Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Dem leaders say they were unaware of Petraeus hearing
The Hill ^ | July 19, 2007 | Elena Schor

Posted on 07/19/2007 11:55:38 AM PDT by libs_kma

Two Senate Democratic leaders who failed to attend Thursday’s Pentagon teleconference with Gen. David Petraeus said they were unaware that they had been invited and questioned the White House’s use of faxes to notify senators of the high-profile briefing. Both Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Democratic Caucus Secretary Patty Murray (Wash.) indicated they would have made room in their schedules to speak with Petraeus, the chief commander in Baghdad, and Ryan Crocker, U.S. ambassador to Iraq, if the White House had informed them more urgently.

Durbin said the White House’s communication about upcoming Iraq briefings is “usually very reliable,” but wondered aloud why the invitation to Thursday’s event came through a mass fax rather than staff notification.

“I’m just going to write it off as [due to] poor staff work,” Durbin said. “I’m not going to make it more sinister than that.”

Murray echoed Durbin’s puzzlement: “It was faxed in our public fax [machine], where thousands of constituent faxes are,” she said.

Attendance at Petraeus briefings has sparked political infighting in the past, most notably in April, when House Republicans castigated Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for deciding not to attend a Washington meeting with Petraeus.

Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) noted on Thursday that an Aug. 1 Petraeus briefing for senators has long been in the works. Some Democrats described the more sudden joint briefing with Crocker as part of the White House effort to win back senators who are moving closer to public embrace of withdrawal from Iraq.

Several Democrats made it to Thursday morning’s sessions, including Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.). Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.) did not attend in order to chair a Foreign Relations Committee hearing, during which Crocker testified via satellite. Asked later Thursday about the notification process, Biden said his White House invitation likely came through staff.

“I assume I got one,” he said.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: democrats; dickaldurbin; dickdurbin; enemywithin; pattymurray
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-36 last
To: libs_kma

Apparently these Dopes don’t talk to each other. Hundreds of Congress Critters knew about this meeting. Are these dopes trying to get us to believe that this meeting wasn’t the “talk of the halls” all day in the Capitol. Puhleeeze!


21 posted on 07/19/2007 12:48:14 PM PDT by tightwadbob (There is no right way to do the wrong thing. I'm for Fred)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: libs_kma

I called Senator Alexander’s office about noon (CDT) to ask if the Senator was attending this presentation. The phone puke sounded puzzled, put me on hold, than came back and told me he had no information about any such event.

I then presented my daily lecture about wall/ border/ agents/ workplace enforcement/ jail for employers, and the additional one about the **** (abbreviated “charlie-foxtrot” here) that results when you try to run a war by committee, whether it is Baker-Hamilton or the passel of preening, pompous, popinjays called the US Senate.


22 posted on 07/19/2007 1:04:43 PM PDT by MainFrame65 (The US Senate: World's greatest PREVARICATIVE body!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: libs_kma

Imagine that, mininformed Democrats...


23 posted on 07/19/2007 1:29:22 PM PDT by TheThinker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: libs_kma
"gee, what a guy! "

Ummmm...Patty Murray is a female.....uhh,wait.... maybe you're right.....
24 posted on 07/19/2007 1:32:04 PM PDT by Bigh4u2 (Denial is the first requirement to be a liberal)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: libs_kma
They voted for Petraeus before they later voted to cut him off at the knees.
25 posted on 07/19/2007 1:34:12 PM PDT by GeorgefromGeorgia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: libs_kma

Its a setup.

The White House faxed the invites to the fax number they were given.


26 posted on 07/19/2007 1:38:11 PM PDT by <1/1,000,000th%
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: libs_kma

Patty Murray did praise Osama Bin Laden for building schools and roads. I had forgotten that. What a bunch of petty, backstabbing, lying, sadistic, selfish, egocentric, traitorous demogogues the Democrats are.


27 posted on 07/19/2007 1:43:22 PM PDT by TheThinker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: hocndoc
I don't understand why Durbin would put up with sloppy work from his staff.....

Nyuck!

28 posted on 07/19/2007 1:48:25 PM PDT by BoneHead (There is good news out there....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Bigh4u2

I was referring to OBL...what a guy for building roads and schools.


29 posted on 07/19/2007 2:46:00 PM PDT by libs_kma (www.imwithfred.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: libs_kma

What do they expect, an engraved invitation?


30 posted on 07/19/2007 2:55:54 PM PDT by Loyal Buckeye
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: libs_kma

they are unaware of many things. but i’m sure they are AWARE of their daily treason.


31 posted on 07/19/2007 4:01:26 PM PDT by sappy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: libs_kma

Let me share with you that the Democraps are more afraid of Gen. Petraeus than they are of any other person involved in the war. General Petraeus is winning in the surge. If the word got out that the surge is working, the whole lid would be blown off of the basic Reid/Kennedy/Clinton that the war is lost. The worst possible scenario is for Bush to be proven right that with the right mixture of Leadership and troop levels that the war situation was being reversed and that gains were being made.

I can sense their angst in this scenario playing out. Also, I don’t think they want to tangle with General Petraeus in public Senate hearings. Can you imagine in September the congress is in single digit approval rating and the Iraq war on ascendancy in the public’s eye? All of this going into the2008 campaign season.

Please pass the popcorn.


32 posted on 07/19/2007 4:26:28 PM PDT by noname07718 (The Senate is based on consensus. “Consensus is the absence of leadership” - Lady M.Thatcher)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: libs_kma
"It was a joke, I say, it was a joke boy!"


33 posted on 07/19/2007 6:09:38 PM PDT by Bigh4u2 (Denial is the first requirement to be a liberal)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: Bigh4u2
Whats the joke? Patty Murray? Yes, I concur.


34 posted on 07/19/2007 6:22:52 PM PDT by libs_kma (www.imwithfred.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: libs_kma

Perzactly!

:0)


35 posted on 07/20/2007 9:27:46 AM PDT by Bigh4u2 (Denial is the first requirement to be a liberal)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: noname07718

It is really galling to the dems as Petraus was no big fan of the Rummy stategy and could even be said to align away from the Bush camp based upon my reading.

He is first, last and always a profesional soldier.


36 posted on 07/20/2007 9:32:28 AM PDT by KC Burke (Men of intemperate minds can never be free...their passions forge their fetters.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-36 last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson