeachment. It will be planned by the Senate, passed along to the House and implemented next year. I know it won't go anywhere, but it will be ugly. Unless we shut it down. Immediately.
Reid isn't up for re-election until 2010. He just got re-elected last year.
SOP for liberals. And they're so damn sanctimonious about it...that's what really makes you want to beatch-slap 'em.
NR misses a larger point that the Democrats know that the Senate Intelligence "Phase II" report is coming soon and will rebuke all of the Democrat's rhetoric of the last 2 years, which is exactly why they made a big fuss claiming there was a "cover-up" impeding that very report.
The Democrats are trying to set the tone for how the media receives the report when it comes out. They're hoping for "Republican Cover-up?" as the headline.
Democrats also did it to change the subject back to the indictment of Libby because all the talk had shifted to Alito, and its already clear their overheated rhetoric against Alito was a big dud.
Today was a good day.
Reid looked like a jerk on tv
Delay got a new judge
Pres takes on the pandemic
New Supreme nominee looks invincible
Fall is here
MD4Bush is revealed
Can't ask for better than today.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.