Tenet Says WH Official Insisted Questionable Information Be Included in Sp

[NNN0LHI]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAP9RMP8ID.html

WASHINGTON (AP) - CIA Director George Tenet told members of Congress a White House official insisted that President Bush's State of the Union address include an assertion about Saddam Hussein's nuclear intentions that had not been verified, a Senate Intelligence Committee member said Thursday.

Sen. Dick Durbin, who was present for a 4 1/2-hour appearance by Tenet behind closed doors with Intelligence Committee members Wednesday, said Tenet named the official. But the Illinois Democrat said that person's identity could not be revealed because of the confidentiality of the proceedings.

"He (Tenet) certainly told us who the person was who was insistent on putting this language in which the CIA knew to be incredible, this language about the uranium shipment from Africa," Durbin said on ABC's "Good Morning America."

"And there was this negotiation between the White House and the CIA about just how far you could go and be close to the truth and unfortunately those sixteen words were included in the most important speech the president delivers in any given year," Durbin added.

more

[Maeve]

1. Are they forming a circular firing squad?

Tenet was supposed to be falling on his sword, but he's still throwing knives (and I'm switching metaphors in midstream)

[baffie]

6. Good for him! I've had a feeling from the beginning

that he'd come out of this a hero.

[Kahuna]

19. I keep saying that Tenet is not your

grandfather's CIA director. He gives me the impression that he is basically an honest person who is trying to do his job, sans politics. I still believe that he may have leaked the "Bush Knew about 9/11" story. That story had to have been leaked by a person very high up in the government. Someone who knew what was in the intelligence briefings that bush received.

[TahitiNut]

27. Tenet is a political secularist and objectivist ...

not a dogmatic partisan zealot like the cabal in the White Outhouse.

[Tigermoose]

24. metaphors in midstream

I really like that phrase. Thanks.

[MoonRiver]

41. When events move this fast,

metaphors just try to keep up! :bounce:

[RegenerationMan]

58. Kerry hit Bush hard last night too on Capital Report

Kerry was all over Bush last night. Said we are less safe because of Intelligence Failures and pulled funding for Homeland Security...

IMAGINE PRESIDENT KERRY!!
1971 Peace Rally at which John Lennon introduced John Kerry!

[NYC]

2. I saw Durbin on television.

Sounds like there is a great deal more to come.

[leftchick]

3. smells like...

dick cheney to me.

[nostamj]

14. you think so ???.........................

[lanlady]

4. bets on who this unnamed official is?

I'm thinking it's Condi. She's turned out to be quite the bald-faced liar.

[nuxvomica]

7. I bet it was Rice too

Regardless, she's responsible for vetting that kind of information in the SOTU and she should take responsibility for it. She should step down and enjoy a hero's welcome at Chevron.

[CafeToad]

10. I'm betting it's Cheney,

the bald-headed liar.

[reprobate]

11. It was "Jump Start" Cheney

That's my bet. He's the one in charge at the white house. Nothing gets done without his approval.

If it really was Kindasleezy Rice, you can bet it was under Cheney's orders.

[Terran]

39. Gotta be Cheney

Remember all those "unprecedented" personal visits to the CIA? What do you suppose he was doing there, hmm?

If Cheney goes, that's a the real power behind the throne out of the picture.

[carolinayellowdog]

43. If he resigns, that doesn't necessarily mean he won't still be...

president

[nolabels]

57. Don't worry, thrust in Hubris behind Dick

This guy likes to run around and do lots of things behind the curtain, seems he has some of same traits as that other tricky one

http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:K-rusN52rwUJ:www.nutters.org/docs/deadly-

The Seven Deadly Sins
Some Observations
White Noise by The Famous Brett Watson, 28-Jun-2001.
(snip)
Pride. Ha! Often considered the root of all other sins, and usually considered the sin that caused Lucifer to be cast out of heaven. Pride is particularly insidious: one can easily become proud of one's humility! Pride is a defect of perspective: the proud person measures all other things by putting them in relation to self, where self has taken the place of God. This self-centered perspective makes the proud oblivious to their own faults: where they can see deficiencies in the self at all, they think themselves rather clever for being so self-aware. Most of the sins are selfish, but for complete self-centeredness, pride is hard to beat. Sometimes called vanity, although I consider that to be a less subtle (and less insidious) preoccupation with one's public image. Real pride is much more deadly than mere vanity: it can result in hubris, and often sets one up for a good humiliating.
(snip)

[seafan]

16. Paul D. Wolfowitz comes to mind.

n/t

[noonwitch]

18. How about "all of the above"?

Why look for one person to blame when they're all at fault?

[JoFerret]

50. The dear Wolfie

is in Iraq right now blathering about the constitution.

[Rose Siding]

20. What if it's Rove?

He ranks high on the Telling George What To Do meter. And Wyden did say " I believe the political staff prevailed.

[TahitiNut]

28. "Telling George What To Do" is a junior position

... to "Telling Tenet What To Do". Tenet wouldn't take pressure from anyone less than Cheney, IMHO.

[snippy]

37. I like Turd Blossom Rove for this Bushshit.

Cheney and Rice would not have lost the argument to include it in the October 2002 speech. If they wanted it in they would have just ordered Bush to include it.

The uranium lie was a manipulative poltical lie which is more like Turd Blossom Rove. Also, if Turd Blossom Rove does not initially get to use one of his dirty tricks he has a history of continuing to push for it down the road.

[JoFerret]

33. It's really a matter of who takes the fall for it

They were all in on it - the whole gang. One of them stepped up to actually apply the pressure in person. has to be some mid-level functionary who will now pay the price for delivering the message from the whole cabal.

[hang a left]

47. I will have to agree

one was applying the pressure. but as the article tells us there was a debate by the white house and the cia into how far could you go with the statement

it will not be a mid-level functionary, it will probably be Cheney

[PurityOfEssence]

59. Let's be serious: you're absolutely right

Even if Junior is the evil troll puppet we expect, he's still sitting there like the kid brother of one of the gang of vandals: "hey guys, whatta we gonna say, whatta we gonna say?"

Powell's compartmentalized, but you know damn well that the whole staff is in on this: Cheney, Rice, Card, Rove and some friendly needling from Rummy across town. They knew it was all ginned up, just look at the language in every instance: "materials" to be able to make these toxins (hey man, we never SAID he had anything finished), "the British said" (hey, I'm just saying what I heard), and a host of other things designed to make people believe they're undeniable, yet couched with endless deniablity. That's horrendous when you're talking about risking the world and killing thousands of people.

[moondust]

52. Probably Cheney but can't rule out Rice.

It may be that the group calling for Cheney's dismissal--that group of ex-CIA spooks--already knows it was Cheney and thus the condemnation.

[mpsteve]

60. If it's Cheenee...guess who isn't far behind...no more Teflon W

[ninkasi]

5. Incredible...

it's just incredible that there are still diehard wingnuts who cling to the delusion that Bush and his thugs are good for this country, and that Bush is a moral, righteous man.

I hope they're all brought up on criminal charges. People are suffering and dying because of their lies and greed.

[JohnOneillsMemory]

63. 23% of Americans think things are going well in Iraq!

If that doesn't tell you that the US has a huge core of know-nothings who assume that all is good with brand AmericaInc., I don't know what does.

[fertilizeonarbusto]

8. I think it's time to start

drawing up those ol' articles of impeachment....

[CWebster]

9. Why the secrecy?

We have the right to know all this.

[salmonhorse]

12. Excerpt ~ The Shadow Government

"We can also identify several insidious developments which seemed necessary and harmless at the time, but which led to the present situation. One was the rise of military and civilian intelligence organs during World War II. The need to prevent leaks of military secrets brought a censorship apparatus that gained substantial control over the flow of information through the press, the broadcast media, telephonic and telegraphic communications, and the mail. However, instead of dismantling that apparatus when the war was over, we immediately transitioned to the Cold War, and the information control apparatus only went underground and became somewhat less obtrusive. This led to the present situation in which the intelligence apparatus maintains effective control over the major media, can tap anyone's phone without a court order, reads people's mail, monitors their finances, and gathers information on citizens and their activities that threatens their privacy and liberties."

http://www.constitution.org/shad4816.htm

[lanlady]

13. it's infuriating

Government of, by, and for the BFEE.

[DemonFighterLives]

15. Regime Change Required

Out with bald faced and bald head and the other goof with the sock in his pants.

[THX1138]

22. As much as I hate Cheney

The prospect of him being replaced by Rudy Guliani does not give me a good feeling re: 04. Hopefully Rudy is smart enough not to move into a burning bldg., but I am afraid of the PR effect a choice like that would have if he does. With the convention in NYC and the gop pushing 911 nostalgia, Guliani on the ticket would be a real coup for Rove and co., who will be going all out to milk 911 nostalgia. As crazy as it sounds I would rather run against a damaged Cheney in 2004.

Of course if shrub gets tossed this is all moot. But I don't think thats going to happen until we vote him out.

[JoFerret]

32. Don't worry about Rudy

- he is a loose cannon foul mouthed divisive insensitive ideologue who will self-destruct under pressure.

[TahitiNut]

35. Rudy is addicted to the spotlight.

He's too much of a narcissist and not megalomaniacal enough to be the Oberreichsfuhrer in the Busholini Regime. Cheney's forte is his obsessive secretiveness -- that he diligently evades any kind of examination or oversight. With Smirky squatting on the white outhouse throne, whomever is Veep is unleashed to exercise total surreptitious power. If Cheney goes, look for an equally spotlight-averse cockroach to replace him. Engler? Dunno.

[Dulcinea]

40. It won't be Giuliani.

He would never play second fiddle to Boy George, would never play well with the fundies, & isn't a member of the Bush inner circle.

[JoFerret]

51. Rudy hogs the spotlight

could not bear working with Bratton for that reason. Also - he will NEVER be acceptable to the right wing. Gosh - the man used to live in a homosexual household with a democrat to boot.

[rocktivity]

23. Sock it to me, DemonFighterLives!

and welcome to DU!

rocknation

[DemonFighterLives]

42. Great Picture Rocknation

What a manly man prsident we have. Thanks for the welcome.

[protect freedom impeach bush now]

17. grounds for Impeachment & Treason

Knowingly Sending US troops off on a PNAC planned war
of agression based on false, misleading and hyped information
given by Mr Bush and his PNAC cabal, is the most blatant
misuse of the office of the President since 1776.

Impeachment is even too little.

Imprisonment of the Bush administration and their PNAC
cabal is the only way to save American Democracy and to protect
American soldiers.

IMPEACHMENT and the jailing of these war criminals
is what these assholes deserve.

[demgrrrll]

21. Cheney left his little hidey hole yesterday to reassure Senators

that they were going to mount some sort of massive PR
blitz. I'd bet he is in to this up to his neck. The plot congeals.

[ewagner]

25. saw that too

Hold on folks, this is going to be a rough ride!

[The Magistrate]

26. The Name Of This Wretch Would Be Nice To Have

Enquiring minds want to know.

[Shadder]

36. Wait and watch

Congress or at least some members of it are going to want to talk to this person. If the Republicans prevent this, expect the name to be leaked. If not we should be able to figure it out by who is called to testify. Either way, the name gets out. And no matter what, it's just a matter of time at this point.

[kentuck]

29. Andrew Card...

at the behest of George W Bush.

[LeftHander]

30. Wolfowitz

eom

[booksenkatz]

31. Let's go back

and replay Durbin's interview... maybe he gives us some clues. "We can't identify the official because our hands are chained." "I have to return to my condo now and have some rice." Maybe he's winking once for Wolfowitz and twice for Rumsfeld??

Hmmmm.

[Rollins]

34. dumping Condi would break too many redneck hearts

Condi being dumped would be like an open wound on the Bush Administration and those 'ethnic sensative' rednecks who have a crush on her deer in the headlights look would have to find someone else to fantasize about.

I think it is going to be Wolfy. Bet he has already been asked to fall on his sword. The possible leak behind this story from information clearing house by Jason Leopold may of been leaked on purpose to prepare the public for a town square stoning of Wolfy.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4123.htm

It's fun to tune in to the news again huh?

:hi:

[DemonFighterLives]

46. Good Article

The office of Special Plans (now disbanded in March after the start of war) served the purpose and once the war was off an running, their work was over.
Doesn't Condi have a big boat. Maybe she can fit the whole ship of fools on one trip to Gitmo.

[alfredo]

38. It is a sad state of affairs when

Our intelligence agencies have to choose between loyalty to the Commander in Chief and the American people. I believe the military will have to make that choice sooner or later.

[davsand]

44. Didn't I see something on here recently saying it was Wolfie?

Am I hallucinating, or do I remember seeing something here on DU in the last few days that said it was Wolfowitz? I'm thinking that came from different sources...

Laura

[lfairban]

48. Is this it?

DU Forum

article

It is nice to see that someone else is reading the Columbus, Ohio Free Press.

[davsand]

54. Yes, that IS it! It's like playing Clue!

From that Columbus, Ohio Free Press article:

"Wolfowitz Committee Instructed White House To Use Iraq/Uranium Ref In Pres Speech
by Jason Leopold
July 16, 2003

WASHINGTON, D.C--A Pentagon committee led by Paul Wolfowitz, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, advised President Bush to include a reference in his January State of the Union address about Iraq trying to purchase 500 tons of uranium from Niger to bolster the case for war in Iraq, despite the fact that the CIA warned Wolfowitz's committee that the information was unreliable, according to a CIA intelligence official and four members of the Senate's intelligence committee who have been investigating the issue.

The Senators and the CIA official said they could be forced out of government and brought up on criminal charges for leaking the information to this reporter and as a result requested anonymity. The Senators said they plan to question CIA Director George Tenet Wednesday morning in a closed-door hearing to find out whether Wolfowitz and members of a committee he headed misled Bush and if the President knew about the erroneous information prior to his State of the Union address.

I think it was Wolfie in the Whitehouse with the Niger report!!!

Laura

[Corgigal]

45. scary thing is

They never thought the "average" working American would ever catch on to the lies. Not in a million years and now have to work to put the cat back into the bag and they probably don't even have a game plan. Still amazing the media hasn't backed down but time will tell.

[koopie57]

49. It is ironic

that no one thinks that * was the one who insisted that line be put in the speech. I think it was *'s sock that did it (you know, the one he stuck in his pants in case he peed in the plane). Everything prior to this was Clinton's cock's fault, so maybe from now on everything will be blamed on Bush's sock.

[expatriot]

53. "Office of Special Plans"

The Office of Special Plans was headed by Wolfowitz, an office created by Rummy... But it doesn't matter the individual, really, because if it comes down to this remark being a point of debate in the revision process, Bush will HAVE to assume responsibility. Impeached either on evidence of manipulation or incompetence, 6 one way, half a dozen the other. I wonder what would be the legal wording of an article of impeachment charging a president with inability to manage his own administration.... well, I suppose to would be incompentence.

[TahitiNut]

55. Both misfeasance and malfeasance.

Interestingly, for any issues attributed to misfeasance, the malfeasant individual must also be prosecuted. It is never sufficient to deal with the ineptly preventative without addressing the actively culpable.

[PurityOfEssence]

56. Didn't he say he didn't know about it being in the speech until recently?

That's what was reported yesterday. If he didn't know it was in the speech, how could he know about this? Was this insistence made to one of Tenet's subordinates, and he only found out about THAT recently? That's flimsyissimo.

Fine. So now he's proven as duplicitous. If he's on record with direct contradictions, he should be fired immediately. I don't think that'll scare the intelligence community to clam up, it will show them that sticking by this administration is a one-way ticked to utter ruin.

[Nottingham]

61. We are getting Names but Behind closed DOORS! Lets here the Name!

Americans have a RIGHT TO KNOW! Had no trouble yelling Tenets name out there. :bounce:

[mbee]

64. The WH official was Tricky Dicky II because didn't

he visit the CIA weekly or something trying to put pressure on them

[skip fox]

62. Secret Tenet Testimony!!! Scoop by DU's

staff of crack CAPTIONers!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=27585&mesg_id=27585&page=

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=27627&mesg_id=27627&page=

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=27661&mesg_id=27661&page=