Despite denials, Bush Administration Pushed For Private Briefings For Petraeus, Dems Confirm

[babylonsister]

http://electioncentral.tpmcafe.com/blog/electioncentral/2007/aug/17/confirmed_white_house_pushed_for_private_briefings_for_petraeus_dems_say


Bush Administration Pushed For Private Briefings For Petraeus, Dems Confirm
By Greg Sargent | bio

Amid a bitter skirmish between the White House and Dems yesterday over whether General Petraeus will testify publicly to Congress about Iraq, the Bush administration repeatedly claimed yesterday that the administration had never pushed for closed-door-only briefings for Petraeus.

But that claim is false, according to an on-the-record statement we've obtained from the office of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Rather, the Bush administration did in fact push for limited private briefings for Petraus and U.S. ambassador Ryan Crocker, according to the statement, which was provided to Election Central by Lynne Weille, the communications director for Foreign Affairs Committee chair Tom Lantos.

"Administration officials told senior Congressional staff in early July that they preferred to have Ambassador Crocker and General Petraeus testify in closed session before the entire House of Representatives, rather than in open hearings," Weille said in the statement, which constitutes the first on-the-record assertion by Dems that this happened.

The statement is striking, because any White House bid to limit the briefing suggests that the administration may have wanted to prevent the public from hearing Petraeus' views of Iraq straight from him directly. Petraeus will also share his views via input he'll give on a written report, but that will be written by the White House.

What's more, the statement appears to directly contradict assertions made yesterday by administration spokesperson Gordon Johndroe. Asked yesterday if the White House had pushed for closed-door-only briefings, Johndroe said, "No, no."

The statement also suggests that the White House may have been trying to circumvent a key legal requirement that was written into the Iraq supplemental bill passed this spring with White House support -- i.e., that Petraeus and Crocker testify publicly.

more...

http://electioncentral.tpmcafe.com/blog/electioncentral/2007/aug/17/confirmed_white_house_pushed_for_private_briefings_for_petraeus_dems_say

[rodeodance]

1. gee whiz-they did offer us CONDI---see here

Forum Name Latest Breaking News
Topic subject White House: Petraeus will testify
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2957802#2957802
2957802, White House: Petraeus will testify
Posted by sabra on Fri Aug-17-07 11:14 AM

Source: The Hill

The White House on Thursday sought to alleviate concerns that Gen. David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker would not testify before Congress, as Democrats ratcheted up their rhetoric on the issue.

White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe told reporters in Crawford, Texas, that stories indicating Petraeus and Crocker would not testify openly before Congress were inaccurate.

“General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker will testify to the Congress in both open as well as closed sessions prior to the September 15th report,” he said. “I think it’s unfortunate that anyone would suggest that they would not do that, trying to start a fight where there really isn’t one, because this has always been the plan, and in fact it's even called for in the legislation.”

At about the same time as the briefing, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) released a statement, saying, “The White House’s effort to prevent General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker from testifying openly and candidly before Congress about the situation in Iraq is unacceptable.”

Read more: http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/white-house-petraeus-will-testify-2007-08-16.html

Forum Name Latest Breaking News
Topic subject An Early Clash Over Iraq Report (WH want Private briefing by Patraeus)
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2955921#2955921
2955921, An Early Clash Over Iraq Report (WH want Private briefing by Patraeus)
Posted by rodeodance on Thu Aug-16-07 10:26 AM

Source: wasp POST


An Early Clash Over Iraq Report
Specifics at Issue as September Nears

By Jonathan Weisman and Karen DeYoung
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, August 16, 2007; Page A01

Senior congressional aides said yesterday that the White House has proposed limiting the much-anticipated appearance on Capitol Hill next month of Gen. David H. Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker to a private congressional briefing, suggesting instead that the Bush administration's progress report on the Iraq war should be delivered to Congress by the secretaries of state and defense.

White House officials did not deny making the proposal in informal talks with Congress, but they said yesterday that they will not shield the commanding general in Iraq and the senior U.S. diplomat there from public congressional testimony required by the war-funding legislation President Bush signed in May. "The administration plans to follow the requirements of the legislation," National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said in response to questions yesterday.



The skirmishing is an indication of the rising anxiety on all sides in the remaining few weeks before the presentation of what is widely considered a make-or-break assessment of Bush's war strategy, and one that will come amid rising calls for a drawdown of U.S. forces from Iraq.
..........

White House officials suggested to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee last week that Petraeus and Crocker would brief lawmakers in a closed session before the release of the report, congressional aides said. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates would provide the only public testimony.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/15/AR2007081501281.html?hpid=topnews

[babylonsister]

2. I know; useless Condi. nt

[rodeodance]

3. SAD. she could have been a model for black women but History will show

her pettiness.