Rove Spoke To Time Reporter Before CIA Agent's Name Leaked

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by Big Train
If memory serves, Bush was in office BEFORE 9/11. I think he was reelected not on the basis of 9/11, although I will say it was a major part of his base, but because Kerry was so weak across the board. Which was a REAL fear of mine in not voting for him. He had zero positions and zero solutions. I have no time for that.

Oh come on, BUSH's Presidency was floundering before 9/11 (as it is now). He was in trouble already after only eight months in office, he was showing he was a "divider, not a uniter." And he had won a very controversial election, in which he lost the popular vote. Bush certainly did not cause 9/11, at least not proactively, but his only selling point to the middle of the roaders and 'soccer moms' was fear.

So, when was the last "terra-alert" we had? It's all in your head bitches, what there was of "al Qaeda" was effectively dismantled by mid-2003. We are causing a new generation to become "al Qaida" with our War in Iraq.

[blueturk]

Here's what I'm talking about, BT. Fear as a campaign tactic. Feel free to name any other basis that you think Dubya was re-elected upon besides terrorism. Or his "religion".

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-05-10-ridge-alerts_x.htm

Posted 5/10/2005 11:21 PM

Ridge reveals clashes on alerts
By Mimi Hall, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration periodically put the USA on high alert for terrorist attacks even though then-Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge argued there was only flimsy evidence to justify raising the threat level, Ridge now says.
Ridge, who resigned Feb. 1, said Tuesday that he often disagreed with administration officials who wanted to elevate the threat level to orange, or "high" risk of terrorist attack, but was overruled.

His comments at a Washington forum describe spirited debates over terrorist intelligence and provide rare insight into the inner workings of the nation's homeland security apparatus.

Ridge said he wanted to "debunk the myth" that his agency was responsible for repeatedly raising the alert under a color-coded system he unveiled in 2002.


"More often than not we were the least inclined to raise it," Ridge told reporters. "Sometimes we disagreed with the intelligence assessment. Sometimes we thought even if the intelligence was good, you don't necessarily put the country on (alert). ... There were times when some people were really aggressive about raising it, and we said, 'For that?' "

Revising or scrapping the color-coded alert system is under review by new Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff. Department spokesman Brian Roehrkasse said "improvements and adjustments" may be announced within the next few months.

The threat level was last raised on a nationwide scale in December 2003, to orange from yellow — or "elevated" risk — where the alert level is now. In most cases, Ridge said Homeland Security officials didn't want to raise the level because they knew local governments and businesses would have to spend money putting temporary security upgrades in place.

"You have to use that tool of communication very sparingly," Ridge said at the forum, which was attended by seven other former department leaders.

The level is raised if a majority on the President's Homeland Security Advisory Council favors it and President Bush concurs. Among those on the council with Ridge were Attorney General John Ashcroft, FBI chief Robert Mueller, CIA director George Tenet, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Ridge and Ashcroft publicly clashed over how to communicate threat information to the public. But Ridge has never before discussed internal dissention over the threat level.

The color-coded system was controversial from the start. Polls showed the public found it confusing.

Contributing: Associated Press

[Big Train]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh
Oh come on, BUSH's Presidency was floundering before 9/11 (as it is now). He was in trouble already after only eight months in office, he was showing he was a "divider, not a uniter." And he had won a very controversial election, in which he lost the popular vote. Bush certainly did not cause 9/11, at least not proactively, but his only selling point to the middle of the roaders and 'soccer moms' was fear.

So, when was the last "terra-alert" we had? It's all in your head bitches, what there was of "al Qaeda" was effectively dismantled by mid-2003. We are causing a new generation to become "al Qaida" with our War in Iraq.

Bush won two elections based on a no-confidence vote of the democratic party. Pure and simple. Using fear or not, which I do give you some points for in general, the bottom line is the guy the Dems put up in both cases could not counter the fear with "I'm a leader, I can handle it". He did not sell the American people that he was the person who could handle these strange and scary times. It's cut and dried.

[FORD]

Originally posted by Big Train
It's cut and dried.

It certainly is......

[blueturk]

Originally posted by Big Train
Bush won two elections based on a no-confidence vote of the democratic party. Pure and simple. Using fear or not, which I do give you some points for in general, the bottom line is the guy the Dems put up in both cases could not counter the fear with "I'm a leader, I can handle it". He did not sell the American people that he was the person who could handle these strange and scary times. It's cut and dried.

Exactly! As I said before, without the terrorism threat Bush would not be in office right now. It's cut and dried.

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by Big Train
Bush won two elections based on a no-confidence vote of the democratic party. Pure and simple. Using fear or not, which I do give you some points for in general, the bottom line is the guy the Dems put up in both cases could not counter the fear with "I'm a leader, I can handle it". He did not sell the American people that he was the person who could handle these strange and scary times. It's cut and dried.

How exactly is winning the popular vote a "no-confidence vote?" Hell, in most countries they would have had a run-off election in such a close election, and GORE would have won it.

Again, it's mostly derived from the right-wing hatchet job done on CLINTON, stupid rumors that I still hear in this forum that have been proven to be complete fabrications. Investigate BUSH like CLINTON was investigated, start a "TEXAS Project" to uncover every sordid detail of BUSH's past life for years on end, and have an independent counsel investigate every allegation ever made against BUSH, (including that both he and his father cheated on their wives, and that Junior's daughters are sluttier than PARIS HILTON) and we'll see what happens. The only vote taken in the past two elections is the REPUBLICAN's ability to run negative, smear campaigns, and their ability to appeal to every base instinct of fear.

[Big Train]

Perhaps. But it could have happened on another issue as well. The bottom line is that on EVERY issue (domestic issues as well), Bush won. Kerry had no domestic plan either, so although I give you SOME points for fear, I also can't deny that Kerry lost domestically too. He had no plan whatsoever for any domestic issue. Gore's ridicoulous "three lock box" Social Security plan I won't even get into...

It wasn't just fear, although fear did play a part in it.

[Warham]

Why don't you Democrats just admit that Gore and Kerry sucked as candidates and we can move on?

Kerry certainly didn't inspire any independents to vote for him. The Democratic ticket on the ballot could have been a blank, and 55 million would have still voted red.

[blueturk]

Originally posted by Warham
Why don't you Democrats just admit that Gore and Kerry sucked as candidates and we can move on?

Kerry certainly didn't inspire any independents to vote for him. The Democratic ticket on the ballot could have been a blank, and 55 million would have still voted red.

Evidently Gore and Bush were virtually tied on the suck meter. As for Kerry, he did suck as a candidate, but without the fear factor Bush would have had nothing to make him look any better as a candidate. Again, the Bush campaign was based largely on fear. What else did he have? A war based on non-existent WMD's? A record deficit? Blatant favoritism to the wealthy? You sheep fucking kill me.

[academic punk]

Originally posted by Warham
Why don't you Democrats just admit that Gore and Kerry sucked as candidates and we can move on?

Okay. I will. Gore was a lousy candidate.

But only in the sense that he was not a "seller", which is what a "candidate" is. He WAS the VP for eight years, and distinguished himself as a completely competent and knowledgable administrator.

How was Gore not a campaigner? He apologized to Bush in the midst of a debate for his math in the previous debate. BUsh's math was all over the place, making unfounded and just plain wrong claims, but never once did he ever retract his statements.

THAT'S how you win a campaign. It makes you seem incompetnet to say "I was wrong". Howveer, it's NOT how you actually run the country once you get the office. Bush's administration has made far too many mistakes - to the cost of people's lives and livelihoods - to keep pretending that they are always right.

Bush on the other hand can sell himslf with his "aw, shucks, I'm a Washington outsider just like y'all" very well, but look to Rove and Cheney to actually be the weavers of the actual web.

Bush is essentially Redford in "The Candidate". An absoluytely brilliant campaign, wins, and then realizes what he's gotten himself into and then says, "Now what?"

[LoungeMachine]

Originally posted by Warham
Why don't you Democrats just admit that Gore and Kerry sucked as candidates and we can move on?

.

The day you admit The Chimp is a brain dead moron, Cheney, Rove, and Rummy all are evil motherfuckers who should all be in the Haig, and that the designated hitter rule should be outlawed


Then we can talk:D

[BigBadBrian]

Originally posted by LoungeMachine
The day you admit The Chimp is a brain dead moron, Cheney, Rove, and Rummy all are evil motherfuckers who should all be in the Haig, and that the designated hitter rule should be outlawed


Then we can talk:D

Sorry, but it's spelled "Hague" and we nullified that silly ICC treaty which would have given away our sovereignty.

[LoungeMachine]

Originally posted by BigBadBrian
Sorry, but it's spelled "Hague" and we nullified that silly ICC treaty which would have given away our sovereignty.

Must've mixed it up with Alexander "Im in charge here" Haig, who when asked if he would ever run for president, quipped; " I may throw my helmet in the ring" or words to that effect:D


DH still blows

[Big Train]

Originally posted by academic punk
Okay. I will. Gore was a lousy candidate.

But only in the sense that he was not a "seller", which is what a "candidate" is. He WAS the VP for eight years, and distinguished himself as a completely competent and knowledgable administrator.

How was Gore not a campaigner? He apologized to Bush in the midst of a debate for his math in the previous debate. BUsh's math was all over the place, making unfounded and just plain wrong claims, but never once did he ever retract his statements.

THAT'S how you win a campaign. It makes you seem incompetnet to say "I was wrong". Howveer, it's NOT how you actually run the country once you get the office. Bush's administration has made far too many mistakes - to the cost of people's lives and livelihoods - to keep pretending that they are always right.

Bush on the other hand can sell himslf with his "aw, shucks, I'm a Washington outsider just like y'all" very well, but look to Rove and Cheney to actually be the weavers of the actual web.

Bush is essentially Redford in "The Candidate". An absoluytely brilliant campaign, wins, and then realizes what he's gotten himself into and then says, "Now what?"

Man, take that to the DNC, find someone who sorta fits the bill and they might actually put up a decent fight next time.

If Bush was "The Candidate" was Clinton Redford's role in "Indecent Proposal"?

[Warham]

LOL!