The Media, Democratic Candidates, and the NIE

[MadBadger]

I've been watching MSNBC and they were talking about Clinton and Edwards not reading the NIE. Now im just wondering from others, is this just the MSM being the MSM, or can I take this as a real criticism of these two candidates.

Just looking for some opinions from DU on this

[Clark2008]

1. They've both admitted they didn't read it, so there's that.

The difference being that HRC didn't have access to the classified version - she only had the summary. Edwards, being on the Intelligence Committee, had access to ALL the info and didn't go read it.

[mirrera]

2. Edwards says he DID read it on the video made at google

Video link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rG-_VHAITtI

It is a long video, but worth listening to. I wish I could tell you where it comes in, but I know it is towards the end when there are questions. He was explaining his vote—beyond the apology—and was asked point blank if he had read the NIE. His answer was "I read it" his dimeanor was one of "it was a load of crap'. That was how I read it. It has been a long week if I heard wrong let me know.

www.NoBullshiRt.com

[MethuenProgressive]

4. Edwards is flip-flopping on having read it?

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

5. I have assumed that he read it as he was on the Intelligence Committee.

He also co-authored the Iraq War Resolution.

[MadBadger]

6. Now I've been hearing that he misspoke and didnt read it

WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards misspoke when he said he read a National Intelligence Report before authorizing the war in Iraq, his campaign said.

Edwards did not read the classified report that contained doubts about the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, his spokesman said, even though it was available to him at the time when he was a North Carolina senator serving on the Intelligence Committee.

Edwards spokesman Eric Schultz said Edwards had read the declassified summary report before voting to authorize the war, but not the full version.

However, when asked Wednesday whether he read the confidential report, Edwards told employees at Google, "I read it."

Schultz said Friday that Edwards "simply misunderstood the question."

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/17310196.htm

I checked Google news for all this before I came here.

[mirrera]

9. Thanks for finding that!

I have been out straight and missed the "controversy". I have been a kucinich/Gore supporter and have only recently become interested in Edwards because of his bold approach to Global warming and "win able-ness". I found him to be very real on Google, but I will NEVER understand authorizing this monkey to play with guns. Kucinich still beats them all on that one.


www.NoBullshiRt.com

[babylonsister]

8. And he then supposedly retracted what he said:

http://electioncentral.tpmcafe.com/blog/electioncentral/2007/may/31/happy_hour_roundup

Edwards and the National Intelligence Estimate
The big John Edwards "controversy" of the day is that he told a Google town hall that he had read the confidential National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq, contradicting what his spokesman said a few days ago. Asked at the conference if he'd read the NIE, he said, "I read it. I read it." But Edwards' own spokesman told Ben Smith of The Politico that he hadn't read it. Our preliminary read, though we're far from certain, is that Edwards screwed up. We think he — wrongly — wasn't responding to the actual question and was addressing the larger question of whether he'd read intel on the war, which he'd been talking about previously. Nonetheless, the question itself was very specifically about the classified NIE. Video of Edwards at the conference is here — the key moment comes around 39 minutes in. — G.S.

[MethuenProgressive]

3. Implication is that if the NIE was read, that the vote would've changed...

... but I doubt that is what would've happened.

[Bitwit1234]

7. They say there were briefed AND

of all the senators,I think there are 98 others, how many of them didn't read it either...why pounce on Hillary and John Edwards. What did Obama say.