Bush asked to explain UK war memo

[onehandle]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Eighty-nine Democratic members of the U.S. Congress last week sent President George W. Bush a letter asking for explanation of a secret British memo that said "intelligence and facts were being fixed" to support the Iraq war in mid-2002 -- well before the president brought the issue to Congress for approval.

snip...

The White House has not yet responded to queries about the congressional letter, which was released on May 6.

The letter, initiated by Rep. John Conyers, ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, said the memo "raises troubling new questions regarding the legal justifications for the war as well as the integrity of your own administration.

"While various individuals have asserted this to be the case before, including Paul O'Neill, former U.S. Treasury Secretary, and Richard Clarke, a former National Security Council official, they have been previously dismissed by your administration," the letter said.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/11/britain.war.memo/index.html

[sniffa]

1. fucking finaLLy

i thought this was going to be ignored away

[JerseygirlCT]

2. I hope that's a "finally" and not one small

blip and then gone again.

Those 89 and their buddies who didn't get around to signing had better keep the heat on and keep it public. A few press conferences wouldn't hurt.

[evlbstrd]

3. That's what I'm hoping for.

I've printed out the Knight-Ridder story and left it lying around in random places.

[burrowowl]

31. Did you do the art?

Nice!

When is this story going to even a modicum of attention from the MSM.

[evlbstrd]

48. Yes, I did. Thanks!

And I see the story is finally breaking in more domestic media.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3641174

[ihaveaquestion]

84. The story is only in the "International Edition"

Furthermore, I couldn't find a page that has a link to it. Not CNN.COM, the international CNN.COM home page or the US link page from either of these. It seems to be buried.

[ClintonTyree]

101. Surprise, surprise....

NOT! The media protects this moron, some call a President, like he's their newborn child. I'm SURE the White House will be forthcoming with any and all information regarding this inquiry. :eyes: Yeah, just like everything else, they'll ignore it and the media will let them get away with it. What story, there's no story here? :shrug: Go about your business, citizen.

[renaissanceguy]

182. Yeah, I AM SICK AND TIRED

of having to constantly update my coworkers and friends about what's going on in our own country, because they never hear it on TV or in the mainstream papers.


http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues.21326152

[donkeyotay]

337. It's a bitch having to do the media's job for them

But since they are complicit in getting this defective president installed in the first place, complicit in getting him his beloved and profitable war, since they are complicit in covering up his boo boos from Kenny Boy to this smoking memo, well, I guess we'll have to keep doing their job for them.

It's tedious, but through the almighty grapevine this whole country is going to know the truth about this president and the people who lied to install him and keep him in office.

Love the bumper sticker.

[anitar1]

353. I have a list of 25 t0 30 people I send news to,

None have asked me to stop. I am tired of doing this, as it has been going on for 4 years, but I will not discontinue. Only if I am asked to stop.If I can get a few people to pay attention to what is happening, it is worth the effort. Some pass it on to friends. In this game , it is a few at a time. We must not become discourged. Although , I have to admit , I am very cynical about the outlook.

[katty]

360. I Know, me too-I feel like the Update Town Crier!

I keep letting people know so much is happening so fast it is a race for time to just keep up during a 24hr news cycle--I tell not to bother with nets/cable (although i have seen more footage and reports/IRAQ from my LOCAL news channel more than any cablenet over the last 4+yrs)it just constant obfuscation, bullshit, runaway brides, pop stars/moronic reality show contestants.

[ray of light]

245. everyone should write to cnn and call and "request" that they put it

UPFRONT in the AMERICAN cameras. We deserve to know It's our government.

[jab105]

235. on a friday...

nothing gets much traction during the friday news dump...

[outrage]

136. MSM? Don't you mean CCM? Probably never. It's up to us

doesn't everyone understand that? We need to write our congressmen and senators and make sure they press this issue. Hell, I would even go ahead and pester the Corporate Controlled Media. I smell impeachment.

[calimary]

229. Here's something else, in addition: www.downingstreetmemo.com

in this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1782181

There's some rawther terrific art in it, too.

REALLY, we HAVE TO spread this around. Using whatever guerrilla tactics we've got. The guys who planned to sneak out onto the boats in the harbor and break up the tea crates once upon a time would be proud of us today.

[Imagevision]

255. Bush? -lie-deny-avoid talking to the press at any cost!

Bush, even with his mouth-piece Rove have no answer to vindicate the're previous actions about latest Brirish memo-leak -- we someone should demand he answer this....allegation?

[calimary]

350. Good thing to do. Leave it on the windshields of cars with bush/cheney

bumper stickers, or that nauseating little oval "w04". Leaving it in random public places is just one more good idea.

[katty]

188. Game of Clue was over a long time ago on Iraq! Explain?!

How about we throw you and cheney out in the middle of Pennsylvania Ave NOW??!!!

[katty]

189. the chimp has never been able to explain anything

without lying in a garbled, incoherent way.

[calimary]

228. I called Barbara Boxer's office a couple of times this week to suggest

that very thing - that she throw her considerable backbone behind this one, too. She makes noise. By now, she's established quite a track record for speaking out and getting some good results, and inspiring people, and becoming almost drowned in flower deliveries. And that's what we need.

I also heartily recommend that we keep calling our reps and nagging them either to sign the letter if they haven't yet, OR to thank them for doing so and adding calcium supplement to their own backbone. Also, don't be reluctant to suggest that "impeachment IS an option." Keep it going. Obviously this is gathering a little bit of steam. It's moving slowly. But it's moving. We're now at the point where it can't really be overlooked and ignored anymore. We just need to keep it going.

[Eloriel]

5. Don't get excited.

If it doesn't hit network news ("Where Reality lives"), it don't mean shit.

[0007]

87. You got that right! The whole world knows the truth about this

administration except the U.S. The media has been silenced.

I'm losing hope that the folks in this country will wake up in time to stop the train wreck.

[katty]

361. Me too-No Light at the end of the bush tunnel

[bpilgrim]

349. May 31, 2005 Downing Minutes hit's FOX 'news' ---------> LINK

Downing Street Memo Mostly Ignored in U.S.
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
By Kelley Beaucar Vlahos

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,158228,00.html

WASHINGTON — A British government memo that critics say proves the Bush administration manipulated evidence about weapons of mass destruction in order to carry out a plan to overthrow Saddam Hussein (search) has received little attention in the mainstream media, frustrating opponents of the Iraq war.

The "Downing Street Memo" — first published by The Sunday Times of London on May 1 — summarizes a high-level meeting between Prime Minister Tony Blair (search) and his senior national security team on July 23, 2002, months before the March 2003 coalition invasion of Iraq.

The memo suggests that British intelligence analysts were concerned that the Bush administration was marching to war on wobbly evidence that Saddam posed a serious threat to the world.

Click here to read the memo (MINUTES - dummies).
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1593607,00.html

psst... pass the word ;->

peace

[DFLer4edu]

214. You took the words out of my mouth!

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Has the chimp responded

to ANY of Conyers' letters?

I think this is a good step in the right direction, but I am certainly not holding my breath waiting for chimp to answer this letter.

[calimary]

230. Maybe he's simply out bike-riding and they don't want to interrupt him.

Perhaps he simply is "out of the loop" on this one, too. Maybe we'll have to slip the letter between the pages of his "Pet Goat" book, or whatever coloring books he's scribbling in this week.

[aquart]

6. I hope they keep asking.

And asking where the response is. And asking him if he thinks he's king.

[punpirate]

7. My guess is that Bush will answer it...

... pretty much as did his father upon first meeting Paul Wellstone: "Who is this chickenshit?"

The Bushies just don't give a fuck. Period. They'll either ignore the letter or say something to the effect of, "you guys voted for the war."

*sigh*

[onehandle]

10. 89 chickenshits.

They have to say something about this. The answer will make news itself.

[punpirate]

26. Eighty-nine congress critters...

... and most of them Democrats? Nah, they don't get excited about something like that.

Now, if there were eighty-nine guillotines parked on the White House lawn, that might get their attention. :)

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

32. Better a chickenshit than a chickenhawk

sez I. Buck bwaaaaaakkk!

:evilgrin:

[nookiemonster]

198. OMG! WORD!

USAF 97-01. Chickenhawks suck.... :mad:

[liquiduniverse]

8. one mainstream outlet is better than none...

of course it came out in the evening after most people are done with the news for the day. Maybe it'll stick around through tomorrow.

[MazeRat7]

9. Wow..simply wow... I cant believe that headline is on CNN

Yeah, in the words of Mr Wolf (Pulp Fiction) "let's not start sucking each others dicks just yet"... I do however agree.. this is a really GOOD first step.

MZr7

[MasonJar]

11. This coverage is paltry; we need to keep the pressure on the

media. They are beginning to feel the result of sheltering Bush. Their viewership and readership are going down. I did e-mail the Washington Post to compain about the dirth of coverage on this important issue. They need to hear from you. I understand from a DU post that the Christian Science Monitor is in trouble. I am sorry to read that since they always have seemed an actual "fair and balanced" news source.

[mod mom]

12. Only 89 is a travesty! The others are ok at being lied to about a war?

the rovian regime has used the hand grenade and today's security breech over DC to keep this story out of CSM (corporate-sponsored). It sounds to me as if these thugs are becoming unravelled. Let's keep this in the spotlight!

[Terre]

21. In fairness to the other Representatives

Conyers only had about 2 1/2 days to get signatures because the House went on a recess (God knows for what) beginning Thursday. Conyers wanted to get the lettered delivered on Friday.

Over at dKos today, a thread was started and we tossed around ideas to get more media coverage, and not by the "normal" means of LTE's or calls to Reps and Senators.

It's no longer on the Recommended list, but if your interested in reading some great brain-storming, drop on over here:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/5/11/9395/32841


edit: Congressman/Congressmen didn't seem quite right in the title

[Voltaire99]

29. The memo's been public since May 1

Conyers has done the right thing, as have the signatories.

But let's face it: most Democrats who backed the Iraq war are adept either at keeping their heads low or using the war as a backdrop for their campaigns. Anything, that is, but asking impertinent and unpleasant questions.

For two years, these mice have simply rubber-stamped the war effort (much as the senate did yesterday with its unanimous vote for military appropriations).

87 signatures? Yes, the recess is a factor. So are cowardice and opportunism. It's the Democratic Party's war, too.

[Terre]

47. I won't argue with you

I'm sure there were many reasons, excusable and not, that more didn't sign. I'll let you take that up with Rep Conyers or your own Congressman.

Speaking of Congressman Conyers, he just now posted a few new comments on his blog:

http://www.conyersblog.us/

[calimary]

135. The mice are too STOOOOOOOpid even to recognize the way out.

ALL THEY HAVE TO SAY - repeat - ALL THEY HAVE TO SAY about this, about their vote, their previous support of the war, their backing the pResident, is the following:

"I voted for this because I TRUSTED MY PRESIDENT - AND HE LIED TO ME. HE LIED TO ME. HE LIED TO YOU. HE LIED TO EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTRY. HE LIED TO OUR ALLIES. HE LIED TO THE WORLD. You trusted him. We all trusted him. He has SQUANDERED that trust.

I TRUSTED MY PRESIDENT. AND HE LIED TO ME."

Shit - that is ALL they'd have to say to be almost completely absolved, and at the same time, turn it back around to bush and nail it smack-dab on the center of his forehead.

"... BECAUSE I TRUSTED MY PRESIDENT, AND HE LIED TO ME."

Ten simple words there. That's ALL it would take.

[outrage]

138. I TRUSTED MY PRESIDENT, AND HE LIED TO ME

that's it in a nut shell. They trusted the doofus-in-chief and he LIED. There you go. That a way to cut through the bullshit.

[Occulus]

307. bumpersticker time

we ALL should put "I trusted Bush, and he LIED TO ME" on our bumpers- even if, like we here, we never, ever trusted him at all.

People driving down the road don't know that isn't true. Well, if you don't have other stickers... /snark

[calimary]

331. Welcome to DU!

Spread the word(s). Glad you're here!

[TankLV]

266. Is this before or after Reid of some other fuck-wad apologizes for daring

to even hint that that criminal in OUR White House has LIED and LIED CONSISTENTLY?

Just asking.

It'll never happen, IMO.

And, BTW, it's never "lie" - it's "misstate" or "misspeak" or "mislead" or some other bullshit term that doesn't even brush the truth of the situation.

[calimary]

330. Yeah, you noticed that, too. They never dare to pin the word LIE on this

ass. Well, somebody oughta start, dammit! If it looks like a LIE, and it sounds like a LIE, and it walks like a LIE and it talks like a LIE and it quacks like a LIE and it smells like a LIE, well, it ain't no "prevarication" or "mendacity." (And I've seen both of those, plus all the little tidy-whities you mentioned.) HELL NO. It's a LIE. Straight out. No weaseling, no spinning, no toro. It's a LIE.

And we have EVERY right and obligation to start using that particular "L" word, a LOT. In fact, I think we should appropriate the very term "L" word, yank it back from referring exclusively (and derisively) to "liberal." The "L" word is LIE. Pure and simple. Time to cut to the chase, and call it exactly what it is. It's a LIE.

If we get it started, others may well pick up on it. But it has to be a deliberate, concerted, repeated effort. Do what bush himself would do under such a challenge - "catapult the propaganga" (and I quote):

From "The Ostrich Approach"
By Dan Froomkin
Special to washingtonpost.com
Wednesday, May 25, 2005; 2:15 PM
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2005/05/25/BL2005052501250.html

I'll probably say it three more times. See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda. (Applause.) -- George W. Bush, 24 May 2005
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/05/2005052...

And for a corresponding, but slightly better stated view:
"...Effective propaganda must limit its points of a few and these points must be repeated until even the last member of the audience understands what is meant by them."
-- Adolf Hitler, 1930

[TheFarseer]

162. Can they stay on recess?

Everything they do if freaking ridiculous

[Zorra]

271. kick

[IndianaGreen]

13. Keep moving folks! There is nothing to see or smell here!

That memo has been big news in the UK for a couple of weeks now. I am glad that we have Democrats asking the obvious: Why did you lie to us? Why did you fake intelligence?

[Jacobin]

14. A Large Nothing Event

"Saddam bad man, torture rooms, mass graves, Murka safer, Saddam in jail, do you love Saddam?, spreading democracy in middle east, things different after 9/11, Iraqis voting, let freedom reign, er ring, er whatever"

Repeat 8 fucking thousand times an hour 24 hours a day for 2 weeks over all the corporate media and call me in the morning.

(reality isn't reality....its what people who watch the propaganda machine think reality is)

[Generator]

15. Don't we have ONE leader that can get on TEEVEE with this?

Huh? Coming up after the break..Congressman stinkypants and his questions UNANSWERED about Bush's and Blair's agreement to go to war in 2002. Is anybody out there? Anybody?

[brettdale]

16. keep kicking this memo and sending it out

keep kicking this memo and sending it out.

[Zorra]

269. kick

[kimpossible]

17. Finally, a tiny crack in the wall

Here's hoping it keeps growing.

[Career Prole]

18. Current CNN "Most Popular" stories...

1. CNN.com - Father charged in girls deaths - May 11, 2005

2. CNN.com - Zellweger marries country star - May 9, 2005

3. CNN.com - Witnesses: Dog cared for abandoned baby - May 9, 2005

4. CNN.com - Students filibuster against Frist at his alma mater - May 10, 2005

5. CNN.com - Study: Gay mens brains react differently to scent - May 9, 2005

6. CNN.com - War College could be closed - May 10, 2005

7. CNN.com - Swiss wrap glacier to slow ice melt - May 10, 2005

8. CNN.com - Big Apple does have bargains - May 11, 2005

9. CNN.com - 1,300 fake law badges seized - May 10, 2005

10. CNN.com - Report: Swiss hacker infiltrated government computers - May 10, 2005

How the heck do they pick these? Clicking? Let us click then, and click often!

They also have a list of "Most E-mailed" articles.
Kill two birds with a single stone and use CNN's "E-mail this article" link to ask the CNN anchors why they aren't covering their own news!

[yorkiemommie1]

19. i emailed *

and my senators. is there anything else i can do?

i will make copies of the memo to leave around. just knocking my head against brick wall here wishing the scales would fall from the people's eyes. they need help doing it but where will it come from???

aargh!

[bejammin075]

164. Phone and paper letters have much more impact

Email is too easy, thus it is largely ignored. Get on the phone with your 1 Representative, both Senators, and the WH comment line. All patriotic Americans should have these numbers programmed in their phones for speeddial.

Switchboards:
House 1-202-225-3121
Senate 1-202-224-3121
WH 1-202-456-1111

The House and Senate lines can connect you to the office of any Rep or Senator that you ask for.

And don't just call once. Call everyday. If you have a lunch break, or you get to work after 9, or leave work before 5, you can call then (I'm assuming you have a cell phone).

My (Republican) Rep's office now recognizes my voice when I call. I don't even have to go through the whole rap about the hard evidence that proves Bush lied us into war.

When I call about this, the jist of my conversation is this:
"There is now very strong evidence that the President lied us into war (If need be, refer back to 5/1/05 publication of Blair memo in UK Sunday Times, and that Blair has acknowledged the memo info in subsequent interviews). What are you going to do about it? Look the other way? Or start asking the President some questions?"

[Been Fishing]

20. Item on latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-memogate12may12,0,1760579.story?coll=la-home-headlines

Looking for other news stories.

[Fire Walk With Me]

27. LA Times: "British Documents stir protest"

Lightweight title, but at least it's there, and might be in print tomorrow.

[Roland99]

140. It's growing...it's growing

[Zorra]

190. kick for the LATimes

[blm]

22. I like how the memo also nails how BushInc manipulates the voters.

Bush asked to explain UK war memo


Wednesday, May 11, 2005 Posted: 7:36 PM EDT (2336 GMT)
British PM Tony Blair.

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Eighty-nine Democratic members of the U.S. Congress last week sent President George W. Bush a letter asking for explanation of a secret British memo that said "intelligence and facts were being fixed" to support the Iraq war in mid-2002 -- well before the president brought the issue to Congress for approval.

The Times of London newspaper published the memo -- actually minutes of a high-level meeting on Iraq held July 23, 2002 -- on May 1.

British officials did not dispute the document's authenticity, and Michael Boyce, then Britain's Chief of Defense Staff, told the paper that Britain had not then made a decision to follow the United States to war, but it would have been "irresponsible" not to prepare for the possibility.

The White House has not yet responded to queries about the congressional letter, which was released on May 6.

The letter, initiated by Rep. John Conyers, ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, said the memo "raises troubling new questions regarding the legal justifications for the war as well as the integrity of your own administration. ...

"While various individuals have asserted this to be the case before, including Paul O'Neill, former U.S. Treasury Secretary, and Richard Clarke, a former National Security Council official, they have been previously dismissed by your administration," the letter said.

But, the letter said, when the document was leaked Prime Minister Tony Blair's spokesman called it "nothing new."

In addition to Blair, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon, Attorney General Peter Goldsmith, MI6 chief Richard Dearlove and others attended the meeting.

>>>
A British official identified as "C" said that he had returned from a meeting in
"Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy.

"The NSC had no patience with the U.N. route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime's record. There was little discussion in Washington of the aftermath after military action."

The memo further discussed the military options under consideration by the United States, along with Britain's possible role.

It quoted Hoon as saying the United States had not finalized a timeline, but that it would likely begin "30 days before the U.S. congressional elections," culminating with the actual attack in January 2003.

"It seemed clear that Bush had made up his mind to take military action, even if the timing was not yet decided," the memo said.
>>>>>>>>

[goclark]

62. God bless Conyers

He is the Lone Ranger in the Congress - what a Statesman.

[hector459]

187. Wonder what the smear campaign will be against Conyers? n/t

[Zorra]

274. kick

[nittygritty]

23. kick...

i just snailmailed letters today about this to local newspapers, Time,
NY Times, W Post, ChicagoTrib, USAToday, DetroitNews and Freepress...

edit: not to mention about 50 emails to various 'news' outlets

[calimary]

332. EXCELLENT! Paper letters are the absolute best.

Nothing beats something you can hold in your hand (even when the system's down) and/or pass around the newsroom and/or post up on the employees bulletin board in the coffee room or whatever. NOTHING. It was Paul Begala who once said that even a mere 100 paper letters could change the course of a news program.

If I dare be so presumptuous, please see the Five Star thread - in Activism & Events for posts about this very fact, and how input to radio stations, TV stations, and print outlets CAN AND DOES have an impact. Sometimes a huge one.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=106x8816 - check out Parts 23, 27, 38, and 41, among others. LOTS of World-Class DU wisdom here.

[AuntiBush]

24. First they have to catch-up w/* when he's not riding his bike!

During a "red alert" evacuation of the White House, Supreme Court Justice and the Capitol today, Cheney was rushed out of the WH; Pickles and her "desperate fellow housewife," Lynn Cheney were takent to the bumker basement - and the Chimp was reported on every major news-station as out on his bike.

You can't make this stuff up, I mean... Wanna bet this falls to deaf ears. The American people more then deserve an answer to this, now.

[ktowntennesseedem]

110. Shouldn't be too hard; can't go very fast w/training wheels attached.

[IChing]

25. Watergate happened with a tiny crack also

Nixon was at the height of his popularity at that time kids
and I thought we had no chance, but drip, drip, drip..................the truth will set you free.

[calimary]

166. THANK YOU! Thanks for that reminder. I'm old enough to remember that

but it STILL helps to be reminded.

Everybody thought Nixon was invincible, too.

It's up to US not to let this die. If enough of a groundswell keeps swelling, then we'll make headway. It's all numbers. And perception. And we have to work on growing BOTH of those. As Howard Dean would say: we ONLY lose when we give up.

[TankLV]

267. And we had a DEMOCRATIC congress at the time, too.

Repuke will NEVER vote to INITIATE such action.

NEVER.

N-E-V-E-R.

Their first and foremost loyalty these days is ONLY to THEIR PARTY.

[FinallyStartingToWin]

28. Woooohooo!!! Top Story On News List! (other than main dc scare)

He has two stories there actually, that one and one about someone wanting his painting for $1500?

[understandinglife]

30. Spread it. Click on it. Get others to do the same. (nt)

Peace.


www.missionnotaccomplished.us - Be it MNA Day 3 or 8 or 15 or .... the day will come when 10s of millions of Americans and others stop their typical activities for 24 hours and urge 10 times that many to join should another MNA Day be required. On that glorious day America will have begun truly to be "America," again.

[kansasblue]

33. CNN carries Downing Street Memo story

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/11/britain.war.memo/index.html

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

34. Hmmm...

Something is shifting here.

[lonestarnot]

35. Well bowl me over with a feather? Could we be seeing the beginning

of the end at last?

[TankLV]

268. How many times have we heard/scene this before?

I won't hold my breath.

Call me extremely pessimistic.

Duh.

[bleever]

36. Kick Kick Kick Kick Kick Kick Kick Kick Kick

[Daphne08]

37. Well, Finally!

[Vogon_Glory]

38. That Must Have Taken A Lot Of Kicking And Screaming...

It must have taken an awful lot to draw the attention of CNN to the Downing Street memo and force them to not only pay attention to the story but actually report it. Considering how shamelessly complacent the MSM is with Gee Dubya Bush's Duck Soup Posse, CNN must have been kicking and screaming all the way.

:rant:

[bpilgrim]

39. is this a top story?

is it only on-line thus far?

will this be treated like the many other scandals, one or two short mentions than on to the runaway bride :shrug:

thanks for sharing :toast:

peace

[rndmprsn]

40. and its actually on the front page...

hmmm...someone @ the BFEE "we make our own reality" propaganda machine must have fallen asleep at the wheel tonight?!

[Terre]

41. A sad commentary from Sydney Blumenthal

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labour/comment/0,9236,1482046,00.html

Last paragraph:

"The underlying events that produced this (UK) election result provide a harsh, cautionary and unsettling lesson not only for Blair. Prime ministers to come will take the story of Blair's embrace of a powerful ally's mendacity and Blair's subsequent loss of trust as a warning. Future American presidents will be regarded with underlying suspicion far into the future. By chastening Blair, the British voters have applied the only brake they have on Bush's foreign policy. But the damage done to the US-UK relationship could have incalculable long-term negative consequences for the world.

· Sidney Blumenthal is former senior adviser to President Clinton and author of The Clinton Wars"


*sigh*

[BikeWriter]

44. A superb article!

[Erika]

51. Under Bush, the U.S. has lost face

We will not be seen as a country with good intelligence or good intent for a long time.

[guapacha]

137. Succinctly sums up *

"Bush has an instinctive revulsion for serious intellectuals who have little capacity for the locker-room banter that is his mode of condescension."

Great article.

[calimary]

170. Sidney Blumenthal hits ANOTHER one out of the ballpark.

Except for one aspect. I wish he and everyone else would stop using tidy little sanitizations like "mendacity" when it should just be straight out: LIES.

Just. Fucking. Use. The. "L." Word.

Otherwise, it's another great article. Just excellent as usual. Wonder how long it'll fall on deaf ears.

Then again, this thing does seem to be making a little bit of fuss.

Maybe a wee bit more of a fuss tomorrow.

And a wee bit more of a fuss the day after tomorrow.

And still more of a fuss the day after that.

And so, hopefully, it goes.

If that happens, it'll be game, set, and match.

[Tigress DEM]

42. Conyers for Prez! He can kick GW some serious a**

I read an article a while back about how many people keep standing up and telling the truth and it keeps getting buried again and the whistleblowers punished.

Still with 89 DEMS.... what percentage is that?

I mean 44 is ALL the DEMS in the Senate, but how many DEMS are in Congress?

[nittygritty]

43. kick!!!

front page top CNN website folks! Click and use the email feature at the bottom of the story to send to everyone you know and for also boosting the story's ratings!

[Lori Price CLG]

45. I'll have to give Bush a pass this time: he doesn't read, so... (LOL)

I really am not sure of his role in the memo, or the congressional letter.

Cheers,
Lori Price

[Erika]

52. What do you find so amusing? (LOL) n/t

[dooner]

46. Contacting CNN

We must keep the pressure on CNN. So far the story seems to be online only. We want CNN TV anchored shows and headline news to discuss the topic and the implications for our country.

There is good contact information on this CNN page for every program.
http://www.cnn.com/feedback/cnntv/

Contact your favorite (huh?) anchor. Feedback forms for every show are provided. (I suggest Woodruff and Blitzer, they are at least supposed to be interested.)

Try to sound positive and very sincerely interested in learning more about this memo, and especially the implications, consequences, next steps. etc. We need them to bring on some legal experts and Rep. Conyers, let them get to the bottom of the issue.

Remember that CNN execs were quoted as saying that liberals don't get worked up enough to force news coverage of a topic. Let's prove them wrong.

If CNN covers this properly/for them, the others will have to follow or look like they are missing a story.

(I work with the press in my day job. Don't always assume news blackout is a conspiracy, although it may well be. Remember, they probably aren't smarter than you, don't necessarily have time to do the same research as you, and they are a bit like lemmings.)

[rndmprsn]

49. done. NT

[Erika]

50. Done n/t

[steve2470]

53. kick and done nt

[yorkiemommie1]

54. done

kicking

[lyonn]

58. Thanks for info

Wrote Blitzer

[redqueen]

108. Thanks for the link!

It's SO EASY to make your voice heard... pick a show (or pick several!) and explain why you tink this story needs to be discussed on their popular programs.

If Clinton was impeached because he lied about sex, then Bush should definitely be impeached for lying about the reasons for this war!

:kick:

[Zodiak]

144. done n/t

[splat@14]

148. Done,

I have also written my congressman due to the absence of his signature from the letter. He's a repub so I figure he checked his balls at the door. Bastard never replies anyway.

[Virginian]

159. I emailed Olbermann

This has not been on any broadcast networks. Until it is, it didn't happen. If MSNBC reports it, then doesn't NBC have to report it also?

[calimary]

167. Done. Also called Conyers' office, and MY congressman's office.

I've done that every day this week, so far. And I won't stop there. Also - did anyone remember to call Lincoln Chafee and urge him NOT to vote for john bolton? I know that's off the subject, but I thought I'd throw it in anyway. Nag-nag-nag :)

[chknltl]

333. Done

I contacted CNN and asked them to investigate the memo. I am sure they will "Get right on that Steve" (Sorry, but I have my fingers crossed anyway)

[Theduckno2]

55. This may be part of the perfect storm

to bring about the political end of George Bush. He turned too many corners in Iraq (capture of Saddam, sovereignty and elections) and yet the senseless deaths continue. The people of Afghanistan are even protesting against us! His failure to get SocSec privatization passed shows that his usefullness to the wealthy (haves and have mores) is over. But at least he is doing his part to reduce America's dependence on foreign oil; he was out riding his bike yesterday! The rest of the guvment (including our brave armed forces overseas) was at work on a Wednesday morning while he was biking. Is he out of touch or what?

[Theduckno2]

311. Just reviewed my earlier statement.

Since then we had a pessimistic outlook for Iraq from military leaders. the investigation of deaths in Afghanistan, Galloway's testifying to the Senate and Bush lamely trying to put the blame at Newsweek's doorstep. Gee and he wonders why his poll numbers go down! Bad news just keeps piling up and all the spin is making them dizzy. Who thought it was a good idea to send the First Lady to Israel and retrace some of Sharon's footsteps that led to the (first?) intafada?

[redacted]

56. Story Now #2 on CNN.Com's Most Popular List

Wow. See http://www.cnn.com/mostpopular/

[althecat]

59. Maybe Anderson Cooper will be forced to cover it...

"This page presents the 10 most popular stories on the CNN.com home page. It is updated every 20 minutes. Tune in to "Anderson Cooper 360°" for Rudi Bakhtiar's take on some of the most popular stories on CNN.com, weeknights at 7 p.m. ET on CNN."

[otohara]

60. My E-mail to CNN

Oh My God....CNN finally reports on the UK war memo. It's kinda pathetic that a reader feels the need to write a thank you note to CNN.com for reporting on a memo that was leaked two weeks ago.

Now if only the cable news division of CNN would try really hard to get to the bottom of this, who knows might what happen?

We would all welcome the days of a media who gave a shit about the truth.

So, thank you CNN for finally, finally putting this very important story on CNN.com.

[abluelady]

86. Email to my Senators

The day I learned about the memo, I cut and pasted it and sent it to my senators and congressman, asking them their thoughts about this. No response yet from my senators and my congressman sent me a form letter thanking me for writing him--no mention of the subject. What losers we have running our country.

[femme.democratique]

107. I can't find mention of this story ANYWHERE on the CNN homepage

It has also been "demoted" from the most popular page. Guess people don't give a shit.

[TNOE]

114. Kick

:kick:

[redacted]

57. kICKing and screaming for more attention

[SeaDee]

61. I don't like being lied to

I cannot explain the rage I feel.

There is no hiding it anymore.

Bush lied.

they can call it "fixed"

but in the real world "fixed" means lied.

and I believed him :(

[EOTE]

93. You're not the only one...

You're one of millions. But you had the good sense to realize when you've been lied to. There are millions of others out there who refuse to come to that conclusion. Welcome to DU :). We'd love it if you'd help us get the word out.

[darkism]

63. got kick?

Let's see the smirking liar get out of THIS one.

If there's no outrage from the families of the 1600+ that have died at his hands, then I fear that outrage as we know it has perished.

[leftofthedial]

64. what lies will the bushturds tell?

[demo dutch]

65. CNN- Bush asked to explain UK war memo! - (View All)

Heck it only took 12 days!!!!!:)

CNN -
Thursday, May 12, 2005 Posted: 2:49 AM EDT (0649 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Eighty-nine Democratic members of the U.S. Congress last week sent President George W. Bush a letter asking for explanation of a secret British memo that said "intelligence and facts were being fixed" to support the Iraq war in mid-2002

The timing of the memo was well before the president brought the issue to Congress for approval.

The Times of London newspaper published the memo -- actually minutes of a high-level meeting on Iraq held July 23, 2002 -- on May 1.

British officials did not dispute the document's authenticity, and Michael Boyce, then Britain's Chief of Defense Staff, told the paper that Britain had not then made a decision to follow the United States to war, but it would have been "irresponsible" not to prepare for the possibility.

The White House has not yet responded to queries about the congressional letter, which was released on May 6.

The letter, initiated by Rep. John Conyers, ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, said the memo "raises troubling new questions regarding the legal justifications for the war as well as the integrity of your own administration..."

Read more on
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/11/britain.war.memo/index.html

[Skittles]

66. sorry

lost my head; great article!

[LiberalEsto]

67. Where are the remaining Democrats in Congress?

Why only 89 signers?

[Skittles]

68. it is disgusting

should be every damn one of them and some of those damn repugs too

[rockedthevoteinMA]

69. Conyers only had two days to get the signatures. I guess they

went on some wierd recess that was unexpected, and he wanted to get it to * on Friday. That's what I heard in the other thread about this.

[LiberalEsto]

71. So why can't they add to the list with an addendum?

We need to find out who hasn't signed on to this, and bombard them with calls, letters, e-mails.

[halobeam]

76. Yes!

We must bombard them with inquiry as to why they aren't signing this as an addendum. This is only going to fade away if we let it. This is where we have the power to do some good.

[calimary]

169. Yes Indeedily! We MUST bombard them with questions if they

have NOT signed Conyers' letter.

And when you do, offer them a way to save face if they're afraid to step forward now because they voted for this and/or have tried to voice support for it for fear of alienating anybody:

Tell them ALL THEY HAVE TO SAY IN EXPLANATION IS A TEN WORD ANSWER. Two short sentences. Five words each:

"BECAUSE I TRUSTED MY PRESIDENT. AND HE LIED TO ME."

That's ALL they need to say. Couldn't be simpler or easier to understand. And unlike him, THEY'D at least be truthful.

[BlueStateBlue]

243. Does anyone have a link to the list of Congressional signers?

I want to check out my guy; see if he gets a nice letter or a nasty one... Thanks!

[Merlin]

70. CONYERS FOR PRESIDENT !

What a GREAT congressman!

[sellitman]

89. Unbeatable ....Conyers/Boxer!!!!!

That would shake up the Repukes!

[Demrock6]

100. That would ruin their day for sure! nt

[fasttense]

72. Yeah right like brush is going to give a truthful explanation. n/t

[Robworld]

73. So when does the impeachment start?

After 2006?

http://www.dumdumgoestothecircus.com/

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

74. Back when this first started...

I wrote a little post about how traditional journalism worked, and how there would be a delay between our knowledge of the story and the MSM reporting the story. They have to investigate things, get background, get sources on record, all that stuff. Then they have to put it in front of the editorial board for approval. All this takes time, and as we know, editorial boards are not bastions of big-D Democratic thought.

What is now needed is plenty of effort with letters, phonecalls and emails to keep these stories alive. Such efforts work for the right. They can work for us, too.

[gristy]

75. Anyone have a link to the memo?

I cannot find one.

[rockedthevoteinMA]

77. Here ya go...

The Sunday Times - Britain

May 01, 2005

The secret Downing Street memo
SECRET AND STRICTLY PERSONAL - UK EYES ONLY

DAVID MANNING
From: Matthew Rycroft
Date: 23 July 2002
S 195 /02

cc: Defence Secretary, Foreign Secretary, Attorney-General, Sir Richard Wilson, John Scarlett, Francis Richards, CDS, C, Jonathan Powell, Sally Morgan, Alastair Campbell

IRAQ: PRIME MINISTER'S MEETING, 23 JULY

Copy addressees and you met the Prime Minister on 23 July to discuss Iraq.

This record is extremely sensitive. No further copies should be made. It should be shown only to those with a genuine need to know its contents.

John Scarlett summarised the intelligence and latest JIC assessment. Saddam's regime was tough and based on extreme fear. The only way to overthrow it was likely to be by massive military action. Saddam was worried and expected an attack, probably by air and land, but he was not convinced that it would be immediate or overwhelming. His regime expected their neighbours to line up with the US. Saddam knew that regular army morale was poor. Real support for Saddam among the public was probably narrowly based.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1593607,00.html

[pgh_dem]

88. hmm...Alastair Campbell...

Definitely present at the meeting where it was reported that US going to war, with invasion 'inevitable', where intelligence is being 'fixed' around the policy.

Wonder if UK government wants to reinvestigate that ol suicide now, caused in part by hanging the guy out to dry for repeating that UK government, and specifically Alastair Campbell had ordered that the intelligence be 'sexed up'.

Whatchathink?

[rockedthevoteinMA]

153. That poor man who was "suicided", what was his name?

Definitely looked suspicious back then, now even more so. Of course, if the UK is following closely in our footsteps, they won't touch it.

[calimary]

171. I think his name was David Kelly.

Death under mysterious circumstances... Hey, LOOK! Michael Jackson!

Memo showing intel fixed... Hey, LOOK! Wrongway Corrigan!

[rockedthevoteinMA]

175. Yes, it was thank you, and how right you are. n/t

[muriel_volestrangler]

172. I've written to the MP who was on the Butler inquiry into WMD intelligence

to ask if the inquiry actually saw this memo, or just got a verbal report. The Butler report doesn't say anything about 'fixing the facts', so I suspect they didn't. No answer from him yet.

[Pacifist Patriot]

78. Pathetic...

a "24 hour" news outlet that can't even run the news in a timely fashion. Still haven't mastered the balancing act between prematurely reporting sensationalist innuendo or reminding us of The History Channel. All in all though, I'm very glad to see this. Now will it make it to Faux? Bwa!

[Coexist]

79. at least it's out now - now will people care about this more than

Michael Jackson and lethal pinecones.

[Pacifist Patriot]

80. That's the million dollar question, isn't it?

[bluestateguy]

81. Another "this is the beginning of the end" story on Bush

I'll wait this one out, and then when the Baby Bush is still bumbling along with slightly less than mediocre approval ratings, I be back to say "I told you so" to everybody.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

82. kick

:kick:

[halobeam]

83. EASY ACCESS FOR EMAILING THOSE WHO NEED TO SIGN

Thought the other poster's idea was right on. We need to turn up the heat on the Representatives that have NOT signed...

I have this information gathered in one spot just to help a small bit... I hope everyone just mails away, each day during each meal and each moment they think about it after that!


Here's a list of those who DID sign the letter by Conyers:
Neil Abercrombie
Brian Baird
Tammy Baldwin
Xavier Becerra
Shelley Berkley
Eddie Bernice Johnson
Sanford Bishop
Earl Blumenauer
Corrine Brown
Sherrod Brown
G.K. Butterfield
Emanuel Cleaver
James Clyburn
John Conyers
Jim Cooper
Elijah Cummings
Danny Davis
Peter DeFazio
Diana DeGette
Bill Delahunt
Rosa DeLauro
Lloyd Doggett
Sam Farr
Bob Filner
Harold Ford, Jr.
Barney Frank
Al Green
Raul Grijalva
Louis Gutierrez
Alcee Hastings
Maurice Hinchey
Rush Holt
Jay Inslee
Sheila Jackson Lee
Jessie Jackson Jr.
Marcy Kaptur
Patrick Kennedy
Dale Kildee
Carolyn Kilpatrick
Dennis Kucinich
William Lacy Clay
Barbara Lee
John Lewis
Zoe Lofgren
Donna M. Christensen
Carolyn Maloney
Ed Markey
Carolyn McCarthy
Jim McDermott
James McGovern
Cynthia McKinney
Martin Meehan
Kendrick Meek
Gregory Meeks
Michael Michaud
George Miller
Gwen S. Moore
James Moran
Jerrold Nadler
Grace Napolitano
James Oberstar
John Olver
Major Owens
Frank Pallone
Donald Payne
Charles Rangel
Bobby Rush
Bernie Sanders
Linda Sanchez
Jan Schakowsky
Jose Serrano
Ike Skelton
Louise Slaughter
Hilda Solis
Pete Stark
Ellen Tauscher
Bennie Thompson
Edolphus Towns
Stephanie Tubbs Jones
Chris Van Hollen
Nydia Velazquez
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Maxine Waters
Diane Watson
Melvin Watt
Robert Wexler
Lynn Woolsey
David Wu
Albert R. Wynn

Here's a link to contact the other representatives:
http://www.house.gov/writerep/

[myrna minx]

90. My letter to Mr. Sabo...

I am writing you today concerning the leaked British memo that indicated that the war in Iraq was a foregone conclusion before the President even brought the case for war before Congress. This is an absolute abuse of power. I am imploring you to join your fellow 89 colleagues, under the leadership of the Honorable Rep. John Conyers, in demanding that the President answer for his actions. As the President gears up his war machine for an assault on Iran, we, as the American People deserve to know the truth.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1593607,00.html

Sincerely,
xxx

I cannot believe that Sabo didn't sign this letter! His district is so liberal, I can't believe he didn't do it.

[MN ChimpH8R]

103. Just sent Rep Sabo a similar e-mail with the link

I too was disappointed that he hadn't signed. Maybe we will have some effect, and props to you for also alerting him to this issue.

:toast:

[myrna minx]

112. Hey, welcome to DU MN ChimpH8R.

:hi: Check out the MN DU forum and say hello. I am stunned that Sabo didn't sign because he voted AGAINST the war. Hopefully we will make a difference.

edit to include link:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=160

[Puglover]

146. Welcome to DU from South Minneapolis!

:hi:
Always great to see more locals around.

[MN ChimpH8R]

181. Thanx...

to you and Myrna Minx.

No time like the present for Chimpeachment. Hmm, that might make a good T-shirt "Chimpeach Now" :evilgrin: Any DUers up for creating a graphic to go with the slogan?

:kick:

[yorkiemommie1]

just emailed Jane Harman

thanks for the list.

[demo dutch]

118. I urge everyone to continue to urge the rest of the press to cover it!!!

I've sent emails to ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC , Keith, Fineman etc, letting them know that they need to follow CNN's lead and start talking about it!!!

Let's not stop urging them until they do so!!!

[outrage]

155. Right on! Keep the heat on...

It would be cool if you could post those e-mail addresses for us all. Let's keep hitting them.

[ihaveaquestion]

85. Repeating myself - to get noticed

The article is only in the International edition of CNN.

Furthermore, I couldn't find a page that has a link to it. Not CNN.COM, the international CNN.COM home page or the US link page from either of these. It seems to be buried.

What can be done to get this on the US edition of CNN?

[Lochloosa]

92. On front page of cnn.com....right under the bombing of the

Market in Baghdad...appropiate

[Frederik]

94. Very appropriate indeed

But they need to get this on TV, otherwise nothing will happen. Waiting anxiously...

[demo dutch]

121. Don't wait, urge every media outlet, they will cover it if they get

enough reponse from the public. In fact they move stories based on the hits it gets, which already happened. This morning at 7:00 AM it was listed under "more news" and not placed under the leading story.

[AverageJoe]

96. Oops! You're right--I missed it

Okay, this is getting better. :-)

[AverageJoe]

95. It's on the U.S. edition of CNN.com

But it's buried. You have to click on the "Politics" icon and then you'll find the story.

This is sad, but at least it's there....

[demo dutch]

122. Keep urging them they'll get the message to place it more prominently

[Lochloosa]

91. Kick to end this administration!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[paparush]

97. YES! YES! YES! YES!

"Troubling new questions regarding the legal justifications for the war..."

We're talking IMPEACHMENT here. We've GOT to take back the house in '06.

[myrna minx]

98. Impeach!

My friend has untreated PTSD from his tour in Iraq. It is tearing his familty family apart. How many families have been destroyed by Bushco?! This craven administration has got to go!
:grr:

[renaissanceguy]

183. I only hope more military families

come out against the chimp and demand IMPEACHMENT NOW!


http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues.21326152

[soulcore]

99. kick (eom)

[In Truth We Trust]

102. IMPEACHMENT NOW!!!

[Marnieworld]

104. 11 days after release of memo- about fucking time! eom

[redacted]

105. got impeachment?

See:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/5/8/203344/3240

[calimary]

208. I've had it in my heart ever since this bastard "TOOK" office.

Love this. Kicking it!

[Imalittleteapot]

106. Can't wait to see how they get out of this one.

Now that the story is creeping into the MSM, they are certainly scurrying for a coverup or demonization of the Brits. Have fun Karl.

[KaliTracy]

109. It's a Link On First Page of CNN Now. (Thursday 11:00am)

under the newest Baghdad bombing....

[demo dutch]

120. They move stories depending the amount of hits it gets.. So keep hitting!

[wallwriter]

111. CNN is usually such a bunch of porch monkeys

What gave them the cojones to run with this story?

[bejammin075]

168. Careful with that term

You might not know what it means. "Porch monkey" = Nigger.

[Bluesage]

113. There is only one way

to force this into the Corporate Sponsored Media and that is for every Democrat who signed Rep. Conyers letter to call a press conference on the Capitol Steps and demand answers. It would be even better if every Democrat in the House and the Senate were to be there and ask the hard questions not only of this administration but of the so-called "news" media. Tell the damn lemmings at this press conference that no Democrat will appear on any of their "news" programs until this is considered "news" and they are willing to discuss this so the entire population understands what this administration has been doing in our name. Rep. Conyers can write a thousand letters to * and there will be no response. We the people can write a million letters to the Corporate Sponsored Media and there will be no response. We have to MAKE NEWS - not just hope that some day they will actually cover the news.

[ktowntennesseedem]

116. Great points! Welcome to DU!!!

:hi:

[calimary]

174. Yep, that's about the size of it. WE have to MAKE THE NEWS.

Not just hope they'll actually cover it.

WE will have to FORCE their hands.

WE will have to FORCE THE ISSUE.

WE will have to MAKE THEM COVER IT.


And Welcome to DU. Good post!

[oxbow]

197. PLEASE PLEASE bluesage, tell this to Conyers

Go to his blog at http://www.conyersblog.us/ and tell him to do this! It's the best idea I've heard in some time.

[halobeam]

205. All of us should go to Conyers site and ask him to do this, imo..

There's an attention getter, ey!?!!

[lyonn]

226. Welcome Bluesage

Your idea is brilliant - if only they would do it. There have been occasions when the Dems did gather on the steps of the WH to make a point. Off your point but, with the Bolton hearings coming up I wondered if the Senators would include in their discussion of the cherry picked intel Bolton was gathering how this would fit in with the UK memos to prove a point.

[Lochloosa]

115. Kicking SCREAMING FOR ATTENTION

[Zorra]

252. kick

[Charles19]

117. Only Congress has the right in the Constitution to Declare War!

So many problems could be avoided if people simply demanded it work like the constitution says.

Conyers was about the only one I can think of who even brought that up when the march to war was on.

There is ample evidence now, (that I can see anyway) that Bush mis-used a federal agency (CIA), to sell a plan to go to war. That is an impeachable offense and he also went against the laws set down in the constitution by having congress authorize the use of force. The congress cannot (according to the constitution) and should not let "the president decide". Congress either has to vote "yes" we are declaring war, or "no" we are not.

I think we need 100 new senators, none democrats or republicans, to wake them up a bit.

[TripleD]

193. Not to mention that lying to Congress

while conspiring with the leader of a foreign country to do so is treason.

[Charles19]

196. Figures, freepers were accusing of treason while committing it themselves

The democracy of hypocricy.

[demo dutch]

119. I urge everyone to continue to urge the rest of the press to cover it!!!

I've sent emails to ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC, Newsweek, Keith, Fineman etc, letting them know that they need to follow CNN's lead and start talking about it!!!

Let's not stop urging them until they do so!!!

[DeepModem Mom]

123. LAT: British Documents Stir Protest in United States (Memogate)

British Documents Stir Protest in United States
By John Daniszewski, Times Staff Writer


LONDON -- Reports in the British media this month based on documents indicating that President Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair had conditionally agreed by July 2002 to invade Iraq appear to have blown over quickly in Britain. But in the United States, where the reports at first received scant attention, there has been a growing groundswell of indignation among critics of the Bush White House, who say the documents help prove the leaders made a secret decision to oust Saddam Hussein nearly a year before launching their attack, shaped intelligence to that aim, and never seriously intended to avert the war through diplomacy.

The documents, obtained by Michael Smith, a defense specialist writing for the Sunday Times of London, include minutes of a July 23, 2002, meeting of Blair and his intelligence and military chiefs, a briefing paper for that meeting, and a Foreign Office legal opinion prepared before the summit of Blair and Bush in Crawford, Texas, on April 6-7, 2002.

The picture that emerges from the documents is of a British government convinced of the United States wanting to go to war against Saddam Hussein and Blair, agreeing, subject to several specific conditions.

Since Smith's report was published May 1, Blair's Downing St. office has not disputed the papers' authenticity. A Blair spokesman asked about them Wednesday said the memo published May 1 added nothing of significance to the much-investigated record of the lead-up to the war.

"At the end of the day, nobody pushed the diplomatic route harder than the British government. ... So the circumstances of this July discussion very quickly became out of date," said the spokesman....


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-memogate12may12,0,1760579.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[autorank]

124. Liar, liar, pants on fire. They shoulld all resign. Labour should go under

:puke:

[lyonn]

125. LAT: Memogate

Gawd I like that sound. Does this info make Bush & Co. look like the liars they are? Will Americans finally get the picture that we have been taken for fools? We are losing our troops, integrity, leadership - - -. Will they now feel like sheep that has been lead to slaughter?

[otohara]

127. Some Will Never Admit

what a lying sack of shit * is.

[DeepModem Mom]

130. Kicking for Memogate! nt

[calimary]

133. I'll pitch in there.

KICK!

Call John Conyers' office and give him another high-five, and more calcium supplement for his already-impressive backbone. Call your own congressperson and tell him/her to get behind him and sign his letter and make a stink about this.

Now we have a GREAT label for it, too: "Memogate." BEE-YOU-TEE-FUL!!!!!

Get on it, guys!

That growing groundswell referred to in this article is YOU. US. DU. And MANY OTHER ACTIVISTS on the progressive, liberal, Democratic, anti-war, and even moderate fronts. I'm frankly more than a little surprised that this was picked up, and such a growing groundswell has even been noted. Now it needs to KEEP growing.

Repeat-repeat-repeat: MEMOGATE. MEMOGATE. MEMOGATE.

[Name removed]

126. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Wilms]

128. Conyers! Yes! n/t

[magellan]

129. Hail Memogate! Let the floodwaters wash this country clean of BushCo

Sure to come -- renewed WH spin corresponding to what we once heard from Scott McClellan on this matter: "There's a difference between a plan and a decision."

But the British memo makes clear that the planning going on back in July 2002 was in support of a decision that had already been made by Bush** to enforce regime change in Iraq. Blair was just trying to figure out how to go along with Bush**'s program without winding up in the Hague.

Oops.

As a side note, why are the major CONs suddenly all over this story? CNN has a similar article on their site today. Is democracy spreading?

[Auntie Bush]

131. Bush will tell Conyers, "Not to worry," because that's all been

discussed in the Senate investigation and they found Bush didn't fudge the intelligence...just like he didn't evade getting his physical(s) or get insider information on his sale of Harkin. Remember...the SEC investigated that too. Good thing we have such a great investigative government or we might invade another nation.

Just for the record...I'll say :sarcasm:

[BeHereNow]

132. The litmus test for stupidity.

This revelation will be the barometer
for the exact reading on just how STUPID the average
'murikkkan really is.
If the people don't DEMAND impeachment over
this, then they have the government they deserve.

Our troops will continue to die (for WHAT?)
Large amounts of cash will continue to
disappear into the corporate cash register (unaccounted for)
and it will be time to move to another country.

I am not holding my breath for reformation-
I think the Bushbots are the most ignorant people
to ever hit the planet.

BHN

[gridbug]

134. BushCo's fans ain't listening...

Like many of you I'm sure, I have family members who are very dedicated Bush supporters. I cannot and will not ever understand their thought process. Whenever I've brought up statistical info or any sort of documented hit against BushCo, they just make excuses and/or rattle off stuff like "the end justifies the means" and the ever popular "history will judge the president". Point being, even though this memo is a massive indictment against the administration, the BushCo cheerleaders will only try to spin it to the effect of "well at least we liberated Iraq, which was Bush's noble idea in the first place". Their logic is anti-logic, and any discussion with them about the truth about their president will always be a closed-circuit argument. It makes me wonder if there's anything that would sway them to realize the truth...

[petepillow]

147. Selectively oblivious.

I can't believe (and it pains me to say it) that all the GOP supporters are that dumb. However, denial is a powerful shield from reality.

I can't find mention of the UK memo, the CNN story, or anything related to this in freepland, and that right there tells us where they are.

If they don't say it out loud, it ain't so...right?

[redqueen]

139. Call, write... contact as many mainstream news outlets as you can!

:kick:

[demo dutch]

156. I have and I am!!!

[rodeodance]

277. and i will send a few more today.

[jazzjunkysue]

257. I sent the link to hundreds of news outlets. Plus, email your senators.

www.congress.gov

Tell your senator to keep the fillibuster. Don't re-write the constitution.

[Zorra]

265. kick

[CantGetFooledAgain]

141. Question: Can the WH simply not respond?

That would seem to be the only viable course of action for them right now (except to call the memo a fake).

Is it an option for them to simply ignore these questions? I know that they can't be "compelled" to respond, but it seems like they pretty much have to.

[KaliTracy]

142. that seems to be the course of action of late -- and as for other

people that the House Judiciary Committee has asked to respond to things -- only under the Freedom of Information Act did they get information about Gannon/Guckart's White House visitation times -- no one would tell them before. On the State Level -- Kenneth Blackwell (Ohio Secretary of State) refused to answer several letters which held important questions....

[CantGetFooledAgain]

158. I know, and that is infuriating to me!

If you've got nothing to hide, you've got no reason not to answer the questions. Period.

[Fire Walk With Me]

161. Ask the MSM about Jeff Gannon.

Reagan used to defuse tough questions with "well, there you go again"...sounds like abusive husband rhetoric to me, a nod to the DU'er who brought that up.

These people can outwait anything, and their acolytes will chant "so what" all day long.

[Triana]

143. Until he is FORCED to explain it...

...preferably in a trial, this will get nowhere.

[PaDUer]

351. Maybe he'll have the

stepford wife get on national tv and deny everything! Notice how much she's been hitting the airwaves lately. They're ALL a bunch of LIARS!
-edit-
It wouldn't surprise me IF he throws the stepford wife into action on this issue since she's been in the limelight most recently to deny, and lie for her so-called hubby as she's been doing a lot recently.

[V Lee]

145. That's so easy even he should be able to do it.

Suggested explanation for George Bush (i.e. the truth):

"I hated Saddam (he tried to kill my dad), the neocons and I wanted to establish a military presence in the Gulf, and we wanted access to Iraq's oil. So, we used 9/11 and tales of imaginary WMDs to scare people into supporting a preemptive attack. It was all a done deal from day one of my administration, it was just a matter of carrying out our agenda."



>> What's on Bill's mind? Political commentary with attitude and more at http://www.BillsBrain.com

[Ian_rd]

150. It's about time

I did a comic - Tom Tomorrow style - on this subject last week. The 5th frame finally became true. Although - that CNN article is pretty good. We'll see how Bill O'Reilly covers it :rofl:

[CantGetFooledAgain]

160. LOL!

"Bush may not be completely perfect in every way"

I love it. You could be the next Tom Tomorrow.

[petepillow]

149. Seems like the freepies haven't even heard about this yet, doesn't it?

:eyes:

Any comments from their prophet Rush on this one?

[librechik]

152. freepers dismissed this story as a forgery, Rather-gate style

and now they ignore the UK's endorsement of the document as true and not a forgery.

so don't expect any of them to jump up and defend their country against their beloved King. Their brains are as clean and fresh as the white sheets they love to wear.

[hippiechick]

151. But, George doesn't speak British ....

.... how could our esteemed and patriotic, 100% American Prezzidunt explain something some furn'ers done writ ?


:freak:

[Broken Acorn]

154. Those Brit's are a bunch of liars and sissys

(sarcasm)

[splat@14]

157. I just talked to the Houston Chron and 3 local TV stations re this.

All reported they hadn't heard of it and agreed it was important. I used the top of the DU page, clicked the "campaign" link, went to my state, then clicked my local for media and started calling.

This needs to be done in every DU location. We can't let this die or get buried by "runaway bride" bullshit news!

Splat!!!

[myrna minx]

165. Hey-good for you.

This is how we get the word out. :toast: Good job!

[Fire Walk With Me]

163. LA Times, still a lame story title

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-memogate12may12,0,1760579.story?coll=la-home-headlines

Indignation Grows in U.S. Over British Prewar Documents


The memo alone means little; people are used to eating lies and seeing shrugged shoulders in response to real questions. The damning thing is the motive: war for oil. How much more clear can it get? Permanent bases, signings of National Emergencies regarding Iraqi oil... Dead soldiers...

[nolabels]

177. They won't care till they get the bill for the undelivered product ....oil

This corrupt government has squandered hundreds of billions to steal the oil fields from the indigenous and now looks to get nothing for it but the bill for the failed services. LOVE that market economy

[strizi64]

173. Impeach that war criminal!! n/t

[CountAllVotes]

176. KICK!!!!

:kick: :kick: :kick:

!!!!!

[Generator]

178. The boy who cried wolf-it's a matter of trust

Yes, Mr. President you lied to us and we trusted you. Now,this country's srongest ally, Great Britian's citizens KNOW THE TRUTH and don't trust their leader, Mr. Blair, and more importantly will not IN THE FUTURE believe one damn thing that comes out of Mr's Bush's mouth when it comes to matters of world security. And we could add a list of nations to the that list.

Broken trust. It's that simple. CREDIBILITY. Maybe the citizens of this country are too arrogant or too apathetic to care-but someday, someday soon, we are going to need allies in the world and they won't be there.

[redacted]

179. KICKING this memo into front page news

[redacted]

180. Don't demand answers; demand resignation

http://barometer.orst.edu/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/05/12/4283853a7655f

[renaissanceguy]

184. Resignation, THEN answers.

It's not just Bushie, it's his whole cartel that's the problem.

http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues.21326152

[Fire Walk With Me]

185. Bush asked what he makes of the UK war memo:

"Well, I could make a hat, or a broach, or a pterydactyl..."

[JRob]

192. hahahahaha!

[Zorra]

186. kick

[JRob]

191. Y E A H B A B Y ! ! ! ! ! !

[stlsaxman]

194. Kick!

"ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE"

[Lochloosa]

195. Bottom of the front page..so......KICK

[K8-EEE]

199. Is It Time To Take To The Streets Yet??

We can't count on the politicians, even too many of the Dems are on the take corporate wise. We can't count on the media to even cover this story, we really have to DEMAND JUSTICE NOW!

[oxbow]

202. I live 30 minutes from the capitol so call me when it is

Then again, that might not be such a bad idea. Make 3 foot copies of the memo and camp outside the capitol until they repond and investigate. Who's with me?

[K8-EEE]

207. Ooooh!!! That's Great But How About....

for those of us who don't live by DC, how about we send our congresspeople & Senators copies of the memo and DEMAND AN EXPLANATION!!

[SlavesandBulldozers]

200. kick

:kick:

[redacted]

201. Reasons for war fabricated (Oregonian's Letters to Editor)

Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Yet another piece of evidence has emerged that shows our misguided military action in Iraq was based on totally fabricated evidence of Iraq's supposed weapons of mass destruction ("Memo says intelligence fixed around Iraq policy," May 6).

According to a newly released British memo summarizing a July 2002 meeting, intelligence was cooked to fit the plans of the hawks in the Bush administration. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw stated, "Bush had made up his mind to take military action. . . . But the case was thin. Saddam was not threatening his neighbors, and his WMD capability was less than that of Libya, North Korea or Iran."

It seems that the entire world, except many Americans, knew that Saddam Hussein was a washed-up despot with a broken-down army. He was hardly a threat to America, or anyone else for that matter.

MORE

http://www.oregonlive.com/letters/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1115805358291830.xml&coll=7

[steve2470]

203. I've written some emails to the corporate media. Let's keep it up. nt

[MassLiberal]

204. kick

[Fire Walk With Me]

206. Fell off front page: Kick

[Zorra]

284. kick

[oxbow]

209. We may need more than this for chimpeachment though.

This is damning evidence, but perhaps not damning enough, given that the republicans control the government and so set the priorities at the moment. We need to keep digging, get allies on the other side of the pond to dig up more evidence too. God knows the administration are experts at secrecy, but the coverup is slowly leaking out in bits and pieces.

Paul O'Neil and Richard Clark's books, along with this memo, make a pretty strong case that the war was planned from the earliest days of the Presidency. Perhaps packaging the sum of this information together for release to the press would be better than just pushing the memo. Either that, or we're going to need something more substantive to break through the stonewall.

[magellan]

210. More evidence?

This is more than enough evidence for those who have an ounce of integrity, regardless of political persuasion. The only reason Bush** hasn't been impeached already is because he's not a Democrat and the Republican Party is about as virtuous and ethical as Al Capone.

As I've said before, what we need is for the Dems to grow a spine, call a press conference and shove this memo in the camera lens while reading it aloud. You know, show the outrage such a serious breach of public trust is DUE, and lead the call for JUSTICE.

The facts aren't open to question. This memo leads only one way with the right Democratic leadership. If they choose to forego their responsibility then they're as guilty of perpetuating the lie as the Republicans and our Corporate Media Whores are.

An oldie but a goodie: NO ONE DIED WHEN CLINTON LIED.

[oxbow]

211. It's hard to break through the bullshit without more

The average American just wants to move forward, fix Iraq and get the hell out. Most probably feel like the time for arguing about who's to blame is past. They are going to need something BIG to shake them out of that stupor. This is is just more chinese water torture. Like I said, it's the sum of the evidence that's truly damning, not this memo in isolation. We should start framing this discussion as such, presenting this memo along with Paul O'Neil's experiences when contacting the press, etc. Either that, or we need more evidence. Congress isn't going to move on this, so we have to count on the public, which we know operates on the lowest common denominator.

EDIT: have you called Rep. Conyers, asking him to do just what you said and call a press conference? I think those 89 Representatives standing outside the White house, demanding that the President come out and respond to these allegations, would make for some pretty good TV. In fact, we should ALL be calling and snail-mailing those 89 begging them to keep demanding answers! Because it's clear to me that THIS STORY HAS NO LEGS AS IT NOW STANDS. As someone else here said, it's time to make the news and time to stop responding to it.

[magellan]

212. Respectfully disagree

We have more than enough evidence. The obstacle is getting it out to the American people at large and rallying public outrage. That's been our problem all along. That's why I've been calling for the Dems in Congress to unite and hold a press conference. And yes, I have suggested this to Congressman Conyers, and Chairman Dean, among others.

The fault lies not with the evidence but with the utter failure of our Fourth Estate to inform us OF the evidence. Add to that the reprehensible failure of our Democratic representatives to do more than sign their names to Conyers' letter, and of course the story has no legs.

The people can not respond to what they don't know!!

[oxbow]

221. "U.S. anger over war memo is slight" -Star Tribune

http://www.startribune.com/stories/484/5401197.html

The report in a London newspaper of a top-secret British document has prompted some outrage on this side of the Atlantic. Rep. Jim Oberstar of Minnesota is one of 88 House Democrats who have formally requested an explanation from the White House, saying the report "raises troubling new questions regarding the legal justifications for the war."

For the most part, though, the report stands as a fresh example of today's fractured political discourse in which one person's smoking gun is another's cryptic smoke signal. Among their other frustrations, liberals are fuming because the U.S. news media have barely noted the news that set off an uproar in Europe.

The underlying reality is that the United States has moved beyond the debate over the reasons for invading Iraq, said Daniel Hofrenning, a political scientist at St. Olaf College in Northfield. Most Americans are focused on seeking positive outcomes from the war, not reason to blame the Bush administration for starting it.

"It doesn't mean President Bush gets a free pass, but the evidentiary standard has to be pretty high before he suffers from something like this," Hofrenning said. "At the end of the day, citizens are going to judge him on whether a viable democracy is established in Iraq."



I wish it wasn't so, but we need something sexier than this to force the White House's hand. Unless of course, democrats start acting like a real opposition party as you said. Keep writing them...the battle is just getting started. And who knows what else will be dug up in tme.

[magellan]

227. Very interesting

The underlying reality is that the United States has moved beyond the debate over the reasons for invading Iraq, said Daniel Hofrenning, a political scientist at St. Olaf College in Northfield.

I'm not sure how Dr. Hofrenning can make this claim, seeing as a large percentage of the US public HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT THE MEMO. And when, please, was there a debate about the facts surrounding why Bush** invaded Iraq, and when he actually made that decision, as opposed to the lies he sold us?

Oh. On doing a little research on Dr. Hofrenning, yes I do know (now) how he can make that claim. It seems his main thrust in political science is the religious aspect. Here are some quotes from him on the subject:

Dr. Daniel Hofrenning '80, associate professor of political science at St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn., and author of "In Washington but Not of It: The Prophetic Politics of Religious Lobbyists," Temple University Press.


"We need more people of faith in politics."

"Christian faith leads citizens to get involved in politics and the affairs of this world. If you look at the scripture, there are many injunctions to care for poor people and build a more just society. Christians have to respond to those calls in a way that is consistent with their faith. Political action can be an act of faith."

"When Christians get involved in politics they are taking a risk. They risk turning the church into just another political party or an interest group. Yet, there is also a risk to avoiding politics. By ignoring politics, one's faith can become separate or aloof from the pain and hurt of the world."

"People of faith do a delicate dance when they enter the world of politics. First they must get involved in a way that preserves the religious identity of their tradition. Churches must remain churches. Second, Christians and other citizens must respect the views of others. It is impossible to know which party or candidate is truly consistent with religious faith. It might be one's opponents. More likely, it is something very different than anything seen in this fall's campaign."

"Voters today are frustrated about politics, and they question the personal morality of politicians. This is important, but citizens should also focus on larger moral issues. We live in a time when the budget deficit is large, health care is sometimes difficult to obtain and many people face economic insecurity."

"We need to call on our politicians to deal with these questions of justice, and work to build a society in which people can get good jobs, a good education and good health care. Those are the most serious ethical challenges, and I would like to see voters channel their disillusionment toward demanding that politicians address these issues."

No, he wasn't talking about 2004, or even 2000. These comments from Dr. Hofrenning were about the presidential election of 1996.

In light of this, I'm not surprised that the good doctor thinks "the United States has moved beyond the debate over the reasons for invading Iraq". For him, like many evangelicals, no further discussion was necessary after Bush** called the terrorists "evil-doers" and invoked the name of the Christian god.

[Frederik]

234. Yeah think positive time to move on blah blah

I guess it wasn't time to move on from Clinton's bj in the Oval office back in 1998 though. :puke:

[pgh_dem]

216. follow-ups with Clark and O'Neill?

I mentioned earlier that the presence of Alastair Cook at the July meeting gives more credibility to David Kelly (the weapons scientist who, um, murdered, um, himself) alleging that he was told by Alastair Cook to 'sex up' UK intelligence. We see in that memo a direct motive for such an order. Would figure a follow-up article in the UK papers would be warranted, we'll see if they look a little harder than the sleepymedia here.

I'm surprised though that corporate media hasn't gone back to Paul O'Neill or Richard Clark for further comment. Even Bob Sellout Woodward dropped hints that the Iraq War was a done deal long before * even spoke to Congress. At least it is enough material for some 'talking head' filler on one of those cable shows where they make time for the special ed 'journalists'.

[oxbow]

220. Good idea....who would do it though?

If there's no interest in the memo theres no interest in Paul O'Neil's claims, and no reason to follow up. Unless someone here knows a person in the media who would do this on their own recognizance...

[Lochloosa]

213. Back to the top you go....KICK

[sam sarrha]

215. the end is near... let us bow our heads in thanks..there is a god !!

[steve2470]

217. kick nt

[bettyellen]

218. kicked.....

[ihaveaquestion]

219. I saw NOTHING about this on the MSM TV news last night!

And this morning Washington Journal was all over the bugman's dinner last night. Not one word about the UK memo - not one headline!

I don't get it! What will it take to get these folks to WAKE UP?!

[redacted]

222. Bush questioned over papers leaked in UK (Belfast Telegraph)

By Rupert Cornwell
13 May 2005

The White House is being pressed by congressional Democrats to explain leaked British documents which suggest that President George Bush and Tony Blair had basically decided to invade Iraq as early as July 2002.

The leak caused a major stir in Britain in the closing stages of the general election campaign, but at first had little impact in the US. But that may be changing.

A group of 89 Democratic congressmen have written to Mr Bush expressing their shock at the revelations - which have not been disputed by the Government in London - saying that the documents raised "troubling new questions" over the legal justification for the invasion, and regarding "the integrity of our administration". The letter, which has thus far elicited no response from the White House, notes that if they are correct, the documents suggest that not only was the decision to go to war taken months before Mr Bush sought congressional authorisation for war in October 2002, they would also bear out charges that the administration manipulated intelligence to back up its case, and that US diplomatic moves before the conflict were little more than a charade.

The leaked documents include a memo of a meeting between Mr Blair and top officials on 23 July 2002.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=638070

[steve2470]

223. "Impeachment Level Event" - column in Maine online paper

http://magic-city-news.com/article_3854.shtml

<snip>
The White House has yet to comment on the congressional letter. And - let’s be honest - why should they? The Democrats are the minority party in the House, and the letter was signed by a minority of that minority. The letter is, in fact, a tepid response; the eighty-nine Democrats should be sounding the call for impeachment hearings instead.

In fact, a congressional call for impeachment is long overdue.

It should come as no surprise to any informed American citizen that George W. Bush had his sites set on Iraq from day one. From the beginning of his administration, he had every intention of deposing Saddam Hussein and acquiring that country’s oil fields. All he needed was an opportunity.

September 11, 2001 gave him that opportunity.

Bush & Co. feverishly tried to tie Saddam Hussein to the 9/11 attacks and desperately insisted that Iraq posed an imminent threat to the United States. After inspectors and commissions declared there was no link between Saddam and al-Queda, after they disproved the assertions of WMD stockpiles - well, it was simply too late. The war was over; the violent occupation was under way.

<snip>

[Dr Fate]

224. is it "safe" for Kerry, Dean,Hillary, Reid to utter a sentence about this?

Or will they continue to remain silent?

[jazzjunkysue]

258. We need leaders who will kick up some sand and get covered.

[Mojorabbit]

225. Greg Palast kicks ass

http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=426&row=0
Here it is. The smoking gun. The memo that has "IMPEACH HIM" written all over it.

The top-level government memo marked "SECRET AND STRICTLY PERSONAL," dated eight months before Bush sent us into Iraq, following a closed meeting with the President, reads, "Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam through military action justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy."

Read that again: "The intelligence and facts were being fixed...."

For years, after each damning report on BBC TV, viewers inevitably ask me, "Isn't this grounds for impeachment?" -- vote rigging, a blind eye to terror and the bin Ladens before 9-11, and so on. Evil, stupidity and self-dealing are shameful but not impeachable. What's needed is a "high crime or misdemeanor."

And if this ain't it, nothing is

[confludemocrat]

233. BBC World has run this over and over, with a vengeance

I am overseas now. The BBC has found many ways to make reference to this story, since it was essentially correct in the row about Blair and Hoons lying that eventually led to a
whitewash of the Blair gvt actions and led to calls for the network to be gutted, "restructured", and "reformed". Goddamn bastards.

[snot]

374. If you appreciate the BBC as we've known it, PLS go to this link:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=376080&mesg_id=376080

[redacted]

231. See this new website

http://www.downingstreetmemo.com/index.html

[redacted]

232. See this CNN video clip

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1782122

[stlsaxman]

236. Front page Sat. Morning Kick

[Zorra]

237. kick

[redacted]

238. 'Downing Street' War Memo Gains Traction in U.S. Press

By Greg Mitchell

Published: May 14, 2005 10:45 AM ET

NEW YORK For more than 10 days, the media in the U.S. nearly ignored it, but finally the so-called “Downing Street Memo” is finally gaining traction in the U.S. press. The Los Angeles Times featured a lengthy report on Thursday and Walter Pincus of the Washington Post followed on Friday.

The memo, obtained by the Sunday London Times and published on May 1, became a major issue in the closing days of the British elections but received little attention in the U.S. until a Knight Ridder report on May 6, which E&P carried. A Knight Ridder editor later told E&P that it received surprisingly little pickup. The New York Times has given it little notice.

The Washington Post ignored the memo until Pincus’s article, which appeared Friday on page A18. It arrived five days after Post ombudsman Michael Getler revealed that readers had complained about the lack of coverage.

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000920839

[ray of light]

239. This corporate media, tabloid media, and Faux news has to go.

One of our regular bloggers at the Democracy Cell Project is at the media reform conference and is keeping us up to date on it. If you're interested in media reform and making it happen, check out http://www.democracycellproject.net and work with us to make it happen.

The scariest thing is: so even if we could get the republican controlled congress to impeach Bush, we'd still have Darth Vader and a NeoCON controlled agenda.

[Zorra]

240. kick

[Zorra]

241. Still waiting for an explanation kick.

[0rganism]

242. Might as well ask him to explain General Relativity while they're at it

Even if Bush were inclined to disclose such information, he would be utterly incapable of rendering it intelligably.

The Democratic congresspeople should direct all official inquiries to the offices of Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, and Paul Wolfowitz. And get on the horn to Colin "I'm not reading this bullshit" Powell; if anyone is going to spill the kidney beans, it'll probably be him.

[AuntiBush]

244. This needs to stay KICKED!

Tried to nominate but it's been over 24 hours since the post. Can onehandle repost it?

[yorkiemommie1]

246. hello? Hello? .... is anybody there?

georgie. hey! GEORGIE! We can't HEARRRR YOU!!!!

[Zorra]

247. We need to march on Washington, millions chanting, "Explain the

fucking memo! Explain the fucking memo! The whole world is watching, explain the fucking memo!"

[lebkuchen]

248. First posted on Thurs. Today is Sun. Do we have an answer from Chimpy?

[Shallah Kali]

249. Kick & link to action site DowningStreetMemo.com

http://downingstreetmemo.com

[Zorra]

250. kick

[Zorra]

251. kick

[Dr Fate]

253. Have ANY high profile DEMs (Kerry, Dean, etc) said a single word yet?

A single solitary WORD?

A Yay or a nay?

A "this raisies concerns" or a "Why is this not being investigated?" or even a "This is no big deal-we already knew this, fighting for health care is more important..."

Anything?

Have any high-profile DEM leaders (Dean, Kerry, Ried, Hillary, Obama, etc) uttered a single solitary sentence about this?

[staticstopper]

254. Good Question...

Weren't their reporters who lost their job over this at the BBC? Can't they get their jobs back now? And won't that whole investigation into Dr. Kelly's death have to be reopened?

I hope the people that got canned at CBS and BBC are working behind the scenes to get justice.

[jazzjunkysue]

259. If so, I didn't hear it.

[0007]

256. C'mon bushie wishy and tell us another lie!

[jazzjunkysue]

260. Go to www.dowingstreetmemo.com Follow the action link to the mediablaster

I just blasted hundreds of media. Real easy. It took 2 minutes.

Keep blasting! Fill their servers with it.

[Zorra]

261. kick

[MN ChimpH8R]

262. Krugman pounds away on it today in NYT

Doing his usual good work - he includes a link to downingstreetmemo.com

:kick: :kick: :kick:

[rodeodance]

275. yes Krugman does grand work--hey Jr--you read?

[Zorra]

263. 15 days and counting. Bush committed the crime of TREASON.

Treason:
a crime that undermines the offender's government

disloyalty by virtue of subversive behavior

treachery: an act of deliberate betrayal

We demand an explanation.

[Octafish]

278. Exactly.

The Impeachment of George W Bushp/b]

http://www.serendipity.li/impeachment.htm

[Zorra]

264. Downing St. Memo Website:

http://www.downingstreetmemo.com/

[steve2470]

270. Kick this folks ! Don't give up !!!!!!!! nt

[redqueen]

273. .

:kick:

[lateo]

282. You gotta love the Internet.

That website is a sign that the Internet is poised to change the way people communicate especially when it comes to news.

[Zorra]

272. kick

[rodeodance]

276. kick again--this is too important to lose.

[0007]

279. bttft

:kick:
:kick:
:kick::kick:
:kick::kick:
:kick::kick::kick:
:kick::kick::kick::kick:
:kick::kick::kick::kick::kick:

[GetTheRightVote]

280. Kicking for visional display

:kick:

[lateo]

281. This could be the smoking gun.

We just need the Democratic party to get out there and make it happen.

[Zorra]

283. kick

[bunny planet]

285. Kick

:kick:
NGU

[LightningFlash]

286. One important story needs a lift.

[Zerex71]

287. The guy can't even explain any "old Tennesse sayings"

much less a government memo, so give up on that ever happening.

[0007]

290. junior will get the message loud and clear this Sunday in

words that's he'll be able to understand as clearly as the "Pet Goat" book.

[steve2470]

288. kick nt

[redacted]

289. More from the BBC

See
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/5/18/115427/494

[Zorra]

291. kick

[redacted]

292. prime time KICK

[geckosfeet]

293. Bush can't explain anything,,

His handlers are going to keep him as far from this as they can. Here George, go watch TV for while,,,,,

[0007]

294. Kick

[Zorra]

295. kick

[Zorra]

296. kick

[Zorra]

297. kick

[Zorra]

298. kick

[cthrumatrix]

299. kick for truth

[Zorra]

300. kick

[mindfulNJ]

301. kick

:kick:

[Zorra]

302. kick

[Zorra]

303. kick

[Robworld]

304. Bush's responce...

eh... um... um... yeah... eh... um.... freedom... 911... freedom... eh... um...um...um...
ahh crap...(passes out)


http://www.dumdumgoestothecircus.com /

[geckosfeet]

306. google "impeach bush"

[Zorra]

305. kick

[Dr Fate]

308. Howard Dean refused to bring it up in his hour long MTP appearance,

A whole hour and he could not mention it even once.

[demo dutch]

309. We'll just have to keep kicking this one!

[Zorra]

310. kick

[Zorra]

312. kick

[ray of light]

313. We must be the media.

Send it to your emails. Print the article and post it at the local churches, malls, gas stations and laundry mats.

There are SOOOO many people out there without access to the internet and that is why we have to take our work locally too. That's the goal behind the democracy cell project. We need to multiply and grow and get out there where we live.

[lakeguy]

314. most people i know STILL don't even know about this! they think i'm

making shit up because they haven't seen it on the "news".

[Dr Fate]

328. Dean could have brought it up on MTP last sunday, or on Judy Woodruff.

But he "forgot."

[Zorra]

315. kick

[Fire Walk With Me]

316. Kick

[Zorra]

317. kick

[Zorra]

318. kick

[steve2470]

319. kick nt

[Zorra]

320. kick

[Zorra]

321. kick

[Zorra]

322. kick

[Zorra]

323. kick

[Zorra]

324. kick

[Zorra]

325. kick

[arwalden]

326. Is This Grounds For Impeachment?

[Dr Fate]

327. Impeachment? Dean, Kerry, Reid & Hillary refuse to even mention it once.

So I dont think an impeachment is in the works.

[confludemocrat]

355. If they don't mention this atrocity then they deserve to lose

Stupid, stupid, stupid. What does it take? How is this smart politics even by their rules? Incredible and shameful. People discuss impeachment here, to what effect if none, N-O-N-E none of these leaders bring this up?

[renaissanceguy]

358. Woo hoo! Kerry mentioned it!!!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1516892&mesg_id=1516892


http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues/472476

[IndianaGreen]

341. This is solid evidence for impeachment and for war crimes indictment

The entire Bush/Cheney criminal gang should face trial for their criminal invasion of Iraq. If we try them at The Hague, they will get life in prison. If we try them in America, they are eligible for the death penalty when convicted.

[donkeyotay]

329. Silence from the complicit media nt

[Zorra]

334. kick

[Zorra]

335. kick

[Zorra]

336. kick

[donkeyotay]

338. So, the memo really said, Dear Mr. Boosh. Please invade?"

Weren't we invited? Isn't that the latest version of true fact from the WH?

What's all this talk of fixing the facts and intelligence?

Shock and awe?

Please RSVP. Tea at eleven.

[Zorra]

339. kick

[Zorra]

340. kick

[Zorra]

342. kick

[Zorra]

343. kick - where is our new "Deep Throat"?

[Supersedeas]

344. the WH Press Corps had their chance today--notta peep....odd?

[psychopomp]

345. How did this get on page two?

:o

[Zorra]

346. yeh.

[natrat]

347. i saw a figure 0f $600 billion to 1 trillion iraq war cost by 2010

with that kind of money there is plenty to buy off a whole lot of folks

[Zorra]

348. ^

[rndmprsn]

352. its old...date may 12th, it hasn't been on the front page since then...

[Zorra]

354. kick

[Zorra]

356. kick

[Zorra]

357. kick

[Zorra]

359. kick

[Zorra]

362. kick

[Zorra]

363. kick

[Zorra]

364. ^

[confludemocrat]

365. kick

[Zorra]

366. ^

[spanone]

367. Ignore and Lie....two redundant themes of bushco.

They won't respond...impeach NOW>

[Zorra]

368. kic k

[Zorra]

369. ^

[yorkiemommie1]

370. kick

and bump

[Zorra]

371. kick

[Zorra]

372. ^

[Brooklyn Michael]

373. Well, here it is, one month later........

....and despite DUers "kick"ing the hell out of it, Junior still hasn't answered Conyer's letter, or even made the briefest of mentions about the memo. The best we get is McClellan doing his little tap dance for 20 seconds, and.....*poof*....nothing. Nada. Bupkus.

:mad: :banghead: :argh: