So Tenent is the fall guy or as Larry Johnson put it

[Blue_Roses]

the "whipping post"...Larry Johnson made an excellent point when he named all the CIA "endeavors" that were made at the asking of the sitting president at the time they were carried out, BUT the CIA remains the "whipping post" for taking the blame and heat off the president as he put it (with much frustration I might add).

I liked the CNN special, but I felt it let Bush off the hook and placed the blame on Tenent and the CIA--once again.

Even with all the "we didn't authorize" comments that the CIA made to Bush, it still looks like Tenent is the fall guy.

I know this is probably the best approach to get the public talking, but the spinsters will spin it that Tenent was the one at fault.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. It was a good start, I don't expect the MSM to do a 180 all at once.

And while Tenet (not "Tenant", btw) certainly deserves a good ass-kicking, I thought there were plenty of insinuations that he gave Bush pretty much what he knew Bush wanted.

[Blue_Roses]

4. yep

I agree. It's a start and it was probably as far as they could take it without a total meltdown at CNN.

btw==spell checked let me down;)

[ewagner]

2. It was more clever than that

on several occassions CNN said in essence that CIA "got it wrong" but showed Cheney or Bush giving speeches and then immediately pointed out that the CIA had NOTHING TO DO WITH THE INFORMATION CHENEY WAS TALKING ABOUT

[radio4progressives]

6. You're right - which it made it really really very weird...

when the program ended essentially laying the responsibility completely on the heads of the CIA - stating that they now have to rebuild their credibility - but completely avoiding the other important party in this drama.

on edit: i picked up the program while in progress and missed the beginning. From what I saw, i didn't hear much about the role of the press, of course.

[ewagner]

20. The role of the press

was pretty much ignored....

there was one sarcastic moment though....it showed how the NYT was screaming about chemical weapons and showed a picture of a Times headling and the by-line of JUDITH MILLER That HAD to be deliberate.....

[HereSince1628]

21. A really socially important documentary would raise questions

I just watched the 10 part version that was put on the web, and the interruptions might alter the impact a bit. But, the documentary didn't leave me with any outstanding questions.

Such a question might be, "If it was all Tenet's fault, why did the Whitehouse attack machine go after Joe Wilson?"

I think the best we can say is that CNN reinforced that Powell's case for war before the UN, and Bush's claims that Iraq was an imminent danger were wrong. I never got the impression from the documentary that these claims were lies.

[napi21]

3. I don't want to take the blame of Shrub, but Tenant did say "Ot's a slam

dunk"! Isn't it possible that HE WAS a big part of the reason Shrub & Cheney thought they could get away with this escapade?

If he really did tell Shrub and the "boys" the truth, why is he not saying anything to defend himself? Nothing's going to convince me that he's doing it because he got a damn medal!

The final decision is the Presidents, and he can't crawl out from that, but just MAYBE Tenant was a big player here.

[truebrit71]

5. Others have said that Tenet uttered those words...

..Tenet himslef has not confirmed it, and his number two guy who was in the room with at the time he allegedly made that statement went as far as he could to dispell that myth.

Why hasn't he spoken out about it? Did you see the look on Tenent's face the day Lt AWOL announced he was leaving? If that wasn't the look of a man that had just been fired and told to keep his GD mouth shut or else, I'll be a monkey's uncle.

[napi21]

11. I don't doubt for a minute that he was fired! But what does he have to

lose now? What's the admin going to do to him? I can't believe ANYONE would take this big of a hit out of loyalty!

[truebrit71]

12. You're kidding right?

What's the admin going to do?

People have car wrecks all the time right?
Small planes crash all the time right?
Who knew Tenet had "cancer" right?
People commit suicide all the time right?

Get it?

He wasn't just fired, he was told to Shut The Fuck Up. Period.

[Blue_Roses]

13. I don't know about loyalty to Bush

but to the office of the presidency, yes, I think he's pretty loyal. In the book, Against All Enemies, Richard Clarke describes Tenent as very driven and focused on getting Bin Laden. He was very loyal to Clinton and they had a good repore also.

Tenent kind of reminds me of the kid at school who wants all the popular guys to like him.

[napi21]

16. That just might be true, but if it is,

wouldn't that guy who wants all the popular people to like him want to exonerate himself of all this total blame?

I read the post above about the car wrecks and plane crashes, but I'm not that much of a skeptic. I still don't understand why Tenant won't talk now.

I can tell you, if it were me, I'd be so pissed off that these idiots were blaming everything on me, I'd rather take the chance at being hit than to live the rest of my life in shame!!!!

[truebrit71]

17. Who said it was him that would get hit...

Kids have accidents too right?
Wives sometimes drown in backyard swimming pools right?

You have REALLY got to start thinking outside the box on this one...Geez they invaded an entire country and killed tens of thousands of innocent civilians, you don't think that they would suddenly get a guilty conscience about one former CIA guy do you? Ever heard of Valerie Plame?

These guys play for keeps.

[Blue_Roses]

18. yeah, me too

I think--depends on what I would know. Tenent has alot of information that he's sitting on and he is falling on his sword for the "good of the presidency"--so it appears. It's just hard for us to know exactly what he's thinking, but it appears he doesn't care.

[flyarm]

19. think special prosecutor!!!!!!!!!!

who wants to bet tenet and powell are blowing the lid off * and cheney with fitzgerald?????????

fly

[lonestarnot]

7. Tenant just a pawn in the do it for poppie war!

[kentuck]

8. Johnson did say that it was the president decision when...

we went into the Bay of Pigs, when we went into Vietnam, when we had the Iran Contra, and they always blame it on the CIA...

[Blue_Roses]

10. I thought that was very telling

I sure do like Larry Johnson. He's so candid!

[jonnyblitz]

14. he is forever banished from FAUX News...they don't like him.

gee, I wonder why...:P

[proReality]

9. I'd love to see what's on the cutting room floor. n/t

[kster]

15. Maybe but I

Think CNN made a business decision here,We(INTERNET) got them on the tight rope,they know the story is gaining in the publics eye so they put this out there because they are not sure if * is going to go down so they are playing the middle. Now, no matter what the future holds they can come out ahead. They can fall on either side of the rope,and they are safe.

My 2 cents