WP: Rice learned of Tenet *resignation* minutes before announcement.

[grasswire]

Mods, bear with me here. This stunning news is a tidbit of a WH transcript printed in today's Washington Post. The transcript is missing from the WH web site, according to WP's Dan Froomkin. This tidbit is the only reporting of the news that the National Security Adviser only learned of Tenet's "firing" moments before Bush made the announcement.

"THE FOLLOWING PORTION IS ON THE RECORD:

"Q: I was going to ask you about the news of the day: Did you have any wind of Tenet's plan?

"Dr. RICE: I learned about it just a few minutes before the president went out ."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20686-2004Jun6_2.html

[skypilot]

1. Yeah, right.

Once again, no one seems to tell anyone anything over there on Pennsylvania Ave.:eyes:

[Tellurian]

14. Especially if the choice came down to who should go, Condi or Tenet..

[skypilot]

16. Didn't you know?

Bush is Condi's husb-. Oops.

[Tellurian]

18. Heh! They deserve each other..double heh! nt

[Don_G]

2. They're All In Free Fall

Seems the National Security Adviser would learn of the CIA Director's departure more than a few minutes ahead of the announcement.

She's just as incompetent as the rest of them.

[TrogL]

3. Just proves it was an impulsive act (read "tantrum") by Dubya

[grasswire]

5. yes

This is the important aspect. It means the story of the resignation on Wednesday night yada yada is crap. It means that George fired Tenet Thursday morning after Tenet told him something. Fired him without appropriate people knowing. That's the very serious implication here.

[Just Me]

7. We did read that Dub had summarily fired Tenet. n/t

[hatrack]

6. Gibes with Capitol Hill Blue's account perfectly nt

.

[gasperc]

13. Yeah, what happened to this had been planned for weeks?

Tenet had been planning to leave for weeks but didn't want to leave during the commission hearings since that would be too political. Rice was out of that loop too.

[MarianJack]

19. GOD Help *...

...in his first meeting with cheney when he gets back to the WH!

I can imagine it now! "Mr. President, what gave you the idea that you had any authority in this administration?"

[sniffa]

4. so, she's out of the Loop?

bwahahaha

[tom_paine]

17. Of course she's out of the loop. You know what the Busheviks think of

African-American women...

She is there for her corruption, her desire to lie (but not her ability to lie, which is poor), and because she is African-American.

Period.

[Barkley]

45. Outta the loop and the next to go!

This doesn't make our national security and and intelligence agencies look good.

Wasn't the 'failure to communicate between different government branches 'part of the problem with 9/11?

[criticalmass]

8. Dubya pitched a high royal fit and fired Tenet

That's what Capitol Hill Blue reported last week:

"Tenet wanted to quit last year but the President got his back up and wouldn't hear of it," says an aide. "That would have been the opportune time to make a change, not in the middle of an election campaign but when the director challenged the President during the meeting Wednesday, the President cut him off by saying 'that's it George. I cannot abide disloyalty. I want your resignation and I want it now."

Tenet was allowed to resign "voluntarily" and Bush informed his shocked staff of the decision Thursday morning. One aide says the President actually described the decision as "God's will."

[Spoon]

11. Capitol Hill Blue is run by nutjob Doug Thompson,

who also wrote that article BTW. He's a wacko who used to write insane things about Clinton as well,

Such as:

Monday, March 19, 2001

When, I wonder, did the collection of pimps, whores and neer-do-wells that dominate the so-called mainstream media finally discover Bill Clinton is a crook?

SNIP

Instead of writing about how Billy and his boys sold pardons to the highest bidders, why weren’t they writing about how they were selling this country out to the Chinese and any other foreign power willing to pour millions of dollars of illegal campaign contributions into the Democratic party treasury. Some independent news organizations (WorldNet Daily, NewsMax, Drudge and even our humble little effort here) did write about Clinton’s many crimes, but the story was ignored by the “major” media (if indeed there is any “major” media).


Not exactly a reliable source, just looking for attention...

[lancdem]

23. Good point

[0007]

26. Hmmm just like the folks that keep bringing Clinton back into the equation

Thanks for protecting us with your profound knowledge.

[snippy]

37. I think the Capitol Hill Blue article is true, but that it was written

as a hatchet job against Bush. There have been many articles describing specific incidents of behavior by Bush that are consistent with the behavior described in the Capitol Hill Blue article. The interview where Bush repeatedly dropped the F bomb while mocking the upcoming execution of Karla Faye Tucker is one. The article following Bush's first meeting with the new prime minister of Canada who was offended and confused by Bush's crude comments about Chirac and by his references to God's will is another.

However, the article I am reminded of most is a USA Today article which was written just after Bush invaded Iraq. That article lavishly praised Bush but it also described Bush's mood swings, his micro-management of the invasion and his belief that God selected Bush to smite His enemies. That article also contained this line describing Bush's incredible sacrifice and suffering as a result of the invasion of Iraq.

He's being hard on himself; he gave up sweets just before the war began.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-04-01-bush-cover_x.htm

[grasswire]

9. interesting, isn't it...

...that the transcript of this is missing from the WH web site? (According to WP Dan Froomkin)

[sundancekid]

10. TRUTH has been the absolute first casualty of the busheviks' time

[shockingelk]

12. Full transcript

http://www.cpa-iraq.org/transcripts/20040604_Pope.html

Q: I was going to ask you about the news of the day: did you have any wind of Tenet's plan

DR. RICE: I learned about it just a few minutes before the President went out. The President told us that George was stepping down. It's really a great loss, and I'm, personally, very sad about it because this has been a team that has been a great team and it's worked through a lot of really hard issues. I mean, we have had two wars -- September 11th, two wars, just -- the war on terrorism. It's been an extraordinary and historic time. And at times it's been a wild ride. And in these kind of circumstances you tend get very close to the people that you work with. And I'm really going to miss George; I think he's done a remarkable job as DCI for a long time and I know that he feels personally that he needs to step down. I'm just really sad about it.

Q: But he says he's been discussing it with his family for months. You said you've grown close to him, and not a hint?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Look, everybody knows that George has been in this job for a long time, and that that's a particular strain on family. You know, am I really surprised? You know, when I now think back, maybe not, because I know it's been a tremendously difficult time for everybody because it's been a very hectic and, you know, when you're fighting two wars.

But I'm still very sad about it.

Q: I'm sorry, you found out this morning --

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yes.

Q: -- not last night?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: No, this morning.

Q: Was there any urging, to your knowledge, from the President? Any
hint that he should step down, at all?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Absolutely not. In fact, the President did not want him to step down -- wanted him to stay, told him he wanted him to stay. But sometimes you have to do what you have to do, for personal reasons.

Q: Did he tell him that this morning, at the meeting?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I'm not going to get into the President's conversations with George.

[Fridays Child]

15. Apparently, the whole briefing was with her and that fact was not to be...

...undisclosed. But the transcriber accidentally inserted her name in that single response.

Very weird. Why such secrecy?

[grasswire]

20. the puzzle palace

The obfuscations continue. Rice was close to Tenet? How could that be?

[yardwork]

25. John Dean says that this kind of irrational secrecy is typical

of the W administration. Says it is "Worse than Watergate."

Secrecy for the sake of secrecy. Paranoia run amuck.

And we think WE'RE the ones with tin foil hats!!!!

mwahahahahaha!

[grasswire]

21. good job...

..finding that transcript! I sent the link to Froomkin at WaPo.

How did you find it?

[louis-t]

22. What is this 'two wars' thing?

Is that going to be the new excuse for everything?

[wabeewoman]

33. That settles it...

If Rice says it then it likely ISN'T so. This must mean bush DID want him to step down.

[displacedtexan]

24. This supports my theory that the letter arrived while W was speaking...

at the podium w/ PM Howard. He headed for the plane, but they had to call him back.

David Gregory confirmed that Tenet had requested the Wednesday night meeting w/ Bush*, and Bush* was COMPLETELY unprepared to make any statement about Tenet.

I think Tenet played BushCo for the chumps that they are.

[grasswire]

27. maybe....

...Tenet hoped that Bush would be on the plane before Tenet announced his resignation at the CIA HQ. THAT would have been pretty cool.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

39. Tenet waited for the right moment

and cut GWB's legs out from under him. It was a beautiful thing. MKJ

[Disturbed]

28. " I mean, we have had two wars."

"Had"?

This is a person that is out her depth and out to lunch."

What happened with Tenet is still unclear but I cannot imagine that the rank and file were happy with his bootlicking of BushCo and allowing BushCo to put the CIA in the dirt after their Chief was compliant with BushCo and the bogus intell that allowed the invasion of Iraq. The rank and file will seek payback.

She has always been incompetent and an unskillful liar. She is window dressing. Her realtionship with W is highly strange but that's another story.

[demgrrrll]

30. Did someone here link the post or story that Tenet may have been

wired during some of his conversations with Bush and
that is why the Chimpomatic seemed so nervous? As secretive
as they are they must have some kind of system to track that
sort of thing.

[maddezmom]

31. Woodward made mention of either tapes or recordings

about his book...never really understood who had the tapes...Tenent, Bush or Woodward. And IIRC the topic was also discussed with Tenet during a 9/11 hearing.

[Just Me]

32. Ewwww,...now THAT would certainly change the stakes,...

,...with respect to the Busholini and neocon coup! :bounce:

That kinda' makes my heart race. :)

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

40. The director of the CIA

HAD to have some kind of "dirt" on GWB, especially with his colorful past. I still believe GT was trying to walk the tightrope with GWB,being a good little bureaucrat and finally decided that it wasn't worth it to keep being the fall guy. Can't wait for the book. MKJ

[peacetalksforall]

29. This doesn't stack up.

"Q: I was going to ask you about the news of the day: did you have any wind of Tenet's plan

DR. RICE: I learned about it just a few minutes before the President went out. The President told us that George was stepping down. It's really a great loss..."

So she was there, in town, in the WH, and she didn't know. I don't believe it for a minute. She has never told us the truth as far as we know. Unless, she woke late and arrived a minute before or after the press conference started.

Can YOU believe that the President didn't have a meeting with the staff to get his talking points before he went out? Especially since he was flying out right after the press conference.

Nah! Make me an unbeliever. What is her reason for lying this time?

[Jacobin]

34. Hmm. The spouse is always the last to know...

:evilgrin:

[susu369]

38. Now that is way TOO funny

*eom*

[DoYouEverWonder]

35. If the friggin NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER

doesn't even know what's going inside the WH, how the fuck is she supposed to know what's going on in the rest of the world?

Over and over again, this woman claims she doesn't have a clue and then we are supposed to believe that Bu$hCo has made us safer from terrorism? I don't think so.

[R Hickey]

36. Monica Rice is better informed than Condelisa Lewinsky

If President Clinton had given Monica Lewinsky some sort of pompous job title, like say "Head of National Security," would Clinton and Monica have possibly gotten away with their affair the way Bush and Rice have, so far.

[Nlighten1]

41. Rice will learn of her "resignation" the same way.

Wanna bet?

[napi21]

42. I'll take that bet! Shrub will never get rid of Rice. Think about it

Shrub is intimidated by women! Babs, Rice, Karen. All VERY STRONG women. I NEVER remember a time when he openly disagreed with any of them, and I've never even heard of a rumor of any disagreements or arguments.

I think more will go, but it's not going to be one of the women!

[Nlighten1]

43. True but...

Cheney is the one who will fire her...

[napi21]

44. No no, I don't think so. I don't think Shrub would let him do that.

I don't really think Shrub makes many, if any, decisions about governing all by himself. He lets that stuff up to all the old "Daddy's people". He does seem to have one thing he sticks with pretty close though. He personally latches on to a few people, and no matter what they do, they're his buds. He can't fire Mama, Karen has been with him for all the years of his gov't career, and Condi has been a close friend of Daddy and of course is one of the 2 tokens, he can't, nor wants to get rid of her.

I think the women are safe till Nov.