Can I get a Credible Witness?
Democrats held a mock hearing today on the "Downing Street Memo." While this conference was carried live by CSPAN3, and covered on other MSM outlets such as CNN.com, the hearing was a complete farce.
Rep. John Conyers said: "We have some witnesses that I think will be able to shed some light on [the Downing Street Memo]."
But who were these so-called "witnesses?"
1) John Bonifaz, who wrote a book entitled "Warrior King: The Case for Impeaching George W. Bush." Bonifaz sued the U.S. government over the constitutionality of the Iraq war, and testified in mock hearings on the Ohio recount.
Credibility of witness #1 = zero.
2) Ambassador Joseph Wilson, who was a former ambassador to Iraq. Unfortunately, Wilson has an axe to grind with President Bush. His wife is Valarie Plame, a covert agent famously outed by the W.H.
Credibility of witness #2 = zero.
Other witnesses were just as lacking...
Conyers took his fight to the blogs, and the blogs finally got their day in the court of public opinion. Unfortunately, the MSM tuned into a complete sham. Calling a slate of witnesses with such overtly partisan motives only serves to damage the any credibility of the "Downing Street Memo." This was a forum for political grandstanding for anti-war candidate Dennis Kucinich and others.
The saddest fact is that blogs haven't contributed to the dialogue with the Downing Street Memo, but they have detracted from it. By promoting insular and partisan politics, the blogs and this farce of a hearing only detracted from a reasonable conversation about the war.
5 Comments:
The Whitehouse says the DSMs are "nothing new" ... so it's not surprising that someone has already had time to write a book about it.
Wake me when they release minutes from their meetings, showing their genuine concern for WMDs, etc.
Oh yeah, remember this, from May. 05, 2002?
I think there is no doubt that the American people still carried a violent anger from 9/11 ... but I think that Bush and his crew dishonestly re-directed that at their objective.
Oh, my goodness. Let me get this straight. If someone who has been wronged by an administration, policy or person, and then testifies against said administration, policy or person, they then have an "axe to grind," and therefore have no credibility?
If that were true, then sentence hearings for criminals could not hear from families of the victim, since they obviously have an "axe to grind."
Moreover, Wilson's issue goes to the heart of the DSM story, since he reported on the truth about WMD's, and he (and many others) believe the outing of his wife was in retaliation for this reporting.
Shadow - I appreciate your comments. I was merely stating that those witnesses had no objectivity because of their overt partisanship.
My whole point was this: If they had called a slate of credible witnesses - those who AGREE and DISAGREE, I think it would have been a better service to the DSM.
I agree that Joe Wilson's wife was wronged. And I do agree that her outing was political retaliation.
I'm no Bush apologist. I'd like them to investigate pre-war intelligence, however I can never agree with someone who bends the facts to fit their ideology.
It's not online yet, but read Dana Milbank's Washington Sketch today on page A6 of the Post.
Conyers asked other members to call him chairman. Milbank says Conyers liked the hearings so much he refused to end the hearings at his aide's request. He also "started calling himself 'the chairman' and spouting other chairmanly phrases such as 'unanimous consent' and 'without objection so ordered.'" And a good time was had by all.
Milbank titled his column: "Democrats Play House to Rally Against the War."
And in 2002, Condi said that she need not meet with an analyst saying: "Don't bother. The President has made a decision." (3rd Item Down)
CONYERS STRIKES BACK...
His Letter to the WaPo concerning Dana Milbanks column, referenced above.
As usual, Conyers takes his fight to blogs - which is where this letter is posted.
It's a slow burn ... but I think the architects of Iraq might already be wondering where their free ride went.
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