Bush administration's only defense is secrecy

[Robbien]

Staff column

Gene Perry
March 30, 2004


In its handling of the Richard Clarke affair, the Bush administration has disgraced itself, and it has disgraced the Presidency of the United States. These are strong words, but I have grown tired of seeing people in positions of such great responsibility behave like playground bullies.

Clarke’s allegations rest on substantive policy questions. He asks foremost whether the Bush administration’s emphasis on state over non-state actors, and thus its concentration on Iraq instead of, or even alongside with, Al-Qaida has weakened our prosecution of the War on Terror. If Bush took national security seriously, he would welcome the debate and gladly defend his own policies.

<snip>

Then there is Bill Frist, Senate majority leader, who delivered a speech on the Senate floor in which he claimed that “Mr. Clarke has told two entirely different stories under oath,” referring to testimony before a Joint Committee in July 2002. Yet there is a catch. Frist is not actually aware of any discrepancies between the testimonies. He later backed off from direct charges of perjury but let the insinuation stand. We do not have to look far to find dark historical parallels to such unethical and baseless accusations made on the Senate floor.

Throughout all of this, Clarke has conducted himself with a grace that speaks well to his character. In response to Frist’s smear, Clarke agreed, we should release both sets of testimony, all of it, including that of Condoleeza Rice and other administration officials. Then we may see where the truth lies. Clarke speaks like a man with nothing to hide, while his opponents do just the opposite.

http://www.oudaily.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/03/30/4068e6d7e0162

The title more than the article is what is interesting. BushCo has no defense, just secrecy.

[procopia]

1. Yes, good title

It would make a good campaign sound bite for Kerry.

[NJCher]

2. excellent

I posted a comment.


Cher

[indepat]

3. Frist has disgraced himself and cast an ugly shadow on Tennessee and

all Tennesseans who sent him to the Senate, IMHO.

[donhakman]

4. Frist should stick to his gay bashing.

.

[meow2u3]

5. I may well write an LTTE

which will put Bush loyalists to shame, embarrass them into staying home or voting Democratic.

Americans to Bush White House: If you have nothing to hide, then don't act like you're hiding something!