Tom Ridge and The Politics of the Politics of Fear »
Posted By pc25 3 months, 1 week ago in News
The buzz is building over a new supposed tell-all by former Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge, "The Test of Our Times". The book, however, directly contradicts the fast moving media message that the Bush White House tried to manipulate Homeland Security threat levels for partisan gain.
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pc253 months, 1 week ago
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FTA
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What the book actually says would seem to be the question. Most of the press regarding the allegations cite the promotional materials from the publisher. Considering the stir they've caused, one can only assume the pitch will be lightning hot. Right?
It is possible, at this point, that you find none of this very definitive. But that is OK, because Tom Ridge has a definitive statement for you. Earlier in the book, addressing the allegations that political pressure had been applied to raise threat levels, Ridge has this to say:
"Let me make it very clear. I was never directed to do so no matter how many analysts, pundits or critics say so."
That is very clear indeed, Secretary Ridge.-
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gwhiddon3 months, 1 week ago
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"Let me make it very clear. I was never directed to do so no matter how many analysts, pundits or critics say so."
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Strange how the MSM has completely ignored that sentence. They're pushing their own agenda of blaming Bush for everything possible. -
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pc253 months, 1 week ago
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FTA
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Statement by Keith Urbahn, Office of Donald Rumsfeld
"We have no idea what Tom Ridge's book actually says. The storyline advanced by his publisher seemingly to sell copies of the book is nonsense. During the fall of 2004, Osama bin Laden and an American member of al-Qaida released videotapes that said in no uncertain terms that al-Qaida intended to launch more attacks against Americans. 'The streets of America will run red with blood,' al-Qaida warned. Given those facts, it would seem reasonable for senior administration officials to discuss the threat level. Indeed, it would have been irresponsible had that discussion not taken place." -
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Wolfie20073 months, 1 week ago
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I'm a past resident for many years of the great state of Missouri and John Ashcroft served the state with honor and dignity. Therefore, I'm positive that John Ashcroft would do no such thing.
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This is just an attempt to mislead to boost his book sales they hope.-
mntnman444Comment removed: Spammer, Hard Banned
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mntnman444Comment removed: Spammer, Hard Banned2 Replies
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pc253 months, 1 week ago
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From Jaded in the comments
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http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/21/us/21ridge.html?...
I give you the NY Times take on Ridge which includes this little ditty...
" Until now, he has denied politics played a role in threat levels. Asked by Eric Lichtblau of The New York Times if politics ever influenced decisions on threat warnings, he volunteered to take a lie-detector test. “Wire me up,” Mr. Ridge said, according to Mr. Lichtblau’s book, “Bush’s Law.” “Not a chance. Politics played no part.”
So which Tom Ridge do you believe? The one who didn't have a book and said the above or the one who needs to make some dough? I know which one I believe. -
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DenCuddy3 months, 1 week ago
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Mtmn, he was also ashamed of the statue of Lady Justice, so much that he had to throw a sheet over her. It's a perfect metaphor for his tenure.
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http://cagle.msnbc.com/news/AshcroftDrape/main.asp-
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DenCuddy3 months, 1 week ago
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It's the ridicule he got from the fact that he did it. tell me you don't remember this.
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http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002/01/29/sta...
WASHINGTON (AP) — No longer will the attorney general be photographed in front of two partially nude statues in the Great Hall of the Department of Justice.
The department spent $8,000 on blue drapes that hide the two giant, aluminum art deco statues, said spokesman Shane Hix. For aesthetic reasons, he said, the drapes were occasionally hung in front of the statues before formal events. The department used to rent the drapes, but has now purchased them and left them hanging.
ABC News reported that Attorney General John Ashcroft ordered the statues covered because he didn't like being photographed in front of them. -
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DenCuddy3 months, 1 week ago
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Having grown up in PA and still having family there, I did like Ridge as a governor. Unfortunately for bush, he grew the government so large, that he started running out of neocons to run all the differant areas. This is how we ended up with Monica Goodling.
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Mannix2009Comment removed: Spammer, Hard Banned1 Reply
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pc253 months, 1 week ago
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from the book
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Earlier in the book, addressing the allegations that political pressure had been applied to raise threat levels, Ridge has this to say:
"Let me make it very clear. I was never directed to do so no matter how many analysts, pundits or critics say so." -
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pc253 months, 1 week ago
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its funny that when this happened OBL had just released a video tape threatening attacks on America......
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and of course BHO the greatest President EVAH has NEVAH
Obama's Rhetoric Is the Real 'Catastrophe'
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123457303244386495...
President Barack Obama has turned fearmongering into an art form. He has repeatedly raised the specter of another Great Depression. First, he did so to win votes in the November election. He has done so again recently to sway congressional votes for his stimulus package.
In his remarks, every gloomy statistic on the economy becomes a harbinger of doom. As he tells it, today's economy is the worst since the Great Depression. Without his Recovery and Reinvestment Act, he says, the economy will fall back into that abyss and may never recover.
This fearmongering may be good politics, but it is bad history and bad economics. It is bad history because our current economic woes don't come close to those of the 1930s -
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pc253 months, 1 week ago
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LET ME MAKE THIS CLEAR
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the TIMES article
Mr. Ridge PROVIDES NO EVIDENCE that politics motivated the discussion. Until now, he has denied politics played a role in threat levels.
those questions are for Ridge's second book, " The Test of Our Times, Vol. II " (aka, How to Make More Money Off the Test of Our Times
you answered the 64,000 question on why the book is coming out
and why the publisher is promoting it the way he is despite the contrary evidence in the book itself -
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