Napolitano Draws Resignation Calls After Gaffes on Veterans, Canada

Fox News ^ | April 23, 2009 | Catherine Herridge

[yoe]

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is under fire for what critics see as a string of gaffes, with a small but vocal group of conservatives calling for her to step down.

The outrage continues to build over a report from her department that warned of the danger of right-wing "extremists," and singled out returning war veterans as susceptible to recruitment.

Napolitano expressed regret for the reference to veterans -- but she raised eyebrows again this week when she suggested that the Sept. 11 hijackers entered the United States through Canada, even though the 9/11 Commission determined they came to the United States from overseas.

"I don't know that the secretary understands the depth of the disruption that she's caused," Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, told FOX News on Thursday, referring to the report on extremist threats. "I think the appropriate thing to do is for her to step down and let's move on."

Conservatives made a stern call for her ouster Wednesday night on the House floor.

"Mr. President, fire that woman," said Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, complaining that Napolitano's comments on the controversial report were half-hearted. "To go on television and say your apology to be, 'I'm sorry you were offended by this report,' that's no apology."

Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., also said Napolitano's resignation is in order, and she should be brought before Congress for a hearing.

Napolitano on Thursday acknowledged the criticism and reiterated that the extremist report was "not well written" and should not have been released in that form. She said she would meet with the leadership of the American Legion on Friday over the reference to returning war veterans.

But she rebuffed those who say an apology is not enough.

"That's what they're going to get," Napolitano said.

[Ted Grant]

There’s just something about liberal women politicians and incompetence, huh?

[jocko12]

NO LOSS!

[spaced]

How did Janet Napolitano get elected Governor. Well, she managed sit on the fence long enough to be elected Attorney General and then Governor of Arizona. If a decision had to be made, she waited until she knew which way the wind was blowing before making any statements. Even the liberal New Times paper commented on this. It was only during her 2nd term as governor that her rampant leftist leanings were freed,leaving those of us left behind with a multi-billion dollar debt.

Unfortunately Arizona has a lot of immigrants from the Left Coast and the Other Left Coast who still think she was the greatest thing since sliced bread. *sigh*

[April Lexington]

Napo! You are toast in that job. Better brush up the old resume...

[April Lexington]

Maybe she'll get us into war with Canada. That wouldn't be good--the Obama people would be able to arrest Mark Steyn as an enemy alien.

Hmmm.... Interesting idea. They may be pleasantly surprised at the level of American support for their cause!!!

[April Lexington]

Arizona, like Illinois, has a long history of incarcerating its sitting governors for “public naughtiness.” She was seen as clean...

[April Lexington]

I think Cindy (truly a class act in EVERY respect) should have Johnny spend more time working in the garden. It would be nice to have him home once in a while...

[AFreeBird]

This stupid bitch (apologies to FReeper Ladies - liberal females can bite me), is the bigger threat to National Security than anyone here (or any true conservative) will ever be.

[Chode]

and the RATS, take another one in the..............................HA ha!!!

[Melian]

She’s rather mannish.

[americanophile]

LOL!

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

By Obama's standards, Napolitano is "conservative." If he sh**canned her, who would replace her?

[April Lexington]

Cesspool’s mighty deep on that side of the isle!

[spaced]

“Arizona, like Illinois, has a long history of incarcerating its sitting governors for “public naughtiness.” She was seen as clean...’

Incarceration? Not for the past 40 years.

[April Lexington]

OOOPPPPS! Sorry, I meant indicted!

[spaced]

Wrong again. Only two Arizona governors had legal problems that affected their positions and both were relatively recent. Evan Mecham was impeached and resigned, but he was not convicted of wrongdoing. Fife Symington was indicted and resigned. In nearly a hundred years of statehood, that's not doing too bad. Janet Napolitano's appointment to Homeland Security was because she supported Obama; it had nothing to do with a perception of her as Ms. Clean. If that were a requirement, most of the presidential advisors/cabinet would be pounding the pavement.

[April Lexington]

Thanks for the clarification.