The jaw-dropping cynicism of the Bush administration
Tom Ridge, the former head of the Department of Homeland Security, has his own tell-some book coming out this fall, and following common practice, his publisher is leaking some of the material beforehand to get people talking.
Which, as you see, can be an effective strategy.
According to Paul Bedard at U.S. News & World Report, Ridge claims to have protested in vain at the hiring of FEMA Director Michael Brown, he of Katrina infamy. Ridge also writes that he was “pushed to raise the security alert on the eve of President Bush’s re-election, something he saw as politically motivated and worth resigning over.”
Except, of course, he didn’t resign.
But let’s take a look back at 2004, shall we? And what do we find? Among other things, we find this AP story dated Aug. 4 of that year.
“WASHINGTON – The politics of terrorism has Democrats tied in knots.
Each time President Bush raises fears of a possible attack, the political debate shifts from his most troublesome issue (Iraq) to one of his strongest (the war on terrorism) while Democrats fight their impulse to question the president’s motives.
The advantages of incumbency were in full display Sunday, when Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge warned of possible al-Qaida terrorist attacks to financial institutions in New York City, Washington and Newark, N.J.
The information was obtained in the past 36 to 72 hours, officials said Sunday, increasing anxieties about a potential strike. The Bush administration let a 24-hour news cycle pass before acknowledging that most of the intelligence, while recently obtained, was three or four years old.
“I am concerned that every time something happens that’s not good for President Bush, he plays this trump card, which is terrorism,” former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean said Sunday.
Similar doubts were raised privately by John Kerry’s senior advisers, top Democrats in Congress and even some senior Republicans who privately questioned Ridge’s timing. The announcement came three days after the close of the Democratic National Convention, which helped increase Kerry’s terrorism-fighting poll ratings and less than two weeks after a scathing report by the Sept. 11 Commission.
The administration on Tuesday issued a blanket condemnation of anybody who questions the rationale behind the warnings. Ridge said the old intelligence was updated in January, but he didn’t provide details to satisfy his skeptics.
“We don’t do politics in the Department of Homeland of Security,” he said.
One top GOP operative, who works closely with Bush’s political team, said the White House appeared to overplay its hand, and voters may smell politics behind the warning. A senior U.S. intelligence official said there is no doubt that the United States is in constant danger, but he was concerned enough about the timing of the announcement to ask colleagues in a weekend meeting, “Why? Why now? Why are we raising alarms about this now?”
Using the official national-security apparatus of the U.S. government to falsely heighten the fears of the American people, and to do so for purely political purposes.
Isn’t that lovely?
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189 comments Add your comment
USinUK
August 20th, 2009
12:15 pm
I’m shocked! Shocked to find gambling in this establishment.
USinUK
August 20th, 2009
12:15 pm
woohoo! and I’m first
getalife
August 20th, 2009
12:26 pm
cons live scared so they punked them then tossed them under the bus.
Yet, the cons want more gop failure.
Mental disorder.
MaJo
August 20th, 2009
12:27 pm
Obama used the same scare tactics before the huge stimulus bill was passed. He used words like “catastrophe” to describe what would happen if the stimulus was not passed. Funny, he stopped saying stuff like that as soon as the bill passed.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29107790/
Bosch
August 20th, 2009
12:27 pm
“Using the official national-security apparatus of the U.S. government to falsely heighten the fears of the American people, and to do so for purely political purposes.”
I’m shocked, totally shocked that this happened.
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
August 20th, 2009
12:27 pm
Well, all the warnings helped me. I laid in a big supply of clear plastic sheeting and was all ready to rough it for a few weeks till they got the Terrists under control. Besides, it helped us Conservatives win the election. So what if everything they put out was a few years old? Anything to keep the librul Democrats out of the White House was fine by me. Still is, but it’s too late now.
I see Bookman just had to bring up Hurricane Katrina again. Well, this FEMA director was plenty ready to be FEMA director. Anybody that knows anything about horses knows that a guy that runs horse shows has to be ready for about anything that can happen. You never know when a horse is going to get a case of the runs or something else happens just a hour or so before lots of people are suppose to show up. You got to be ready to scramble to take care of things quick. Same thing with FEMA.
It was never our fault a bunch of Those People took to housekeeping in a place that’s 20 feet below sea level. What did they think was going to happen? Water runs downhill, and this time water run downhill just like it always does. That’s the way God meant it to be. Ain’t nothing we can do to change it.
So I’m sure this Tom Ridge is trying to cash in by blasting My President just like the libruls do. Well, here’s one guy that won’t be buying his book. I know what I know and I don’t need nobody else to tell me what I know is wrong. That’s what I got a wife for.
Have a good p.m. everybody.
Bosch
August 20th, 2009
12:28 pm
“tell-some book”
Good one, Jay.
Mrs. Godzilla
August 20th, 2009
12:28 pm
AND THAT AIN”T ALL…..
The Central Intelligence Agency in 2004 hired outside contractors from the private security contractor Blackwater USA as part of a secret program to locate and assassinate top operatives of Al Qaeda, according to current and former government officials.
Executives from Blackwater, which has generated controversy because of its aggressive tactics in Iraq, helped the spy agency with planning, training and surveillance. The C.I.A. spent several million dollars on the program, which did not successfully capture or kill any terrorist suspects.
The fact that the C.I.A. used an outside company for the program was a major reason that Leon E. Panetta, the C.I.A.’s director, became alarmed and called an emergency meeting in June to tell Congress that the agency had withheld details of the program for seven years, the officials said.
Read the whole thing here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/20/us/20intel.html?_r=2&hp
and still President Obama has to clean up the mess……
HavingMySay
August 20th, 2009
12:31 pm
It has taken some “voters” a little longer to figure this out. Many of us recognized the political ploy for what it was at that time. They are stilling rasing false alarms over the healthcare reform debate.
This books is worth about 2 cents, I wouldn’t even use it as a door stop.
RW-(the original)
August 20th, 2009
12:33 pm
Political fear tactics??? Seen any Al Gore movies lately?
I do love the way Jay B starts out by insinuating that Ridge is lying and ends by taking what Ridge says at full face value to blast Bush, but I guess it beats trying to sell the virtues of Pelosicare.
Matilda
August 20th, 2009
12:33 pm
MaJo, except the economic dooms-day scare started BEFORE Obama was president, when Bush said we had to give several trillion to that Paulson guy, immediately, no strings, no checks & balances, don’t ask any questions, “just trust.” At least with Obama’s stimulus, there was a plan attached.
Halibut Maoir
August 20th, 2009
12:34 pm
Politics as usual. Jay knows how to get his weak knee’d troups goin,whisper BUSH in they’re ears and watch the kickin & screamin. Wonder if he does it for his own enjoyment,boy I can’t wait.
USinUK
August 20th, 2009
12:34 pm
the funny thing is … despite the sad/scary truths that will be revealed in Ridge’s and Cheney’s upcoming books, you’re still going to see the same faces in here saying “Bush RAWKS … Obama is TEH SUX”
Matilda
August 20th, 2009
12:38 pm
RW, have YOU actually watched any Al Gore movies? Uh-huh. Didn’t think so. Amazing how that makes you an expert.
USinUK
August 20th, 2009
12:38 pm
“Seen any Al Gore movies lately?”
hahahaha … you’re kidding, right? Uncomfortable Truth = duct tape and plastic sheeting???
Uncomfortable Truth = ZOMG!!! plot to blow up the Citi building in NY (but we’ll still send Laura there to show it’s perfectly safe)
please. scientists have been talking about the Tipping Point for decades, Al Gore was nothing new. Bush and Ridge used the Terra Alert (Code: pee-your-pants-yella) to boost his poll ratings everytime they dipped.
Joey
August 20th, 2009
12:38 pm
Right on Jay. I remember it like it was yesterday.
Bush sent Cheney out to say and I quote:
“You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.”
Dolts!
hopey changey
August 20th, 2009
12:40 pm
chicken in every pot, puppies and rainbows.
http://www.applet-magic.com/talmadge.jpg
Captain Underpants
August 20th, 2009
12:40 pm
“I am concerned that every time something happens that’s not good for President Bush, he plays this trump card, which is terrorism,” former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean said Sunday.
I am concerned with anything Howard Dean says…very slimey and even more so than James Carville.
And yes…when will the politically expediant alarm bells for Aid for Africa, 2nd hand smoke, global climate change and the ever popular HCare alarm bells be ringing. oh yea…Clinton rang the HCare bells in 1993 stating if we couldnt survive as a Country if HCare wasnt addressed NOW!
Oh yea…the head of the UN announced about a month ago we only have 4 months in which to make a successful turnaround from global warming.
Well there it is…along with 2nd hand smoke and all the other liberal myths we have a little less than 4 months to live. I guess that OboboCare is just a little to late.
Derby Hooligan
August 20th, 2009
12:43 pm
It all need to come out,and it needs to end in a trial.
someone needs to pay for the mess they left.
Paul
August 20th, 2009
12:47 pm
awww, nuts…
Just when I was starting to have fun on the prior thread…..
As far as this… administrations invoke fear to get their way. Ain’t right, there are different degrees, and those who are opposed don’t resign. And – I will say using national security is different than using societal concerns. But it’s still the fear card.
Yup, life in American politics.
USinUK
August 20th, 2009
12:47 pm
““You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.””
man. talk about manufactured pearl-clutching outrage.
so effing what Rahm said this. good times = complacency and things that need to be fixed (like health care) don’t get fixed. crisis = an opportunity to take stock and fix what’s broken.
and, honey, just cuz Cheney and Rove were never heard saying it doesn’t mean that it wasn’t the philosophy that drove them.
md
August 20th, 2009
12:48 pm
“MaJo, except the economic dooms-day scare started BEFORE Obama was president, when Bush said we had to give several trillion to that Paulson guy, immediately, no strings, no checks & balances, don’t ask any questions, “just trust.” At least with Obama’s stimulus, there was a plan attached.”
Last I checked, that one was also a bipartisan effort. Congress joined in on the freight.
Crushing the pubt's
August 20th, 2009
12:49 pm
Using the official national-security apparatus of the U.S. government to falsely heighten the fears of the American people, and to do so for purely political purposes.
Isn’t that Standard Operating Procedure for the Republicans? Of course it is. There was an excellent short essay/article in this vein I read last night at http://www.fivethirtyeight.com explaining perfectly how Republicans are masters at creating fear, and muddying the waters to distort issues for pure political gain. The thesis goes like t his–and the entire short article is worth reading–basically their strategy is if you fling enough mud some will stick. It’s taught to baby US attorneys as a courtroom strategy and defense lawyers have to structure defense around it. It’s also mimicked by the Katy Abrams’ clones here:
Piggybacking on Nate’s post immediately below, allow me to suggest that what we are also witnessing here is an asymmetrical battle in which conservatives, Republicans, trade associations and other assorted opponents are adapting campaign strategies–and smear tactics in particular–to a policy debate. And, if you think about it, it’s a pretty shrewd strategy to muddy the waters, provide disinformation, and in general try to scare people away from an idea–just as one might try to deter them from voting for a candidate in an election campaign.
1. It is almost always more difficult to get somebody to support a candidate or policy proposal idea than oppose it, because supporting usually requires agreeing with all or nearly all of who/what they are, whereas the threshold for opposition is lower. In short, it’s easier to disqualify than qualify. A corollary to this is that the larger and/or more complex a policy is, the greater the disqualify-qualify asymmetry tends to be.
2. Because it is not always clear which particular objection(s) will move any given voter toward disqualifying an idea, the best approach is a shotgun one: raise every possible objection imaginable in order to maximize the number of people who can find at least one argument as the key, dispositive reason for their opposition.
3. Because voters are (often rationally) low-information consumers of policy, the use of exaggeration, misrepresentation and outright fabrication is often met with little to no impunity.
Asymmetrical Policy Warfare and the Prophets of Deceit by Tom Schaller
http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/08/asymmetrical-policy-warfare-and.html
md
August 20th, 2009
12:50 pm
“AND THAT AIN”T ALL…..
The Central Intelligence Agency in 2004 hired outside contractors from the private security contractor Blackwater USA as part of a secret program to locate and assassinate top operatives of Al Qaeda, according to current and former government officials.
Executives from Blackwater, which has generated controversy because of its aggressive tactics in Iraq, helped the spy agency with planning, training and surveillance. The C.I.A. spent several million dollars on the program, which did not successfully capture or kill any terrorist suspects.
The fact that the C.I.A. used an outside company for the program was a major reason that Leon E. Panetta, the C.I.A.’s director, became alarmed and called an emergency meeting in June to tell Congress that the agency had withheld details of the program for seven years, the officials said.”
I’ll take a mercenary/bountyhunter anyday over sending our boys into harms way.
Jay
August 20th, 2009
12:50 pm
Folks, there’s no doubt that fear is a tool in every politician’s toolbox. No dispute there.
But personally, I would expect that our national-security and intelligence agencies would not be used in that fashion. If a politician says something, we can all believe it or discount it as we choose. But if the intel professionals are quoted as saying it, we ought to be able to believe that the warnings are real and not political.
If instead we also have to discount those warnings as possibly political, then those warnings lose their power and effectiveness. Alerts aren’t alerts anymore, they’re political propaganda.
Personally, I think something important is lost with that.
Halibut Maoir
August 20th, 2009
12:53 pm
See I was right,here they come.
Captain Underpants
August 20th, 2009
12:54 pm
Derby Hooligan
August 20th, 2009
12:43 pm
Please stop the whining. There will be no trial. Even if there were to be Obama would stop it or grant a Presidential pardon on the back end.
md
August 20th, 2009
12:55 pm
“Isn’t that Standard Operating Procedure for the Republicans?”
Both corrupt parties tend to play that game, its called politics.
As Sir Charles stated “the poor have been voting democrat for 50 years, and they are still poor”, and he’s a democrat. The lemmings will forever do as they are told.
Wyld Byll Hyltnyr
August 20th, 2009
1:00 pm
“Using the official national-security apparatus of the U.S. government to falsely heighten the fears of the American people, and to do so for purely political purposes.
Isn’t that lovely?”
No, its one man’s opinion and, I might add, an opinion that will favorably impact the sales of his book. Ridge is both shameless and shameful at the same time. He is despicable to be trading, unquestionably, on national security to put a few shekels in his pocket.
Then again, ih he just told the truth, that President Bush was a inscrutably honest, courageous visionary, that always put the interests of the American people first, he would not sell many books. Ridge is no less the whore than the men that Barney Frank’s live-in lover used to pimp out.
Al Gore's Con Job
August 20th, 2009
1:00 pm
Oh god, it’s about the poor polar bears people!!!!
Halibut Maoir
August 20th, 2009
1:02 pm
Ok,everyone gets it. Iraq was a unpopular war, and the left hates BUSH. Blamin Bush for all the worlds woes gets old I would think even for the left.Corruption & lies are part of the political process.
joe matarotz
August 20th, 2009
1:02 pm
Famous people who were born on this date: Ray Bradbury (1920), Jim Reeves (1923), Isaac Hayes (1942), H.P. Lovecraft (1890), Josef Strauss (1827), and Benjamin Harrison (1833).
What does that have to do with this column. It’s ALL in the past. How about some pertinent comment, Jay, like the Taliban’s effect on the Afghan elections? Or is anything that might have a remote chance of putting Obama in a negative light, no matter whether true or not, off limits?
I guess it’s always a safe bet to bash the previous administration.
md
August 20th, 2009
1:04 pm
“crisis = an opportunity to take stock and fix what’s broken”
usually with a knee jerk reaction, very little forethought, and plenty of unintended consequences that will need fixing down the road. Yep, sounds like our gov’t over the last umpteen years.
USinUK
August 20th, 2009
1:04 pm
heading home – have a good evening!
jconservative
August 20th, 2009
1:05 pm
“The jaw-dropping…”
Jay – why would your jaw drop? It is called the bully pulpit & was perfected by FDR. Remember the “fireside chaps” -oops, my bad – that should be “fireside chats”. Bush did not talk well & let his team do most of the talking.
Obama’s problem is that he does not consistently use this tried & true method of persuasion.
rumble seat
August 20th, 2009
1:06 pm
“Folks, there’s no doubt that fear is a tool in every politician’s toolbox. No dispute there.
But personally, I would expect that our national-security and intelligence agencies would not be used in that fashion. If a politician says something, we can all believe it or discount it as we choose. But if the intel professionals are quoted as saying it, we ought to be able to believe that the warnings are real and not political.
If instead we also have to discount those warnings as possibly political, then those warnings lose their power and effectiveness. Alerts aren’t alerts anymore, they’re political propaganda.
Personally, I think something important is lost with that.”
Absolutely Jay. The H1N1 hysteria was timed to help push the health bill.
Mr. Snarky
August 20th, 2009
1:07 pm
“President Bush was a inscrutably honest, courageous visionary, that always put the interests of the American people first, ”
LOL! Byll, you sure are funny!
I don’t think anyone is surprised by any “revelations” about the tactics of the bush administration. This is a bunch that invaded a country for purely political purposes.
stands for decibels
August 20th, 2009
1:08 pm
The H1N1 hysteria was timed to help push the health bill.
It was? If so, then the Administration and Congress need a new watch.
Crushing the pubt's
August 20th, 2009
1:14 pm
In the last decade, particularly with Bush, the inteliigence agencies have become extremely politicized unfortunately. There are a lot of examples. One that stands out is Cheney making several physical trips over to Langley to shape their intelligence product to push this country into a needless war. In addition, now the CIA and the NSA have phalanxes of lawyers who work every day to buffer the lies that they tell to the public, and they have played out in courtrooms lately. Marcy Wheeler at Empty Wheel, and Glenn Greenwald at Salon are two bloggers who have dissected this brilliantly for the last three years, and they do it every day. One is a PhD. in political science and the other is a lawyer who litigated federal civil rights cases for years.
I Report/ Vast White Wing Conspirator (-: You Whine )-:
August 20th, 2009
1:14 pm
The announcement came three days after the close of the Democratic National Convention, which helped increase Kerry’s terrorism-fighting poll ratings ~~~~~~~~~~~~~and less than two weeks after a scathing report by the Sept. 11 Commission.~~~~~~~~~~~~
Which was also politically timed.
Using the official national-security apparatus of the U.S. government to falsely heighten the fears of the American people, and to do so for purely political purposes.
Isn’t that lovely?
For real, Jamie Gorelik, ew.
RW-(the original)
August 20th, 2009
1:22 pm
The Spain train bombings were March 11, 2004, three days before their elections. I’m sure there was no reason whatsoever to believe there might be an effort to disrupt our elections in November 22004…..sarc
Rightwing Troll
August 20th, 2009
1:23 pm
Yeah, I know pelosi sux, Reid sux, Barney Frank’s a fruit and this entire economic boondoggle we are currently are in is his fault for liking men, I get all that…
How many code orange or yellows have we had since Jan 09???
Hmmmmmmm????
Bosch
August 20th, 2009
1:23 pm
md,
“I’ll take a mercenary/bountyhunter anyday over sending our boys into harms way.”
Yeah, me too – but we paid them millions and they didn’t get the job done. So much for private industry being better than the government.
RW-(the original)
August 20th, 2009
1:24 pm
Hold on there time traveler…November 2004
Fly-On-The-Wall
August 20th, 2009
1:24 pm
Rumble Seat – I didn’t realize that H1N1 hysteria started around the time the health care bill started? Can you give us dates?
Crushing the pubt's
August 20th, 2009
1:29 pm
Absolutely Jay. The H1N1 hysteria was timed to help push the health bill</em
Medically, this is a non-sensical statement, and rises to the level of imbecility. Obviously the person who issued that statement above has zero medical background. H1N1 defense is being quarterbacked by a brilliant ID physician, Tony Fauci at NIAID at NIH.
There are classically two phases in a virus like H1N1. Close to 436 people have died in the US from H1N1 as of 8/7. Their deaths aren’t characterized as hysteria by their family and friends. Already Sanofi and the Australian vaccine maker reported delays in making the vaccine a couple days ago.
If the second wave is virulent, it will beat the vaccine to the tape by months. A decision has been made to push 30-60 year olds to the back of the line in this country, and it is a big guess because when even healthy people in that age group are struck, they get sicker and more of them die. 2 of 14 people making that decision stormed out of the room without voting 3 weeks ago at CDC.
Halibut Maoir
August 20th, 2009
1:30 pm
Bosch”but we paid them millions and did’nt get the job done.So much for private industry being better than the government” – I hope you were jest kiddin.
Tom
August 20th, 2009
1:30 pm
BushWorld. A history of mindless criminals hiring/using other mindless criminals. In thee name of Geesussah!
Halibut Maoir
August 20th, 2009
1:31 pm
LUNCHTIME
Paul
August 20th, 2009
1:34 pm
Bosch
Little off-topic segue here, given the lead-in about gov’t-corporate alliances….
Remember a couple days back the question was raised concerning the morality of Democrats prohibiting off-shore oil development here, then providing ten billion dollars to a South American oil company to do off-shore development in their country?
Well, there’s more. Remember all the accusations and such over Cheney-Haliburton-enriching his buddies through the good graces of the US goverment? Well, seems just a few months ago a certain American investor put over 800 million bucks’ worth of that oil company’s stock into his big fund. Constitutes between a fifth and a fourth of the holdings. A few months later, the US gov’t provides a Ten Billion Dollar loan to the oil company (Petrobras).
Sheer coincidence. Nothing more….
The investor? That darling of the Left and the nemesis of the Right, George Soros.
Bohica -