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04/29/2004 Entry: "Uncomfortably numb"
Uncomfortably numb
So, today's the big day. Today, Bush and Cheney will meet with the 9/11 Commission and clear up all questions about what they knew about the threat to this country prior to 9/11 and specifically what they did about it. The country will be able to rest assured that our leadership did the right thing and all will be well, because we will know that Bush and Cheney have been forthright in their testimony.
Except we won't.
Bush and Cheney will summon the commission to the Oval Office. They will not be sworn to tell the truth. They will give testimony together. There will be no recording of the testimony, and no transcript. Essentially, Bush and cheney could tell dirty limericks for two hours, and we'll never know it.
There should be a common quest for solutions to what happened on September 11. Why is the White House treating it like an adversarial situation?
Besides all the other enemies real and imagined that the White House claims, today you can add truth, justice, and the american way to the list. These guys don't want to get to the bottom of anything - or more specifically, they don't want us to get to the bottom of anything.
I should be more outraged here, I know it. but for some reason this morning, I feel much the same numbness as I did when that 757 hit the second World Trade tower.
Today, the very truth that this country is founded on is under attack. And the attackers are the ones who tell us they're defending us. This is some sad shit.
Replies: 13 people speak up
I know what you mean:-(
Posted by Aristophanes @ 04/29/2004 09:21 AM NY
"Every one who doeth evil hateth the light." Jesus to Nicodemus, John somethingorother.
Posted by Xan @ 04/29/2004 10:31 AM NY
John 3:20: "Everyone doing evil hates the light and does not go toward the light, in order that his deeds may not be exposed" (my translation from the original).
Posted by Michael @ 04/29/2004 10:40 AM NY
watch it! they've made a point that it's not testimony. this yesterday from elisabeth bumiller at nyt, channeling from her bountiful trove of white house spokesmen, sources, and--here--advisers:
He is not testifying, he is talking to them. A transcript implies testimony...We were reluctant for the president to do this, anyway.
you know, i could swear george told russert he was happy to do this--welllll, maybe he didn't use the happy word, but he certainly did start parsing city in re the testimony word. but, little scotty's been saying for weeks now how the president's happy to do this. he may not have used the imminent word, but he did use the happy word. foolish me. foolish we. young and foolish...
and, and, and not only does dick hold george's hand, but alberto holds dick.
Posted by oldupperwestsideLIBERALjew @ 04/29/2004 10:40 AM NY
And, apparently, not all of the commissioners are allowed in...
Posted by George Johnston @ 04/29/2004 11:25 AM NY
no, all 10 commissioners allowed in. it was a concession that had to be extracted. if you can imagine!
and by the way, i'd like to add to my prior (for me: mini) rant about the happy word...despite the white house adviser's assurance, bush said in his press conference that he was "looking forward" to the commission session. although, of course, you see how clever his handlers are: that doesn't mean looking forward happily. it could mean like looking forward to the dental exam he was going back to alabama for--nervous and wary and scared shitless because it was a DENTAL exam, but happy at the same time because it was FREE.
Posted by oldupperwestsideLIBERALjew @ 04/29/2004 11:42 AM NY
more on the happy word...
this from scotty at today's press gaggle:
He's pleased to sit down with the commission and answer their questions... [emphasis added]
and he said it at least twice, so so much for scotty's preparation. actually, today's was unusually hilarious. they don't come any better than this. jon stewart pays big bucks for this kind of material. key section posted on josh marshall's talking points site--if you're in the mood for laughing, that is.
Posted by oldupperwestsideLIBERALjew @ 04/29/2004 12:06 PM NY
I seriously doubt if anything of substance will arise from the Bush/Cheney testimony/chit-chat/brunch.
To the Bush True Believers it will reaffirm their view of Bush as a strong, steady, dertermined leader who'll protect the nation from the monsters under our beds.
To Liberal/Lefties/Progressives it will reaffirm their view of Bush as an intellectual and ethical lightweight who's leading the country to ruination.
What I’d like to know is: how will this play with the Undecideds?
Posted by Metropolitan99 @ 04/29/2004 12:24 PM NY
As a testimony because most wont know the difference. What is seen from the left or the right is well know and as you put quite well, understood. Now the undecideds will have to sort out is will this insignificant meeting change a vote. The answer there is again no. Bush was in office only 8 months before 9/11, many have said it couldn't be prevented, etc, etc.. Right now more attention is on Gorelick (sp ?) and while i feel she should give her side of things and how they were. I dont feel this disqualifies her from the commission.
For Kerry to win he needs substance. Not the if, I will, crap. The , this is how im going to do it right down to the last i dotted and the t crossed. His latest ad for the Iraq war is pathetic at best.
Posted by Robin Hacker @ 04/29/2004 12:53 PM NY
Robin,
The bitch of it is that I suspect, in the long run, none of this really matter. On November 3rd, I'll be shedding bitter tears and you'll be weeping for joy.
If my worst nightmare comes to fruition, and Bush is reelected, I can always find solace in the fact that I am White, Christian, middle class, and heterosexual. Now if I could only find full-time employment.
Posted by Metropolitan99 @ 04/29/2004 01:11 PM NY
Jeezus...just watched Chimpy's "statement" on CNN--what an arrogant prick. Has he ever taken any responsibility for anything he has ever done?
Posted by Blue Demon @ 04/29/2004 01:24 PM NY
You suppose you could see the stick up Dubya's ass, where Cheney the puppeteer made his mouth move? What a disgraceful, incompetent failure this Bush guy is! He can't even appear before a Congressional panel without having a script and a handler present. Pathetic. This knucklehead would be pumping gas at the Texaco in Crawford, if his name wasn't Bush!!!
Posted by Stephen Kriz @ 04/29/2004 01:40 PM NY
Gardiner was right.
The Gadflyer has a good illustration for this: The Amazing DICK CHENEY with his Talking GEORGIE BOY (Sorry, folks...the show's 'Sold Out'!)
Posted by Allison @ 04/29/2004 02:11 PM NY
