9/11 Commission: Presidential briefing memo questions

[BurtWorm]

1. Which memo does the 9/11 commission want: 8/6 or 9/11, or everything/anything in between?

2. I know Bush clamped down on access to previous executive branch papers, but are these memos as tip-top secret as Bush makes them out to be? If I wanted to look at a PBM from the Nixon era, or the Ford or Carter era, would I be able to? What about the Clinton era?

3. Has a PBM ever been this controversial?

[BurtWorm]

1. Kick

[Bandit]

2. All Presidential Papers from Reagan on have been sealed against

Congressional law. Congress passed a law saying after twelve years Presidential Papers had to be opened to the public. Bush* decided by executive order to erase that law or at least not abide by it and sealed all Presidential Papers from Reagan on and had the nerve to say it was to protect (get this) Clinton. Clinton's twelve years won't be up for ten more years so how can he be protecting Clinton?

[gandalf]

3. Especially the 8/6 memo.

Was the 9/11 ever mentioned as interesting?
Or is your question meant figurative?

Clinton was supposed to be not interested in CIA briefings, the CIA boss during that time (forgot his name) said he hardly had a chance to meet Clinton.

[BurtWorm]

5. It's never mentioned which one they want to look at anymore.

I assumed it was the 8/6 one, but they mention "documents" so it could very well be that there are other briefings the Bushists don't want anyone to know about.

[BurtWorm]

4. "It's important for the writers" that the PBM not be exposed, Bush says.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/28/politics/28TEXT_BUSH.html?pagewanted=print&position=


QUESTION: Mr. President, thank you.

As you know, the chairman of the commission investigating the September 11th attacks wants documents from the White House and said this week that he might have to use subpoena power. You have said there's some national security concerns about turning over some of those documents to people outside of the executive branch.

Will you turn them over or can you at least outline for the American people what you think is a reasonable compromise so that the commission learns what it needs to know and you protect national security if you think it's that important?

BUSH: It is important for me to protect national security. You're talking about the presidential daily brief.

It's important for the writers of the presidential daily brief to feel comfortable that the documents will never be politicized and/or unnecessarily exposed for public purview.

And so, therefore, kind of, the first statements out of this administration were very protective of the presidential prerogatives of the past and to protect the right for other presidents -- future presidents to have a good presidential daily brief.

Now having said that, I am -- we want to work with Chairman Kean and Vice Chairman Hamilton, and I believe we can reach a proper accord to protect the integrity of the daily brief process and at the same time allow them a chance to take a look and see what was in the certain daily briefs that they would like to see.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

BUSH: Well, we're working out the procedures.

My only point is, I do want to be helpful to Chairman Kean and Lee Hamilton. These are men of integrity. They're people who understand the process. They know the importance of the presidential daily brief. They know the importance of the daily brief to future presidents.

And, therefore, I think they will be mindful of the need to gather evidence and at the same time protect the capacity for presidents to get unfettered, real, good intelligence.

[Minstrel Boy]

6. Yeah, right. And yesterday I heard

Tucker Carlson bemoan the fact that Bush was paying the price of protecting Clinton from exposure for his failure to protect America. :crazy: