Posted on 08/22/2009 9:33:07 AM PDT by God luvs America
Ridge Changes Tune On Terror Alert LevelsPITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― Click to enlarge1 of 1 Tom Ridge (File) Alex Wong/Getty Images
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numSlides of totalImages Former Pennsylvania Governor and Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge is calling out former colleagues in the Bush Administration, suggesting they tried to play politics with the terror alert level.
The charge comes in a book due out next month.
Ridge claims other members of the Cabinet pressured him to raise the terror alert level shortly before the 2004 Presidential election.
He says Attorney General John Ashcroft and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld pressed him to support increasing the nation's terror threat level from yellow or "elevated" to orange, meaning "high."
Just four days before the election, Osama Bin Laden had issued a videotape threatening new attacks on the United States.
But in his book, Ridge says there was "no support" within his department for boosting the threat level and he refused.
He writes: "I wondered, 'Is this about security or politics?'"
This new contention directly refutes what Ridge told KDKA-TV's Ken Rice in an interview in June of 2008.
(Excerpt) Read more at kdka.com ...
So is Mel Martinez a “veteran...a war hero...” too?
He doesn’t say anything like the references in the article. He actually says things like “I wondered if...” and “it felt like...”. This piece is a total fabrication.
that seems to be the consensus....any links???
You’re exactly right about Ashcroft (Rummy too). Ashcroft is the guy who refused to contest a winnable election result for Governor because it would not cause emotional stress to the declared “winner” (the widow of the old governor). He just walked away from the recount. Neither he or Rummy would ever do anything remotely unethical or even borderline political.
Ridge never claims he “was told”. He only says he “had a feeling”. The article is a lie and as much as I think Ridge is a total weenie, it will come out that the story was hyped by his publishers to promote sales. Just like Paul O’Neil, Richard Clarke, Scott McClellan and all the other disloyal punks pimping themselves out for a payday, Ridge didn’t deserve the faith and loyalty Bush extended to them.
Just reports on FOX from people who have actually read the excerpts.
http://espanol.video.yahoo.com/watch/5793169/15166919
This new contention directly refutes what Ridge told KDKA-TV’s Ken Rice in an interview in June of 2008.
Rice: “Was there ever pressure to raise the alert level for some reason that had nothing to do with the actual threats out there?”
Ridge: “Never.”
Rice: “Never even a hint of that?”
Ridge: “Never. It’s a great question though.”
Ridge went on to point out that he didn’t have authority to raise the alert level alone and that decision had to be a consensus of the president’s Homeland Security Council, including the heads of the departments of State, Defense and Justice and the FBI and CIA.
But for an issue that was quickly dismissed when raised a year ago, Ridge now writes that he was so disturbed by what happened in 2004, it reinforced his decision to resign from the Bush administration.
On CNN Friday, President Bush’s former Homeland Security Adviser Frances Townsend denied Ridge’s new claim and said she thinks Ridge is trying to profit by separating himself politically from Bush.
Ridge’s DC office has not responded to KDKA-TV’s request for comment.
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Now, to see how many people are willing to spend money in this economy on a book of lies.
What a scumbag. This sounds like pillow talk between Ridge and Scott McClellan, another useless lightweight with no ethics.
You mean the president of the United States used lies and mass manipulation/fear mongering to get himself reelected? Who would believe this?
Only stupid people would fall for it.
I wouldn’t be surprised in the least bit to find out this was true. Rove is an absolute political genious, and as we know political hacks have very low standards for what they won’t do to win an election. I don’t see what the big deal is, nobody got hurt. It’s not like they LOWERED the threat level for political gain which would’ve put people at risk. The whole thing is just more big government micromanagement anyway.
Lets don’t forget right before the Spanish elections that train was blown up. There was every reason to think someone might do something so what was wrong with raising the security level?????????????//
He is the latin Tom Ridge imo.
Thank you John Ashcroft would never deceive. I know John Ashcroft and Ridge is no Ashcroft.
I have always thought that.
John Ashcroft would never deceive. I know John Ashcroft and Ridge is no Ashcroft.
GREAT article. HOPEfully Rush etc will see this.
Unless I am very much mistaken, I recall that there were quite a few elevated terror alerts (orange) during the Bush Administration, so why be remotely suspicious of one more even if it was raised just prior to the 2004 elections. This is just lame.
I wouldn’t be suprised to see him booked on the Keith Olberman show for the next two weeks. UUuugghh!
Actually I have a different take on this...The possible reelection of GW was in fact a cause got terrorist action. If the Alert WAS NOT raised I believe it would be a dereliction of duty.
We were still in the heat of the hunt for OBL. The election itself would be reason to raise the alert. IMO
If the Republican Party doesn't flush Ridge over this, I'm yanking the chain the full way (not the wee-wee'd flush) for the Rs.
We need a new party. One that knows something about the key words: "honesty," "leadership," and "conservatism."
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