Dem Policy hearing on C-Span 3 Now

[fedupinBushcountry]

You can watch here:

http://www.cspan.org/watch/cspan3_wm.asp?Cat=TV&Code=CS3

[fedupinBushcountry]

1. This is very good

First Wilkerson , now Pillar, they are both speaking very strong and truthfully.

[ProSense]

2. Is anyone watching. OMG! Is this true?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1509825&mesg_id=1509825

[fedupinBushcountry]

3. I was watching

but my live streaming stopped. Will have to go upstairs and see if I can get it on my husband' computer.

It is a hearing of truth to power. Excellent. I hope they show it later on -Span or C-Span2 it is a must watch.

[babylonsister]

4. Yep. Wilkerson said he could answer in two words, then said no,

make that three. "The Vice President."

:wow: I'd love to see this again in its entirety on a real TV; I can't get too excited with the live stream.

[ginnyinWI]

11. that was a great moment

Some people kind of murmured in surprise. I have it recorded and am about 2 1/2 hours into watching it--want to digest every bit. This is worth about fifty times the same amount of time spent watching cable news.

[fedupinBushcountry]

5. This is re-airing tonight

at 10:28 est. on C-Span for anyone who missed it. It is a must see.

[whometense]

6. I'm watching it online right now.

C-span front page,

RECENT PROGRAMS >>
Senate Cmte. Hearing on Iraq Pre-War Intelligence (6/26/06)

It's absolutely HAIR-RAISING.

[fedupinBushcountry]

7. It is hair-raising

and it shows exactly what Kerry was going through when he voted. I am glad he was the Senator that took notice of the DSM's, and he got little support on that too. I'm glad that some in this administration have the guts now, even though a bit late to speak truth to power.

[whometense]

8. Watching it again -

and still trying to process it all.

David Corn has a good column on it in The Nation online today.

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/capitalgames?bid=3&pid=96350

So after all this, Representative Jones, who had voted to grant Bush the authority to invade Iraq, had a question. He noted that "my heart has ached ever since I found out that the intelligence...was flawed and possibly manipulated." He said that he had written letters to relatives of every American soldier who has died in Iraq--8000 letters so far. "What perplexes me," he said, "is how in the world could professionals see what was happening and nobody speak out?"

It was an important question. Within the intelligence community, there were professionals who knew that critical parts of the Bush administration's case for war--which relied primarily on the argument that Saddam posed a direct WMD threat to the United States--had serious holes. Those who dissented internally did not go public--they worked within the system. But the system did not work. The White House made certain not to pay attention to any of the dissents, and it did not share the disputes with the voters. Why had the entire intelligence community allowed Bush and his aides to get away with this?

The panelists did not get a chance to respond to Jones, for he kept on talking--right over that query--and he segued to another subject, asking how it could be that the neoconservative hawks in the Bush administration gained so much power and had more influence than "you, the professionals."

Wilkerson fielded the question, first noting that as a Republican he was "embarrassed" that Jones was the only GOPer to attend the hearing (which was open to legislators of both parties). Then Wilkerson replied, "I'll answer you with three words: the vice president." That seemed to satisfy Jones. Neither he nor Wilkerson mentioned the two-word answer: the president.

I found Jones to be a very credible - and moving - figure. He's clearly devastated at having been led to giving his unwitting okay to the Iraq travesty. Even with his "freedom fries" moment, I am inclined to cut him a big break.

[ginnyinWI]

12. Walter Jones is an exception to the rule, for sure.

Mother Jones did a cover story on him for their Jan/Feb '06 issue. (you may be able to find it online.) www.motherjones.com

He's genuine in his concern; has a placard outside his office with pictures of all the fallen troops on it and has spoken out often.

(edit)Link here: http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2006/01/the_three_conversions_of_walter_b_jones.html

[jillan]

9. I caught the end of it on CSpan last nite

from what I saw -OMG!

Even Diane Feinstein was going nuts.

all of those people came forth and told what happened before Powell's speech.

I got the impression that Powell was used as a pawn. No wonder why he stepped down.

That's the one thing about lies, the truth eventually comes out.

[whometense]

10. Diane Feinstein

looked really grim.

Wilkerson "three words" full transcript: http://thinkprogress.org/2006/06/26/wilkerson-vp/

Video (the highlights-only version): Pre-War Intelligence: Three Words: The Vice President

There was more reporting on the hearing than I expected to see, but still - hardly a ripple.

The truth comes out, but as long as the media allows the right/administration to pound lies, people who aren't paying much attention still see it as he said/she said. It's totally frustrating.

I saw a minute of Hardball last night - and regretted it instantly. That moron Melanie Morgan (http://thinkprogress.org/2006/06/27/nyt-treason/)was screaming about how Valerie Plame was never undercover. Even Al Sharpton didn't contradict her. Sigh.

[jillan]

13. I was thinking about that as I watched

How what I was hearing was so horrendous,
and how this will never get out in the msm.

One thing that really disturbed me was at the end when Dorgan said he invited all senators to the hearing, and there was no one there. (unless there was more earlier that I missed)

One thing that pleased me was that republican Congressman - I forgot his name...half-heimer's here -
he made it a point to be there. He looked frazzled and upset bu what he was hearing.

[ginnyinWI]

14. I saw it too, after seeing a heads-up post at DU about it.

I don't usually watch, but I like Al Sharpton. In fairness to him, that b**** was a screaming banshee and didn't let anybody else get a word in. Even Tweety was blocked--and you know how gabby he is. And she had her facts wrong of course. I've seen Lichtblau on several shows, and she was wrong about several points. No surprise--they are not in the real world.