I love me some Harry Reid
Frist, after his opening tirade, yielded the microphones to colleagues — but then returned to denounce Reid a second time. Frist excused himself, saying: “I’ve got to go figure out what we need to do.”
Through the glass door to the chamber, Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) could be seen sitting in the presiding officer’s chair, looking puzzled. Reid could be seen sharing a laugh with two colleagues.
Democrats find their Cajones!
The Real, “Bring it on,” pose! It’s about freakin’ time! Finaly the Rethuglicans are outgamed, and who would have guessed that bookish little Harry would so brilliantly pulled it off. It’s understandable how angry Frist was today, considering how…
Oh and I *definitely* want a clip of the Repug whining about Reid giving him an “upset stomach”. Talk about bellyaching… literally.
Anyone got a link to an MPEG4 of Frist’s little shit-fit?
Might be fun to see clips of that in campaign commercials.
I think the Republicans should have just acted like it was no big deal. They should have quickly set up a couple press conferences either before the doors were closed, or with a cell phone while the doors were closed, and in those short press conferences they should have been nonchalant, explaining that “the Democrats had some questions, and we worked with them to get answers, and we don’t know why they felt the need to close the doors but hey, rules are rules and if they want to close the doors that’s fine with us [shrug and chuckle.] We’d have helped them doors closed or doors opened..either way no problem.”
Rule of thumb: whenever you find yourself surprised by something unpleasant, you should immediately act un-surprised, then figure out what to do. Sure, it’s a bit of theater, but so was Reid’s move.
Anyone else needs some strategy advice, you know where to find me.
Has anyone seen (presumptive presidential candidate) Hillary Clinton gloating about this Democratic stunt?
Perhaps she and her inspired political adviser husband are sensible enough to appreciate that their Party will not distinguish itself by picking cat-fights with Bill Frist. And, is it ignorance or congenital masochism that compels Democrats to deploy these self-defeating political strategies? After all, further Iraq enquiries may well lead to other Democrats ending up as wards of the criminal justice system like Sandy Berger (who, alas, was only trying to cover for Bill Clinton)
And I would like to see Pat Roberts squirm as one of the key stonewalls to the Senate investigation.
You ’sour grape’ minions and your regurgitated talking points about a ’stunt’ make me laugh out loud.
What the hell was that vote last year in the House on prescription drugs that was held open for three hours by DeLay and Hastert while they twisted arms?
…….a strategic move?
And, is it ignorance or congenital masochism that compels Democrats to deploy these self-defeating political strategies? After all, further Iraq enquiries may well lead to other Democrats ending up as wards of the criminal justice system like Sandy Berger
and that right there is the difference between democrats and republicans. We want the investigation to proceed even if one of our guys ends up in the crosshairs.
their Party will not distinguish itself by picking cat-fights with Bill Frist
Frist does have a rep of being tough on cats, but that didn’t seem to intimidate his fellow Senators yesterday. His panic was palpable and his outrage was all about the perceived disrespect toward himself. The issue isn’t whether the Senate kowtows to Frist; it’s whether the Senate can finally uncover the process that led the country into war.
Oh, Wilbur, you’re so noble. I hope that comforts you when the Democrats lose seats in 2006, and,once again, a Republican takes the White House in 2008.
You’ll be scratching your head, with all the other liberal Democrats, and, as (I think) Dugger pointed out, JadeGold the Putz will be ranting about three stolen elections!
And you’re bragging?
Here’s why;
March 14, 2003 – Senator Rockefeller sent a letter to Director Mueller requesting an investigation into the origin of the Niger documents.
May 23, 2003 – Senators Roberts and Rockefeller sent a letter to the CIA and State Department Inspectors General to review issues related to the Niger documents.
June 2, 2003 – Senator Rockefeller issued a press release endorsing a statement made of the previous weekend by Senator Warner calling for a joint SSCI/SASC investigation.
June 4, 2003 – Senator Rockefeller issued a press release saying he would push for an investigation. Senator Roberts issued a press release saying calls for an investigation are premature.
June 10, 2003 – Senator Rockefeller sent a letter to Senator Roberts asking for an investigation.
June 11, 2003 – All Committee Democrats signed a letter to Senator Roberts asking for a meeting of the Committee to discuss the question of authorizing an inquiry into the intelligence that formed the basis for going to war.
June 11, 2003 – Senator Roberts issued a press release saying this is routine committee oversight, and that criticism of the intelligence community is unwarranted. Senator Rockefeller issued a press release calling the ongoing review inadequate.
June 20, 2003 – Senators Roberts and Rockefeller issued a joint press release laying out the scope of the inquiry.
August 13, 2003 – Senator Rockefeller sent a letter to Senator Roberts making 14 points about the investigation, asking to expand the inquiry to address the use of intelligence by policy makers and asking for several other actions.
September 9, 2003 – After press reports quoting Senator Roberts as saying the investigation was almost over, Senator Rockefeller sent a letter to Senator Roberts urging him not to rush to complete the investigation prematurely.
October 29, 2003 – Senators Roberts and Rockefeller sent a letter to Director Tenet expressing in strong terms that he should provide documents that have been requested and make individuals available.
October 30, 2003 – Senators Roberts and Rockefeller sent letters to Secretaries Rumsfeld and Powell, and National Security Advisor Rice expressing in strong terms that they should provide documents that have been requested and make individuals available.
October 31, 2003 – Senator Rockefeller sent a letter to Director Tenet asking for documents related to the interaction between intelligence and policy makers, including the documents from the Vice President s office related to the Powell speech.
November 2, 2003 – Senator Roberts made statements during a joint television appearance with Senator Rockefeller claiming that the White house would provide all documents they jointly requested.
December 5, 2003 – Senator Rockefeller sent a letter to National Security Advisor Rice asking for her help getting documents and access to individuals.
January 22, 2004 – Senator Rockefeller sent a letter to Director Tenet asking for compliance with the Oct. 31 request for documents.
February 12, 2004 – Senators Roberts and Rockefeller issued a joint press release announcing the Committee s unanimous approval of the expansion of the Iraq review, to include use of intelligence in the form of public statements, and listing other aspects of what became Phase II.
March 23, 2004 – Senator Rockefeller sent yet another letter to Director Tenet asking for compliance with the Oct. 31 request for documents.
June 17, 2004 – Senators Roberts and Rockefeller joint press release announcing the unanimous approval of the report.
July 16, 2004 – Committee Democrats sent a letter to Bush asking for the one page summary of the NIE prepared for Bush. The Committee staff had been allowed to review it but could not take notes and the Committee was never given a copy.
February 3, 2005 – Senator Rockefeller sent a letter to Senator Roberts outlining Committee priorities for the coming year and encouraging completion of Phase II.
August 5, 2005 – Senator Rockefeller sent a letter to Senator Roberts expressing concern over the lack of progress on Phase II and calling for a draft to be presented to the Committee at a business meeting in September.
September 29, 2005 – All Committee Democrats joined in additional views to the annual Intelligence Authorization Bill criticizing the lack of progress on Phase II.
Of course semanticleo is bragging. It is a proud and honorable thing for us liberals to be able to say we stood up to facism in our time.
I’m thinking the Senate Republicans are ready to throw Bush to the wolves by now. He is loyal to no one outside of his personal cabal, and has dragged his Party through the mud for the last five years.
Frist’s histrionics were strictly for the benefit of the peanut gallery, his base. What happens behind closed doors, senator to senator, may well be a different story altogether.
Or this;
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/march_on_rome.htm
So, Reid pulls off an Ernst Rohm – like stunt, and you call the Republicans “Re – thug – licans”? What’s next, breaking all the windows in Georgetown?
Durbin was right: the U.S. is running a gulag. What dishonor the Republicans have brought on our nation. Thank god the Democrats haven’t let the war on terrorism erode their basic American decency.
Gucking gulags. That’s right. I stand by it.
I hope that comforts you when the Democrats lose seats in 2006, and,once again, a Republican takes the White House in 2008.
You working for Diebold now? Or are you just so full of shit that I might smell you through the “internets”?
Christ do you cons ever sound desperate. I would be happy if it weren’t for the fact that the U.S. is run by incomeptent authoritarians, and that we were operating gucking gulags. How can anyone sleep at night with these criminals in charge. Bush should be impeached for this evil, lawless dishonor he’s brought on the country.
And Frank goes Godwin. I guess that means he lost.
Elrod does a**hole (no comparison to Hitler).
Sadie: very cute. IMHO. Leo was comparing the “new, improved” Democrats favorably to the Fascist that marched on Rome.
okay……………..the loopholes around a corrupt/ball-less congress?
deeply rooted in the Declaration of Independence…….
Whenever any form of government becomes destructive, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it and to institute new government.
You know, its one thing for people to compare opponents to Nazis; that happens every day on the internets. But the Bush Administration has literally set up a gulag in our name. Can we impeach this asshole now?
Reid is proving he is way better than his predecessor. All the Republicans had to do was make good on their promise to investigate. You don’t actually suppose that promise was complete elephant sheeeit, do you?
Reid’s invocation of Rule 21 is “unprecedented”? A “personal affront”?
Capetbagger has a nice take:
There are links to back up the specifics over on the Carpetbagger site.
Which gulag?
This one:
See? You miss some things if you limit your reading to right wing blogs.
Begonia: that clause was not inserted in the Declaration for casual use by the Democrats…
TomY: And which “gulag” might that be? Guantanamo — where we keep the terrorists who promise that when released, they will re – arm and then kill American soldiers?
And you want them released why?
The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, but he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them. – George Orwell
It’s not about releasing them, you brave strawman fighter! It’s about Congressional oversight, torture, not breaking the law, upholding America’s honor and values instead of squandering them out of conservative cowardice, etc.
Oh, I see, those gulags… And we should release those prisoners why?
Incidentally, just in case anybody was wondering, the Soviet Gulag was not in eastern Europe.
I mean, in case.
OK, OK, have it your way. It’s not a gulag, it’s a gulag-related-program-activity.
TomY is right, Frank. Nobody said anything about releasing them.
Well, except for you.
But if we’re sooo sure that these prisoners are dangerous and guilty, why do we need to hide them, and hide the fact that we’re holding them, and hide the way we treat them?
I thought we were “spreading freedom and democracy” or some such.
It’s not a Gulag at all, for several reasons.
To start with, they’re not domestic or internal political prisoners.
The reason why I brought up releasing them is because they must be held, or released.
Perhaps there’s a good reason why the location is a secret. For the life of me, I can’t imagine what it might be…
Um, maybe so the prison is NOT ATTACKED BY ISLAMIC TERRORIST, YOU F*C*I*G MORONS!
Not so Reid won’t find about it!
I heard about these “secret” camps months ago.
But, of course, there’s more [Isn't there always?]:
What is known about CIA activities is that, since 2001, the agency has been transferring or “rendering” suspects to third countries for aggressive interrogation…
The rendition policy was initiated in 1998 by the Clinton White House after the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by terrorists. The intent, says intelligence specialist Wesley Wark, was to bring Al Qaeda and Taliban suspects to the U.S. for prosecution.
Damn that Clinton!
That could explain why the location is secret. It wouldn’t explain why the existence of such facilities is secret, or why who we are holding is secret, or why the techniques we use for interrogation are secret. or why we won’t let the Red Cross or any other international organization verify any of our claims about the preceding.
So stick that up your asterisks.