NYT: Bush Aide Will Lead Hurricane Inquiry

[DeepModem Mom]

Bush Aide Will Lead Hurricane Inquiry
By RICHARD W. STEVENSON and CARL HULSE
Published: September 20, 2005


WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 - President Bush has named Frances Fragos Townsend, his domestic security adviser, to lead an internal White House inquiry into the administration's performance in handling Hurricane Katrina, Scott McClellan, Mr. Bush's spokesman, said Monday.

Mr. McClellan said Ms. Townsend's job would be "to follow through on the president's commitment to determine what went wrong, what went right and lessons learned."

Ms. Townsend, a former federal prosecutor, has undertaken a number of sensitive and high-profile tasks for Mr. Bush, most recently overseeing the reorganization of the nation's intelligence services after the intelligence failures about Iraq's weapons capabilities.

A Republican who served in the Clinton administration's Justice Department before holding a number of jobs under Mr. Bush, Ms. Townsend has a reputation for being tough and independent. But her appointment is unlikely to mute calls from Democrats in Congress for a fully independent investigation.

Mr. McClellan said the White House had instructed each cabinet secretary to designate a senior official to work with Ms. Townsend. He said she would convene a meeting of the cabinet secretaries within a few days to discuss the inquiry....


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/20/national/nationalspecial/20cong.html

[tanyev]

1. "Three hours later, Ms. Townsend finished her inquiry and

announced that the administration had done nothing wrong."

[Toots]

22. Too many words in your sentence..Please eliminate last word.

:+

[tanyev]

37. That would make it more accurate, but much less likely, wouldn't it?

:banghead:

[SpiralHawk]

2. How con-veeeenient

To have your own lackeys sniff your own BushCo bum.

My Prophecy: Absolutely Odorless.

Ultimate Judgement: It's all Bill Clinton's fault. As usual.

[rodeodance]

3. same article--Jr to squeeze blood from dry turnips!

Under intense pressure from conservatives to hold the line on spending as the government confronts the bill for Hurricane Katrina, the White House resisted calls to delay the new prescription drug benefit for the elderly and suggested that Congress instead look for savings in a wide range of other domestic programs identified by President Bush.

Mr. McClellan appeared to rule out a proposal floated by Republicans on Capitol Hill to put off for one year the start of the new Medicare prescription drug benefit, a delay that could save the government $40 billion.

Asked at a briefing whether Mr. Bush would consider the delay, Mr. McClellan said it was "important to move forward on the prescription drug benefit, and we are."

Despite protests from some Republican leaders who say there is little room to squeeze domestic programs, the White House urged Congress to revisit scores of proposed cuts contained in Mr. Bush's budget for the coming fiscal year, most of which have been ignored by the House and Senate.

[progressivebydesign]

16. That is just SO wrong! Didn't anyone warn the evacuees of Bush?

Anytime he poses with you for the camera, he cuts programs that are going to help you. Once again, he does it. The real story, the one that the so-called journalists miss, is that Bush is further creating the poverty conditions that led to so much of the disaster in New Orleans and Mississippi by cutting domestic programs.

[Triana]

4. What a transparent FARCE

WHY the hell does he even BOTHER. EVERYONE knows this is just a whitewash dog and pony show!

Puhleeeeeeeeze.

[leftofcool]

5. The Clintons did it! eom

[MaineDem]

6. "overseeing the reorganization of the nation's intelligence services"

And we've seen how well that's gone!

[shance]

18. Id say its gone quite well for them. Now, Citizens however,

thats another story.

[Beetwasher]

7. Oh Brother! You Thought His Polls Tanked After His Speech?

Wait until this makes the rounds. They just don't care about appearances anymore, at all, and that in itself is frightening.

[msmcghee]

17. I don't think he's proposing this as "the" investigation . .

He claimed he wanted to know what went wrong and right.

The congressional probe is now dead in the water. He'll be praised for going forward at this level. No matter how biased the report might be. That's why Rove told him to do it.

If he didn't he would be criticized for letting it drop after congress was unable to get anything going - proving how uncaring he is.

Congress can still put together a truly independent inquiry if they want to.

[kenny blankenship]

8. Another "Get Kissinger, a warcriminal, to chair 911 commission" moment

Only this is even worse since the whitewasher works directly for the Bush White House.

[UpInArms]

9. LOL!

Now that ought to get to the real difficulties.

:rofl:

[DFWJock]

10. In other news

fox to guard henhouse.

[Arkansas Granny]

25. And after spitting out a mouthful of feathers, announces all is well.

[leesa]

11. He found one who was not already arrested or indicted?

Do we have to pay for this GOP whitewash, or is it coming out of GOP campaign funds?

[yellowcanine]

12. Innovative to have Mrs. Fox investigate what happened to the henhouse.

Give credit where credit is due.

Do you suppose Mrs. Fox will ask Mr. Fox, "What do you know about the henhouse and when did you know it?"

[canichelouis]

21. Her connections

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/story/222210p-190958c.html


But many were stunned when Townsend became the National Security Council's terrorism expert in 2003 and Bush's terror spokeswoman this summer. Bush appointed her homeland security adviser in May.

One possible explanation for her dramatic reversal of fortune: Husband John Townsend, a prominent D.C. lawyer, graduated from Yale in 1968 with Bush. She also has been a registered Republican since at least 1995.

[gratuitous]

13. So, will she have subpoena power?

Will she be able to interview folks under oath? When is her report due? To whom will she report? What are her remedies for recalcitrant or lying witnesses? Can she talk to anyone she wants, or will she only be able to talk to "senior officials" who can simply answer "I don't know," and that will be the end of it? What size staff will she have? Who is her media liaison?

You know, if we had a working Fourth Estate in this country, some of these questions might have occurred to someone. As it is, we have to settle for the New York Times and their fluffernutter reportage.

[Doctor_J]

14. Pure, unadulterated evil

Satan's running the country.

[Imagevision]

15. This criminal Prez refuses to allow the truth be known ever...!

Bush, I'm going to conduct my own investigation? - this shit is getting so old...! Fact of the matter, the commander of the Iwo Jima had 2 helicopters 8 miles off NO. port and was quoted as saying;
"I need the go ahead from the President to begin rescue operations"

[Rose Siding]

19. She's a former mob prosecutor.

At last; an appropriate work history for a bush appointee!

Except, of course, she's zoomed up through the inner circle with the speed of a sycophant. Would he ever advance anyone who tells him the truth?

The bump to "domestic security adviser" is the one raised questions.

The Post did a profile on her recently...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/26/AR2005082601511.html

snip>
....Some longtime counterterrorism professionals complain that Townsend was not prepared for such an extraordinary task. Others nurse resentments that as a Justice Department official she did not do more to ensure that information on terrorist threats was shared more widely inside the government before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

But by all accounts, Townsend has impressed Bush with a tough efficiency and a bit of a swagger that resembles his own. Her influence has grown to the point that Cabinet secretaries and agency directors who do not normally return media calls about White House staff members rush to phone with lavish praise for a profile.

"She obviously has the confidence of the president, and that has a huge impact on her ability to influence the process," said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. She is the "coordinator, the facilitator, the bridge," as FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III put it, between the powerful institutions and clashing egos of a war cabinet. Townsend is both "honest broker" in the many internal debates, said national security adviser Stephen J. Hadley, and "crisis manager" during terrorist attacks such as the recent London bombings.

[Psst_Im_Not_Here]

20. What do we know about Fran Townsend?

Did a Google search on her and it turns out that Novac doesn't seem to care for her at all. In an opinion piece titled "Bush's Enemy Within"

"Townsend began her government career in 1985 as a local prosecutor in Brooklyn, working under District Attorney Elizabeth Holtzman, a prominent liberal Democratic activist. Three years later, Townsend moved to the U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan -- notoriously liberal-laden amid a Republican administration. Townsend's boss and patron there was Jo Ann Harris, whose orientation was liberal Democratic."

But it goes on the say that she was endorsed by Tenet and Ashcroft. However, she was originally under Reno during the Clinton administration. And according to US NEws and World Report, she is a close personal friend and adviser to Reno.?!?!

It also said that she is a registered Republican, if you ask me, it seems as though she's a walking contradiction. Anyone else have some info on her?

[KoKo]

36. I think WaPo did an article on her and from what I remember

from the read I didn't like her credentials. Apparently Bush just loves her from the article and she has huge power like Karen Hughes. I almost got the feeling when Karen Left the WH this little gal (and she is very tiny, according to what the article said) has Bush's ear at all times.

I'll see if I can dig up the article. It mentioned the tie to Reno but not Liz Holtzman. I never cared for Reno,anyway...she wasn't tough enough on clamping down on Clinton investigations.(Unlike Asscroft who stopped everything and now Gonzales) Reno had a chance to stop the Whitewater Witch Hunt which turned into the Hunting of the President. I always thought she turned on Clinton or was never in the Dem Camp in the first place. Her actions with the "Davidion Cult" where all those people died in the fire was abominable.

[Massachusetts]

23. The Court Jester bush

is always amusing...........

[Orion The Hunter]

24. Two words:

White Wash

[jasmeel]

26. Bush: Townsend to lead Katrina inquiry

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050920/pl_nm/katrina_bush_inquiry_dc

A total * whore to lead the inquiry into Katrina. How fitting.
<snip>
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S.
President George W. Bush has named his homeland security adviser, Fran Townsend, to lead an internal inquiry into the much-criticized federal response to Hurricane Katrina, the White House said on Tuesday.

Townsend will look at "what went right, what went wrong and lessons learned from the federal response to Hurricane Katrina," said spokesman Trent Duffy, who spoke as Bush prepared to make his fifth trip to the disaster zone.

Bush has come under heavy fire for his handling of the hurricane and its aftermath. A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll released on Monday said 41 percent of Americans approved of his handling of the ordeal, compared to 57 percent who disapproved.

A separate congressional inquiry will also investigate what went wrong with the federal response. But Bush so far has refused to back calls from Democrats for an independent commission to look at the disaster response.<snip>

[converted_democrat]

27. I feel soooo much better, I'll be able to sleep better knowing that a *

lackey is on the job!!

:sarcasm:

[greatscat]

32. OT

Sorry off-topic, but wanted to let all y'all know that CrooksandLiars is having server problems that should be corrected any moment, if not already.

[merwin]

28. "The president said he wanted to hold people accountable."

Yeah, because he doesn't want people to find out that HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HIRING INCOMPETENT IDIOTS!

[FredScuttle]

29. Won't Get Fooled Again!

[FVZA_Colonel]

30. So, one of the people who received the most criticism...

has picked the person to lead the investigation into where the fault lies? I feel so good knowing this, and that those damnd Democrats couldn't get their lousy, rotten, no good "bipartisan" investigation! :sarcasm:

[Catrina]

31. It's time to start screaming about this idiocy

In a poll yesterday, 82% backed an INDEPENDENT investigation!! That means both Repubs and Dems and everyone else. So how is he getting away with this?

An overwhelming majority disagree with him and his Republican Senators, so maybe it's time to let Republicans hear from the people now. We've been writing to Democrats, while giving up on Republicans, but imo, it's time to start letting them know they are no longer in a good position to go against the people. Even my Republican friends are now furious over this administration.

Pressure forced Bush to get rid of Brownie, although I think he was the least of the problems, something he's never done before. This is the moment to bring the whole cabal down, and if the opportunity passes, it will be our own fault, imo. Pressuring Republicans sounds like a good place to start.

There is a tide in the affairs of men, when taken at the flood, leads on to fortune

I think the tide is just right to go after them now ~ before it recedes!

[WhiteTara]

33. If it weren't so terrible that would be one of the

funniest things that I have read in a long time. Fox meet henhouse.
:grr:

[QC]

34. BREAKING NEWS: Fox to Head Henhouse Security Investigation! n/t

[Dr Fate]

35. Democrats need to be on TV asking "What are they hiding?"

n/t

[The_Casual_Observer]

38. The US govenment runs like "Freedonia"

only with bush instead of Groucho.

[DrZeeLit]

39. My immediate response: JUST PLAIN STUPID.

But you know.... Great.... Let him be a putz about it.
Another 10 points down in the polls, another few nails in his coffin.

How can they be so dumb?
Do they just NOT get it?
OR do they really, truly, honestly think we won't notice?

I didn't think these idiots could make me any madder or sicker, but HEY... the hits just keep comin', don't they?

[paulthompson]

40. Townshend AWOL during most of Katrina crisis!

From the LA Times:

Frances Townsend, the White House coordinator for homeland security, was vacationing, too. After Katrina struck, she attended several meetings in Washington, then left on a previously scheduled trip for Saudi Arabia to work on joint counterterrorism projects.

Bush urged Townsend to make the trip despite the crisis at home as a "signal to … the enemy" that the hurricane had not distracted his attention from terrorists, one aide said.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-plan11sep11,0,2153804.story

[Starbucks Anarchist]

41. I saw her on TV a year ago.

This was during the "terror threats" to NYC's financial district which turned out to be based on very old intelligence, but was put out right before the election.

She was being interviewed on CNN and kept rambling on about the "threat." I swear to God, she was practically crying out of desperation.