Misleading headline of the day-Kerry did not read Iraq Intelligence Report

[papau]

Why the big deal about "Kerry did not read the 90 page NIE report"? Was it ever offerred for him to read? The 90 page NIE - the classified NIE - which contained qualifiers, caveats, and reservations - was only seen by a select few Senators (e.g. Graham, Roberts) - as I recall- and most member of congress, including Kerry and Edwards, were given the assertive, declassified NIE.

Indeed it appears Cheney was a liar when he said in Harrisburg and Bethlehem, Pa, on 6/12/04:
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Politics/ap20040712_1155.html , Cheney: Kerry Backtracking on Iraq War...Cheney Swings Through Pennsylvania, Accuses Kerry and Edwards of Backtracking on Support of War...The Associated Press BETHLEHEM, Pa. July 12, 2004 — Vice President Dick Cheney said Monday that Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry and his running mate, John Edwards, are trying to backtrack on their support of the war in Iraq. Kerry and Edwards reviewed the same prewar intelligence on Iraq that was given to President Bush, and both supported the decision to go to war, Cheney said.......And as reported in the New York Times 6/12/04 story Bush Forcefully Defends War, Citing Safety of U.S. and World "Senator Kerry and Senator Edwards are criticizing the president for looking at the same information they did and coming to the same conclusion they did," Mr. Cheney said in Harrisburg, noting that they had voted to authorize the use of force in Iraq. "The president made the right decision, and John Kerry is simply trying to rewrite history for his own political purposes."

Now why would the media forget how Bush justified not telling Congress squat? Heck, the first such "plug leaks to media do not tell Congress order" was issued 10/8/01 and never changed as I recall - indeed later Bush would scream that only the Joint Intel Com could be trusted as he tried to avoid the establishment of the 911 committee.

And then later we had the GOP only Condi briefing! Followed by a Dem briefing (wonder if they were the same?). And still later if I remember correctly, it was back to 8 named Senators (the 10/8/01 crowd ?), but my memory could be wrong! In any case the restricted Congress began with:

http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/10/08/ret.bush.secrecy /

An angry Bush trying to plug leaks to media
October 8, 2001 Posted: 11:30 PM EDT (0330 GMT)
By John King
CNN Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Angered at leaks from classified briefings, President Bush ordered key department heads last week to restrict their briefings of members of Congress to the four major leaders and the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate intelligence committees, sources told CNN on Monday.

He also called the four leaders to explain his decision and said he was furious that sensitive intelligence material that was shared with Congress was being repeated to the news media, two sources familiar with the calls told CNN.

The top Democrats in Congress, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-South Dakota, and House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Missouri, expressed approval of the new policy.

He went on to restrict those briefings to the House speaker, the Senate majority leader, the House minority leader and the Senate minority leader, as well as the chairman and ranking members of the intelligence committees.

"This morning, I informed the House and Senate leadership of this policy which shall remain in effect until you receive further notice from me," the President said, ending the memo.

<snip>http://www.jsonline.com /
With officials exercising extraordinary security measures, Bush bluntly accused lawmakers Tuesday of leaking classified information to the press - and made the point in person during Wednesday's breakfast meeting with Gephardt, Speaker Dennis Hastert, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle and Senate GOP Leader Trent Lott.

http://www.detnews.com/2002/politics/0208/06/politics-5...

Lawmakers balk at FBI request for polygraphs in leaks probe
By Ken Guggenheim / Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- Some members of a congressional inquiry into the Sept. 11 attacks are rejecting FBI suggestions they undergo lie detector tests as part of an investigation into leaks from the panel -- a probe they had requested.
Among those objecting are two leaders of the inquiry: House Democratic Whip Nancy Pelosi of California and Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., who have said the tests intrude on the separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches. "The Senate and, I assume, the House, has always investigated their own," said Shelby, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee.
The House and Senate Intelligence Committees, which are conducting the joint inquiry, requested the FBI investigation in June after CNN and other news organizations reported details of Arabic conversations intercepted by the National Security Agency on Sept. 10. The leaks outraged the White House. Vice President Dick Cheney called the committees' chairmen, Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., and Rep. Porter Goss, R-Fla., to complain. <snip>

Of course, later in 2003 Bush says only Joint Intel Com can be trusted as he fights 911 committee establishment. So I guess they passed the FBI polygraph!!! LOL

And for a misleading Headline - I give you "Kerry Didn't Read Iraq Intelligence Report" - meaning he read all that Bush gave him - the short summary - not the 90 page one that Bush got! Cheney would be proud!

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=5673132

Kerry Didn't Read Iraq Intelligence Report -- Aides
Wed Jul 14, 2004 08:17 PM ET

By Adam Entous
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic candidate John Kerry, whose campaign demanded to know on Wednesday whether President Bush read a key Iraq intelligence assessment, did not read the document himself before voting to give Bush the authority to go to war, aides acknowledged.

"Along with other senators, he was briefed on the contents of the NIE (National Intelligence Estimate) by (then-CIA Director) George Tenet and other administration intelligence officials," said Kerry spokesman Phil Singer.

Kerry's campaign has challenged Bush to say whether he read the complete intelligence report before deciding to go to war, or whether he just read a one-page summary, which Democrats say gave him none of the dissenting views included in the full version.<snip>

Durbin criticized the (90-page report issued in October 2002) 2002 National Intelligence Estimate. He said it was prepared in just three weeks instead of the customary six months. "It was done in a hurry so that the vote would take place in October before the invasion of Iraq. And now we know that there were many aspects of that National Intelligence Estimate which were inaccurate," Durbin said.

[My Pet Goat]

1. I think you're onto something here.

Did Kerry even have access to the 90 page report when the administration was so intent on restricting access to even the BRIEFINGS? I like the following quote:

"Angered at leaks from classified briefings, President Bush ordered key department heads last week to restrict their briefings of members of Congress to the four major leaders and the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate intelligence committees,

[Kukesa]

2. I saw that headline, too,

and think it's awful. Senators don't have TIME to read everything and rely on briefings.

Cheney stinks. And so does his language.