RNC response to docs: Kerry camp behind it

[newsguyatl]

RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie Statement on CBS


Washington, DC--Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie issued the following statement on CBS’s admission today that memos regarding the President’s National Guard service are not real.

“We accept CBS's apology for a breach of the journalistic standards that provide the American people confidence in news organizations, but some disturbing questions remain unanswered.

“CBS has now answered questions about the authenticity of the documents but questions remain surrounding who created the documents, who provided them to CBS and if Senator Kerry's supporters, Party committee, or campaign played any role.

“Did Bill Burkett, Democrat activist and Kerry campaign supporter, who passed information to the DNC, work with Kerry campaign surrogate Max Cleland? Did Bill Burkett's talks with ‘senior’ Kerry campaign officials include discussions of the now discredited documents? Was the launch of the Democrat National Committee's Operation Fortunate Son designed with knowledge of the faked forged memos? Terry McAuliffe said yesterday that no one at the DNC or Kerry campaign, ‘had anything to do with the preparations of the documents,’ but what about the distribution or dissemination?

“In an effort to regain the trust of the American people CBS should not only investigate the process that led to the use of these documents but they should identify immediately those engaged in possible criminal activity who attempted to use a news organization to affect the outcome of a Presidential election in its closing days.”

[dogtag]

1. Did he mention Novack and Plame? No? (n/t)

[berner59]

2. “In an effort to regain the trust of the American people ..."

oh yeah, they're experts on trust... What holier than thou crap spewing from these cretins...

[StopTheMorans]

3. I wouldn't piss on Gillespie if he were on fire

the man has a very selective view of what the rest of us deem to be "reality".

[Wind Dancer]

4. .

:puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke:

[bigtree]

5. Then so is everyone who Burkett contacted

[stryker18]

6. Um, he never spoke with the damn Kerry camp

They never called him back.

[emulatorloo]

8. Eddie never lets the facts get in the way of Smearing Kerry

If he did, he wouldn't be doing his job.

This is so predictable. . .

[olddem43]

7. What does "faked forged" mean?

are they real memos that were faked as being forged or faked memos that were forged into being not faked? Or it it simply redundancy from an administration that likes to over-state everything they can find negative? Was there any connection between the swift-boat liars and the Bush Campaign? Well, of course not!

[farmbo]

9. OK DNC...time to blast-fax the obvious: This was a Rove Dirty Trick!

"The RNC is right...'disturbing questions remain unanswered' such as: 1)How could an Atlanta GOP operative with zero expertise in document authentication post a fully researched critique of the CBS memos within minutes of their release? 2)Will Karl Rove testify under oath that he had no prior knowledge of the fake memos?

[demfaithful]

11. It was CBS experts that told Rather that the docs were questionable.

Bush is absolutely now innoculated, against personal attacks. If anything remotely like this comes up between now and November, he or his staff will just shrug and say something on the lines of “well, you know, the last time they used fake douments and hearsay…” and that will be it. Rather has made it harder for Kerry to attack President Bush.

[DBtv]

10. Buckhead sent the forgeries to Burkett.

It was a RNC operative that forged the docs.

[demfaithful]

12. listen up folks.....

What worries me is the quick response from Terry McAuliffe and Senator Harkin they went with this 60 minute documentary almost immediately. Remember when Max cleland went to Bush's house to present him with a letter. What the hell was that all about?

Anyway, the repubs are connecting the dots. How far they will go, no body knows. But let me say this, it ain't going away. This is just the first step. If it is Karl Rove, he is handling this like a master. But then I ask, if it is Karl Rove, wouldn't Burkett give out his name. What would Burket have to lose?

I am disturbed that Burkett and Rather are trying to protect their source. Ask yourself, why protect karl rove?

[mbali]

16. Ummm - Cleland went to Crawford with letter BEFORE 60 minutes piece ran

Moreover, it seems like McAuliffe and Harkin and Kerry can't win. They get jumped on when they take too long addressing an issue. They get jumped on when they respond rapidly.

Finally, there's no evidence that Rather is trying to protect a source. Burkett was his source. His name is out. What makes you think that Rather is protecting - or even knows the identity - of the person Burkett now claims to have gotten the documents from?

Jeez.

[demfaithful]

18. I ask this question again

If it is bad for Republicans, why protect the source. If bad for democrats, protect the source. Remember Robin Rather and Dan Rather are die hard democrats. Nothing would make Dan happier than to see Bush go down...He had a huge rift with bush's father. This is just my humble opinion. I keep asking, by protect Rove?

[mbali]

20. And I'll tell you again - Rather may not KNOW who Burkett's source is

so why do you assume that he's covering for him?

[geek tragedy]

25. Nobody's protecting Karl Rove.

The source is Burkett--he lied about there being a source.

In any event, Burkett is so thoroughly discredited that we can't believe anything he says.

[BootinUp]

30. You think {the source} wants to be outed?

assuming for a minute it is not Burkett.

[TheWebHead]

19. you have a pretty interesting set of 24 posts demfaithful

while I'm no fan of Burkett, you're really following the repuke talking points hook, line and sinker... This was a solo job by Burkett, imo, and nothing so fare refutes this and it is irresponsible, and pretty hypocritical, for Gillespie to do this flame throwing with no facts to back him up.

[Waverley_Hills_Hiker]

28. I think it was solo too...

...the Dems, if they wanted to do dirty tricks, would be a hell of alot better at it.

I think the GOP is trying to spin this against the Dems, tarring them with this, & making it seem like this Burkett guy is working for either Kerry or the DNC.

I dont think thats the case..that was just the GOP talking point, not fact.

But yeah, I agree, solo job.

And I do see a interesting posting pattern here, too....for that poster..why would Rove be the person giving stuff to Burkett?...more a surrogate.

But, like you, I dont think there is a source...ithe "source" is Burkett himself.

[BurtWorm]

13. Is this a joke?

Max Cleland? A document forger? :eyes:

[RevCheesehead]

14. BULLSHIT!

"CBS has now answered questions about the authenticity of the documents but questions remain surrounding who created the documents, who provided them to CBS and if Senator Kerry's supporters, Party committee, or campaign played any role."

The docs are not proven as forgeries.

[Kierkegaard]

15. "...CBS should not only investigate the process that led..."

NO, ASSHOLE, what CBS should investigate is who the F&*K was in on Cheney's closed-door energy summit, who the F$&K blew Valerie Plame's cover, who the F&#K blew Khan Noor's cover, who the F*@K forged the yellow cake documents, and who the F$%K do you think you are lecturing US on the use of sleazy tricks and lies to influence the outcome of a Presidential election? F%&K YOU!!!

[Protected]

17. So is the Kerry campaign going to refute this?

Or are we going to have a second Swift Boat disaster here?

[librechik]

29. Look, this is Rove's specialty. Nobody can prove something is NOT true

but idiots will think this exposes the campaign as liars or something.

This unfair tactic makes me want to scream.

[Texas_Dem]

21. Going to be a little crude here....

but when juvenile kids pass gas they are REAL quick to blame someone else in the room.

I think the repugs should have used the Beano in this case.

[Darby]

22. That's going nowhere - stinks like piling on and no one buys it

[CBHagman]

23. McClellan at the White House was repeating the Gillespie spiel

Scott McClellan, the White House press secretary, kept repeating the question about links to the Kerry campaign, and he also kept mentioning Operation Fortunate Son and tried to link it to the Hatfield book (and denounced Hatfield as both discredited and a felon). The talking points McClellan used included the term "recycled" regarding the charges against Bush.

At this point, the administration is strictly the RNC, full stop, and the press hasn't been much use in asking questions.

[Pepperbelly]

24. These assh*les have more brazeness than any crew I've seen.

Gillespie is an ass-faced, sanctimonious, disafiliated, rat-bastard son of a bitch scatavor who could not tell the truth if his very worthless life depended upon it.

:grr:

[Mr_Spock]

26. Yawn, and pigs fly too.

What else would we expect.

[grace0418]

27. What a surprise!

I'm so shocked!