These two quotes will be all over the press next week (Bob Woodward book):

[Brotherjohn]

1) "I knew what would happen if people thought we were developing a potential war plan for Iraq," Bush is quoted as telling Woodward. "It was such a high-stakes moment and ... it would look like that I was anxious to go to war. And I'm not anxious to go to war."

2) Bush told Woodward that if the news had leaked, it would have caused "enormous international angst and domestic speculation."

Bob Woodward's new book, detailing the 16 months leading up to the Iraq War, comes out soon. In it, Bush himself admits that they kept Iraq war plans secret from his own National Security team. Woodward will be on 60 Minutes Sunday night.
(http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040416/D81VTC301.html)

I'm predicting the response will be something like this: Well maybe, George, it would LOOK LIKE you were anxious to go to war because you WERE anxious to go to war! The revelation of secret Iraq war plans while Afghanistan was still going on implicitly demonstrates that.

As for the second quote, that going to sound to most people like Bush all but admitting "We couldn't sell this to the American public, so we had to lie."

Think about it. Not only did they keep it from the American public (which they now admit), but they kept it from their own staff! And they did so because they knew it wouldn't fly! This once and for all reveals all the "war as a last resort" talk to be just so much cover. It also reveals Bush to be a mere puppet to Cheney and his Iraq plans.

I think this will be as big of a hit as the O'Niell and Clarke books, despite being written by a Bush apologist... or perhaps ESPECIALLY BECAUSE it was written by a Bush apologist. Especially given prior statements coming from the Bush administration like:

BUSH on 3-23-02:
"I have no war plans on my desk"
(That's because they were actually on Donald Rumsfeld's desk!)
AND
CONDI on 4-8-04:
"What was rolled out on the table was... a map of Afghanistan"
(That's because the map of Iraq was hidden in a secret drawer that even Condi didn't have the key to!)

While no doubt Woodward will try to cast Bush in a positive "War President" light, the current environment makes it likely (as indicated by the "pre-60 Minutes" article linked above) that the press will focus on the now-admitted fact that Bush WAS at the very least pre-occupied (or, one might reasonably conclude, "obsessed") with invading Iraq from the earliest days of his administration. I know WE all know this here, but this will make more of the general public than ever realize it. This will also make them realize that this man was misleading them from the start about Iraq, and and that this man, in fact, believes in war as a FIRST resort.

[phoebe]

1. Bush et al. are D-O-N-E.. today's the day..

n/t

[wryter2000]

7. Hmmmm...

I hope so, but this isn't any new information.

In any case, if you want to give Woodward's book a bump in ratings, pre-order it from www.barnesandnoble.com. Also, it's available from Book of the Month Club.

[phoebe]

26. My reasons:

The situation in Iraq has reached crisis point and top brass in the military is getting very angry, as are ordinary Americans. Footage of military coffins, injured military, hostages, dropping a 20,000 lb bomb on women and children (just wait until this is shown on mainstream news), paid mercenaries in Iraq along with gruesome footage of their deaths is enough to piss off even the most hardened. Eyes are opening to the lies of Bush et al about the reasons for "war" in Iraq. European troops are being pulled out - Americans want to know why their sons and daughters are having to do all the fighting.

Now obvious lack of planning for long range goals in Iraq.

The extension of troop rotations this week doesn't sit well with the military brass or their families. More reveals will come regarding their lack of food, clean water, beds, and lack of armor and munitions.

CIA is turning on Bush regarding 9/11. The top CIA officials have stated today that the admin. knew far in advance that an attack was in the works. The CIA will continue to amp up the pressure with more reveals. The FBI has already turned on Bush and has been amping up the pressure.

Bush and Cheney's no-show at the 9/11 Commission Hearings along with Rice/Rumsfeld/Ashcroft testimony and the obvious selling of Patriot Act Part 2. The American populace is "wising up" on Bush re: 9/11 and the more obvious lies coming from the administration.

The scripted meeting with Blair today.

The appalling press conference n Tuesday, especially the lack of apology re: 9/11 from Bush.

The meeting with Sharon today which will end Sharon's career along with the ongoing corruption probe. The response from Europe has already begun.

Privacy concerns regarding air travel and the new Info. czar that has just been appointed which came to light this week.

More lies about the state of the economy which were revealed today.

Greenspan's comments today about corporate raiders.

The rise in price of already inflated gas prices and the gouging of the tax payers over Iraq whose oil was supposed to pay for this "war".

Bush vacationing in Texas this week.

Oh yes, and the revelation regarding secret funding of Iraq "war".

I think that will just about do it..

[Brotherjohn]

2. Boom! Then there's THIS....! Kept the funding secret from CONGRESS, too!

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/04/15/60minutes/main612067.shtml

Woodward doesn't sound the apologist when he says: "Some people are gonna look at a document called the Constitution which says that no money will be drawn from the treasury unless appropriated by Congress. Congress was totally in the dark on this."

KABLAMMO!! Can you say Impeachment?

[RobertSeattle]

10. GOP Congress/Senate

I'm sure Delay will be right on it...

Let impeach by vote 11/2.

[Tatiana]

12. When can impeachment proceedings begin???

"...The end of July 2002, they need $700 million, a large amount of money for all these tasks. And the president approves it. But Congress doesn't know and it is done. They get the money from a supplemental appropriation for the Afghan War, which Congress has approved. ...Some people are gonna look at a document called the Constitution which says that no money will be drawn from the treasury unless appropriated by Congress. Congress was totally in the dark on this."

[indepat]

17. Impeachment will not fly for at least a few Republican votes in the House

would be required, and that ain't goin' to happen, no matter what.

[boobooday]

3. He is one twisted rich boy

Some kind of crazy psycho-cheerleader/warmonger combo.

http://www.wgoeshome.com

[TheBlob]

4. Isn't this basic 'Straussian' philosophy?

1) "I knew what would happen if people thought we were developing a potential war plan for Iraq," Bush is quoted as telling Woodward. "It was such a high-stakes moment and ... it would look like that I was anxious to go to war. And I'm not anxious to go to war."

2) Bush told Woodward that if the news had leaked, it would have caused "enormous international angst and domestic speculation."


Supporters of Strauss believe it is OK to lie to the public if it is for the greater good.

Sadly, after this stuff gets a little buzz we will soon find the majority of Bush supporters feel the same way.

[Brotherjohn]

5. "The majority of Bush supporters" may "feel the same way", but...

... that only amounts to 20-30% of the populace.

If those people saw W. barbequing an Iraqi child at his next press conference, they'd proudly proclaim that their man was personally "taking it to the terrorists."

As for the rest of the populace, more and more every day find Bush less and less credible. This could be the nail in the coffin.

[TheBlob]

8. I wish I could be that optimistic

But after exposed 9/11 negligence, Dick Clarke testimony, and the situation in Iraq spiraling out of control, this seems like peanuts.

Something tells me we'll need a few more nails before we can close this coffin.

[Brotherjohn]

19. Well, the way I look at it, Bush is reeling now.

He's standing, but he's reeling. All it takes is one punch to knock him down.

Yes, he's still barely hanging onto 45-50% approval ratings. But questions about him abound, and are coming at a faster and more furious pace than ever.

This will be the third "insider" book in a row, with many administration insiders being used as sources (including Bush himself). People's doubts about his credibility are at an all-time high.

O'Niell: Body blow!
Clarke: Uppercut!
Woodward: Knockout!?

[calimary]

28. And wait til Joseph Wilson's book comes out - next month!

That'll be a punch-in-the-nose for sure.

[0007]

29. .....and then Michael Moore's "911 Fahrenheit "

will be out in a few weeks

[blm]

13. Bush etal are Straussians and NOT Christians as they pretend.

The Bush administration has two favorite philosophers - Strauss and Ayn Rand. NONE of them are followers of the philosophies of Jesus Christ.

[terisel]

6. Cheney's campaigning in 2000:Not ready for 2-front War

He started a 2-front war and then he and Rumsfeld wouldn't commit the troops the military said would be needed to win. Outcome: Dear troops, dead civilians, economic turmoil.

[tibbiit]

9. First off I dont

for one second believe that bush was introspective enough to come up with the concept that
it would have caused "enormous international angst and domestic speculation."

Bush doesnt have these words in his vocabulary.
enormuous international angst and domestic speculation my frigging ass.
Can you imagine this thought coming out of bush's mouth?
He doesnt care what international angst is caused, or domestice speculation... hes the war president after all!
tib

[TheBlob]

14. I was thinking the same thing

This doesn't sound like Bush at all.

Actually, it makes him almost sound SMART!

[peekaloo]

15. lol tib, we're on the same wavelength.

posted at the same time.

We all know it was "F*ck Saddam, I'm taking him out".

[mike1963]

16. That was my exact impression. I seriously doubt he has ever uttered

the word "angst" and would give odds he doesn't know what it means.

[peekaloo]

11. "enormous international angst and domestic speculation."

I think your version is closer to what actually came out of Boo$h's pursed lips. Woodward taking some journalistic liberties in trying to make Dim Son sound articulate and "forward-thinking".

[LandOLincoln]

24. Just so. I'm sure Gee Dubya thinks "angst"

is what you get in your pants at a picnic.

[Mountainman]

18. I don't have a good feeling about this book.

It seems to me like it says Bush made the war plans. I don't really believe that. I believe the general idea was in place before the 2000 election. O'Neil said it was the topic of the first cabinet meeting and that Condi told him that it was already decided upon early in 2001.

I can't seem to fit what this book says with what has gone before. I think the Repubs will pick up points with this rather than lose points. It will make Bush look like he was in charge.

Where am I missing something?

[Brotherjohn]

20. But the things they are CURRENTLY saying in the press are:

Iraq was not "on the table". They were not concentrating on Iraq.
AND
The Iraq War was a last resort ("no war plans on my desk").

This book reveals both to be bull.

Although this book is written by Woodward and may be an attempt to put the best face on Bush's actions and control the dialogue, the facts are against them.

That is their problem: the facts are against them. I think at this point they can only stem the bleeding. The "best face" might still hurt Bush, but they fear that if they don't "reveal" some of this stuff in their own way at their own time, it will be much more damaging when it inevitably comes out anyway (probably in July-September, when the Iraq WMD Commission hopefully meets).

[AlinPA]

21. I rather agree, thinking Rove actually had the plans made, later

than your 2000 time frame. He wanted Bush* to look like a "war president" and a strong "commander in chief".

[keithyboy]

22. I agree with you. It's a cover for PNAC!!!

And anyone who thinks it isn't is a fool.

[emulatorloo]

23. Go to the website and view the vid clip; this is *not* good news for GWB

Woodward tells a story about how GWB et al had FORGOTTEN to tell Powell about their plans to go to war. . .Condi says you got to tell him.

Bush brings him in - Powell is "chilly" and "despondent" when he is told.

Asks Bush "Are you sure you know the consequences?"

Woodward says Powell knew that this was a war that could be avoided.

This is not good.





Link to vid on right on this page :

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/04/15/60minutes/main612067.shtml

on edit add link

[xxqqqzme]

25. I'll have 2 go w/ this analysis.

woodward has his lips permanently attached 2 squatter's backside. This book will portray all his 'innate & inventive leadership talent'. The whorporate hair heads will B tripping over their tongues, next week, as they attempt to out-superlative each other in describing this book.

[scarletwoman]

27. No. The story will be "Tenet said: 'Slam dunk.' "

This book is misdirection, it is written by an inner circle bushie. It offers up the facts we already know with a spin, it's damage control.

It also appears that bushco has decided that Tenet is expendable.

sw