Honestly, Has The White House Sustained More Damage Today?

[Stevendsmith]

I've been completely cut off from news today. What's the score?

[mmonk]

1. I don't think so yet

the media is generally still behind the bush admin and its "war on terra". Kerrey doesn't help either and lost any respect he may have garnered from me.

[still_one]

2. What did Kerry do today?

[mmonk]

5. Kerrey not Kerry.

[sandnsea]

6. Kerrey did help

He said the new "plan" wasn't any more a plan than what Clinton had. He and Gorelick both said it had no military planning in it so the idea that the Bushies were ready after 9/11 because of this "plan" is complete bull. He also headed off a bullet at John Kerry with the "bad old days" CIA operative stuff. There were a couple other shots he got in today that helped very much. And it's better that he just be straight on what he thinks because it gives him more credibility when he does shoot at Bush.

[0rion]

3. it's getting ugly!

ibid

[MnFats]

4. I may be delusional, but I think the Bush ship took a couple..

...
great big torpedoes amidships and is now listing badly. We can expect to see rats fleeing soon.

When Clarke got up there and said "Your government failed you."
"for that failure, once all the facts are out, I would ask your forgiveness."

NOT ONE Bush crony came close to saying anything like this.
This has become very, very damaging.
Sixteen MILLION people watched the 60 minutes thing. You must figure most told friends; others have watched updates etc. and the TESTIMONY in front of the committee.

Anyone here old enough to remember how the Ervin WAtergate committee hearings smelled?
Clarke is John Dean to Bush's Nixon!
The news is relentlessly bad for Bush. They must be reeling!
But this heat will draw attention from the next attack, which is surely brewing now after Spain, the assasination of the Hamas Sheik, and all the rest.

Bush is toast --- TOAST I tell you!

[DemoTex]

17. Clarke is John Dean to Bush's Nixon!

Eh? Clarke is to Bush as John Dean was to Nixon, perhaps. Get your comparisons straight and in order. Please! My head is spinning badly enough.

[teach1st]

7. Clarke damaged Bush today....

These things take time to root in the mainstream, but Clarke did water the strangling vine.

It'll happen. And the more the Bush administration flails about at Clarke, the worse they make it.

Clarke said tons. He was steady and credible. He covered so much that it might take those new to all this stuff some time to connect the dots. Heck, nobody in medialand has even started to think about the airlift of the Bin Laden family, something which was mentioned today by Clarke.

The best thing he could have done, the one act that inflicted the most damage, was his simple apology on behalf of the governement to the relatives of the 9/11 victims.

[lindashaw]

8. It has in this respect, I think. Several high impact names have

come out with claims like this. Joe Wilson, diplomat, Paul O'Neill, Treasurer, and now Clarke, Terrorism Chief. At some point, the public at large with see a collection of names and ask themselves, "Hey, wait. They can't all be liars, can they?"

I think we're about to that point. Also, the damage control this week has been the most frenzied, and it is beginning to show a predictable pattern. That even came out on Chris Matthews tonight --how if you cross the administration, you know exactly what will happen. You almost know who will say what.

[Norbert]

9. I am hoping Clarkes day in the sun may just do it.

He apologised, a first for anyone connected with bu$hco. The man was honest, never searched for answers as far as I saw. He was the real deal today.

My hope is the whores continue to demonize him. My other hope is that his day of testamony becomes more enduring and the public will flock to his aide while looking on the whores with distain.

I'd love to see a knockout punch on two fronts.

[AlinPA]

10. If polls were directly proportional to the damage done to Bush*,

I'd say Bush* could go down 1% max. With media spinning for Bush*, its not going to have much effect. With Gore and Clinton testifying, media will make it sound like they are on trial. Since Bush* won't be questioned, it looks like they are "clean".

[lindashaw]

11. Oh, and add to my list Richard Foster, the top guy at Medicare

who has just come out in the last couple of weeks and told that he was forced to lie about the cost of the Medicare Bill. That hasn't truly hit the fan yet. It may do more damage than all the others.

[BabsSong]

12. steven--like you and most of America I could not watch Clarke

Like I've said in a couple of posts tonight, you and I and most of America has to rely on "da' news" and "da news" basically runs it up one flag pole and down another. You know, nothing America goes to bed stewing about but forgetting about by tomorrow morning. We won't and repukes won't but the mass of voters who are not poltical junkies just yawned. And as I also said and people don't obviously want to hear: this has to be taken up by Kerry, commented on, and put into ads. But reports from his camp is that he really doesn't want to get involved in this 9/11 figamajiggie and Iraq morph, etc. Now that the primary is over it seems we are back into the "gosh don't say anyting too bad about Bush"--just like they did for 3 friggin years. Obviously they have learned nothing. Obviously all the irrate Dems who swarmed to the polls are spitting in disgust. To hell with throwing footballs on the tarmack---start throwing some real goddamn lobs at Bush based on these hearings!!! I suppose we are going to answer by making some big policy speech on healthcare, as if anyone's listening. You have to take the opportunity NOW to kick the slats out from under Bush when the opportunity is presented on a silver platter and then go peddle your domestic agenda later.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

19. Yet another post by you on this subject...

...and every one of them nearly identical.

I'm constantly amazed by the comments that come from people who never watched a second of what they feel compelled to comment about.

[diamond14]

22. claiming never to have watched a second of Clarke....but singing

babs song, big time....


wonder how long this will last here at DU?

remember how babs (bush* mother) kept on with this type of rattle for years?? totally out-there too....

[MO_Dem]

13. I think the WH is losing this one big time

watching Larry King, everybody seems to be taking Richard Clarke's side--Judith Miller is a little squishy, but Isikoff totally surprised me. Some proof is out there that cannot be ignored--Woodward's book, O'Neal's story, etc.

[Skittles]

14. I agree

the WH defense has been anemic - borderline pathetic - and Condi not testifying just about says it all.

[Florida_Geek]

15. A lot of people on King live around NYC

and 9-11 is special to them and something they are reminded of every time they look to where the twin towers used to be.

[BillZBubb]

16. Minimal damage, but some

The TV media is giving more time to the people smearing Clarke than any details of Clarke's testimony. Corporate whores.

Therefore, most people won't ever hear the details and will view this as simply another Democrat attacking Bush*. Clarke, of course, isn't a Dem, but the Repuke slime machine is painting him that way. It'll probably stick.

[Spazito]

18. There is little doubt that Clarke scored multiple hits...

headlines changed from Clarke's credibility to the failure of the Bush admin, was very interesting to watch. CNN, Fox did this, that's saying something.

[Berserker]

20. Hey MnFats

Someone called out Zebra and they are dogging the hatches!

[arewethereyet]

21. the GOP already has stacks of conflicting statements from him

this has zero credibility. you can't praise Bush in 2002 and go about face in 2004 happily in sync with a book coming out.

there are no silver bullets, only hard work.

[indie_voter]

23. I disagree, his calm explanation resonates

For many who have had to be a "team player".

You don't call your boss an incompetent boob to his face, if you believe you can make a difference, you try and play the game within the system.

Finally, if you realize you are fighting a losing battle you quit. Most write a civil resignation letter and leave.

I think Clarke's resignation letter shows he wasn't planning on writing this book, but it was a decision he made after he left public service.

I saw a flawed man who was trying to honestly recount his perceptions of events.

The conflicting statements do nothing to refute what he has said, it just illustrates what many have experienced, working for people one doesn't respect, walking the tightrope between the paycheck and personal dignity.

[Trajan]

28. I disagree ...

The 'news' offered by the WH/FAUX Axis of Lies was of a loyal servant and supplicant praising his own boss ...

But that wasnt under oath ...

His comments today were in full public view, and under oath ...

He was very credible on that stand: .. it is up to the GOP to discredit his assertions ... I dont think they have ...

[HydroAddict]

29. I too disagree.

Clarke clearly stated he knew to repercussions of crossing Bush* while under his employment. There are only two docs out right now which Clarke points out bush in a flattering light. The boilerplate resignation and the Faux News backgrounder.

He had no desire to be Wilson'ed or Plame'd.

[judgegina]

30. Clark

basically said that he was just being a good team player in '02 and spinning on behalf the pResident. Now that he's out of the WH, he feels that he can talk more freely. It seems sincere.

[Demonaut]

24. Full Broadside!!

shooting an already sinking ship

[OneBlueSky]

25. Clarke got it out there, on the record, when he said . . .

that the war on Iraq has greatly diminished the war on terror . . . and, as they say, you can't put the fart back in . . .

[kaitykaity]

26. I think this is the person we've been waiting for.

A credible, decent, honorable Republican to stand up to criminal Bush and say emphatically, "no more." Kind of like the two Republicans who went in to Nixon's office and said to him "resign or be impeached." I always thought Bush would be done if honorable people in his party said enough. I think Clarke is the beginning of the flood that will be the end of Bush.

[Trajan]

27. You'll get many different answers, but they DID take a serious hit ...

Clarke really hurt them today ...

This man has quite a record as a republican, and carries some weight in national and international circles ... He is further supported by Wilson and O'Neill re: the irrational WH focus on Iraq ...

The invective hurled by the Bush sycophants at Clarke is loud, but shrill and weak ... They keep trying to ad hominem Clarke: but they fail to address the content of his accusations, and people can see this clear as day ...

I hate to think that Bush is COMPLETELY teflon coated: but there is no doubt they took a serious hit today ...

Perhaps the WORST of his term ...