Aides Say Bush* Waited for Facts Before Commenting on Blackout

[kskiska]

By ELISABETH BUMILLER

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 15 — When news of the Northeast blackout hit the West Coast on Thursday, President Bush and his staff seemed to go into a blackout of their own. For nearly four and a half hours, while Mr. Bush huddled with aides in San Diego to sort out the crisis, the White House was publicly silent on a power failure that put the most populous corner of the nation in the dark.

Today Democrats said that Mr. Bush reacted slowly, just as they said he did on Sept. 11, 2001, while Republicans countered that the president was being thorough and prudent. But even supporters said that Mr. Bush's response to the blackout showed how a White House that puts a premium on meticulous, long-range planning does not always react with lightning speed when things abruptly change.

As with Mr. Bush's response to the attacks of Sept. 11, when he waited until that evening to make a formal statement from the White House, it was more important, Republicans said, for the White House to be sure of the facts before the president said the power failure was not caused by terrorism.

"Even if within two hours it was pretty clear, for a president to say something, it's got to be more than pretty clear, it's got to be 100 percent certain," said one Republican with strong ties to the White House.

more…
http://nytimes.com/2003/08/16/national/16BUSH.html

[cally]

1. LOL

Remember the state of the union. These guys will say anything.


"Even if within two hours it was pretty clear, for a president to say something, it's got to be more than pretty clear, it's got to be 100 percent certain," said one Republican with strong ties to the White House.

[htuttle]

2. Do they even listen to what they say?

"Even if within two hours it was pretty clear, for a president to say something, it's got to be more than pretty clear, it's got to be 100 percent certain," said one Republican with strong ties to the White House.

Umm.....Are memories that short? (...IRAQ?)

Nah...they just make this crap up on the spot sometimes, and their mouths move faster than their brains.

[sandnsea]

3. Rolling blackouts???

Even after 2 hours, he still didn't get it right. But then again, he never does.

[Skittles]

4. "meticulous, long-range planning" ???????????????

On WHAT? F***ING UP THE COUNTRY ????????????????????

[diplomats]

35. And like the kind we have

in "postwar" Iraq.

[madrchsod]

5. they must not have anyone

who can "think on their feet". everything has to gone over and over so that bush can understand how he is to react. most intelligent people would offer a short statement then say they will respond in a few hrs or something to that effect. they have to manage bush`s every minute thus costing him that needed instant response to a crisis situation. while guliane was reassuring the nation that new york was still here and "fighting" back..bush was hiding from his responsiblty in just the same way as he did in the veitnam war he hid and became a coward...
i have to use that preview more......

[maryallen]

40. And WHO was left in charge of the United States of America ...

During the blackout?

Andrew Card -- UNELECTED Bush flunkie.

Why, you might ask?
Because Bushie was vacationing in Texas and taking side trips to California to raise money for the upcoming, NONEXISTANT Republican primary for President.

And Dickie-Poo was vacationing, too -- fly-fishing in Wyoming.

Why do we even bother with elections?

[qanda]

6. 100% certain?

I think we were all 100% certain that the power was out. What an idiot!

[LEFTofLEFT]

7. the facts were that he was drunk and no speach writters were around

he had to sober up and wait to be told what to say

[lpbk2713]

14. They had to wait for him to get..........

...... just a little coherent. After all, he'd been chugging Lone Star Beers all afternoon.

[Dan]

15. I was thinking the same thing...

that Bush is a drunk/lush/whatever. And for those of you, unfortunate enough to have had to deal this issue (I know that I am not being showing much sympathy with this particular problem) know when you try to get someone sober, you are dealing with a two hour - sobering up period.

I honestly believe that our dearly beloved president is often under the influence...

I think the only way the truth of this could be determined is - when the president's motorcade passes by - and as the presidential car approaches - if someone would hold up a whiskey bottle - and let it drop; then if Bush jumps out the car trying to catch it before it falls, then we would know the truth.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

8. What a bunch of boobs...

Can we sue for malpractice?

[diamond14]

9. shrub could have come out ASAP and said that EVERYTHING

was being done at the Federal level to get the power back on, get safe drinking water to everyone, get National Guard troops to assure safety on our streets, get transportation moving, provide assistance to hospitals and emergency generators, and involve all levels of Homeland Security, FBI, and CIA to assure that any terrorism is found (shrub still doesn't know what cause it) and that all potential terrorist are deterred while the power/water are out (doesn't shrub realize that someone might try to take advantage of this situation?????)

and shrub should also have quickly returned to OUR Nation's Capital to assure that got done...especially because HERE is where all the major centers of the Government agency's are located...the ones that shrub is in charge of...those that shrub needs to get motivated to get the job done....

while the Canadian Prime Minister declares a "State of Emergency"...shrub gets after eating with his rich campaign donors and continuing his vacation...

[colorado_ufo]

17. He is always conveniently gone

when shit happens. So is the Dick.

[benfranklin1776]

20. Exactly RIGHT!

He was AWOL as usual when his presence was required.

[TruthTeller]

21. He was at the WH in the SOUTHWESTERN WING...

that was the new term I saw posted during a briefing. I guess they couldn't use the Western whitehouse anymore?

TT

[goforit]

10. NOT!

Hello?

[jcc]

11. Sloth

“Mr. Bush's response to the blackout showed how a White House that puts a premium on meticulous, long-range planning does not always react with lightning speed when things abruptly change.”

Hahahahahahaha!

Hand the White House over to a fourth grade girl scout troop Mr. Bush, they plan better than you do!

How many people have died so far because GWB is too slow. Let me count the mountains of bodies.

[dArKeR]

12. I saw the entire first news conference. Junior said nothing. Read the

transscripts. I was his same canned response to 'anything that happens'. I swear you can replace 1-2 key words and you his response is the same for war, religion, visiting Presidents, terrorism, blackouts...

The only thing we can be sure of is he sort of told a lie. Chimp said it wasn't terrorism but in FACT no one knows that even now. Junior should have said, 'This wasn't one of Cheney's or Rumsfeld's Special Ops (like 9/11) so we're assuming it's not terrorism. We know when it's going to be terrorism and who did the second it happens because we made it happen or we let it happen.

[NYC]

13. So what are the facts?

Did anyone hear Bush report the facts?

[radfringe]

16. swearin' and cussin' at the TV last night

been busy getting the house ready for the invasion of the in-laws this weekend so haven't kept up with the news on the black-out... around 9:30 last night I flipped on the boob-tube, while channel surfing I caught a brief story about AWOL and the blackout... it started me a swearin' and cussin'

AWOL is having a joint investigation with Canada into the cause of the blackout. Now while such an inquiry/investigation is needed, this sudden rush to investigate highlighted some glaring inconsistencies...

September 11, over 3,000 dead, we've been attacked and AWOL DIDN'T want an investigation, dragged his feet until forced to investigate several MONTHS after 9/11.

Those "16 little words" that sent us into an illegal war ....errrrr ummmmmm no Investigation (yet)

Power goes out on 8/14, and the next day BANG we have an investigation????!!!!

Is this a political ploy because sElection '04 is upon us and it's a chance to make some points with the public? Or is it a way to control such an investigation to make sure his buddies at the power companies don't take the fall?

Sorry for the :tinfoilhat: - but when he's dragged his feet and balked at other investigations for months, but jumps on this issue so quickly .... something stinks worse than a barrel of decomposing Texas catfish in the hot August sun

[jamesinca]

18. I think he is moving on this because of no foul play

that or he feels he needs to counter anything the Canadienn govt. should find.

9/11: he screwd up, foot drag
SOTU: he screwd up, foot drag

He would not be able to hold the border states if he let the news from Canada rain on his parade, so he needs to be there to counter it if there is something wrong. BBC reports are only know to the world outside of the U.S. and people on the DU. Easily countered. But the press in Canada may be a little harder to deal with.

[snippy]

19. Turd Blossom Rove needed time to poll a focus group.

[MaineDem]

22. Since when have they let facts influence them?

I want to believe them...I really do. But those days are long gone!

[chiburb]

23. Why * Waited: Bush "Pioneer" Caused the Power Blackout!!!!!

Those of us left in sweltering darkness Thursday and Friday have a Bush crony to thank.

ABC News says the massive blackaout began in a power transmission line in suburban Cleveland. What should have been a local problem spread so far because the Ohio power company that owned the line failed to separate itself from the grid.

"A spokesman for the Ohio power company, FirstEnergy Corp., said it had followed all proper procedures but would not comment specifically on whether it had triggered the huge blackout by failing to separate...."(Brian Ross, "Where It All Began, ABC News, August 15, 2003)

First Energy is the nation's 10th-largest investor-owned electric utility. It owns fossil and nuclear power plants and also produces and sells oil and gas.

The President of First Energy, Tony Alexander, is a Bush "Pioneer," meaning he raised more than $100,000 in individual contributions for the 2000 Bush presidential campaign. Alexander was also a major player in the Bush Energy Transition Team, according to the National Resources Defense Council. Read more ...

(Special thanks to tridim and DoYouEverWonder on Democratic Underground forum.)


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=6269

http://www.mahablog.com/

[peekaloo]

24. He had to give 3 "speeches" in one day

poor guy was on the verge of a blackout himself. }(

[gratuitous]

25. Did everyone miss this lie in the story?

"As with Mr. Bush's response to the attacks of Sept. 11, when he waited until that evening to make a formal statement from the White House . . ."

Does anyone remember Bunnypants making a formal statement from the White House the evening of Sept. 11, 2001? I seem to recall he was still "trying to get out of harm's way" by running like a scared rabbit, first to New Orleans and then to Omaha. "White House"? Pfff! "Yellow Streak"!

[MaineDem]

26. I seem to remember he did

That day seems 48 hours long to me, in retrospect, but I'm pretty sure he spoke from the WH that night.

[gratuitous]

29. Darn my fair and balanced conscience!

I googled Bunnypants' speeches, and found a story on CNN that Dopey did indeed address the nation that very night, though neither the story nor the context of the speech indicate where he was at the time he gave it.

There were some unintentionally humorous passages in it, anyway. Stuff like finding those responsible and how "as soon as he heard about" the attacks, President Stupidhead sprang into action and ordered this and ordered that.

[robbedvoter]

28. In all fairness, I think there was ALSO one from the WH

The one that I do remember was the bunker tape that CNN couldn't make work (Nebraska?). Of course I missed the all purpose statement on Thursday (being in the blackout)
Someone commented at coronation type that a CEO administration will be OK while things run smooth, but completely unprepared for the unforseen.

[rocktivity]

27. What facts did he need? That it was dark?

It took him four hours to figure out that people were in the dark? Or did he think the lights would be back on by then? And how can he rule out a terrorist attack if no one knows how it happened?


rocknation

[chiburb]

30. He had to wait to figure the spin...

Once it came out that one of his bigger supporters caused the blackout. See post #23 above...

[PATRICK]

31. So then

total inability to diagnose at least the source of the problem is yet another scandalous weakness of our energy net? Beautiful. Why couldn't they run a garage computer diagnostic.

"Something is wrong with your engine."

So which is it? Another sign of massive insufferable incompetence or a face-saving lie?

[Cocoa]

32. ABC News claimed he "immediately arranged a press conference"

It was some young pup late at night, and it was so stupid and infuriating because it was so obviously not true. It was this kid's own network that reported Bush initially declined to comment at all, this being a "domestic issue."

[Mari333]

33. He waited for his Hangover to subside

[GreenGreenLimaBean]

34. What BullShiite

How is it that bush* knows it wasn't terrorism when nobody knew
what caused the outage????

The answer is indeed that they know what caused it, but won't tell
for fear of political embarassment.

Final thought. Why does bush* immediately appoint a commision to
investigate the outage, but fought tooth and nail not to have
a commision investigate 9-11??

[ninkasi]

36. They lie so much they get themselves tangled up.

Remember the famous 16 words in the SOTU address? After his words were proven to be lies, the administration's excuse was "the president is not a fact checker."

But this time, he wanted to be completely sure of the facts? Not knowing all the facts didn't stop the mayor from trying to bring a sense of calm and order, while reassuring the public that the blackout was being investigated, and that everything was being done to restore power.

A few words of assurance from Chimp? No, too busy fund raising, got to check the facts. Destroy another country? LET'S GIT 'EM!

[leftofthedial]

37. STate of the Union though

only has to be about 70% certain

[leftofthedial]

38. The Cretin King and aides huddled

to figure out the absolute best amount of soda to put in two ounces of scotch.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

39. Here are a few more interesting facts...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=100748