What to ask Bush-Cheney before the 9/11 Commission?

[paulthompson]

Hi,
A Village Voice reporter asked me today what questions I'd have for Bush and/or Cheney when they testify soon. He's taking suggestions and will have a column as soon as tomorrow that'll be a list of questions they should ask.

Any suggestions?

Also, what have been some of the recent Bush comments about 9/11? I know he said, "But there was nobody in our government, at least, and I don't think the prior government that could envision flying airplanes into buildings on such a massive scale."

Does anyone know of some similiar "If only we knew..." and "we never knew..." type comments?

[maynard]

1. Condi follow-up

My questions for Bush, Why didn't you ask for more follow-up from the PDB? Why didn't you ask what those 70+ investigations were all about?
Why didn't you ask to get all agencies together in the "Situation Room" to discuss all of those 70+ investigations? "Why did you think that going on Vacation was the appropriate response to a PDB that you specifically asked for?" "What is Condi's job?" "Is it part-time or full time? "What is the job description for the National Security Adviser?"

[proud patriot]

2. The Families questions

:-)

[Catfight]

3. Why won't you answer the question of why you are appearing

before the commission together, when the commission specifically requested separate testimony? Why are you perpetuating a shroud of secrecy and stonewalling with the 9/11 commission? Why are you not interested in offering America the truth, under oath? Wouldn't your God want you to be upfront and honest and swear on the bible? Why do you not practice what you preach? You're getting the reputation of dishonest George...how do you feel about that?

[nostamj]

4. South Tower!

the bushies KNEW what was going on... multiple hijackings and the first impact on the North Tower.

they COULD have notified NY authorities and evacuated.

Bush* did a photo-op.
the South Tower workers were told to go back to their desks... and died.

[ramblin_dave]

5. When Bush spoke to Rice on 9/11,

after he arrived at Booker, what did she tell him? Reporting on this suggests the call was just before 9 AM, after which Bush decided to go ahead with the Booker event. Did he know that thw WTC had been hit by a hijacked commercial jet? Did he know another one or two jets had been declared hijacked?

The Situation Room, and thus Rice, should have known what was going on and Bush must have been informed. I can't see how this could be otherwise.

Also, did he get a call in the motorcade? If so, who called him and what was he told?

[OC_dem]

6. Dick can the pResident still talk while you drink a glass of water n/t

[No2W2004]

13. damn,

ya thought of my question.

how bout, Mr President, can you talk while Mr Cheney keeps his hands in the air?

[markomalley]

7. Not a one...they should instead...

wait until both sit down and then stand up and walk out in protest.

I mean, really. You know these two are going to do nothing but stick to their talking points that have been drilled in their heads. What could the "commission" ask that could possibly lead to finding the truth? Why waste the "commission's" time with these two?

[havocmom]

8. ask Cheney to step out of the room

for starters :evilgrin:

[SoDesuKa]

9. Which One Of You

Which one of you gave the order not to sent F-16's to intercept the highjacked airplanes? Somebody very high up ordered a suspension of standard operating procedures. It wasn't done by anyone lower-ranking than either of you. Which one of you was it?

[Old and In the Way]

10. 3 questions

(1) Why did the Pentagon get hit 52 minutes after 175 hit the WTC?

(2) Given the warnings on hijackings and flying bombs, why were there only 14 planes on alert to cover the entire US?

(3) Why did you sit and read for 20 minutes...there could have been dozens of planes attacking the US and you would have no way of knowing the extent of the attack at that point, but you just nodded your head and kept reading....WHY?

[NEOBuckeye]

11. To Cheney: How much did you pay off the Grim Reaper?

It's kinda hard to imagine a man in his condition being able to hold onto the amount of power that he has, and not paying a hefty price for it, one way or another. You know, doctors usually don't describe a patient who has had five heart attacks as being "alive."

I'm not wishing ill will upon Cheney by saying this. But I do wish that arrogant, lying son of a bitch would get chucked out of office and get his ass put on trial for crimes against humanity. :grr::grr::grr:

[BeyondGeography]

12. After the August 6 PDB, what, if any steps did you take to follow up?

That's for Bush, of course. The answer is almost surely nothing. He was in the midst of the longest vacation ever taken by a President, after all.

[Minstrel Boy]

14. When you said "Of course the orders still stand", Mr Vice President,

to which orders were you referring?

From Mineta's testimony:

Mineta: There was a young man who had come in and said to the vice president, "The plane is 50 miles out.The plane is 30 miles out." And when it got down to, "The plane is 10 miles out," the young man also said to the vice president, "Do the orders still stand?"

And the vice president turned and whipped his neck around and said, "Of course the orders still stand. Have you heard anything to the contrary?" Well, at the time I didn't know what all that meant. And.

Hamilton: The flight you're referring to is the -

Mineta: The flight that came into the Pentagon.
http://www.9-11commission.gov/archive/hearing2/9-11Commission_Hearing_2003-05-23.htm

What were the orders? The orders could not have been to shoot down, because Cheney did not have the conversation with Bush in which Cheney recommended a shoot down until nearly 20 minutes after the Pentagon was struck. And Mineta's testimony describes events before the crash of Flight 77.

From your timeline: After 9:56: After flying off in Air Force One, Bush talks to Vice President Cheney on the phone. Cheney recommends that Bush authorize the military to shoot down any plane under control of the hijackers. "I said, 'You bet'" Bush later recalls. "We had a little discussion, but not much."

The order to shoot down the planes came AFTER the Pentagon was struck. So what is this about?

The meaning of "the orders" is understood between Cheney and the aide. The orders remain unnamed in front of Mineta. "The Orders" is clear enough for them to avoid confusion. And since confirmation was requested, it's likely they were outside Standard Operating Procedure.

The aide, who's been counting down the approach, is compelled to confirm the order with Cheney as the plane is almost upon the target, suggesting the order was extraordinary. Since nothing was done to impede the aircraft, Bush did not authorize shoot down until 20 minutes later, and Cheney said, heatedly, that the order stood, I'm inclined to think the order was to do nothing. This interpretation is, I think, supported by the aide's second guessing Cheney.

And Mr Vice President, why is it that, on May 8, 2001, you took on the post of head of the new Office of National Preparedness, to coordinate all federal programs for responding to domestic attacks? This while you were heading your energy task force, is that correct? Is this the loop which you say Richard Clarke was outside of?

Also, Mr Vice President, is it true that, on the morning of September 11, you were monitoring a CIA "simulation" of a response to planes crashing into buildings? Why did this information only leak out a year after 9/11? Is this what you people call a "limited hang out?"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1298401

And finally, Mr Vice President, you're fucking kidding me, right? Tell me you're fucking kidding me!

[paulthompson]

15. Thanks for all the suggestions

Lots of good ones here. I'll pass them on.