Ex-Sen. Kerrey Joins Sept. 11 Commission

[Khephra]

WASHINGTON -- Former Sen. Bob Kerrey, D-Neb., who served as vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, was named Tuesday to fill a vacancy on the independent commission studying the Sept. 11 attacks.

Kerrey replaces former Sen. Max Cleland, D-Ga., who left to become a director of the Export-Import Bank. The appointment was made by Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D.

"This is the most important commission Congress has created in my time in public office," Daschle said, calling Kerrey the right choice to "aggressively pursue the facts wherever they may lead."

Kerrey, president of New School University in New York, joins a 10-member commission with equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans.

more..............

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-sept-11-commission-kerrey,0,6733444.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[CaptainClark23]

1. Backcheck time

I suppose it was too much to hope for a truly independent outsider's voice on the commission.

So now we need to backcheck and figure out where Kerrey ties into the airline industry.

Without having any substantive evidence, I've a feeling Dashle has let us down.


ON EDIT:


snips:
A POLITICAL THREAT TO U.S. SECURITY

By BOB KERREY

(Re: Senate Intel Comm. Memo)

...The production of a memo by an employee of a Democratic member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence is an example of the destructive side of partisan politics. That it probably emerged as a consequence of an increasingly partisan environment in Washington and may have been provoked by equally destructive Republican acts is neither a comfort nor a defensible rationalization....


....Keeping these committees non-partisan is vital for the nation's security because much of what is done to collect, process and disseminate intelligence needed by civilian and military leaders is done under conditions of rigorously regulated secrecy...

....I believe this is the only way the committees can perform their unique and vital mission. And the chairman and vice-chairman need consistent support from both the Republican and Democratic leaders to keep partisan politics from influencing the work of the committee. Otherwise, short-term partisan gains - no matter its justification - will be purchased with long-term national-security losses.

For the sake of peace and security, Americans should hope and insist that this cynical memorandum be used as a wake-up call to push the partisan politics out of the work of these committees....

http://www.nypost.com/postopinion/opedcolumnists/10137.htm

end snips


Lovely. Keep secrets from the people to keep political peace. Anyone think this guy is really gonna be working for getting Truth to the people?

[mobuto]

2. What are you talking about?

Bob Kerrey was one of the brightest, most capable and most honest men in the United States Congress. He's a really great guy.

The Intelligence Committee memos were indeed somewhat embarassing; I think what he's trying to show is that he's not afraid to attack Democrats when he feels they've done something meritricios. But if you look over his long record as Governor of Nebraska and in the Senate, you'll find he's long been an outspoken progressive of unquestionable character.

[CaptainClark23]

4. Perhaps you are right

I admit not knowing as much as I ought to about him before passing judgement. Since he came to NYC, I have heard decent things about him.

I attibute my negativity about him to my feelings about the Keane Commission in general.

I used to not be automatically suspect by association, the past couple of years have changed that.

I'll still hope for the best, but I am certainly going to expect the worst.

[papau]

13. Kerry is an honest guy/war hero-but Kristen Breitweiser was a better pick

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=512&ncid=703&e=8&u=/ap/20031209/ap_on_go_co/sept_11_commission_kerrey

Ex-Sen. Kerrey Joins Sept. 11 Commission
53 minutes ago Add Politics - U. S. Congress to My Yahoo!


By LAURENCE ARNOLD, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - <snip>The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States was given 18 months to study the nation's preparedness before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and its response after them. Its report is due May 27.


"He has a lot of work to catch up on, and we hope he's committed to finding the truth," said Kristen Breitweiser of New Jersey, a leader of the grass-roots movement that successfully lobbied for an independent commission. Her husband Ronald was among 2,750 people killed at the World Trade Center.


Cleland had been an outspoken member of the commission, condemning its decision to negotiate with the White House over secret documents rather than subpoena the material.


Former Rep. Tim Roemer, D-Ind., who has also criticized the commission's dealings with the White House, praised the selection of Kerrey.


"This is a very solid and smart choice," Roemer said. "Bob Kerrey, with his intelligence background and his political experience, can hit the ground in a full sprint."

[Eloriel]

7. I think he's a signatory to PNAC, isn't he?

Or some other really right wing org. I used to want him to run for Pres.

Eloriel

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

11. Kerry is another PNAC'er

Was part of a propaganda group. While I have no issue with the other contents of your post, it does diminish his credibility a bit with me.

[Jerseycoa]

3. Huh? (eom)

[seemslikeadream]

5. I seem to remember him speaking up

about georgie being AWOL ages ago.

[gauguin57]

6. now we're getting somewhere

When I read the title of this thread, I instantly thought, "NOW we're getting somewhere!" I love and respect Bob Kerrey (and YES, he was one of the early voices, during the 2000 campaign, bringing up Dumbya's AWOL status on political talk shows. McCain shouted him down, though.) Bob Kerrey was my choice for presidential candidate when Clinton got the nom. in 1992.

He's been damaged by the civivilian killing story from his Vietnam days. He's too much in his head ... too much of a naval-gazer ... for many people's taste. He's gone off to head a university and start a new family with his former SNL-writer wife.

But I think he kicks ass. He has integrity ... he'll be a good guy on this (or any other) commision.

The gun nuts say it about Charleton Heston ... I say it of this guy ...

"Bob Kerrey is MY president."

[Say_What]

8. TAKE ACTION: 9/11 widow is suing Bush and Co. under RICO laws

Press releases were sent to 3,000 media outlets and 1 (ONE) reported this news. I'd say in an election year that this is BIG news. I think it is important to get this message out to all the media sources and pres. candidates that we can to make sure they know that people are aware of this. Here's the press release and a link to Ellen Mariani's open letter to Bush, which is posted to 9/11 Citizens Watch. View the entire text of the law suit here. One of the media outlets I contacted was Freespeech.org--they sent me a reply that they had already contacted Ellen's attorney and that they would have them on in January. Stay tuned. I also sent it to Democracy Now, Dennis Kucinich, and others.

<clips>

911 Victim’s Wife Files RICO Case Against GW Bush
Thursday, 27 November 2003, 1:35 pm
Press Release: Ellen Mariani Lawsuit
For Immediate Release: - 11/26/03
Philip J. Berg, Esquire


News Conference – Wednesday - 11/26/03 – 12 Noon
5th & Ranstead Streets, Philadelphia


911 Victim’s Wife, Ellen Mariani, files RICO Act

Federal Court Complaint against President Bush
and Cabinet Members

(Philadelphia, PA – 11/26/03) - Philip J. Berg, Esquire, announced today that he, attorney for Ellen Mariani, wife of Louis Neil Mariani, who died when United Air Lines flight 175 was flown into the South Tower of the World Trade Center on 9-11 at a news conference regarding the filing of a detailed Amended Complaint in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on 11/26/03 in the case of Mariani vs. Bush et al that he is alleging President Bush and officials including, but not limited to Cheney, Ashcroft, Rumsfeld and Feinberg that they:

1. had knowledge/warnings of 911 and failed to warn or take steps to prevent;

2. have been covering up the truth of 911; and

3. have therefore violated the laws of the United States; and

4. are being sued under the Civil RICO Act.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0311/S00261.htm

[grasswire]

9. it was Bob Kerrey...

.....who called a press conference on the Friday before election 2000 to challenge Bush to explain his absence from the National Guard.

(He had just read the Boston Globe's expose.) (The news was obliterated by the DUI story, broken by Rove through FOX's Carl Cameron.)

[grasswire]

10. argggghhhh

Did they appoint Kerrey to keep him from running for office?

They do this kind of thing.

[underpants]

12. He used to date Debra Winger too

Okay that was from the irrelevant People magazine file...I'll just file it back where it was.

[CaptainClark23]

14. further...

She was in the Israeli Army for three months!

That proves it!

well, proves something. maybe.

you're right, put this one back where it was.

[DemonFighterLives]

15. Gee, I missed this

Kick.
I think Bob Kerry is pretty cool. Are people sure he was a PNAC'er?
I think he is rich though, I remember an old Dem. survey where they asked about getting rid of the debt and were looking for donations. I replied, " just have John and Bob Kerry and a few others pay off the debt." That was years ago. I hope he brings the commission to the forefront of the news. It has been stonewalled and hidden long enough.

[lostnfound]

16. Not a signatory of PNAC but many similar ties

According to the PNAC website the following are signatories (NOT Kerrey): Elliott Abrams, Gary Bauer, William J. Bennett, Jeb Bush,
Dick Cheney, Eliot A. Cohen, Midge Decter, Paula Dobriansky, Steve Forbes, Aaron Friedberg, Francis Fukuyama, Frank Gaffney, Fred C. Ikle, Donald Kagan, Zalmay Khalilzad, I. Lewis Libby, Norman Podhoretz,Dan Quayle, Peter W. Rodman, Stephen P. Rosen,Henry S. Rowen, Donald Rumsfeld, Vin Weber, George Weigel, Paul Wolfowitz

But he is on the "Committee to Liberate Iraq" alongside Richard Perle & James Woolsey -- guess that's the propaganda group nothingshocksmeanymore referred to. http://www.endthewar.org/whoiscli2.htm

He's also a Skull & Bones guy. http://www.guerrillanews.com/counter_intelligence/doc809.html