The Official "Media Spin" on Bush/911 Thread for Wednesday 3/4

[KoKo]

I'm hoping that anyone who hear's media spin on the 9/11 hearings can post in this thread so that we can keep it all together for reference.

I'll start off with Howard Fineman on Imus this a.m. spinning that Clark's book is more about getting the "Clinton's off the hook for not getting Al Queda than it is about any problems Shrub had." (paraphrase) He said "after all Bush didn't go into Iraq first he waited until after going into Afghanistan so it doesn't matter whether he said Iraq was a problem on the day of 9/11 because he did wait." (paraphrase)

What other spin has anyone heard this a.m. or last night on the cables.
I couldn't watch because I have house guests, so I'm in and out.

Can we keep this thread going?

[chefgirl]

1. My overall impression

It seems to me to be shaping up as something like:
'Well, Clinton wasn't able to do anything about the terra-ists either, so no big deal'

As usual, its all Clinton's fault. Nothing new here.

-chef-

[Enraged_Ape]

5. There they go again: "Well, Clinton did it too!!!"

I thought these clowns were supposed to be anti-Clinton. Economically, there's no doubt that's true. But for people who hated Clinton so bad, they sure seem to love and embrace just about everything Clinton did.

[smartass]

2. Hannity said a million times that Clarke is a disgruntled employee .

And other Fox shills said alluded to the fact that Clarke was a French sympathizer.

[rvgwinn]

4. disgruntled employee

The letter he wrote on resignation didn't sound like a disgruntled employee.they are reading the letter showing trying to show he was of the same mind with the administration.

[The Zanti Regent]

3. Whoreward Fineman does his job

All Whoreward does is blame Clinton and praise Der Führer!

[KoKo]

12. Fineman trashed CBS for connection with Clarke publisher Viacom, etc.

Which is laughable knowing that Faux is the RW conduit for Regnerey publishing which has pumped the RW hate books for years! The fact that "Slimeman" was going after CBS for what the whole media does due to Media De-reg. shows what camp he's in and has always been in.

The WH seems to have pulled on the leash and told their "favorite reporters" to heel! They are all out there. It's interesting to see how they operate...the Media Whores when they are brought in line. :grr:

[i_c_a_White_Ghost]

6. At least Fineman said the White House was disingenuous

regarding the letter of resignation

Can some tell me how i can change my profile? thanks

[cally]

23. You can change your profile

by going to the Lobby or Latest Page. Then click on "options" which is at the top of the page. Click the link to "Edit my Profile."

[Ganja Ninja]

7. Here's how I see the media's handling of the hearings so far.

It seems to me they are trying to show that both Clinton and Bush didn't do enough before 9/11 to get bin Laden. The whole thing about this is that neither Clinton or Bush could go into Afghanistan and be sure of getting him. After all if we haven't gotten bin Laden by now after we have had troops in the country for over a year than what could they have done before we sent in troops? If it were an easy thing to do we would have done it all ready.

This is all misdirection anyway. The real question is what did we do here at home to make American's safe before 9/11 when we knew there was a specific threat to commercial air travelers in this country?

We know what the Bush administration did. When the FBI told them back in the summer of 2001 that there was a threat to commercial aircraft and passengers they decided to look out for themselves by using privately leased jets for travel. This callous disregard for everyone but themselves left the fate of our domestic air travelers in the hands of al Qaeda.

[papau]

8. RW radio talk is French Kerry - Today show code word GOP Congress

prevention of Clinton invasion response as a "coded word/phrase" saying "public would not have accepted"

Never the GOP's fault.

Ignore switch is on for Bush's dropped meetings on Terror from 2/01 to 9/01.

"Developed new more intense plan that included invasion that was given Bush week before 9/11" is being dropped because someone noticed that the plan was a "3 years of warning then invade before 04 election" plan.

All the warnings from intel did not say which building in New York would be hit, so so all Bush phrases say intel was not good enough - just like the actually imprecise intel Clinton received.

Polite Clarke resignation letter saying Bush showed resolved standing on rubble in NY just after 9/11, is proof that he has changed his mind so as to get book profits - or something.

No mention how Clark confirms O'Neil who confirmed the General, etc.

Pipeline in Afghanistan discussions pre-911 strictly off limits.

Bush budget cuts to terror budget are not mentioned.

Even Russert was hard pressed to do his dump on Clinton, kiss Bush's ass routine today.

[jean]

9. Michael Isikoff (Newsweek) on c-span this morning

said he doesn't think Clarke's info can be impeached because of Clarke's position in the gov't and long term expertise in terrorism.

Isikoff also said the hearings yesterday were interesting because of all the new info that came from staff statements...like all the details on the Clinton admin - "WHY didn't Clinton retaliate after the Cole attack?"

Isikoff thought the staff statements were the most compelling from yesterday's testimony: Staffers said they NEVER felt that terrorism had the attention of Rumsfeld (for one thing)

He said Dem Commissioner Roemer (by holding up Clarke's book and quoting from it) is politicizing things and trying to force Rice to testify.

A caller referred to the $43 million b*sh gave to the Taliban and asked Isikoff if the admin was so aware of, informed about and focused on al-Queda why did they give millions to the Taliban, the supporting structure of al-Q?

[smartass]

10. 43 mil! Good one.

[Ganja Ninja]

11. It amazes me how a caller on C-span can...

ask a more insightful question than the national media or the members of this commission. This is our tax dollars at work and I think we deserve a little better than the stupidity we've seen so far.

[smartass]

14. It's sad that Jon Stewart is the only media member with balls.

[frylock]

19. "WHY didn't Clinton retaliate after the Cole attack?"

google barbara bodine uss cole john o'neill.

[kiahzero]

22. Would you please stop floating that turd?

A caller referred to the $43 million b*sh gave to the Taliban and asked Isikoff if the admin was so aware of, informed about and focused on al-Queda why did they give millions to the Taliban, the supporting structure of al-Q?

It didn't happen... the money was given to the UN and NGOs.

[bobbieinok]

27. actually, there's quite a bit of disagreement over what really happened

your view is not the only one that is being strongly presented and defended

(I don't know what the truth about this is. I just know there've been several strongly argued DU discussions about this)

[KoKo]

13. Did anyone see Jamie Gorelick the 9/11 Comish Member on C-Span?

How was she? I turned it on at the very end so didn't get to see anything.

[jean]

16. Yes - she was excellent (my bias is showing) and her segment

should be replayed later today. She talked to quite a few callers and is just so bright, steady and strong.

If you have young daughters, let them watch her in action - she's a great role model.

[charlie105]

15. The right-wing talk radio phonies have already

started on their strategy of discrediting the commission. Oxyboy and Sean 'Folks-I'm-telling-you-these-people-are-politicizing-the-most-important-issue-of-our-times' Hannity, Ann The Man, Dr. Laura etc. have pronounced the commission as partisan and politics-driven. This way, when the end result of the investigation comes out with Bushco in a politically unflattering light, they can always say "I told you so!".
It's so fulfilling to see these guys with their backs to the wall. Their rhetoric gets shriller and sounds more insane.

:bounce:

[KharmaTrain]

17. Some Spin Notes...Koko

Some are already out here...the disgruntled employee (aren't they all???...and how come there weren't as that many post-Clinton books other than Judas Stepenfetchit?), not of sound mind (anyone who serves in that regime should require some detoxing and delousing) and in it for the money (as though this regime and it's raiding of our treasury isn't sufficient)...here are some observations I have and a predictions or two.

I was as riveted to the hearings yesterday as much as I had since the Iran/Contra-Ollie North and Watergate/John Dean days. The testimony was unusually candid in light of the usual beltway ass kissing and covering that goes on. Some think Albright was too light on the regime, but she showed the benchmark of where the "war on terra" had evovled during the Clinton days and where it was left off on 1/20/01...a day just as important as 9/11...and one we need to keep as a big reference date. This is the great divide in the real breakdown...how this regime totally ignored the 8 years of work Clinton did, the recommendations of the Rudman Commission (is he or Gary Hart scheduled to appear???) and the attacks that were prevented. There's a big disconect here that the media is starting to sniff at...at least those suffering through the Snotty Scotty show yesterday did.

I expect Clarke to really light a fire today...tying together the sincere attempts at taking on Al Queda by Clinton and the Neo-Con "get Iraq, get oil, get money" mentality of the Bushbots. The contrasts on how these two administrations approached the problem will be shown in its true black and white that even a freeper couldn't sweep under his hive. LIHOP is turning into reality at "best" or this regime was totally inept at worst...this is a tar baby that really is beginning to stick on this regime and their spinning is digging them deeper. Look at how many contractions we've gotten just from yesterday's testimony. Today will provide another treasure trove.

The real achillies heel of this regime is its inability to admit it makes or made mistakes or assume any responsibility. There hasn't been a shread of remorse or regret over wrong choices made or their ever-growing consequences. Instead it's blame others (Clinton is target one, but I think this dog isn't really hunting) as the facts show that 9/11 occured on Bunnypant's watch! We can never, ever forget this...and how nothing has been done to make this nation safe or free from a similar attack in the future. There hasn't been a substantial arrest (surely not on the level of what the Clinton/Reno Justice Dept. did in the wake of the '93 WTC bombings) or real look at what causes Arab militant to want to fly into buildings (dare we tread on the imperialistic/culture/religious war being waged here???). This regime even attempts to boast it's done a great job and is spinning that tune real loudly right now in attempts to drown out the outpouring of facts and results of their ineptness and arrogance.

I expect Clinton to play Strawman here...I already hear the WJ Wingnut callers claim it was his libido that pre-occupied the nation thus let Al Queda flourish (instead of shinning the light on the endless inquisition by the Wingnuts that wagged the impeachment dog). The only way I think to really squash this puppy is to have the Big Dog step forward and testify and then level both barrels at this regime. Poppy Bush didn't hesitate, Clinton shouldn't either!

I know Clinton has his book ready to roll later this summer and may be holding back for the "stretch run"...but his voice in this story has to be heard to show what responsibility is all about, and remind the many "in the middle" what intelligent leadership is all about.

Cheers...

[KoKo]

20. IMRadioactive, thanks for the "hearings" report. I have Repug Guests

and so my ability to monitor much is limited. Gotta keep the "peace" here somehow! ;-) so this thread is helpful since these hearings are so important and the spin and yet I can't be "glued to the TV" the way I normally would be..

Thanks!

[Sparkly]

18. Is there a separate commission

to investigate what happened during and after the attacks?

Also, will Clinton and Gore be answering questions televised live?

[robbedvoter]

21. responsew to Clarke from the WH:

[leftofthedial]

24. the spin has two parts

and is the same as the spin sought by the official 8-11 whitewash commission.

1. Focus on superficial, transient political issues instead of substantive failures of the system and of particular individuals.

2. Devolve the fingerpointing into an unresolvable "he said, she said" issue and then drop it.

[tishaLA]

25. I heard some of Faux this morning

They were talking about several things:

Clarke wrote a nice letter of resignation where he praised Chimpy for his conduct on September 11th, so whatever he says today will be in contradistinction to his letter.

Clarke was passed over for a second in command position in "Homeland" (sic) Security.

Cheney said already that Clarke was "out of the loop"

Clinton was in office for 8 years; chimpy for 8 months.

There was no plan under Clinton; instead they were fly swatting. chimpy started working on a plan, with Bucky Rice, at the beginning of his administration.

All of these things, I should note, were presented as part of "regular" news--the anchor said them as if they were established facts of the case, not editorializing on his part. I watch Faux a lot for enemy research, but I was shocked at how shameless they were on this matter. I think they know that should chimpy be besmirched by this terrah inquest, the jig will be up.

[Mountainman]

29. Knowing that Faux preaches to the choir,

I think they are trying as hard as they can to keep the flock from fragmenting. They must already know that many repubs say they will not vote for Bush. All they will have left is the freeper dittohead contention if the truth came out and they know that is not enough votes to get Bush 4 more years.

[KoKo]

26. Kick!

:kick:

[Neecy]

28. I'm avoiding the spin...

But I did catch Barbara Starr this morning doing her normal shilling for the Pentagon. I've never seen a reporter who does so little to 'report' on the department she's supposed to cover, and instead acts as an official Pentagon spokesperson.

My spin is that while process is certainly important, and needs to be reviewed, the entire 'process' discussion is a way for any of these clowns to be not held personally accountable for any of the failures that led up to 9/11, such as the CIA not distributing the watch list or State's Express Visa program for Saudi Arabia.

If nobody is responsible, what's to keep further fuckups from happening?

[Cush]

30. Don't turn on CNN

Bill Schnieder is spouting how 'non-partisan' this commission is.

[Catherine Vincent]

31. Bill Schneider on CNN just said that the 9/11 panel

is non partisan. He says Keane is the last liberal republican and so is Thompson. WTF? He must not be listening very well. And he says Kerrey is a maverick. Apparently he didn't pick up that Kerrey HATES Clinton (or at least he acts like it). Non-partisan, my ass. Why isn't there a republican on the panel that is lambasting the republican witnesses?

This whole thing STINKS!

[Lisa0825]

32. Headline in the Houston Chronicle today....

(The actual paper, not online version) The article on the hearings is below the fold, and above them is a HUGE picture of a mother and baby leopard (I think). Below, is a small intro to the story, with the headline: Panel Traces 4 Year Effort to Neutralize bin Laden

Good grief! Was it a meeting to thank each other for their excellent work?