The PDB and Ashcrofts begging off commercial airliners, is the big one!

[trumad]

Out of everything I think this is the biggest of all. The Media needs to focus on Ashcroft about this and demand a decent explanation.

Mr. Ashcroft.... Why did you stop flying Commercial Aircraft?...

Uhhh...because we had reports of possible Hijackings from terrorists groups.

Mr. Ashcroft.... and where did you get this info and what were your steps to get the word out to the Average Citizen who didn't have the info you did?

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....

He got this from the info compiled in the PDB and he felt it important enough to quit flying commercial airlines.

[doni_georgia]

1. MSNBC reported this online weeks ago

MSNBC reported that top US officials were warned to stop flying commercial before 9/11. It was on their website a couple of weeks ago but has been pulled - although you can still find the search engine reference to article on Google.

[Must_B_Free]

3. What about SF Mayor

he says that even he was warned

Willie Brown got low-key early warning about air travel

Exactly where the call came from is a bit of a mystery. The mayor would say only that it came from "my security people at the airport."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/09/12/MN229389.DTL

[Media_Lies_Daily]

13. Another thread stated that the call came from Lyin' Leeza herself.

[r_u_stuck2]

4. Here is the link

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2001/07/26/national/main303601.shtml

[Octafish]

12. Ashcan got FURIOUS when asked about it after 9-11...

... The "attorney general" walked out of the press conference when the subject was broached. I never thought I'd ever quote the Faux Noise Nutwork. Still, I wonder what happened to the reporter who asked the question?

Here's a bit of the story:

Ashcroft Travel Alert Didn't Involve Bin Laden

Thursday, May 16, 2002

WASHINGTON — Attorney General John Ashcroft was urged in May 2001 by his top security experts not to fly aboard commercial aircraft because of personal threats on his life, not out of fears about terrorist hijackings, the Justice Department said Thursday.

The department moved quickly to quell suggestions that Ashcroft, who routinely flies aboard a small jet operated by the FBI, took precautions for his own safety in the months before Sept. 11 based on warnings of any threats involving Usama bin Laden or the Al Qaeda terrorist network.

"It was completely unrelated to this," Justice spokesman Mark Corallo said, referring to what the White House described as general information conveyed to President Bush in August that bin Laden's group might be planning to hijack planes.

Ashcroft declined to discuss the issue while visiting Thursday with Bulgarian justice officials in his office. Ashcroft walked from the room without comment when a reporter asked about it.

CONTINUED...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,52982,00.html

BTW: A hearty welcome to DU, r_u_stuck2!

[Must_B_Free]

2. Check mate

He deemed it important enough to protect himself but not his country.

[BGrier]

5. I Agree But...

I agree. What's distressing here is that Bob Kerrey was asked about the FACT that an FBI threat assessment warned Ashcroft off civilian airliners and he basically dismissed it as an unfounded allegation. The exchange happened on Al Franken's first show.

I think Kerrey actually sidestepped the real question by responding something like "there's no evidence Aschroft flew private planes". Aside from not addressing the real question, it's also not true according to the CBS News story from July, 2001.

If you watch the linked video with the CBS story, Aschroft himself is asked about the source of the FBI threat assessment. After stuttering, he replies, "Frankly, I don't know". How can the Attorney General of the United States not know the source of a threat assessment warning him off civilian airlines?

The disturbing thing is Bob Kerrey is one of the few tenacious members of the panel and he dismissed what I consider to be hard evidence. Is this going to be a whitewash?

[LittleApple81]

6. I am sorry AirAmerica has no transcripts. Majority report last night

had a detailed listing of all the conflicts of interest for the members of the committee. It seemed to me that ALL OF THEM ARE HIGHLY COMPROMISED. They were chosen by Bush*'s people after all.

[greenman3610]

7. I was disappointed by Kerry

He poo pooed the CBS report, but offered no rationale for why a major, presumably
vetted news account was completely wrong. Franken was no help at all, since he
absolutely cringes at the thought he might be called a 'conspiracy nut". The
question was simply and hastily dropped. Therefore, until I hear some
backup data from Mr Kerry or others, I have to assume the CBS account is
accurate.
It's not that I am wedded to a conspiracy idea, but I just want to hear the
damn questions asked and actually answered, not avoided. I thought AA would
do this for us, but it's a struggle even for them...except Rhodes, she is
right on the money, and apparently Garafolo.

How do we get this question out in front and on the table, ie
the way AWOL Bush came out?

[BGrier]

8. Someone Needs To Ask The Question

It's impossible for the CBS News account to be wrong on the major point. Ashcroft himself basically acknowledged the existence of the FBI threat assessment by answering questions about it. He's on video. Someone needs to ASK THE QUESTION.

[Octafish]

10. It's "K-E-R-R-E-Y." Bob Kerrey.

And while the former Senator from Nebraska seems interested in avoiding the label "conspiracy nut," you can call me that or paranoid -- I don't care which.

Kerrey, like most people, is just starting to learn about the BFEE. He is probably as surprised as most Americans upon discovering the depth of their corruption and evil. In the past, these gangsters were called NAZIs. Today they go by the name neo-conservatives.

BTW: A hearty welcome to DU, greenman3610!

[shanti]

19. al franken

is the one that cringes at being call a "conspiracy freak", not kerrey. imo, kerrey is in the loop. he knows about it, but will do everything to protect *ush. he ain't handpicked for nothing!

[grannylib]

9. We should check with the airport in SF...per Jamie Gorelick, commissioner

the airlines, airports, etc. didn't know because the word had not gone out. If the airlines and airports didn't know, how would Brown's 'security people' at the airport know???
Had to be inside info somewhere.

[Neecy]

11. they didn't know...

Because Brown doesn't have personal 'security people' at SFO.

I worked at SFO until 2000 and my office was directly next door to the mayor's staff. He had two people there who met and arranged for VIP's on behalf of Brown. They spent almost all of their time clipping newspapers and reading up on foreign business and political leaders whom they might encounter. They were NOT security people, although they certainly knew a lot of domestic political figures. If a call came in, it was to that office.

I doubt that the SF Airport Police had a special branch dedicated to the Mayor's personal security. That's news to me, and I'd know.

[grannylib]

14. Thanks for the information; I always thought that sounded odd since

supposedly the airports had not been informed.

WTF??

[terryg11]

15. i dont understand why this isnt a bigger issue

It clearly shows that Ashcrft at least knew something was very probable. This has been around for years, I think Newsweek even mentions it in an article in the weeks after 911. I've never figured out why no one has ran with it

[oneighty]

16. Fear of dying

likely prompted 'Crisco John' to order up his very own private aircraft. The very religious I have known have a very very strong fear of death even though they are certain of life everlasting.

John will die a thousand deaths.

180

[kentuck]

17. Yes..they need to get to the bottom of tht decision...

by Mr Ashcroft. Who told him? Why did he decide to go from commercial to private?

[AntiCoup2K4]

18. "it's because the commercial airlines allow calico cats on board....

...and I refuse to fly on the same plane with an agent of Satan!!" :evilgrin:

[worldgonekrazy]

20. Yes, its big, but just another big part of the HUGE story

There are so many things out there waiting to nail this administration on 9/11 LIHOP. They really did an awful fucking job covering up. Here are just a few:

1. Why weren't any of the hijacked airplanes intercepted on 9/11, as per NORAD protocol?

2. Why was none of the information of impending hijacks by terrorists not passed on to the relevant agencies (FAA, for example)?

3. Why were over a hundred Saudi nationals flown out of the country the day after 9/11, without the FBI ever having a chance to interview them? Why didn't the FBI even WANT to interview them (Clarke let this out)? Who gave the order to let this happen, overriding Clarke (also came out in Clarke testimony that SOMEBODY did this)?

4. Why was President Bush on a monthlong vacation before 9/11, despite clear and credible warnings that a terrorist attack in the United States was imminent?

5. Why the hell hasn't Moussaoui (sp?) been convicted of aiding the 9/11 hijackers? Why is the U.S. government denying him access to key witnesses? Why do they want to try him in a military tribunal instead of the open courtroom?

And there are plenty, PLENTY more such questions. The Bush Administration is fucked, plain and simple. If they were smart they would all step down RIGHT now before the mounting evidence against them leads to criminal and war crime trials.