Tom Ridge pulls a McClellan, Powell

[Bishop Hedd]

Ridge claims in his book he was pressured by Bush administration to raise terror alert for re-election purposes. No surprise there from the worst administration in our lifetimes. What's galling is why he didn't make this known when he was HS director?

 

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...9082003993.html

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Ridge claims in his book he was pressured by Bush administration to raise terror alert for re-election purposes. No surprise there from the worst administration in our lifetimes. What's galling is why he didn't make this known when he was HS director?

 

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...9082003993.html

 

Get over it, Bush is gone. On to the next supremely under-qualified president and his attempts to radically alter the American economy.

[stuckincincy]

Ridge claims in his book he was pressured by Bush administration to raise terror alert for re-election purposes. No surprise there from the worst administration in our lifetimes. What's galling is why he didn't make this known when he was HS director?

 

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...9082003993.html

 

It's inexorable.

[Magox]

Ridge claims in his book he was pressured by Bush administration to raise terror alert for re-election purposes. No surprise there from the worst administration in our lifetimes. What's galling is why he didn't make this known when he was HS director?

 

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...9082003993.html

I would say with this news, that there is a better than good chance that he won't be re elected again.

[Chef Jim]

Ridge claims in his book he was pressured by Bush administration to raise terror alert for re-election purposes. No surprise there from the worst administration in our lifetimes. What's galling is why he didn't make this known when he was HS director?

 

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...9082003993.html

 

Well he wasn't trying to sell a book then was he you dolt.

[UConn James]

Ridge claims in his book he was pressured by Bush administration to raise terror alert for re-election purposes. No surprise there from the worst administration in our lifetimes. What's galling is why he didn't make this known when he was HS director?

 

Because announcing that would have been career suicide. Note that he says pressure came from some members of the cabinet --- Ashcroft and Rumsfeld. No one else. And it probably didn't come as a "Hey, Tom. Our strategists said that raising the terror alert will help us win" so much as Ridge's feelings about their motivations (the requests came after two videotape messages were released in close conjunction). We'll find out more when the book comes out. As it was, he writes, the situation was the nail in the coffin to him stepping down very soon after the election.

 

I would say with this news, that there is a better than good chance that he won't be re elected again.

 

Are you talking about Ridge? Well, this probably doesn't help his standing in the party, especially among hardcores. But then again, the GOP is undergoing quite a catharsis right now. Quite a few congressional Repubs who drank the most kool-aid either lost last year or have announced they aren't going to run again. The party is looking for new blood that is unconnected to the Bush brand, b/c that just isn't selling enough. Look for them to be pushing the old-school 'fiscal responsibility' for '10 and probably '12.

 

(Or were you making a funny that GWB probably won't be re-elected now? Good one.)

[Bishop Hedd]

Well he wasn't trying to sell a book then was he you dolt.

All he had to do was refuse, or gone to the media and said these things. It might have saved us the last four painful years of Bush you daft twat.

[IDBillzFan]

All he had to do was refuse, or gone to the media and said these things. It might have saved us the last four painful years of Bush you daft twat.

I have this vision of your faceless matter sitting all shriveled in an old folks home in 2050, rocking back in forth in a rickety old rocking chair, a moldy quilt over your legs, gumming a Werthers Original candy, while mumbling to yourself (with Blzrul rocking next to you) "Bush lied, people died. I can see Russia from my house. Bush lied, people died. Can I get a Depends change over here!??!?"

[Magox]

(Or were you making a funny that GWB probably won't be re-elected now? Good one.)

I was trying to make a funny

[StupidNation]

Ridge claims in his book he was pressured by Bush administration to raise terror alert for re-election purposes. No surprise there from the worst administration in our lifetimes. What's galling is why he didn't make this known when he was HS director?

 

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...9082003993.html

 

I think the "worst" is being redefined in our own midst, and I didn't think it was possible with our last moron in chief, but this guy? Makes Bush look like a conservative, which I didn't think was possible.

[PastaJoe]

It not new news that the Bush administration politicized 9/11, these type of revelations by insiders just confirms our allegations during those years were correct.

 

Ridge was the moderate Republican who should have been VP, but was disqualified by the party because he's pro-choice. We would have been much better off with him steering Bush's policies than Cheney.

[DC Tom]

One the one hand, I'm curious about how the Post is defining "pressured".

 

On the other hand, since the "pressure" apparently came from Rumsfeld and Ashcroft - the two biggest asshats in the administration - I wouldn't doubt it.

 

But on the other hand, knowing something about Rumsfeld personally..."Begging" is a bit more his style than "pressuring".

[Chef Jim]

All he had to do was refuse, or gone to the media and said these things. It might have saved us the last four painful years of Bush you daft twat.

 

Kind of reduces the legitimacy of his claim now then doesn't it. And all he had to do was refuse what? To raise the threat? He did and the thret was not raised. Sounds like it worked you schmuck.

[TPS]

It not new news that the Bush administration politicized 9/11, these type of revelations by insiders just confirms our allegations during those years were correct.

 

Ridge was the moderate Republican who should have been VP, but was disqualified by the party because he's pro-choice. We would have been much better off with him steering Bush's policies than Cheney.

It's obvious for those on the other side who knew this all along. I suppose Hedd is trying to educate the sycophants, which by definition is impossible.