Bob Kerrey’s 9/11 Commission Fiasco

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.nationalreview.com/york/york200405031513.asp

Democratic 9/11 commissioner Bob Kerrey made an early departure from the commission's long-anticipated session with President Bush and Vice President Cheney only to find himself waiting for what turned out to be a late, and very brief, meeting on Capitol Hill. Now, Kerrey says that if he had it do over again, he would not have left the White House in the first place.

Kerrey had scheduled a meeting at noon Thursday with New Mexico Republican Sen. Pete Domenici, a member of the Appropriations Committee, at Domenici's office in the Hart Senate Office Building (the two were to discuss an issue related to the New School, of which Kerrey is president). To make the meeting, Kerry left the White House at about 11:40 A.M., missing the last hour of the commission's questioning of Bush and Cheney.

But when Kerrey arrived at the Hart Building, he was told that Domenici was busy on the Senate floor, voting on a series of amendments. Noon came and went. Instead of meeting in the office, Kerrey went to an area just off the Senate floor, where, at about 12:30 P.M., he was finally able to have a quick word with Domenici.

In the end, Kerrey says, he would have done things differently. "If I had known that there were votes in the Senate at the time, and Sen. Domenici was not in his office, and I would not be able to see him until later, and I would only get 30 seconds or a minute with him, then yes, I would have stayed at the White House," Kerrey told NRO.

[Fridays Child]

1. Byron York grossly overstates the case by calling it a fiasco.

But then we are dealing with the National Review. :eyes:

[Catherine Vincent]

2. The repukes want this to so much be a black mark on

Kerrey and Hamilton. A few cspan callers were calling in disgusted that they would do this. Please!

[Rick Myers]

3. Hamilton has been my hero for at least 20 years!!!

And BushCo will do ANYTHING to derail this investigation.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

4. boy i bet Kerrey's regretting it now

He probably missed all sorts of Bush and Cheney mea culpas and all kinds of disclosures of useful information. I'm sure he's sick to death about it, he missed the moment when Bush and Cheney came clean. Oh, wait a minute, that's a fantasy world.

[joeunderdog]

8. Did you see him on The Daily Show?

All I heard was disgust. He was swearing (in a joking way), shaking his head about it. He was very frank about the sham of it all.

[Norquist Nemesis]

5. What's the big deal?

Kerry knows the Terrible Twosome's appearance was a joke and he'd probably had enough of it anyway. NRO's just pissed because he dissed their idols. :eyes:

[readmylips]

6. Sounds like Domenici's play of the week....

He set up Bob Kerrey. Those repigs are such calculating crooks.

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. And these guys don't have cell phones?

Or Kerry couldn't have the WH secratery call Domenici, to say gee I'm running a little late, I'm still interogating the pResident?

So Kerrey thinks meeting with Domenici was more important than hearing the pResident answers questions about 9-11, but Domenici didn't think Kerrey was important enough to skip out during a Senate vote? I hope Kerrey felt like a fool when Domenici stood him up.

[Tuttle]

9. Bush doesn't allow cell phones during meetings

that was one of his very first executive orders -- his way of building a bridge to the 19th century...

smoke signals, anyone?

Tut-tut

[DoYouEverWonder]

10. LOL, thanks for the laugh

I forgot about W's ban on cell phones. Even if Kerrey tried to bring his into the meeting with him, it was probably removed from his person when he was frisked for the security check. I guess he does have an excuse?

[boogerbrain]

11. The commission members should keep their mouths shut

I don't even feel like it is accomplishing anyhting anymore. The members of it are acting so childish and partisan that it really is a detriment to its true intent. Rethugs salivate waiting for their dogs to attack one of us and then we salivate hoping Kerrey or someone else will bring us a nugget about Shrub or someone else. I thought the point was to make recommendations going forward instead of trying to apportion blame? Maybe I'm wrong

[robbedvoter]

12. No, you thought they'd apportion blame to Clinton - salivating, as you'd

put it. As for me, I was hoping for some accountability from my government. But what do I know? I must think I live in a democracy or sumthin'

[boogerbrain]

15. I'm not even sure you read my post

Lay off

[0007]

20. robbedvoter does read very well, and probably read your post as I did

[DoYouEverWonder]

13. So much for free speech I suppose?

Besides if Bu$h and Cheney would testify in public and under oath, then people wouldn't have to shut their mouths.

[boogerbrain]

14. I know your m.o.

I've seen it already in my short time. Eat the posters who have only a few posts. My point, which I thought was clear but will boil down to its essence, is that the political crap needs to be taken out of this. It does nothing to further protect us, which is the very point of this Commission, is it not?

[Bridget Burke]

16. Before we can be protected,

We need to find out exactly what happened on 9/11 & the months leading up to it. A lot of people died & nobody has been fired, or even received an official reprimand.

It's a pity that your president & his administration dragged their feet about setting up the commission, and have continued to obstruct their work. Perhaps too close a look at the facts will make them look bad. Which will hurt your president's election chances. I would prefer the people who allowed 9/11 be voted out in November.

This is a political board.

[AZCat]

17. Because you asked, here is the 'official' purpose of the commission

From their web site: http://www.9-11commission.gov/

The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (also known as the 9-11 Commission), an independent, bipartisan commission created by congressional legislation and the signature of President George W. Bush in late 2002, is chartered to prepare a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, including preparedness for and the immediate response to the attacks. The Commission is also mandated to provide recommendations designed to guard against future attacks.
<snip>

I bolded the important stuff. Take from this what you will.

[DoYouEverWonder]

19. Then maybe Bu$h shouldn't

use pictures of a dead fireman being carried out of the rubble of the WTC in his campaign ads? That's politicizing 9-11. Not allowing someone to discussing the events of 9-11 is not, it is censorship.

[mulethree]

25. sad

The same partisan bickering has made congress ineffective. Hopefully in congress its a cycle such that when voters find out their congressmen have gotten nothing done they will get replaced by someone who's more effective.

What could they have done to make the commission more effective? They could have tried to make it more non-partisan instead of bi-partisan. Appoint only moderates? maybe an independent chairman? I think it would be less politically charged if it had been started sooner and given more open-book access.

I've been listening to the supreme court arguments recently and wishing the commission hearings had been more like that. Questions instead of speeches and statements and then cut them off once you've got enough answer and move to the next question.

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

26. The political crap...

Testifying behind closed doors with the vice president at your side isn't political crap? Having no recordings and no notes from the meetings isn't political crap? Having your underlings commit innumerable counts of perjury isn't political crap? Consulting with the Saudi's before going to war with Iraq isn't political crap? Having those Saudi's agree to cut the price of oil the eve of the General Election isn't political crap?

Grow up.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

18. LOL. Did you really think the Junior-appointed commission was going...

...to do anything other than to absolve the NeoCons of all blame? Can you say "Warren Commission"?

[THUNDER HANDS]

21. stupid man

there's something fishy about Bob Kerrey. I don't know what it is but I don't like him.

Leaving early was just inexcusable, IMO.

[Skittles]

22. I absolutely agree

what a dipshit decision. And I don't like him either.

[mulethree]

27. perhaps

He's been disruptive and wasted time before, perhaps he was encouraged to leave?

My first take was that it's an indication he was dissatisfied with the quality of the discourse. Like perhaps answering all the questions includes answers like "I don't recall" or similar. Perhaps discussions related to limits - what topics would get redacted if they were to show up in the report.

[drfemoe]

30. His action

betrayed his responsibility to the American People. He is an embarrassment to Democrats. :feigned shock:

Trying to make oneself appear large by minimizing others (even if it IS whoosh) is a losing strategy.
Isn't whoosh proof enough of THAT?

[DemonFighterLives]

23. What a doofus?

A Doh someone wants to talk to me over there? OK, I'll leave my appointed duties with the commission.
The commission is not accomplishing anything anyway. Shrub and dick answered all the questions, Yeah Right!

[kskiska]

24. Well, I hope he had the decency to at least respectfully back out

of the room where the twin kings were enthroned.

[Gin]

28. good one....and he was probably wanded on his way out...like he was on

the way in.. to.. "the throne room"

[mithnanthy]

29. It stinks alright...

The excuses used to leave early are just rediculous considering the importance of the 9/11 Commission hearings to all concerned. It was an insult to the victims families and the rest off us that expected they represent us and be there for the ENTIRE meeting. Lame excuses!

[tinanator]

31. smells like a coverup

maybe there were things he didnt want to hear or confront scheduled for discussion?