Four Days After Katrina Struck, Bush Learned Of Failed Response From DVD Of News Reports
Four Days After Katrina Struck, Bush Learned Of Failed Response From DVD Of News Reports
In tonight’s interview on ABC, Bush revealed how detached he was from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina:
VARGAS: When you look back on those days immediately following when Katrina struck, what moment do you think was the moment that you realized that the government was failing, especially the people of New Orleans?
BUSH: When I saw TV reporters interviewing people who were screaming for help. It looked — the scenes looked chaotic and desperate. And I realized that our government was — could have done a better job of comforting people.
According to Bush, he didn’t realize there was anything wrong with the administration’s response until almost four days after the hurricane. The first time he saw newscasts of the situation on the ground was on the morning of Sept. 2, when White House “Counselor [Dan] Bartlett made up a DVD of the newscasts so Bush could see them in their entirety as he flew down to the Gulf Coast the next morning on Air Force One.”
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Bush on ABC tonight:
Bush on ABC tonight:
“I think the U.S. is better prepared than woefully unprepared.” Full transcript here.
Legal team still searching for hypnotist.
Legal team still searching for hypnotist.
Scooter Libby “has hired a renowned memory-loss expert to assist him with his legal defense. Harvard psychology professor Daniel L. Schacter tells NBC News he has been retained by Libby as a consultant.” Libby’s lawyers have suggested that memory loss will be one of the “central themes” of Libby’s defense.
The Minnesota GOP’s Stealth Attack On Privacy
The Minnesota GOP’s Stealth Attack On Privacy
A story by Minnesota Public Radio reveals a disturbing new way that a political party is secretly grabbing sensitive personal information about voters.
This week the Minnesota Republican Party is distributing a new CD about a proposed state marriage amendment. Along with flashy graphics, the CD asks people their views on controversial issues such as abortion, gun control, illegal immigration, and so on.
The problem – the CD sends your answers back to headquarters, filed by name, address, and political views. No mention of that in the terms of use. No privacy policy at all. The story concludes: “So if you run the CD in your personal computer, by the end of it, the Minnesota GOP will not only know what you think on particular issues, but also who you are.â€
These practices fall way below the standard for today’s polling firms and web sites. The norm for polling firms is to anonymize the data and report only statistical totals. The norm for commercial web sites is to have a privacy policy, with Federal Trade Commission enforcement if the web site breaks its privacy promise.
Without a privacy policy, the state party can tell your views to anyone at all. If you give the “wrong†answers on abortion or other issues, they can tell your boss, members of your church, or anyone else. In fact, these answers could get distributed to campaigns in your town during get-out-the-vote efforts – precisely the place where “wrong†answers can be most damaging.
The right answer here is simple. If you are collecting data and keeping it in identified form, then you should tell people. If you are selling your lists or sending them to other groups, you should tell that as well. That goes for all political parties.
ABC’s The Note: It Was All A Ploy To Upset Bloggers
ABC’s The Note: It Was All A Ploy To Upset Bloggers
Yesterday, we mentioned The Note’s self-professed lack of interest in the Dubai ports issue. They responded in this morning’s edition:
Today is:
… The end of The Note’s latest experiment in which we see how easy it is to get liberal bloggers and e-mailers mad at us, and the beginning of the experiment in which we see how mad they get when we joke about their getting mad. LINK (We particularly recommend post #26.)
For the record, we’re not mad that The Note is joking about us being mad. We did find it strange, however, that they spend time devising “experiments” to “see how easy it is to get liberal bloggers and e-mailers mad at us.” (Do they think it’s that hard?)
Are experiments on bloggers really more interesting than the ports deal? We don’t get it. But that’s why they’re “the most influential tip sheet in Washington,” and we’re just Googling monkeys.
Judicial Watch sues for Bush/Abramoff records.
Judicial Watch sues for Bush/Abramoff records.
“A public-interest group has sued the Secret Service for access to White House visitor logs that the group says would show how often lobbyist Jack Abramoff met with President Bush and his staff. Judicial Watch filed suit in U.S. District Court in Washington under the federal Freedom of Information Act…”
No Excuse for Bush’s Iraq Incompetence
No Excuse for Bush’s Iraq Incompetence
Yet another report has come from inside the Bush administration revealing that there was very little planning done for post-war Iraq. In response to such reports, President Bush has previously offered two myths:
1) He simply made a miscalculation about what the conditions in post-war Iraq would be. “Mr. Bush also acknowledged for the first time that he made a ‘miscalculation of what the conditions would be‘ in postwar Iraq.”
2) The intelligence agencies got it wrong. Bush: “It is true that much of the intelligence turned out to be wrong. As President, I’m responsible for the decision to go into Iraq — and I’m also responsible for fixing what went wrong by reforming our intelligence capabilities.â€
While the intelligence agencies did make certain mistakes with regards to Iraqi weapons programs, they were on the mark about Bush’s incompetent pre-war planning. Bush did not make a “miscalculationâ€; he simply ignored report after report warning of future perils that would result from an Iraq invasion. The evidence is below: More »
Thomas Kean: ‘You And I Can Walk Today Into The Port Of New York’
Thomas Kean: ‘You And I Can Walk Today Into The Port Of New York’
President Bush says that protecting the nation’s ports is a “solemn duty.”
But yesterday on Hardball, Thomas Kean, chairman of the 9/11 Commission, explained how President Bush failed to do what’s necessary to protect America’s ports, long before the UAE entered the picture. Watch it:
Kean explained to Matthews the gaping security holes at the nation’s ports: “[Y]ou and I can walk today into the port of New York. I don’t think there’s any question about that and get in areas where people shouldn’t get.”
The problems that Kean describes are part of a consistent pattern of neglect. The 9/11 Commission recently concluded that Bush’s cargo-screening efforts are “so far a near-failure.” The Coast Guard estimated in 2002 that it would cost $5.4 billion over 10 years to implement critical security improvements to the nations’ ports as mandated by the Maritime Transportation Security Act. Bush asked for $46 million for fiscal year 2005, which was below pre-9/11 levels.
Full transcript below: More »
“I wish I had voted as he did.”
“I wish I had voted as he did.”
Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) on Sen. Russ Feingold’s (D-WI) lone vote against the Patriot Act.
BREAKING: Dubai Ports World Boycotts Israel
BREAKING: Dubai Ports World Boycotts Israel
From this morning’s Jerusalem Post:
The parent company of a Dubai-based firm at the center of a political storm in the US over the purchase of American ports participates in the Arab boycott against Israel, The Jerusalem Post has learned.
The Jerusalem Post notes that “US law bars firms from complying with such requests or cooperating with attempts by Arab governments to boycott Israel.” Once upon a time, opposing such boycotts was important to the Bush Administration. From the BBC, 5/11/02:
“The US government is strongly opposed to restrictive trade practices or boycotts targeted at Israel,” said Undersecretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Kenneth Juster.
“The Commerce Department is closely monitoring efforts that appear to be made to reinvigorate the Arab boycott of Israel and will use all of its resources to vigorously enforce US anti-boycott regulations.”
…The Department of Commerce has issued more than $26m in fines and turned down export licenses to those found violating the law.
The boycott against Israel is an important distinction between P&O, the British company that currently operates 21 U.S. ports, and Dubai Ports World.
ThinkFast: February 28, 2006
ThinkFast: February 28, 2006
Surprise: “Congressional watchdogs are nervous that after an initial burst of energy on reform, lawmakers from both parties have since cooled to the stronger provisions they were pushing just weeks ago.”
President Bush plans to shut down part of the national service program AmeriCorps, which he embraced in 2001. The National Civilian Community Corps, which brings together more than 1,100 18- to 24-year-olds together to work on service projects, will have its budget cut from $27 million to $5 million, “with the goal of closing it down.”
A majority in 33 of 35 countries and 60 percent of people overall believe the Iraq war has increased the likelihood of global terrorist attacks.
The New York Times has sued the U.S. Defense Department demanding that it hand over documents about the NSA’s domestic spying program, including internal memos, emails, and list of the surveillance targets. Also: White House rejects call for a special counsel investigation.
For the first time, the Justice Department approved a $300,000 settlement in the case of an Egyptian national who was detained after 9/11. “The government’s inclination to settle was enhanced when Judge John Gleeson ordered that former Attorney General John Ashcroft and the former head of the FBI testify under oath about the case.” More »
72% of U.S. Troops Want Out of Iraq Within One Year
72% of U.S. Troops Want Out of Iraq Within One Year
Bush says pulling out of Iraq would undermine our troops’ morale:
It is also important for every American to understand the consequences of pulling out of Iraq before our work is done. … We would undermine the morale of our troops by betraying the cause for which they have sacrificed. [12/18/05]
U.S. troops say they want out of Iraq within a year:
A new poll to be released today shows that U.S. soldiers overwhelmingly want out of Iraq — and soon. The poll is the first of U.S. troops currently serving in Iraq, according to John Zogby, the pollster. Conducted by Zogby International and LeMoyne College, it asked 944 service members, “How long should U.S. troops stay in Iraq?” Only 23 percent backed Mr. Bush’s position that they should stay as long as necessary. In contrast, 72 percent said that U.S. troops should be pulled out within one year. Of those, 29 percent said they should withdraw “immediately.” [NYT, 2/28/06]
American Progress has a plan that will drawdown the U.S. troop presence in Iraq within one year. If the troops support it, why can’t their Commander-in-Chief?
UPDATE: Zogby poll results here.
POLL: The Second Term Free Fall
POLL: The Second Term Free Fall
The latest CBS News poll puts President Bush’s job approval at 34 percent — an all-time low. Vice President Cheney is doing even worse. Only 18 percent of the public approves of the way he is doing his job.
The American public has a dismal assessment of Bush’s policies across the board:
– 30 percent approve of Bush’s handling of the war in Iraq — an all-time low.
– 27 percent approve of Bush’s energy policy.
– 32 percent approve of Bush’s handling of the economy.
– 5 percent of Americans are pleased with the way the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast is going.
Today, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said, “Our focus is on the important priorities of the American people.” Looks like the American people disagree.
34%.
1300.
1300.
Number of Iraqis killed last week in sectarian violence. “The toll was more than three times higher than the figure previously reported by the U.S. military and the news media.”
Rumsfeld Assault on Pentagon Workers Rights Rejected By Federal Judge
Rumsfeld Assault on Pentagon Workers Rights Rejected By Federal Judge
Donald Rumsfeld has been leading an effort to “reform” the Defense Department’s personnel system. On June 4, 2003, he testified to the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs that the new system would preserve bargaining rights for Pentagon employees:
[T]he National Security Personnel System we are proposing…will not end collective bargaining. … To the contrary, the right of defense employees to bargain collectively would be continued. What it would do is bring collective bargaining to the national level so that the Department could negotiate with national unions instead of dealing with more than 1,300 different union locals, a process that is inefficient.
Unfortunately for Rumsfeld, the Homeland Security Department had already tried this scheme and been rejected. The judge in that case batted down the argument that government agencies can strip away bargaining rights in the interest of “flexibility”:
Congress made protection of the right to bargain collectively an independent statutory requirement. It did not give the Agencies discretion to sacrifice collective bargaining in the interests of flexibility, any more than it authorized them to rely upon “flexibility” to waive merit system principles or other rights.
Today, U.S. District Court Judge Emmett G. Sullivan agreed with the reasoning in the Homeland Security Department case. He rejected the argument made by Rumsfeld in 2003, finding that the new Pentagon personnel system violates the law:
[A]s was the case in Chertoff I, this Court concludes that…the new rule fails to ensure even minimal collective bargaining rights.
It’s a big victory for the 700,000 Pentagon employees working to defend our country, who deserve better than to have their own Defense Secretary trying to strip away their rights.
$2.25:
$2.25:
The average price per gallon of gas in the U.S. today. Enjoy it while you can: “Oil industry expert Trilby Lundberg warns gasoline price declines are for the most part over and she expects the cost of a gallon of gasoline to head up through the spring and summer.”
Powerline Pushes WMD Conspiracy Theories
Powerline Pushes WMD Conspiracy Theories
Yesterday, Powerline blog published a post called “Saddam Had WMD.†John Hinderaker — a frequent guest on CNN — said there is “recently discovered evidence” which shows Saddam’s WMD were moved to Syria before the invasion.
Investigators laid the possibility to rest last year. Charles Duelfer, the White House’s hand-picked W.M.D. investigator, found in a 92-page report that “no information gleaned from questioning Iraqis supported the possibility†that Saddam moved WMD to Syria.
There is no “evidence” that shows the Duelfer report was wrong. Rather, a couple of people are pushing conspiracy theories without any supporting evidence.
MYTH #1 – Saddam Flew WMD to Syria:
Fox News reporter Brit Hume reported last month, “The number two general in Saddam Hussein’s air force says Iraq moved its weapons of mass destruction into Syria before the U.S. invasion.â€
Georges Sada, the former general referenced in Hume’s report, laid out the idea in his new book, “Saddam’s Secrets.†Sada claims Saddam used 747 jets “to smuggle his weapons of mass destruction out of Iraq and into Syria, following a natural disaster in northwestern Syria on June 4, 2002.â€
But Sada admits he never saw it happen. Instead, Sada’s two pilot friends are the only witnesses, and Sada said he will not disclose the names of the pilots.
MYTH #2 – The Russians Hid the WMD in Syria: More »
BREAKING: Coast Guard Sounded Alarms Over Dubai Ports Deal
BREAKING: Coast Guard Sounded Alarms Over Dubai Ports Deal
At today’s White House press briefing, Scott McClellan sought to assure the American public that the UAE’s ties to terrorism had been addressed prior to the ports deal:
This was a transaction that was closely scrutinized by national security experts who are involved in these decisions and by our intelligence community. The intelligence community provided an assessment. The Department of Homeland Security also worked to make sure any national security concerns were addressed, by entering into an agreement with the company and requiring some additional security assurances before it moved forward. But this was a consensus of all the relevant departments and agencies — there are some 12 altogether — that are part of that Committee on Foreign Investment.
But Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) today released an unclassified version of a document showing that the U.S. Coast Guard — located in the Department of Homeland Security — “cautioned the Bush administration that it was unable to determine whether a United Arab Emirates-owned company might support terrorist operations.” From the document:
There are many intelligence gaps, concerning the potential for DPW or P&O assets to support terrorist operations, that precludes an overall threat assessment of the potential merger. … The breadth of the intelligence gaps also infer potential unknown threats against a large number of potential vulnerabilities.
The Bush administration’s defense of the deal continues to unravel.
UPDATE: Here is the Coast Guard memo.
I’ll take two fleecings with a side of embezzlement.
I’ll take two fleecings with a side of embezzlement.
“Convicted Rep. Randall ‘Duke’ Cunningham actually priced the illegal services he provided. Prices came in the form of a ‘bribe menu’ that detailed how much it would cost contractors to essentially order multimillion-dollar government contracts, according to documents submitted by federal prosecutors.”
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