White House lashes at criticism of 'scare tactics'

[babylonsister]

White House lashes at criticism of 'scare tactics'

by Mark Silva

The White House has opened the week with some harsh words for critics accusing the president of "scare tactics'' in his press for new terrorist surveillance legislation, with the Bush administration insisting that congressional inaction has left Americans vulnerable.

"There is an old rhetorical tactic in Washington: you repeat something often enough, regardless of whether it’s true, and hope people will start to believe it,'' White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said in a written statement issued today. "This has been the preferred tactic of many Democrats involved in the FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act( debate, and the Democratic chairmen of the House and Senate Intelligence and Judiciary committees employ it again in an op-ed published today in the Washington Post.''

Chairmen Jay Rockefeller, Patrick Leahy, Silvestre Reyes and John Conyers write in the piece published by the Post today: "Unfortunately, instead of working with Congress to achieve the best policies to keep our country safe, once again President Bush has resorted to scare tactics and political games.

"In November, the House passed legislation to give U.S. intelligence agencies strong tools to intercept terrorist communications that transit the United States,'' the committee chairmen write. "Almost two weeks ago, the Senate passed similar legislation. The Senate bill also contains a provision to grant retroactive legal immunity to telecommunications companies that assisted the executive branch in conducting surveillance programs after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

"While the four of us may have our differences on what language a final bill should contain, we agree on several points,'' they write.

"First, our country did not "go dark" on Feb. 16 when the Protect America Act (PAA) expired. Despite President Bush's overheated rhetoric on this issue, the government's orders under that act will last until at least August. These orders could cover every known terrorist group and foreign target. No surveillance stopped. If a new member of a known group, a new phone number or a new e-mail address is identified, U.S. intelligence can add it to the existing orders, and surveillance can begin immediately.''

more...

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/02/white_house_lashes_at_criticis.html#more

[ixion]

1. I really despise this administration

their arrogance and transparent propaganda and misdirection is unforgivable and despicable. :grr:

[Mike Daniels]

3. Why does Dana Perino even still have a "front of the cameras" job

After her admission that she wasn't aware of the Cuban Missle Crisis I'd think Dana would have all of a sudden found a reason " to spend time with family ".

Of course, perhaps an appalling ignorance of even the basic elements of history is the prime requirement for a job with the Bush administration.

[kevinbgoode]

2. Given that Republicans are well-known for being gossips

and people who are obsessed with sticking their nose into the lives of their neighbors, I'm sure they DO feel vulnerable.

Of course, their self-appointed arrogance also contends that THEY are the NATION, while the rest of us are just indentured servants who should be eternally grateful that the GOP only wants to kinda spy on us.

Given the number of Republican officials and affiliates who have been caught toe-tappin' in the public bathrooms, soliciting prostitutes, cruising restrooms, thumpin' the Bible while getting massages from gay call-boys, and checkin' out the House pages, it isn't the American people who need to be listened in on to protect for the security of this Nation.

[VP505]

4. There would be no one in a better

position to know this than the White House:

"There is an old rhetorical tactic in Washington: you repeat something often enough, regardless of whether it’s true, and hope people will start to believe it," White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said in a written statement issued today.

[bdamomma]

5. and hasn't * even said it over and over himself

saying in this business you have to keep repeating and repeating yourself to catapult the propaganda, Dana Perino is just confirming that strategy.

[underpants]

6. (hearty laugh ) good LORD talk about projection

The White House decrying the BIG LIE ???? The republicans talking about it as a Dem strategy???

:rofl:

Okay that made my day.

[Solly Mack]

7. and they (Bush admin.) know all about repeating a lie enough times...

LMAO

[babylonsister]

9. That caught my eye immediately, too. They're the masters of it! nt

[deminks]

8. Oh, just wow, WH Press Secretary quotes Joseph Goebbels, Nazi propagandist.

Says it's an old Washington dictum. Oh, just wow. Now there is your headline. Hope KO picks this up.

[Sam Ervin jret]

11. It is "old Washington to her", Old Republican Washington. She wouldn't know a Goebbels' quote

from one from her own bosses.:dunce: :dunce: :dunce:

The real sin is that the old men she works for don't seem to see any problem "borrowing" from the old Nazi Masters whenever the situation suits them:
1. Mission accomplished and the fly in
2. torture and water boarding
3. concentration camps (i mean DETAINEE camps)
4. spying on your neighbor
5. "christian" or even now "Judea-christian" country
6. "gays are bad"
7. CONTROL THE MESSAGE. (why did the Siegelman 60 minutes segment get cut of from the part of Al where the owner OF THE CABLE COMPANY HAD THE SAME NAME AS SOMEONE NAMED IN THE STORY?)
8- x I leave for you, there are too many to list
Oh yes, this administration has read all Goebbels work and the work of his Boss. Even if the young ones who work under them do not understand the entirety of what is happening, those of us who are old enough or who studied enough in school know the :evilfrown: has may faces and many names. But he always plays the same games.:nuke: Control, distraction, destruction

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

10. When was the last time Dana had a live press conference? This was a written statement

released by her. I haven't been paying attention to the WH, maybe I'm just missing them?

edit~ Looks like I'm just missing them.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/briefings/
Most are gaggles.

[babylonsister]

12. I saw part of one today, in fact, but when she insinuated Helen

Thomas wasn't being truthful (on FISA argument), I had to turn her off.

[malaise]

13. You know this is hysterically funny

because this has been Bushco's only tactic


"There is an old rhetorical tactic in Washington: you repeat something often enough, regardless of whether it’s true, and hope people will start to believe it..."