Rice Was ‘Uninterested In Advising The President’ Before 9/11, Wanted To Be His ‘Closest Confidante’
Rice Was ‘Uninterested In Advising The President’ Before 9/11, Wanted To Be His ‘Closest Confidante’
Tomorrow, New York Times reporter Philip Shenon will release his book The Commission: The Uncensored History of the 9/11 Investigation, revealing “failure at the highest levels of the United States government.”
Shenon singles out Condoleezza Rice as inept, more interested in being President Bush’s buddy than securing the nation. Newsweek editor Evan Thomas writes a preview of the book:
The official ineptitude uncovered by the commission is shocking. Dubbed “Kinda-Lies-a-Lot” by the Jersey Girls, Ms. Rice comes across as almost clueless about the terrorist threat. “Whatever her job title, Rice seemed uninterested in actually advising the president,” Mr. Shenon writes. “Instead, she wanted to be his closest confidante — specifically on foreign policy — and to simply translate his words into action.”
An example of this incompetence is the fact that on July 10, 2001 — two months before the 9/11 terrorist attacks — then-CIA director George Tenet met with Rice and warned her about a threat from al Qaeda that “literally made [his] hair stand on end.” Rice was polite, but gave them the “brushoff.”
The 9/11 commission, however, heard about this meeting only after it completed its report. Shenon reveals that commission executive director Philip Zelikow, a close friend of Rice, stopped staffers from submitting a report depicting Rice’s performance prior to 9/11 as “amount[ing] to incompetence.”
Another particularly bumbling figure in Shenon’s book is John Ashcroft. On July 17, 2001, the then-Attorney General “received the same CIA briefing about an imminent al-Qaida strike on an American target.” While Rice was interested in cozying up to Bush, Ashcroft was focused on protecting gun owners:
Attorney General John Ashcroft appears more interested in protecting gun owners from government intrusion than in stopping terrorism, and dismissively tells [acting FBI director Thomas] Pickard that he doesn’t want to hear any more about threats of attacks.
UPDATE: According to Shenon, then-White House counsel Alberto Gonzales was intent on placing blame on the Clinton administration. When Ashcroft “unveiled a memo that seemed to cast the antiterror record of the Clinton Justice Department in an unflattering light, Gonzales and his aides high-fived each other.”
UPDATE II: Emptywheel has more.
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Republicans have always sucked at national defense and security. Thay can’t govern.
February 4th, 2008 at 11:06 amokay, that’s a creepy photo… I’m glad my breakfast is digested…
We all know that this regime was just pushing papers and looking for a way to subvert the constitution when 9/11 fell into their laps. They had no intent on keeping the country safe before 9/11 and they certainly don’t have that intent in mind now.
February 4th, 2008 at 11:10 amFailure…yeah…
February 4th, 2008 at 11:12 amI can see AG Gonzales muttering “high five” a la Borat.
Remember how important Gonzales found disclosure to be? So much that he made a (laughable) video?
White House Counsel Gonzales Discusses the Importance of the Freedom of Information Act.
February 4th, 2008 at 11:13 amI gotta agree, that is one creepy pic. It should be on billboards across the country.
February 4th, 2008 at 11:14 am“Another particularly bumbling figure in Shenon’s book is John Ashcroft. Only July 17, 2001, the then-Attorney General ‘received the same CIA briefing about an imminent al-Qaida strike on an American target.â€
He wasn’t so bumbling that he kept flying on commercial airlines. About this time he started flying exclusively on private, or goverment aircraft. Though he didn’t think the threat rose to the seriousness of actually telling the American people about it.
February 4th, 2008 at 11:14 amLooks like a classic limited hang-out: Everybody blame Condi.
February 4th, 2008 at 11:17 amThat photo reminds me of this story…
February 4th, 2008 at 11:17 amI suppose she’s wearing what she’s wearing in the photo because yellow dresses don’t show body fluid stains as clearly as blue dresses? I mean, JEEZ you two — get a room…preferably one that’s NOT in our White House…
February 4th, 2008 at 11:21 amJudging by the revelations, I’d say the creators of Comedy Central’s “Lil’ Bush” portrayed her quite accurately as a fawning groupie.
February 4th, 2008 at 11:21 amRepublicans have always sucked at national defense and security. Thay can’t govern.
Comment by Lefty Patriot — February 4, 2008 @ 11:06 am
This should be repeated by every Democrat running for office, at every campaign appearance.
It should become conventionl wisdom. Because it’s true.
February 4th, 2008 at 11:22 amThis once again clearly defines the ineptitude of the Republican hierarchy that is inherent to a basic moral and ethical flaw. The Republican elite see themselves as superior to others. They have an unquestioning belief in their own infalliability. Thus they are unable to learn from experience or the sage and experienced advice of others. The anti-intellectualism of the Republican elite comes from an inherent belief that their superiority gives rise to an inspired vision of the world. Indeed, the only thing preventing these modern day Greek Gods from accomplishing their goals is sufficient sacrifice and effort from their subjects. Any failure thus results from the inadequacy of those beneath them and not because of inherent flaws in their strategy or view of the world.
However, deep down inside, these elites know that they are indeed failures. It is what accounts for their fear of accountability or admitting even the slightest mistake. They fear that their true and flawed nature would be exposed to the rabble who would then arise against them. Thus, no mistake, no matter how small can be admitted. Any discussion contrary to their position is the result of partisanship or traitorous tendancies. Secrecy becomes essential so that the rabble will see and know only what their superiors will permit. Dissent, transparence and debate represent a direct threat to their power.
February 4th, 2008 at 11:23 amWhen Ashcroft “unveiled a memo that seemed to cast the antiterror record of the Clinton Justice Department in an unflattering light, Gonzales and his aides high-fived each other.â€
————
Repub “Personal Responsibility” in action.
February 4th, 2008 at 11:31 amThe 9/11 commission, however, heard about this meeting only after it completed its report. Shenon reveals that commission executive director Philip Zelikow, a close friend of Rice, stopped staffers from submitting a report depicting Rice’s performance prior to 9/11 as “amount[ing] to incompetence.â€
… and of course, the Champeen of Incompetents Worldwide gave her a freakin’ promotion (Preznitential Medal of Freedom to follow).
Chandrasekaran’s book “Imperial Life in the Emerald City” ought to be required reading … both in gummint, and in school….
1/20/2009 can’t come soon enough.
Cheers,
February 4th, 2008 at 11:32 amBTW, the thought occurs that we should encourage the wingnot brigades that seem to think that adding Kinda-Lies-A-Lot to the Republican ticket is a surefire winner….
Cheers,
February 4th, 2008 at 11:34 amAs a man, I would prefer “doing” Jeff Gannon before I would ever do Condi. She just absolutely turns my stomach. If Bush were squeezing her on the side, this would be the only time I’d have any sympathy for that boy. Condi is so repulsive on so many levels; Mr. Gannon is simply an admitted male whore with White House privileges, not that there’s anything wrong with that.
February 4th, 2008 at 11:36 amI thought Condi was purely evil, but she’s actually incompetently evil. How sad is that?
February 4th, 2008 at 11:37 amHow can she be inept?
She has her name on the stern of a oil tanker.
She is a rePUGlitz State Official
Well one of two isn’t bad.
February 4th, 2008 at 11:38 amIt wasn’t just Zelikow.
Apparently Rove was the gatekeeper for all of the Commissioners.
This from Commissioner Lehman
9/11 Commission member John Lehman goes on to tell MSNBC that it was impossible not to go through Karl Rove when documents such as presidential daily briefings were needed. Many Commission members, he says, pressed the White House to provide more information and lift restrictions on a regular basis.
“We had to go through Karl Rove, and through [Attorney General Alberto] Gonzales and the other most senior members,” says Lehman.
http://rawstory.com/ news/ 2007/ 911_Commissioner_We_had_to_go_0203.html
February 4th, 2008 at 11:39 amPhoto: “OOOH, Mr. Prez-i-dent!” And she then quickly ran off and changed her stained blue panties.
February 4th, 2008 at 11:40 amyoo hoo… troollies… c’mon little troollies… let’s hear it…
…
damn, what an ugly neck… and mouth… yeesh…
February 4th, 2008 at 11:46 ami am glad she got rid of that “flip”… do you suppose…?
I happened to be in DC last fall and managed to get into a Waxman Committee hearing at which ms. rice was the guest. It was a masterful rice performance…..constantly trying to talk over her questioners, delighting in defensive commentary by her few supporters on the committee (Chris Shays finest hour.)
In the course of over two hours, she was grilled on everything from the rampant corruption in the construction of a new Baghdad embassy to the shortage of career employees willing to serve in Iraq, to the functions of a special committee formed to investigate Iraqi corruption (State managed/connived to screw this up by appointing not one, but TWO committees which then proceeded to clash with each other to such an extent that they hadn’t met in months and the committee leadership was a para-legal.
Through it all, ms. rice continually expressed how deeply “concerned” she was about all this and pledged to “get more information to you.” Obviously the committee is still waiting.
Just one of the more visible examples of the administration’s unerring ability to appoint incompetent idealogues in virtually every key office in government to assure things “spin” properly, but never actually work.
February 4th, 2008 at 11:48 amWas Laura Bush at this dinner?
Maybe Laura Bush will divorce Bush after 2009.
February 4th, 2008 at 11:51 amCondoleeza Rice is the perfect BushitCo stooge.
February 4th, 2008 at 12:08 pmFawning for the imprimatur of the authoritarian leader figure, and totally incompetent at every facet of her job.
what sleazy things is this moron whispering in the ears of another moron? Hurry - get me a barf bag now. This new expose will tank his legacy even further down the commode now.
February 4th, 2008 at 12:13 pmjust more PROOF 9-11 was an inside job…
February 4th, 2008 at 12:13 pm“Shenon singles out Condoleezza Rice as inept, more interested in being President Bush’s buddy than securing the nation.”
Buddy? Try girlfriend.
February 4th, 2008 at 12:16 pmI’m glad that my liquid one hasn’t been fully metabolized.
February 4th, 2008 at 12:18 pmPhilip Shenon is a guest on Terri Gross’s radio program “Fresh Aire” today. Interesting story!
February 4th, 2008 at 12:31 pmPhoto Caption: Dinkledorf and a fawning Olive Oyl.
Photo Reaction: Ughh!
February 4th, 2008 at 12:46 pmWhy would they want to do anything about a terrorist attack when they were helping plan it?
Buck Fush
February 4th, 2008 at 12:49 pmIgnoring a PDB that clearly signals Usama as a threat is treason, in my book…that would include the entire Bush Administration.
Planned or not, they obviously knew Bin Laden was a threat.
Condi’s a lot like Bush when you think about it. Raised privileged, Daddy got her into school, never had to work for a living, placed into a position she had absolutely no qualifications for, suck up to powerful Republics, and tow the conservatron line, regardless of content or message.
February 4th, 2008 at 1:10 pmIt’s amazing how they can spin their failings so effectively.
Even though she was confronted about the “Bin Laden determined to strike the US with airplanes” memo, she was able (or allowed) to weasel out of that supremely huge screw- up.
What does it take to bust these people??
February 4th, 2008 at 1:23 pmShe has her name on the stern of a oil tanker.
Comment by natisman
I believe that is “had”. The tanker has been renamed.
Leaving a wave of controversy in its wake, one of the most visible reminders of the Bush administration’s ties to big oil - the 129,000-ton Chevron tanker Condoleezza Rice - has quietly been renamed, Chevron officials acknowledged yesterday.
“We made the change to eliminate the unnecessary attention caused by the vessel’s original name,” said Chevron spokesman Fred Gorell.
The double-hulled, Bahamian-registered oil tanker carrying the moniker of Bush’s national security adviser was renamed the Altair Voyager, after a star, Gorell said.
February 4th, 2008 at 1:27 pmCaption:
February 4th, 2008 at 1:28 pm‘I’ll meet you in your oval office about 8:00…
At least Bill and Monica had the decency to try to keep their orgasms in private.
February 4th, 2008 at 1:32 pmCaption:
‘I’ll meet you in your oval office about 8:00…
Comment by Zimzone — February 4, 2008 @ 1:28 pm
Is this Condi speaking to Bush or Bush speaking to Condi?
February 4th, 2008 at 1:33 pmASK THE WAR CRIMINAL RICE, IF SHE KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT AN E-4B PLANE FLYING OVER THE WH ON 9/11, JUST BEFORE THE PENTAGON ATTACK?!!!
February 4th, 2008 at 1:35 pmWhat does it take to bust these people??
Comment by Neeko — February 4, 2008 @ 1:23 pm
a justice Department not headed by traitors, to start.
February 4th, 2008 at 1:38 pmTHE CIA TAPES WERE DESTROYED NOT BECAUSE IT CONTAINED TORTURE, WHICH THE WAR CRIMINAL IN CHIEF MADE IT ‘LEGAL’. IT WAS DESTROYED BECAUSE THERE WAS NO CONFESSION ABOUT A 9/11 PLOT! WE HAVE ONLY THE WORD OF A GOVERNMENT THAT HAS LIED TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND TO THE WORLD COMMUNITY SINCE IT INSTALLED ITSELF IN THE WH.
February 4th, 2008 at 1:39 pmAnyone who paid attention knew what Connie was to Bush, even the reporters knew about their relationship as sick as it is. Connie showed Americans during the Katrina Storm what her job was as she watched victims cry for help, but she still did her shopping in New York City for shoes. One lady stopped her and asked why she and the President were doing nothing. Connie had the lady arrested and just keep on shopping. As for the 9/11 hearing as Connie played dumb, that was the sign of knowing Americans would believe any lie. Diane Feinstein voted for Connie to be Secretary of State not on qualifications but because of friendship and the fact Connie could play the piano. Connie Rice was and has never been qualified for any of the jobs she was given and it shows.
I read the news from Isreal as Connie was meeting her girlfriend there. Yes Ms. Rice cheated on her with a female friend she shared an apartment with. Connie Rice looks like she goes both ways but will stick with her female soul mate. Notice how reporters aren’t talking about the divorce Laura filed in Texas some time ago. Notice when Bush is on his ranch, Laura is not there she is in her home given to her in the divorce agreement. Americans are so busy following Britney and Paris, as the all this is taken place right under their noses. It’s so funny and sad at the same time. At lease the World knows the Bush/Rice news.
February 4th, 2008 at 1:42 pmRice just wanted to be there to LISTEN for her GIRLFRIEND, that’s what GIRLS DO - right “Lips Bush”? ;)
February 4th, 2008 at 1:49 pmEven Eva Braun was able to get herself a husband.
February 4th, 2008 at 1:49 pmRepublicans have always sucked at national defense and security. Thay can’t govern.
Comment by Lefty Patriot — February 4, 2008 @ 11:06 am
Only this Republican did, and you never hear him mentioned by either Demublicans or Republicrats.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdrGKwkmxAU
More quotes by Ike:
http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Dwight_D._Eisenhower/
February 4th, 2008 at 1:50 pmWhat does it take to bust these people??
Comment by Neeko
Violation of the Worldwide Biblical Code. See Book of Proverbs (Proverbs 6: 20-35) for a more in depth explanation. /snark
February 4th, 2008 at 1:59 pmMaybe she had other interests than advising?
February 4th, 2008 at 2:08 pm44 EvilPoet
February 4th, 2008 at 2:09 pmNice hee hee!
Comment by Brain From Planet Arous
February 4th, 2008 at 2:17 pmBrian, I rented the movie “why we fight” again as my girlfriend hasn’t seen it. I think it is a must see for everyone who is concerned by the direction of this country. Trolls don’t bother it may make your head explode!:)
Sorry that’s “BRAIN”…fitting
February 4th, 2008 at 2:18 pmI rented the movie “why we fight†again as my girlfriend hasn’t seen it. I think it is a must see for everyone who is concerned by the direction of this country. Trolls don’t bother it may make your head explode!:)
Comment by specialist f — February 4, 2008 @ 2:17 pm
specialist f, I have seen this on Youtube. It is very detailed, and Neo-Cons and even Left-Gatekeepers will Shoo-Shoo this. Basically, one has to look past the Zionist Controlled Media to see the Truth. Everything from WW2 on is planned by the elite. Look at the CIA. Formed in 1947, with former Nazis like Richard Gehlen is a major position in East Europe, same place he was in with the Nazi organization, with support form Nazi Sympathizer Allen Dulles.
http://emperors-clothes.com/docs/gehlen2-a.htm
February 4th, 2008 at 2:34 pm#34 bilbobaggins:
The double-hulled, Bahamian-registered oil tanker carrying the moniker of Bush’s national security adviser was renamed the Altair Voyager, after a star, Gorell said.
Shoudn’t that be Altair Our Motive?
Cheers,
February 4th, 2008 at 2:35 pmThis kiss looks suspicious to me, I think there’s something there. His father had Margaret Tutwiller, and he’s got Condie. Apparenlty it’s ok to have your mistress working at the State Department. I’d have pick someone better looking if I were him. I’m sorry, but Condi is ugly to me.
February 4th, 2008 at 2:39 pmIn 2006 - nearly two years ago - TvNewsLIES.org exposed Zelikow as a professional myth maker and challenged the validity of the Commission Report when he was appointed its executive director.
The corporate media did not listen then.
Will you listen now?
http://http://tvnewslies.org/blog/?p=676
February 4th, 2008 at 3:46 pmIn addition to blowing off the Clinton administration’s warnings about al Qaeda, the Bush administration ignored the Hart-Rudman Commission’s January 2000 report on terrorism. “We said Americans will likely die on American soil, possibly in large numbers.”
February 4th, 2008 at 7:03 pmI thought Bush was afraid of horses…..why is he planting a smacker on that one?
February 4th, 2008 at 8:27 pmAs mentioned by barfly (6), I have been asking for a long time why the 9/11 Commission could not uncover the mysterious threat assessment that warned John Ashcroft to avoid commercial airline flights, reported by CBS News on July 26, 2001. Why wouldn’t the commission have the authority to say, “Hey John Ashcroft,” or, “Hey FBI, let’s see that threat assessment document”? I guess Zelikow said, “Nuh-uh.”
February 5th, 2008 at 8:40 amWake up America - 911 was an inside job. - View the videos - those THREE towers were demolished by explosives - Google 911 squibs and see the obvious pre-matures - listen to the first responders - they know. Most people in Manhatten know the truth. People outside this country know the truth - stop listening to the propaganda.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:56 am