Josh Marshall has a great idea.

[americanstranger]

If Bush wants to make the elections about Iraq and the GWoT, let's do it - but let's get the information to the people so they can make the right decision. From TPM:

Do yourself and your country a favor this morning.

Call up your representative and senators -- Republican or Democrat, it doesn't matter -- and tell them you want the April National Intelligence Estimate ("Trends in Global Terrorism: Implications for the United States") released to the public. Now. Before the election. So the public can know what the White House has been keeping from them.

<...>

The president has made very clear he wants the next six weeks to be about Iraq and the War on Terror. By all means, let's do it. But first the president has to come clean about what he's keeping hidden from the public -- the fact that the people he has fighting the War on Terror are telling him that what he's telling the public about Iraq and the War on Terror flat isn't true.

Late word from the White House is that the Times report is "not representative of the complete document." Well, then, by all means, let's get a look at the whole thing so the public can get the big picture and find out who's telling the truth.

So pick up the phone and tell your reps and senators what you think.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/009946.php

---

I say that is a great idea, and we should take Josh up on it. Who's with me?

- as

[MnFats]

1. i wonder how they could spin the single most significant..

...conclusion: We're less safe than before the ill-advise, reckless and stupid invasion of Iraq. It has created new hatred and generations of terrorists who will spend their lives trying to harm us.

[Straight Shooter]

2. Excellent idea.

I would add, write as many letters to the editor as you can stand, encouraging people to look hard at this issue and requesting them to also call their reps and Senators.

This is going to explode all over the blogosphere. The MSM will not be able to ignore it.

:thumbsup:

[Hamlette]

5. great idea Straight Shooter, we should all write a letter to "our" editors

AND call our congresscritters.

[bigbrother05]

3. not representative of the complete document

One of Shrubs rally cries, I have given the Americans the tools to make us safer, by combining all the agency's together.
But now with the release of the report, we as citizens are not to listen, to the people that are making us safer.
Double edge sword, once again

[Garbo 2004]

4. Yes. Let's not have him selectively declassify things for his own

political purposes. What can be so classified about the fact that his "WOT" is not just a failure but alienates millions and provides an environment ripe for the appeal of terrorist allegiances and activities? That we are less safe now because of this administration's disastrous policies and actions?

Let's see what they are so afraid to reveal, that their own intel assessments confirm what we've already seen for ourselves.

[K8-EEE]

6. YES!! Their WOT Fuck Ups Is Why NOT To Vote For Them!

They have some nerve asking people to vote for them with the hash they've made out of the Middle East situation! And all their "election year" crap about not getting info out, THAT'S WHEN WE NEED IT IN AN ELECTION YEAR! DUH! They don't have any problem with letting out LIES AND PROPAGANDA like "Path To 9/11!" Facts are what they don't want out, which is why they never wanted a 9/11 commission int he first place.

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. If the President can declassify the NIE

just to out a CIA operative's ID, it shouldn't be a big deal declassifying the new NIE so the public can be more informed about the successes and failures in Iraq.

[RedEarth]

8. .....KR

[americanstranger]

9. I'll be kicking this throughout the day....

It's a damn good idea, so I'll be giving it the boot for a while.

- as

[Viking12]

10. Josh has several follow-ups

So, on the advice of Senator Voinovich's office I phoned the White House comment line. I commented that on the advice of my state Senator I was phoning to request that the April National Intelligence Estimate be released to the public.

The operator: "You mean the one leaked to the Post and New York Times this weekend?"

I commented that I had learned of the reports existence over the weekend and I thought that voters have the right to the information before fall elections.

The operator: "They do have the information."

Me: "No, it's not a public report yet."

The (now frustrated) operator: "They have the information because the Times and Post reported it. Once those papers get a hold of it they just do whatever they want with it."

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/009957.php

The biggest bamboozle so far seems to be from the office of Rep. Jo Ann Davis (R-VA), which is telling constituents that the report has already been released, which hogwash of course. So her office seems to have decided to just lie to constituents.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/009956.php

[Straight Shooter]

11. "You mean the one leaked to the Post and New York Times ...?"

I mean the one where a genuine patriot revealed the truth to the American people.

"Once those papers get a hold of it they just do whatever they want with it."

You mean bush wasn't able to stonewall the Times like he did with the domestic spying issue?

:eyes:

Yeah, talk to me, Monkey Palace operator/sycophant for bush, with your silly-ass talking points.

[kentuck]

12. Why should it be secret?

The people have a right to know when their government is lying.

[americanstranger]

13. NY Update

I just got done making a round of calls to my senators and representative to find out where they stand on the release of the April NIE.

The nice woman from my Rep's office (Steve Israel) says he does not have a position yet, and that they would notify me by mail.

Senator Schumer's office said they were getting a lot of calls about it, so the senator would have something to say about it soon - although they wouldn't say whether it would be today, or this week, or any specific time.

Senator Clinton's office kept me on hold until the classical music made me sleepy and I gave up.

- as

[radfringe]

14. done

e-mailed them (spector/santorum and the rep Sherwood) unfortunately all are repubs

anyway to get more action this -- remember swamping congress with the Dubai ports deal? KO maybe? need big face time to push this a bit more

[blogslut]

15. done

Called all three. My two senators and my rep: Hutchinson, Cornyn and Thornberry - Repubs (natch). I asked that they demand that the WH release the April NIE. Told them the American people need to know what's in the report. Didn't get any opinions. Oddly, Cornyn's guy seemed to give the impression that he wanted it released too. Wacky huh?

[americanstranger]

16. Update/Kick...

So far, Pelosi, Rockefeller and Clinton have come out in favor of making the NIE public.

If you haven't called your senators and rep yet, please do so.

Thanks!

- as

[Ignacio Upton]

17. We also need to hammer home SOCIAL SECURITY PRIVATIZATION

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2845894