CNN: Hastert now supporting 9/11 extension

[Dookus]

just on TV. Evidently Denny changed his mind.

[Fenris]

1. 60 days

Yeah. That'll be enough. :eyes:

[Dookus]

3. well

that's how much the commission itelf says it needs.

I think Hastert walked into a shitstorm yesterday. Nancy Pelosi called it right last night when she said Hastert was a "reasonable" person who would change his mind. She must've seen the beginning of the public outcry.

I know *I* sent Hastert a nasty-gram yesterday. Aaron Brown on CNN was outraged last night and asked all his viewers to write their congresspeople.

[Fenris]

6. I still think it needs more time

And they need access to EVERYTHING.

I know that's not ever going to happen.

[leftchick]

21. Kristin Breitweister (sp?) and the NJ widows said..

They would like to see the commission get 6 months, but 2 months is better than nothing.

[MissMarple]

11. Actually, on C-Span this am Kean said that they need AT LEAST that.

They could use more. He also said he didn't think they would go over their 14 million dollar budget, unlike some other investigations. Perhaps a little slam on Ken Starr.

Keen also claimed they were so slow in starting because of conflict of interest problems with panel members. They needed the time just to get back what they had lost. Was that a little slam on George&Co for early days obfuscating?

[Red State Rebel]

33. That was what they had asked for...at least he finally caved

[Sparkle]

2. Now what happens when you both post the exact same time?

Which one gets sacked?

Btw, Maybe the anchor guy's (can't think of his name) outrage last night on CNN did some good.

[Dookus]

4. heheh

well, since the other thread was started by a moderator, I think I know :)

just kidding volcanojen!!!!!!

[VolcanoJen]

8. Hey, Dook...

:P

Love ya,
Jen :-)

[VolcanoJen]

5. I'll lock mine and leave Dookus' thread open.

It's good to be an LBN Mod... :-)

- Jennifer

[Dookus]

10. LOL

what a peach

Now I get the secret ex-mod points for having my thread stay open. Only 37 more threads, and I get the car.

Oh shit.. I spilled the beans.

[Sagan]

7. I have to admit, I think the WH Press Corps and Aaron Brown helped

Of course, all of us who barraged Dennie's office helped, too.

But the WH Press Corps was nailing lil Scottie today on what Chimpy had said to Hastert, what he had asked him, etc.

By taking this angle, the misAdministration could see they were in a lose-lose proposition. If they said that Chimpy asked/told Hastert to grant the extension and Hastert said "no", then it reveals weakness. If Chimpy hadn't even bothered to ask, it reveals callousness.

[VolcanoJen]

9. My fave passage from the morning gaggle

Courtesy of Josh Marshall's Talking Points Memo:

QUESTION: I'm sure President Ford was aware of those. In every speech he gives, President Bush invokes the atrocities of 9/11 and he talks about how that event has impressed on him a determination to always honor the victims of those atrocities in his daily conduct of his office. And I wonder if you could explain with some serious Texan straight talk here, Scott, how it is honoring the victims of 9/11 to restrict the questioning of the President on this subject to one hour?

McCLELLAN: I hope you'll talk about the unprecedented cooperation that we're providing to the commission when you report this, James. Because if you look back at what we've done, it is unprecedented. We have provided more than 2 million pages of documents. We provided more than 60 compact discs of radar, flight and other information; more than 800 audio cassette tapes of interviews and other materials; more than 100 briefings, including at the head-of-agency level; more than 560 interviews. So this administration is cooperating closely and in an unprecedented way with the 9/11 Commission, because their work is very important.

QUESTION: That would have been a very pertinent answer had I asked you about the administration. But, in fact, I asked you about the President’s cooperation.

McCLELLAN: And the President is pleased to sit down with the chairman and vice chairman to provide them with the information they need to do their job. And we believe …

QUESTION: Why only one hour? Why only one hour?

McCLELLAN: -- we believe that he can provide them the necessary information in this private meeting.

QUESTION: In 60 minutes, that’s all it will take?

[HootieMcBoob]

27. Yeah, I think Brown probably had something to do with it too

And DUers were all over Hastert's ass from the first second it was mentioned. Not to mention our own congress folks. Hey! We rocked on this one. Let's pat ourselves on the back a little!
:toast:

[yellowcanine]

12. Watch out - Shrub isn't done obstructing

You don't really think this was about Hastert, do you? He has never had an independent thought, as far as I can tell. This was a trial balloon sent up by the shrub minions. They will simply move to Plan B - delay and obfuscate. Then Shrub will claim that the fact that he agreed to the extension means he is bending over backward to be cooperative. There would have been no NEED for an extension if Bush had been cooperating all along.

[Stephanie]

13. In fact, they couldn't get started for months because the panel members'

security clearances were held up. I remember one of the members had actually been on the Senate Intel committee (Slade Gorton?), and STILL couldn't get his security clearance put through. So they started months late. Explain that, Mr. Bush.

[oneighty]

18. I wonder if Bush*

lied on his security clearance application form? You think? Let us investigate! He have DUI on there? PULL service? Honest answers to military service records? TANG Down time?

Hmmmm

180

[Leilani]

14. It's not perfect

But it's in the news.
Millions of people heard that Hastert wanted to shut down the inquiry.
Thousands of people responded.
News people, particularly Aaron Brown talked about it.
Senators made speeches on the floor of the Senate.
McCain & Lieberman, who pressured to get the commission complained.
Kean went on C-Span & talked about it.
9/11 families complained publicly.
McCain threatened to hold the transportation bill.
The Senate Intelligence Committee voted to extend.
& on & on & on

The public hears all this, & it is just 1 more piece that Bush has been stonewalling, therefore he is not honest, therefore what does he have to hide?

One more nail in the coffin!

[Demoiselle]

15. It was my e mail that did it.

Seriously, I'll bet a lot of people piled on and fired off messages.
Bless 'em!

[juajen]

25. I certainly did write him

Said opposing the extension was "anti-American", and other things. I was mad. Mine must have nailed it. LOL

[dArKeR]

16. Dems should be accusing the Reps. of dragging their feet from the

beginning. Why should it take years to get this information? Bush is moving too slow and covering up. Why don't all the Dems. resign from the investigations and 911 committees to make a point. Make the Repukes look like criminals covering up for Al Qaeda.

Why don't the Dems. have any strategists forcing an AGGRESSIVE course of action?

Accuse the Repukes of aiding Al Qaeda terrorists for the fact that they've got no where on the investigation.

[Just Me]

24. Yes. The aggression by the * cabal MUST be tactfully countered,...

,...with even more creative skill. It brings to mind how successful southern women (like Molly Ivins) are at politely calling an asshole,...an asshole,...while being pure-heartedly intending to be nurturing and loving at the same time.

[VolcanoJen]

17. Linky!

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&ncid=536&e=4&u=/ap/20040227/ap_on_go_co/sept_11_showdown_2

[maxanne]

19. this is good

Thanks to Denny baby, the Bushistas really look as though they have something to hide. Bush made it worse by only giving them an hour. They look almost as guilty as we know they are. This was a real gift from Busholini and company.

[adadem]

22. Just what I was thinking n/t

[AngryWhiteLiberal]

20. Smells to high heaven like the work of ROVE...planned all along.

Here's the scenario:

1.) Bush and Co. drag their feet on the 9/11 commission, forcing them to go into extension mode.

2.) Commission asks for more time, and since the issue isn't just going away, Bush and Co. begrudgingly say they are for more time.

3.) While simultaneously telling Hastert to run interferences and hopefully allow the commission to fail on the extension request.

4.) As a backup, though, if the heat gets too hot on the extension issue (a la McCain/Lieberman highway bill rider), Hastert and Bush/Co. have an alternate plan to have Hastert relent while Bush comes out looking like he's been very supportive of the commission.

THIS IS PURE ROVE. And, allows Bush's months of resistance to the probe to be washed out by the appearance of cooperation and support via asking Hastert to relinquish his opposition.

I guess there's a copy of "The Prince" in every bookbag at the Bush White House. These guys are politically savvy, that's for sure. EVIL incarnate, but politically savvy nonetheless.

JB

[aquart]

31. Nuh uh. Bush is still skewered by the one hour rule.

Bake it, fry it, serve it with pie, it still looks like a meadow muffin somebody stepped in.

[dArKeR]

23. CBS story - take a look at the file pic of Hastert. I've never seen him

smile. Any live or taped TV footage of him I've ever seen he looks like a terribly evil, sinister, mean, with severe psychological problems.Which gets to my continuing campaign to have our political leaders undergo drug, alcohol, and psychological testing while campaigning and while in office.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/02/27/politics/main602767.shtml
CBS must have dug really deep to find this one!

[bagnana]

26. the media sycophants

should not be so quick to point out that Bush is "in favor" of the extension. HE OPPOSED IT!!!

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0119-02.htm

He only changed his mind when public outrage forced him to. How can they not call him on this???

[shanti]

32. thanks so much for posting this story

check this: 'CBS News Correspondent Bill Plante reports the commission wanted access to the president's top-secret daily briefing -- but only two were allowed to read and take notes. The whole commission wants to interview the president -- but the White House says he'll sit down only with the chair and vice-chair -- and only for one hour.';

Hastert is to meet the two chairmen next Tuesday to discuss the future of the commission. President Bush supports the extension and the Senate earlier Friday passed on a voice vote a Senate Intelligence Committee bill including the two-month extension.

only two, what's with all these twos? what kind of propaganda is going on here? also,

'Instead, the report deadline is July 26, the first day of the Democrats' convention.'

wtf? this is pure rove, yes. are we going to fall for this??

[Rooktoven]

28. You can thank Lieberman and McCain too

I think the threat to the highway bill helped.

[maggrwaggr]

29. everyone on DU who wrote Hastert an e-mail

should feel good about this.

I wrote him three times. I was goddamned nasty. :)

[goclark]

30. Nitty Gritty -Impeachment!

When are we really going to get down to the nitty gritty and start impeachment for this gang of thugs?

The 9/11 commission is critical IF they are made to tell the truth.

Please someone explain to me why Clinton "lied" about a dress and went through hell and the Bush Bullies Lie, Lie, Lie,Lie and we keep setting up commissions.

Let's get on with it! Bring On The Impeachment Hearings!


:spank: