HOLY CRAP!!!! ON SITUATION ROOM!!!! WATCH NOW!!!

[originalpckelly]

Calling out Bush for faking terrorism.

[stop the bleeding]

1. details for people without TV access -

thank you in advance

KICK!

[suffragette]

3. ditto this request

[tbyg52]

43. Please, someone post a summary

I don't have cable and CNN does not have the transcript posted yet.

[JWHarding]

71. May be true, May be false the Evidence is ?

May be true, May be false the Evidence is ..... ?

Isn't this a little like the prosecutor arguing to the jury, that they should convict the defendant because he is a bad person and the crime in question is just the kind of thing, a bad person like him would have done.


What exactly is gained by a making charge which inherently is unprovable or provable?


If the current number one talking point of the conservatives is "liberals do not take the war on terror seriously"; then having someone identified as a liberal being publicly dismissive of (what the media is portraying as) a large terrorist bust, simply reinforces the conservative talking point.

[derby378]

2. Are you kidding me?

Can't get to CNN - please share.

[Waya]

4. LOL......

.....even the media is getting smarter...bad, bad days for BushCo......

[SteppingRazor]

5. I assume Caffery's doing the calling out? n/t

[ComerPerro]

15. yeah right. Cafferty is a GOP apologist.

[Kelvin Mace]

24. Cafferty? A GOP apologist?

You are kidding, right?

[ComerPerro]

47. I've never heard him attack the GOP, and I've never heard him

ever praise Dems for anything.

He, just like everyone else on CNN, complains about Republican actions by blaming them on "politicians" in general.

[Mr_Spock]

51. He's changed in the past year from what I can gather

I remember him how you do, but he's apparently been slamming the heck out of the GOP for a while now...

[senseandsensibility]

59. That's the Cafferty I remember, too

but I've boycotted CNN for more than a year. Apparently, he's changed "big-time."

[Kelvin Mace]

67. You are not watching the same Jack Cafferty I am

A recent quote:

In the end, Senator Specter has turned out to be yet another gutless Republican worm cowering in the face of pressure from the administration and fellow Republicans. There are not going to be any hearings. Americans won't find out if their privacy is being illegally invaded.

Sounds like he's attacking BushCo to me.

As to praising Dems, I don't know. So few of them do anything praise worthy. Cringing in the corners isn't particularly courageous (I speak of the leadership, Biden, Pelosi, Schumer, etc).

[gully]

26. Hardly.

eom

[Stand and Fight]

34. You must be smoking some good shit. n/t

[ShortnFiery]

57. Cafferty is a "mixed bag" of political opinion

I don't pretend to KNOW his views through and through. However, there are issues where he DOES show humanity, and others where he comes across as callous.

IMO, it's hard to flatly stereotype this guy. However, yeah, there are times when I'm seriously pissed at his take on an issue.

Damn his complexity! LOL :hi:

[nolies32fouettes]

66. He's mixed like most people. That's fine. But...

he's taking a stand and that's the part that too many people don't get. You have to take a stand for right and wrong, and given the very few media people who are doing so, he's got immense courage. So you just accept that he's putting himself on the line and appreciate his mixed bag of opinions.

I wonder if he's seen this:

http://www.progressiveu.org/120451-iraq-improving-more-lies-from-bush-clearly-contradicted-by-us-embassy-in-iraq

or this:

http://www.progressiveu.org/115540-republican-national-strategy-of-voter-discrimination-want-to-see-somethig-horrible


We should all email him and bring this to his attention.

http://www.cnn.com/feedback/

[DainBramaged]

85. Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defination of freeloader

Main Entry: free·load http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/audio.pl?freelo01.wav=freeload

Function: intransitive verb: to impose upon another's generosity or hospitality without sharing in the cost or responsibility involved : SPONGE
- free·load·er noun

[wildbilln864]

79. I know...

I sure as hell am! Dis da chronic, bra!

[ShortnFiery]

6. Yes, seems like the FBI may have "entrapped" poor black men

who have little hope for the future. That sure will boost the Southern Reps RACIST BASE but it will NOT "play well" in the rest of the Country.

Propaganda and Disinformation! :puke:

[Maddy McCall]

11. You really know nada about race in the United States.

Racism isn't confined to the South, so get over that, would ya?

Go look at the SPLC website at hate groups and where they're springing up. You might be amazed.

[sendero]

30. Randy Newman said it best..

... excerpt from his song "Rednecks"

We're rednecks, rednecks
And we don't know our ass from a hole in the ground
We're rednecks, we're rednecks
And we're keeping the niggers down

Now your northern nigger's a Negro
You see he's got his dignity
Down here we're too ignorant to realize
That the North has set the nigger free

Yes he's free to be put in a cage
In Harlem in New York City
And he's free to be put in a cage on the South-Side of Chicago
And the West-Side
And he's free to be put in a cage in Hough in Cleveland
And he's free to be put in a cage in East St. Louis
And he's free to be put in a cage in Fillmore in San Francisco
And he's free to be put in a cage in Roxbury in Boston
They're gatherin' 'em up from miles around
Keepin' the niggers down

[cinci_democrat]

45. Randy Newman

Isn't he the best? After the hurricane last year, somewhere on TV they were showing the devastation and faces of the people left homeless with Randy's "Louisiana" playing in the background. Cried my eyes out.

[JNelson6563]

39. True

I see plenty of confederate flags here in northern Michigan. Think it's pride in their "heritage" or a nice coded message? ;-)

Julie

[leftupnorth]

68. oooo, another northern michigan DUer

Hey there from Gaylord! :hi:

I see the Confederate license plates and flags flying on hillbilly trucks ALL THE TIME around here. I don't think it has anything to do with their "heritage", I know a couple of them and they're third or fourth generation Americans, who've never been out of Michigan. I think they just like to be racist, plain and simple.

[JNelson6563]

73. Right you are!

Poor souls, too simple to be enlightened. At least they always have a map of the state with them, should they wander more than a couple miles from home. Maybe that's why they don't leave the state? ;-)

Julie--preparing for the hordes that'll come with the Cherry Festival :hide:

[leftupnorth]

81. I've been enjoying all the RW outrage lately in the Record Eagle

attacking the paper for exposing Allen's ties to Abramoff, etc. The best part is yet to come, though. As you know, Michael Moore's brainchild, the TC Film Festival, will generate all sorts of comedy in the editorial pages of the Record Eagle come August. I can't wait, there is nothing more delicious than freedom-of-speech-hating RW "christians" writing in about how "librul" Michael Moore is a traitor and should be run out of the great WHITE north.

Good luck with surviving the Cherry Festival. I know how you feel, Gaylord's Alpenfest shuts down the whole friggin' town. Hey, are the Blue Angels coming this year?

[JNelson6563]

82. Hasn't it been great?!?!?

Have you ever seen so much whining?? haha Poor Rethugs.

And yes, I believe the Blue Angels come this year. That means they begin practice this week, it'll be loud. Last time they did their show they shattered a few store front windows on Front St.

I love the reaction to the film festival. Remember "mean Barbie" who set up her counter-festival? It was really sad. :rofl:

Cheers,
Julie

[never_get_over_it]

49. Well it may not be confined to the south

but it sure is more blatant - at least in my experience

I have lived in central NY - Northern VA and now FL for almost two years and in my entire life before coming here I have not experienced so many incidences of flat out ugly disgusting racism.

I'm a white woman so I guess these folks can make these disgusting comments because I guess they think since I'm white I would be ok with it. I'm NOT and these displays of racism and flat out complete ignorance has made me really question why I moved here - oh that's right good weather and the ocean.

[ShortnFiery]

55. Exactly! IMO, it's more blatant in the South ... to include other

caucasians making RACIST comments to me, as if, just by being lily white, I'd automatically agree. Little do they know that my best friends in this world are people of color. :-)

[never_get_over_it]

58. Little do they know that

I have three bi-racial great nephews and I told their father to please gather ALL his relatives and bring em all down and we'll have a big old picnic on the front lawn and see how many white heads will explode at the site of all those black folks picnicing in their white ass precious gated community.

And I only bought in a gated community because I liked the house - unfortunately I was just plain too stupid to understand what it meant - and now too damn tired to pack up and move.

[ShortnFiery]

60. Kudos to your attitude!

The arrogant white trash (with money) in my neighborhood know that I have no tolerance for their racist B.S. I'm blessed that my husband is "the diplomat" of our family for I can hardly stand to look at some of those racist POS in our area.

Sorry, I don't mince words. :blush:

[CoffeeCat]

61. You go!

"picnicking in their white ass precious gated community"

LOL!

You made me smile. I like your spunk.

:)

[ShortnFiery]

53. You really got "a mouth" on you Maddy McCall !

How do you know what I do OR do not know?

Go *look within* your personal mis-interpretations and imagined prejudices about my person and, just perhaps, consider attacking my comments less often? You too might be amazed. - I'm not any threat to your EGO sustainment.

With respect - that I regret NOT be returned. :hi:

[SPKrazy]

70. You Missed Maddy's Whole Point Though

s/he said to check out the southern poverty law center's lists of racist groups and see that they aren't confined to the south by a long shot.

you somehow missed that whole part of the message?

How did you manage that? Instead you perceived her as attacking your comments.

[ShortnFiery]

74. Maddy claimed I knew NADA about racism in the USA: NADA = Nothing

Yes, those college Spanish classes do come in handy.

I perceived her as attacking my comments precisely because she did attack MY PERSON ("you know nada (nothing)" = Maddy's words).

I respectfully request that you stay out of defending the indefensible?

What's up with that?

Had Maddy omitted the "you know nada (nothing) about racism in The United States" I would have warmly embraced the suggestion of visiting the web site.

You see, I'm not much different than any fallible human, when someone starts a post "You know nada (nothing)" well, it kind of overshadows the rest of the message. ;)

[SPKrazy]

75. I Took It As A Response To Your Slam At The South

as you seemed to say that racism was all about the South

never mind that the South has progressed a lot, and racism is rampant in a lot of places in the country that aren't in the South.

So, she was wrong to say "nada", but on the other hand, maybe broad brush statements about a region of the country that a lot of DU'ers happen to live in should be avoided.

I don't consider it indefensible to point out that you missed the point of her post, but you're right, s/he shouldn't say you know "nada". (although technically that isn't an attack on you as it is on what you know, but we'll leave it at that for now)


:hi:

[ShortnFiery]

76. Since I've lived all over THE WORLD

To include the Middle East, Europe, Japan and yes, many States within the USA. Again, you have misinterpreted my comments.

You and your associate Maddy could have asked for a clarification - OR - at least been polite and state something to that effect: "You may get a better indicator of NON-Southern State Racial Discrimination from this web site." ETC.

I have seen the horrible racism in South Dakota against the Sioux Indians for over a decade BUT (and this is important) IMO (that's my OPINION) there's a real sicko culture of "White Trash" (with or without money) who are Proud of being racist assholes here in "The South." This is just personal, for I know that folks in States like Michigan and Illinois also have their fanatics. However, I'm sickened the most in my little redneck corner of hell. Again, we all have our opinions. :blush:

Here in THE SOUTH, where I've experienced nowhere else, my fellow caucasians ASSUME that I share in their love of the "stars and bars." No! I can't wait to move back to either The Midwest or California. Perhaps you're right that racism is "as pronounced" in those states. However, at least The White Trash won't talk to me like I'm also in love with their shared hate OF MINORITIES.

Have a good evening ... and please consider the fact that I may have been literally "Around The World" once or twice. ;)

[SPKrazy]

77. Me And My Associate?

Maddy?

I don't know Maddy from Adam.

I live in the South.

I don't see people very often with a great love of "stars and bars"

My ancestors are from the South as well.

I had ancestors killed in a massacre by the Union troops, they weren't even soldiers. I have no affinity for the stars and bars despite that fact.

The South was treated like shit after the civil war. The civil war wasn't just about slavery.
Lincoln didn't even want to abolish slavery, and didn't until the civil war was well underway.

How would anyone know you've lived all over the world, nor would that make a difference when you post what you did about the South.

I've read your posts before short n fiery. I think that you would do well to think about what you post before you post it.

[ShortnFiery]

78. Let it go?

How do you know that I have NOT lived all over the world? Well, I did leave out Central American in that list. Guess that I picked up on "nada" so quick because I loved the people there and tried to speak their native language at every given opportunity.

My Civil War Ancestor fought for "The North" in Ohio. Sorry, but I'm tire of the racist white trash losers who insult me with their LOSER flag at every damn opportunity.

The South Will Rise Again so The North will once again have to be "The Parent."

Again, it's an opinion - Mine! I don't quote such as fact. :hi:

"I think that you would do well to think about what you post before you post it."

Yes, such GOOD ADVICE goes both ways ... back at ya! :P

[SPKrazy]

80. Let It Go?

where did I say let it go?

I think well (usually) before I post, did here anyway.:think:

[uppityperson]

84. Lakota or Dakota, not Souix. "Souix" is considered a deragatory word

Yes, it is called "the great souix nation" but please use their correct term Lakota/Dakota. It is the difference between calling then what they do (friend) or an outsiders name (snake).

[HeeBGBz]

69. I've seen way more racism in the midwest

Than here on the MS Gulf Coast. I see people of all races working together. Back in the midwest I saw more racist ignorance than I could stomach.

[originalpckelly]

7. Bill Press is talking about how this magically timed terror bust...

is for the Republicans to trump up the terror for the elections. He was talking about fear.
Hope Crooks and Liars gets ahold of this.

[Catherine Vincent]

22. Bill Press? I hope crooks and liars got that on video.

Press is good!

[originalpckelly]

25. It was stunning...

I didn't think anyone would say it out in the open. Thank God for Bill Press. I think DU has a new HERO!!!!!! :applause:

[karlrschneider]

8. I guess it was Bill Press? Missed most of it.

But that fuckwit Jeffries better hope he never meets me in a dark alley.








Or at 5th & Main at high noon.
:grr:

[blm]

16. You'd be dead - moonies travel in packs when threatened and would think

nothing of fileting you and serving your pieces in their sushi restaurants.

[babylonsister]

9. Yep, Press suggested it's all a ruse, just like the other terra alerts

we've been subjected to. Jeffries was full of faux outrage.

[originalpckelly]

10. HOW DARE PRESS TELL THE TRUTH!!!

:rofl:

[babylonsister]

12. And Jeffries and Wolf acted as if this hasn't crossed anyone

else's mind. :eyes: Duh! Check the internet(s)!

[originalpckelly]

19. I know...

I myself am a skeptic. I think this was a BS operation. I even told people to hold back and not talk like this until we knew more. But now I have realized that this is complete bullshit. Hopefully, the Bill Press interview will continue to be played over and over again.

[underpants]

18. I turned on CNN at noon

this story has been falling apart since then.


This thing has NO legs.

[babylonsister]

27. The boys who cried wolf (no pun); this is not good should anything

serious happen. Who'd believe them?

[radfringe]

65. Wolfie talked to one of the sisters

of those arrested

he asked what religion the brother followed

"Catholic"

wolfie then asked if brother attended church

"yes"

so much for the radical islamic connection...

This is starting to stink worse than a barrel of catfish decomposing under the hot August sun in crawford

[Cleita]

38. Press is back? They booted him off of CNN when he was

on Crossfire, before Begala and Carville. I'll have to start watching for him on CNN again. He has always spoken the truth.

[babylonsister]

48. He's on occasionally as the Dem part of their 'balanced' segment;

he sits in when Carville, Begala, and/or Brazille aren't around/available.

[Maddy McCall]

13. Can someone provide a brief recap, for others who didn't see this.

[originalpckelly]

21. I will post the transcript for you when it comes out.

And hopefully Crooks and Liars will post the video of this.

[Maddy McCall]

42. Thanks, PC.

[ourbluenation]

14. big eddy was just talking about this on the radio...

had an attorney on who said the indictments won't hold water.

[Avalux]

17. Who was that fatass with Press?

Talking about the banking records article in the NYT - he claimed they were wrong in publishing it because we are in the middle of a Congressionally approved War (WTF??). Here's his comparison, almost made me hurl:

If a reporter is travelling with a group of Al Qaeda terrorists and he happens to see American soldiers on the horizon, is he going to call them out and give them away? That's what the NYTs did with this story.

:puke:

[babylonsister]

28. Terry Jeffries, representing some org. called Human Events. nt

[Master Mahon]

31. RE: Human Events???

Do you mean like 'Sh_t Happens'???? :+

[americanstranger]

36. Jeffries. What a bag o'crap he is.

I remember the first time I saw him on TV.

I was listening and not watching, and I thought the person I heard speaking was a woman!

Imagine my surprise when I looked up and saw a man - check that. A male human.

No way you could classify that tub of goo as a man.

- as

[WiseButAngrySara]

52. Oh how hysterical! I had exactly the same reaction! His vocal cords

lie in more ways than one, because all that exits them is utter BS! Pathetic 'tub of goo!'

rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[peacetalksforall]

20. I posted this earlier - it is trumped.

Warning - with anger at our government - since I don't believe anything anymore - I want to ask you if they were all Black-Americans or Black-Aliens? If yes or mixed, are they saying that there is a possibility that some are of Cuban descent or Haitian descent? If yes, that means that they didn't arrest only plain-old natural born Black-Americans this time?

So I'm going to say - is there anything in the make-up that would make CNN say that the government (Mueller) is claiming (last evening) that there is no 'group' of people targeted, i.e. they are saying that those arrested were not profiled?

I think I've come to a pre-conclusion. We are probably going to find out that those arrested are pawns in an election and a jumppump-the-poll rating maneuver. They are probably going to be in jail until December.

Since I don't believe anything, I can't assume guilt when it comes to a minority - a potentially sacrificial minority.

Let's see the evidence from their long (their words) investigation of these men.

It ain't wonderful to have NO faith in our WH and all their arms.

How come women are never terrorists in this country?

[Thickasabrick]

44. I'm with you on being extremely skeptical about this. There were

two non-americans and the rest were citizens.

No weapons, nothing. It seems like an FBI agent posing as a connection to Al Qaeda basically talked these people into doing this with the promise of uniforms, ammo, and cash.

What if these guys just went along with this to get some new boots and cash? What if it was all the agent's idea? This is so fucking creepy.

[rosesaylavee]

56. I think Jeb done saved the country from these

barbarians with dark skin! He is so brave - can you believe it that he has his state so well-protected from them terraists that he can save Illinois too! Golly!

Hallelujah! Let's elect him in 08! He can save us all then!

[Rose Siding]

23. On an earlier program, the on-scene reporter was practically arguing

with the on-air "talent". Kyra kept saying "so the family was unaware that this all WAS going on" while the guy who was closer to the story had to keep explaining that, no they deny it was like that at all.

[Supersedeas]

41. the on-air talent gets the fac's from Karl, the field reporters are stuck

[JitterbugPerfume]

29. it is strange--

First the bogus McKinney arrest

Then the Congressman (Jefferson?)bribery thing

and now these guys in Miami being accused of being terrorists



are we suppose to be afraid of black people all of a sudden? I thought this shit was suppose to be over in the 1960s Guess I 'm just a dreamer huh

[CatWoman]

32. *BOO*!!!

:hi:

[KansDem]

37. ACK!!!....huh?...oh, it's only CatWoman...

*whew!*...You had me goin' there for a moment.
:hide:

[originalpckelly]

33. First they came for the Arabs...

and I did not speak out
because I was not an Arab.
Then they came for the Blacks
and I did not speak out
because I was not Black.
Then they came for the...

[bigbrother05]

40. You left out the GLBTs and illegals in your list. n/t

[Julius Civitatus]

46. I was just going to say Mexicans...

Karl Rove is pushing the fear of Mexicans to ridiculous extremes.

I think we can start to see a theme for 2006: It's going to be Karl Rove's FEAR OF THE BROWN PEOPLE US TOUR.

:eyes:

[goclark]

54. Wise words that are often forgotten nt

None of us are free until we are all free.

George Bush has us all in jail.

[butterfly77]

35. Its all in the game...

now its time for us to mistrust each other this is part of the plan bush is protecting us.

[lpbk2713]

50. I'll bet Wolfie and Candy were appalled.

I didn't see it but I would imagine they would have wanted to go hide in shame somewhere knowing that their network blasphemed their hero.

[lovuian]

62. WHOAH FINALLY!!!

its pretty obvious whats going on...

[orleans]

63. transcript:

BLITZER: Welcome back.

In our "Strategy Session," terrorism in the headlines -- suspects charged in an alleged plot to bomb the Sears Tower in Chicago and other targets, and a secret Bush administration program to track financial data revealed.

Joining us now, Democratic analyst Bill Press and Terry Jeffrey, the editor of "Human Events Online."

The FBI indictment writes that Narseal Batiste, one of those alleged suspects, detailed his mission to wage a full ground war against the United States "in order to kill all the devils we can, in a mission that would be just as good or greater than 9/11."

This is good news, that these guys are arrested, I suspect you agree.

BILL PRESS, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: I think it's good news that they're arrested. And, this morning, I thought, well, this is really scary, and this is a great job that the administration has done, saved us from a great threat.

The more I read into it, and the more I look at it, the less I am convinced of that, Wolf. I mean, I think these guys were amateurs, at best. I mean, these were -- the Miami seven, they sound like the Keystone Cops. I mean, they wore uniforms; they wore turbans. They bragged to their neighbors about what they were doing. They stood guard outside of their warehouse.

I mean, they were hardly sophisticated terrorists or effective terrorists, if they were -- if they were terrorists at all. I think this whole thing smells of politics. I think this is the administration ratcheting up the war on terror again in the midterm elections. And it's no coincidence that this arrest came the same day that the bank records story appeared in the "New York Times..."

BLITZER: Well, we are going to get to that.

PRESS: ... and Dick Cheney went to Chicago.

BLITZER: Well -- but what you are saying is, this whole thing is concocted to score political points for the Bush administration?

PRESS: I smell a rat. That's what I'm saying.

BLITZER: Well, that's a serious charge.

Let's let Terry respond, but also respond in the context of what the attorney general, Alberto Gonzales, said today, among other things.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALBERTO GONZALES, ATTORNEY GENERAL: We felt that the combination of the planning and the overt acts taken were sufficient to support this prosecution. And -- and that's why we took this action. There is no immediate threat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: All right, Terry, respond to what we just heard from Bill...

TERRY JEFFREY, EDITOR, "HUMAN EVENTS": Well...

BLITZER: ... because there are career prosecutors out there involved, FBI agents, senior officials who are obviously deeply involved in this operation.

JEFFREY: Right. You have the joint terrorism task force in that area of the country that went after these guys, Wolf.

But, really, I think to say that seven people who had taken a pledge to al Qaeda and were intent on killing many, many, maybe thousands, of Americans were amateurs were not a threat, and the whole thing was concocted by the administration for political purposes is, on the face, ludicrous.

How many people could seven amateur killers kill, Wolf, especially if they simply went down and bought guns? These people were talking about blowing up the Sears Tower, the highest office building in the United States of the America.

By the way, it reminds me a lot of the Portland seven case, where you had homegrown Americans who were disaffected with the country. They joined a fundamentalist mosque. And they, in fact, did come in contact with a member of al Qaeda. They first tried to go through China, to Afghanistan, to kill Americans here. They came back, and they plotted to go after either Jewish schools or synagogues and kill Americans there.

The FBI and the joint terrorism task force in Oregon got them first.

BLITZER: All right.

(CROSSTALK)

PRESS: What I'm saying, Wolf....

JEFFREY: We needed to roll these guys up before they kill...

(CROSSTALK)

PRESS: Listen, I'm glad they're in jail.

What -- what I am saying is not that the administration put it up to them, Terry. I didn't say that. I think the administration is exaggerating the importance of this, and timing the arrests today for political purposes.

JEFFREY: Well, Bill...

PRESS: And wait.

We have seen...

(CROSSTALK)

JEFFREY: They should have arrested them next week?

PRESS: Listen, we have seen...

(CROSSTALK)

JEFFREY: I mean, should they have waited until October to arrest them?

PRESS: Terry, let me finish a sentence.

JEFFREY: How many...

PRESS: Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Wait.

We have seen them do this before. What about those color-coded terror alerts that we used to have?

JEFFREY: Well...

PRESS: Every time there was bad news for Republicans, you would have had a color-coded terror alert.

JEFFREY: Bill...

PRESS: This was timed...

JEFFREY: Let me ask you a simple question.

PRESS: ... to distract attention from the bank records story.

JEFFREY: When should they have arrested these seven people pledged to kill Americans?

PRESS: Maybe...

JEFFREY: When? When? When?

PRESS: Maybe when they first found out about them...

(CROSSTALK)

JEFFREY: Not this year, because it's an election year?

PRESS: No, no, maybe when they first found out about them, instead...

JEFFREY: In December.

PRESS: ... of timing it for Dick Cheney's visit to Chicago and to deflect...

JEFFREY: Well, wait a minute.

PRESS: ... deflect attention...

JEFFREY: Right.

PRESS: ... from the bank records story.

(CROSSTALK)

PRESS: You can't tell me that this...

JEFFREY: Let...

PRESS: ... administration has never exploited...

(CROSSTALK)

PRESS: ... the war on terror...

BLITZER: All right.

PRESS: ... for political purposes.

BLITZER: Go ahead, Terry.

JEFFREY: Well, one of the reasons, in an investigation like this, they will detect a person they think is involved in terrorism, it takes a few months, or maybe several months, before they round them up, is, they want to make sure they get the entire cell.

They want to make sure they get everybody involved. They want to make sure they collect the evidence, so they actually can convict them in court.

For Bill to say that Alberto Gonzales manipulated the timing, come up with evidence of that, Bill.

PRESS: Listen...

JEFFREY: When -- you are saying that today...

PRESS: I...

JEFFREY: ... was the optimum day, politically, for these people to be arrested?

PRESS: I...

JEFFREY: Therefore, the Justice Department went forward? Are you seriously saying that?

PRESS: I am telling you, if you go back over the last -- since 9/11, this administration -- we just heard it on the piece before we came on here.

This administration, they have got one issue. They have got fear, fear.

BLITZER: All right. Let...

(CROSSTALK)

PRESS: And every time...

BLITZER: Let's...

PRESS: ... there's a political crisis, they ratchet up the war on terror.

(CROSSTALK)

JEFFREY: Well, Bill... PRESS: They have done it for five-and-a-half years.

JEFFREY: So, all of the FBI...

PRESS: They are doing it again today.

JEFFREY: ... the U.S. prosecutors, the Justice Department people, the local law enforcement that were involved in this, they were all corrupted in a conspiracy...

BLITZER: All right.

JEFFREY: ... by the Bush administration?

PRESS: No. Don't put words...

JEFFREY: ... to affect the election?

PRESS: No, no, no.

JEFFREY: They weren't all corrupted?

PRESS: Don't put words in my mouth.

JEFFREY: Well, who was corrupted, Bill?

PRESS: The attorney general is a political clone of George W. Bush.

JEFFREY: He was corrupted.

BLITZER: All right.

Let -- let's talk about this other story, somewhat related, all part of the war on terror, monitoring these wire transfers, these bank transactions.

The treasury secretary, John Snow, explained it this way:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN SNOW, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY: This terrorist tracking program, administered through the Treasury Department and Undersecretary Levey, is really government at its best. It's responsible government. It's effective government. It's government that works.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: I suspect you disagree with him on that.

PRESS: Well, I just have to say, I think, Republican or Democrat, liberal, conservative, it's not government at its best when government is getting all of our phone records without a court warrant, without a court order, illegally. It's not government at its best when government is getting all of our bank records without a court order. It's not government at its best when you have got Big Brother unleashed, with no congressional approval and no court approval. I think it's government at its most scary and its most disgraceful.

BLITZER: I want you to respond.

Ed Markey, congressman from Massachusetts, Democrat, issued a statement, saying, "Like the domestic surveillance program exposed last December, the Bush administration's efforts to tap into the final -- financial records of thousands of Americans appear to rely on justifications concocted without regard to current law."

JEFFREY: Well, his argument, just like Bill, is based on distorting the facts.

Not everyone's phone record was taken by the NSA. Not everybody's financial transactions were picked up by this program. They were narrowly targeted at people with suspected links to al Qaeda.

Now, here's a fact. "The New York Times" this morning, in its report, named two al Qaeda terrorists that were rolled up with the help of this program, Hambali, who planned the Bali resort attack, and a person in New York who laundered $200,000 for al Qaeda.

"The New York Times" story, Wolf, did not name a single American who was harmed by this program. It's simply a theory that this program is harming Americans. It's a fact that it tracked down al Qaeda.

PRESS: If they were breaking the law, it's harming the government. If there's probable cause -- read the Fourth Amendment. You know, I believe...

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: The administration says that members of Congress were briefed on this...

(CROSSTALK)

PRESS: Briefing is not approval, Wolf.

And the -- and, by the way, Congress does not take the place of a court. Read the Fourth Amendment. We have a right to be secure in our persons, our homes, our papers, and our offices, unless there's probable cause.

JEFFREY: Reasonable...

PRESS: If there's probable cause, go get a court warrant. If there's not...

BLITZER: Terry... PRESS: ... they have no business in our business...

BLITZER: ... you're a journalist. Did "The New York Times" do the right thing...

PRESS: ... in our private affairs.

BLITZER: ... in disclosing the details of this program?

JEFFREY: No. I -- they had a right to do it. I think they made a mistake. I agree with Woolsey. There was a judgment call here.

We are in a congressionally authorized war against al Qaeda. And it's analogous to this. If a "New York Times" reporter was traveling with a group of al Qaeda terrorists, and he knew American forces over there were hiding and they were going to ambush these al Qaeda guys, should he tell al Qaeda the Americans are over there?

Effectively, what "The New York Times" said is, here's a covert, secret means by which the United States...

(CROSSTALK)

JEFFREY: ... of America is tracking you down.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: Very quickly.

PRESS: Very quickly.

"The New York Times" -- forget "The New York Times." You and I knew about this ahead of time. You know why? We read Ron Suskind's book. So, why all the attention at "The New York Times"? Politics, Wolf. That's all it is.

JEFFREY: We have a right...

PRESS: Direct...

JEFFREY: ... to keep our tactics...

PRESS: Deflect attention.

BLITZER: All right.

JEFFREY: ... secret from an enemy in time of war. Al Qaeda is our enemy...

PRESS: Print...

JEFFREY: ... in a congressionally authorized war.

PRESS: Print the truth. Print the truth. That's the job of "The New York Times."

JEFFREY: But do it with moral..

BLITZER: All right.

JEFFREY: ... responsibility.

BLITZER: We got to go.

Bill Press, Terry Jeffrey, good discussion. Thanks very much.

Coming up next: How safe are we? A better question may be, how safe do you think -- how safe do Americans think we are? It all depends on who you ask -- Bill Schneider looking into this.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/23/sitroom.01.html

[file83]

64. Thanks for posting this!

[doni_georgia]

72. "Print the Truth" "Print the Truth!"

Imagine the unmitigated gall of the New York Times to print something without getting the Goebel's approval! Shame on them!


Edited for typing dyslexia

[ThsMchneKilsFascists]

83. thanks so much for the transcript n/t