Bush and Cheney Tell 9/11 Panel of '01 Warnings

[radfringe]

Bush and Cheney Tell 9/11 Panel of '01 Warnings
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/30/politics/30BUSH.html?hp
By PHILIP SHENON and DAVID E. SANGER
Published: April 30, 2004

WASHINGTON, April 29 — President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were questioned in the Oval Office for more than three hours on Thursday by the commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks. They said intelligence warnings they received throughout 2001 suggested that Al Qaeda was poised to strike overseas, not on American soil, according to accounts of commission and administration officials.

After a meeting that both the White House and the commission had billed as historic, Mr. Bush appeared before reporters in the Rose Garden and described the question-and-answer session with the 10 members of the bipartisan commission as "very cordial." He said he "answered every question that they asked."

---snip---

Despite what both sides agreed was the polite, even friendly tone of the meeting, the commissioners were treated as outsiders by the White House. They were seen being searched by hand for weapons before they stepped into the Oval Office, a requirement for all visitors to the White House apart from many foreign leaders.

Their notebooks were taken from them before they left the session, with the White House saying they would be returned after being reviewed for classified information.

In an appearance before reporters after the session, the president offered his first public explanation for why the White House had wanted him and Mr. Cheney to be interviewed together. Mr. Bush said he had wanted the commission to understand how he and Mr. Cheney operated as a team — both on Sept. 11 and in its aftermath.

==================

[gandalf]

1. It's fucking unbelievable

and it is really 1984-style how the press reports that.

"the commissioners were treated as outsiders". Yeah. That is a gross understatement. Bush "enjoyed it", but the notes taken are being censored. It's really a scandal.

[Wink]

2. Great team.....

...like Oliver and Hardy. Look, we don't need to "understand" how Cheney and the smirking chimp operate as a team. 3000 dead Americans and counting already "understand" how this team operates.

[leftchick]

3. The question is what "the team " did

BEFORE Sept. 11!!!! Apparently not a fucking thing... :mad:

[FreakinDJ]

4. Arrogant ass does not quite cover it

The way these 2 just laugh in our faces after creating the worst disaster in American history is unforgivable

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. Bush, nobody believes you anymore, you schmook

*

[johnnie]

6. Treated like outsiders?

Then again...this IS Bush's Government, and Bush's Whitehouse and Bush's country. He has said so on many occasions. What a load of bullshit.

[dennis4868]

7. THIS IS SICK.....

"Their notebooks were taken from them before they left the session, with the White House saying they would be returned after being reviewed for classified information."

WE ARE TURNING INTO FUCKING NAZI GERMANY FOR CHRIST SAKES!

[UpInArms]

8. related article: Bush: Bin Laden memo lacked details

http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20040430-071601-5869r.htm

Washington, DC, Apr. 30 (UPI) -- President George Bush told the panel investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks a security memo he got warning of attacks lacked a date or place.

In the closed-door interview alongside Vice President Dick Cheney in the Oval Office Thursday, a commission member who asked not to be identified told the Washington Times Bush was questioned repeatedly about the Aug. 6, 2001, memo titled, "Bin Ladin determined to strike in U.S."

Bush said if his administration had known more, it would have taken every action to thwart the al-Qaida terrorists.

...more...

OMG! What the hell did he expect - an engraved invitation?

and in response to the current thread:

These nasty pieces that are in power are way over the line of reality.

[DemonFighterLives]

9. Nothing will come from these two

Georgie answered all the questions, so he gets a gold star on his forehead.
And another for pronouncing stategy correctly.
Is a twinkle in the eye the same as a light bulb trying to light? He recognized something that they were talking about. The coaching must have helped.
Bremer comes out looking like a hero.
Quote> What they will do is stagger along until there's a major incident and then suddenly say, `Oh, my God, shouldn't we be organized to deal with this?' "

[JoFerret]

10. Steve Bell

[0007]

11. Jays'us fucking christ this is worse than a professional wrestling

match where only the the very young and senile believe that it's authentic.

[maddezmom]

12. how did they work before 9/11..oh yeah that's right

they didn't....bastards.

"Mr. Bush said he had wanted the commission to understand how he and Mr. Cheney operated as a team — both on Sept. 11 and in its aftermath."

[Whoa_Nelly]

13. Notebooks taken

Jersey Girls! Where are you??? Chimp and Dickweed have turned this fact-finding commission into a bad joke. My wish has been that something good would come out of the 9/11 Commsission, but it looks like it will be another Warren "Full-of-Lies-and Half-Truths" Commission report.
:mad:

[Bandit]

14. Every crook from now on will ask to be interrogated with their partner

They will need to show how they work as a team.

[RedSock]

15. a laff a minute

the Times story end with this:

Despite the grave nature of much of the questioning about the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, members of the commission said there was frequent laughter during the questioning of Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney.

James R. Thompson, the former Republican governor of Illinois, said the president could be a "bit of a tease" in his dealing with commissioners and over all praised Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney for "five-star performances."

Mr. Lehman said Mr. Bush would sometimes get a "twinkle in his eye" to make clear that he was acquainted with some of the more heated moments of past public hearings by the commission, in which Democrats on the panel had harshly interrogated administration witnesses.

"He let us know that he had read some of the more, shall we say, impassioned statements of some of the commissioners, that he was aware of some of the public utterances," Mr. Lehman said. "The president got off a couple of good shots. Some of the commissioners got off a couple in return."

*************

Ain't that fucking cute?