Tom Ridge: I Was Pressured To Raise Terror Alert To Help Bush Win Re-Election

[concept]

Not so fast libs.

Frances Townsend: Tom Ridge has it wrong – amFIX - CNN.com Blogs

During the 2004 presidential race, many on the left accused the Bush White House of trying to use the politics of fear to get re-elected. That same claim is now coming from a former Bush insider.

America’s first secretary of homeland security, former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge, says in his new book that he was pressured to raise the nation’s terror alert level ahead of the election.

Frances Townsend, former homeland security adviser for the Bush administration, says that’s not what happened. Townsend is now a CNN national security contributor and she spoke with Kiran Chetry and John Roberts on CNN’s “American Morning” Friday.

Kiran Chetry: In his book Ridge says, “Ashcroft strongly urged an increase in the threat level, and was supported by Rumsfeld. There was absolutely no support for that position within our department. None. I wondered, ‘Is this about security or politics?’” Fran, you were in the meetings. What is your recollection of how that whole conversation went down?

Frances Townsend: Kiran, I actually chaired the meeting and called it. Tom Ridge knew very well that I agreed with him that I didn’t believe there was a basis to raise the threat level, but I knew there were others in the Homeland Security Council that did believe that and we agreed we’d have the conversation. By the way, what Tom Ridge’s book doesn’t say is the most eloquent case for not raising the threat level was not made by Tom in fact, it was made by Secretary of State at the time, Colin Powell. And Bob Muller, at great personal risk – remember his boss John Ashcroft was advocating to raise it – based on the facts of the intelligence, Bob Muller himself made an eloquent case not to raise it.

Oh my libs, now what?

 

[maineman]

Not so fast libs.

Frances Townsend: Tom Ridge has it wrong – amFIX - CNN.com Blogs

During the 2004 presidential race, many on the left accused the Bush White House of trying to use the politics of fear to get re-elected. That same claim is now coming from a former Bush insider.

America’s first secretary of homeland security, former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge, says in his new book that he was pressured to raise the nation’s terror alert level ahead of the election.

Frances Townsend, former homeland security adviser for the Bush administration, says that’s not what happened. Townsend is now a CNN national security contributor and she spoke with Kiran Chetry and John Roberts on CNN’s “American Morning” Friday.

Kiran Chetry: In his book Ridge says, “Ashcroft strongly urged an increase in the threat level, and was supported by Rumsfeld. There was absolutely no support for that position within our department. None. I wondered, ‘Is this about security or politics?’” Fran, you were in the meetings. What is your recollection of how that whole conversation went down?

Frances Townsend: Kiran, I actually chaired the meeting and called it. Tom Ridge knew very well that I agreed with him that I didn’t believe there was a basis to raise the threat level, but I knew there were others in the Homeland Security Council that did believe that and we agreed we’d have the conversation. By the way, what Tom Ridge’s book doesn’t say is the most eloquent case for not raising the threat level was not made by Tom in fact, it was made by Secretary of State at the time, Colin Powell. And Bob Muller, at great personal risk – remember his boss John Ashcroft was advocating to raise it – based on the facts of the intelligence, Bob Muller himself made an eloquent case not to raise it.

Oh my libs, now what?

the fact that there were a few other honest people in the room arguing the same point, does not change the fact that Ridge reports he WAS pressured by members of Bush's administration to raise the threat level.

 

[ABikerSailor]

so... you think that the Navy gives away Silver Stars for nothing?

Doesn't that really mean that you are denigrating any Navy veteran who won that award?

We have already been over this and you ran the fuck away. So let me get this right? You think over 500 Navy men of all ranks including Admirals all lied about Kerry? Is that about right?

Why did Kerry need to have his awards reinstated? Why did Kerry never release all his records like Bush did? And ya he was a coward not a hero, he fabricated 3 purple hearts and ran away.

Remind us how it was SEARED in his brain about being in Cambodia while Nixon was President on Christmas eve when first he was no where near Cambodia and second Nixon was not President the December he was in Vietnam. Remind us how he had to bribe his old crew to lie for him.

Remind us how he violated the UCMJ and met with enemy foreign power during a time of open conflict and negotiated with them. Remind us how he openly lied about the supposed atrocities he and others saw and were a part of. Remind us how he was in a meeting when his group discussed assassinating the President of the United States. Yup some hero he was.

I think that few if any of those 500 SBVT members actually served with Kerry in combat. I can PROVE that two of the biggest stars of the SBVT pantheon are liars.

Your claiming he bribed his crew is a despicable slanderous smear.

Kerry did release all his records.

Your calling a silver star winner a coward is quite funny.... where were YOU in Nam? Oh... I forgot...you've never been anywhere NEAR the place.

He WAS only a few miles from the cambodian border on christmas eve.

He didn't lie about any atrocities. He reported what others had told him and he reported what he himself had witnessed.

He was not subject to the UCMJ when he went to Paris.

Hey idiot. As long as you are on active duty, or active duty for training, you are subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).

Might wanna check your facts before spewing bullshit.

 

[maineman]

We have already been over this and you ran the fuck away. So let me get this right? You think over 500 Navy men of all ranks including Admirals all lied about Kerry? Is that about right?

Why did Kerry need to have his awards reinstated? Why did Kerry never release all his records like Bush did? And ya he was a coward not a hero, he fabricated 3 purple hearts and ran away.

Remind us how it was SEARED in his brain about being in Cambodia while Nixon was President on Christmas eve when first he was no where near Cambodia and second Nixon was not President the December he was in Vietnam. Remind us how he had to bribe his old crew to lie for him.

Remind us how he violated the UCMJ and met with enemy foreign power during a time of open conflict and negotiated with them. Remind us how he openly lied about the supposed atrocities he and others saw and were a part of. Remind us how he was in a meeting when his group discussed assassinating the President of the United States. Yup some hero he was.

I think that few if any of those 500 SBVT members actually served with Kerry in combat. I can PROVE that two of the biggest stars of the SBVT pantheon are liars.

Your claiming he bribed his crew is a despicable slanderous smear.

Kerry did release all his records.

Your calling a silver star winner a coward is quite funny.... where were YOU in Nam? Oh... I forgot...you've never been anywhere NEAR the place.

He WAS only a few miles from the cambodian border on christmas eve.

He didn't lie about any atrocities. He reported what others had told him and he reported what he himself had witnessed.

He was not subject to the UCMJ when he went to Paris.

Hey idiot. As long as you are on active duty, or active duty for training, you are subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).

Might wanna check your facts before spewing bullshit.

When Kerry went to Paris, he was no longer on active duty, but in the inactive reserve, and was NOT in an active duty for training status.

 

[bodecea]

We have already been over this and you ran the fuck away. So let me get this right? You think over 500 Navy men of all ranks including Admirals all lied about Kerry? Is that about right?

Why did Kerry need to have his awards reinstated? Why did Kerry never release all his records like Bush did? And ya he was a coward not a hero, he fabricated 3 purple hearts and ran away.

Remind us how it was SEARED in his brain about being in Cambodia while Nixon was President on Christmas eve when first he was no where near Cambodia and second Nixon was not President the December he was in Vietnam. Remind us how he had to bribe his old crew to lie for him.

Remind us how he violated the UCMJ and met with enemy foreign power during a time of open conflict and negotiated with them. Remind us how he openly lied about the supposed atrocities he and others saw and were a part of. Remind us how he was in a meeting when his group discussed assassinating the President of the United States. Yup some hero he was.

I think that few if any of those 500 SBVT members actually served with Kerry in combat. I can PROVE that two of the biggest stars of the SBVT pantheon are liars.

Your claiming he bribed his crew is a despicable slanderous smear.

Kerry did release all his records.

Your calling a silver star winner a coward is quite funny.... where were YOU in Nam? Oh... I forgot...you've never been anywhere NEAR the place.

He WAS only a few miles from the cambodian border on christmas eve.

He didn't lie about any atrocities. He reported what others had told him and he reported what he himself had witnessed.

He was not subject to the UCMJ when he went to Paris.

Hey idiot. As long as you are on active duty, or active duty for training, you are subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).

Might wanna check your facts before spewing bullshit.

Um...he was not on active duty when he went to Paris.

 

[Vast LWC]

The LMSM was using body count to help Kerry, so I think it's a wash

hmm, so, body count in a war Bush started... factual information.

Raising the threat level due to a supposed rise in the threat from terrorism... False information.

One is truth, one is a lie.

So, no, it's not a "wash".

 

[concept]

Not so fast libs.

Frances Townsend: Tom Ridge has it wrong – amFIX - CNN.com Blogs

During the 2004 presidential race, many on the left accused the Bush White House of trying to use the politics of fear to get re-elected. That same claim is now coming from a former Bush insider.

America’s first secretary of homeland security, former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge, says in his new book that he was pressured to raise the nation’s terror alert level ahead of the election.

Frances Townsend, former homeland security adviser for the Bush administration, says that’s not what happened. Townsend is now a CNN national security contributor and she spoke with Kiran Chetry and John Roberts on CNN’s “American Morning” Friday.

Kiran Chetry: In his book Ridge says, “Ashcroft strongly urged an increase in the threat level, and was supported by Rumsfeld. There was absolutely no support for that position within our department. None. I wondered, ‘Is this about security or politics?’” Fran, you were in the meetings. What is your recollection of how that whole conversation went down?

Frances Townsend: Kiran, I actually chaired the meeting and called it. Tom Ridge knew very well that I agreed with him that I didn’t believe there was a basis to raise the threat level, but I knew there were others in the Homeland Security Council that did believe that and we agreed we’d have the conversation. By the way, what Tom Ridge’s book doesn’t say is the most eloquent case for not raising the threat level was not made by Tom in fact, it was made by Secretary of State at the time, Colin Powell. And Bob Muller, at great personal risk – remember his boss John Ashcroft was advocating to raise it – based on the facts of the intelligence, Bob Muller himself made an eloquent case not to raise it.

Oh my libs, now what?

the fact that there were a few other honest people in the room arguing the same point, does not change the fact that Ridge reports he WAS pressured by members of Bush's administration to raise the threat level.

Yeah that sure won't help sell any books.

 

[ABikerSailor]

I think that few if any of those 500 SBVT members actually served with Kerry in combat. I can PROVE that two of the biggest stars of the SBVT pantheon are liars.

Your claiming he bribed his crew is a despicable slanderous smear.

Kerry did release all his records.

Your calling a silver star winner a coward is quite funny.... where were YOU in Nam? Oh... I forgot...you've never been anywhere NEAR the place.

He WAS only a few miles from the cambodian border on christmas eve.

He didn't lie about any atrocities. He reported what others had told him and he reported what he himself had witnessed.

He was not subject to the UCMJ when he went to Paris.

Hey idiot. As long as you are on active duty, or active duty for training, you are subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).

Might wanna check your facts before spewing bullshit.

When Kerry went to Paris, he was no longer on active duty, but in the inactive reserve, and was NOT in an active duty for training status.

If he was there under the military, and was there as a Reservist for training, he's still under the UCMJ.

2 week Reservists who do that once a year are subject to the UCMJ for the 2 weeks (as well as the weekends) that they are drilling.

Bottom line.........if you're wearing a uniform, you're subject to the UCMJ.

 

[concept]

The LMSM was using body count to help Kerry, so I think it's a wash

hmm, so, body count in a war Bush started... factual information.

Raising the threat level due to a supposed rise in the threat from terrorism... False information.

One is truth, one is a lie.

So, no, it's not a "wash".

Bush started it?

What a moonbat.

And Ridge's assertion is questioned already. But hey I'm sure his book deal is no incentive to embellish a little.

 

[Vast LWC]

Not so fast libs.



Frances Townsend, former homeland security adviser for the Bush administration, says that’s not what happened. Townsend is now a CNN national security contributor and she spoke with Kiran Chetry and John Roberts on CNN’s “American Morning” Friday.

Kiran Chetry: In his book Ridge says, “Ashcroft strongly urged an increase in the threat level, and was supported by Rumsfeld. There was absolutely no support for that position within our department. None. I wondered, ‘Is this about security or politics?’” Fran, you were in the meetings. What is your recollection of how that whole conversation went down?

Frances Townsend: Kiran, I actually chaired the meeting and called it. Tom Ridge knew very well that I agreed with him that I didn’t believe there was a basis to raise the threat level, but I knew there were others in the Homeland Security Council that did believe that and we agreed we’d have the conversation. By the way, what Tom Ridge’s book doesn’t say is the most eloquent case for not raising the threat level was not made by Tom in fact, it was made by Secretary of State at the time, Colin Powell. And Bob Muller, at great personal risk – remember his boss John Ashcroft was advocating to raise it – based on the facts of the intelligence, Bob Muller himself made an eloquent case not to raise it.

Oh my libs, now what?[/QUOTE]

"but I knew there were others in the Homeland Security Council that did believe that and we agreed we’d have the conversation."

Like whom, specifically? It's that mysterious "some people" rearing it's ugly head again.

"it was made by Secretary of State at the time, Colin Powell"

What does the State Department have to do with homeland security, and why would Powell be making this recommendation at all?

 

[maineman]

Hey idiot. As long as you are on active duty, or active duty for training, you are subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).

Might wanna check your facts before spewing bullshit.

When Kerry went to Paris, he was no longer on active duty, but in the inactive reserve, and was NOT in an active duty for training status.

If he was there under the military, and was there as a Reservist for training, he's still under the UCMJ.

2 week Reservists who do that once a year are subject to the UCMJ for the 2 weeks (as well as the weekends) that they are drilling.

Bottom line.........if you're wearing a uniform, you're subject to the UCMJ.

bottom line: Kerry was released from active duty 01/03/70 and was NOT on active duty for training when he traveled to Paris later that year.... ergo: he was NOT subject to the UCMJ.

 

[bodecea]

Hey idiot. As long as you are on active duty, or active duty for training, you are subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).

Might wanna check your facts before spewing bullshit.

When Kerry went to Paris, he was no longer on active duty, but in the inactive reserve, and was NOT in an active duty for training status.

If he was there under the military, and was there as a Reservist for training, he's still under the UCMJ.

2 week Reservists who do that once a year are subject to the UCMJ for the 2 weeks (as well as the weekends) that they are drilling.

Bottom line.........if you're wearing a uniform, you're subject to the UCMJ.

Let me say it slower for you. When Kerry was in Paris, he was not on active duty, he was not on Reserve Active Duty. He was not doing his 2 weeks drill (I've never known of a Reserve Center in Paris, btw).

He was not subject to the UCMJ.

 

[Vast LWC]

The LMSM was using body count to help Kerry, so I think it's a wash

hmm, so, body count in a war Bush started... factual information.

Raising the threat level due to a supposed rise in the threat from terrorism... False information.

One is truth, one is a lie.

So, no, it's not a "wash".

Bush started it?

What a moonbat.

And Ridge's assertion is questioned already. But hey I'm sure his book deal is no incentive to embellish a little.

Yes, Bush started the war in Iraq, which is where the vast majority of the body count was from.

Try and keep up, wingnut.

 

[bodecea]

Not so fast libs.



Frances Townsend, former homeland security adviser for the Bush administration, says that’s not what happened. Townsend is now a CNN national security contributor and she spoke with Kiran Chetry and John Roberts on CNN’s “American Morning” Friday.

Kiran Chetry: In his book Ridge says, “Ashcroft strongly urged an increase in the threat level, and was supported by Rumsfeld. There was absolutely no support for that position within our department. None. I wondered, ‘Is this about security or politics?’” Fran, you were in the meetings. What is your recollection of how that whole conversation went down?

Frances Townsend: Kiran, I actually chaired the meeting and called it. Tom Ridge knew very well that I agreed with him that I didn’t believe there was a basis to raise the threat level, but I knew there were others in the Homeland Security Council that did believe that and we agreed we’d have the conversation. By the way, what Tom Ridge’s book doesn’t say is the most eloquent case for not raising the threat level was not made by Tom in fact, it was made by Secretary of State at the time, Colin Powell. And Bob Muller, at great personal risk – remember his boss John Ashcroft was advocating to raise it – based on the facts of the intelligence, Bob Muller himself made an eloquent case not to raise it.

Oh my libs, now what?

"but I knew there were others in the Homeland Security Council that did believe that and we agreed we’d have the conversation."

Like whom, specifically? It's that mysterious "some people" rearing it's ugly head again.

"it was made by Secretary of State at the time, Colin Powell"

What does the State Department have to do with homeland security, and why would Powell be making this recommendation at all?[/QUOTE]

They got rid of Powell, didn't they?

 

[Vast LWC]

Yeah that sure won't help sell any books.

And denying it won't help the former national security adviser on the CYOA front either, right?

I suppose you're all going to go on about how Tom Ridge is a liberal now...

 

[Newby]

The LMSM was using body count to help Kerry, so I think it's a wash

hmm, so, body count in a war Bush started... factual information.

Raising the threat level due to a supposed rise in the threat from terrorism... False information.

One is truth, one is a lie.

So, no, it's not a "wash".

Why don't you care about the body count now? You don't give a damn about the war or the men who died, all you give a damn about is your party's agenda. Why you would care, being an average citizen, it anyone's guess. They sure as hell aren't going to do anything for you now or down the road. Where are your postings and protestations about the war now, hypocrit?

 

[froggy]

hmm, so, body count in a war Bush started... factual information.

Raising the threat level due to a supposed rise in the threat from terrorism... False information.

One is truth, one is a lie.

So, no, it's not a "wash".

Bush started it?

What a moonbat.

And Ridge's assertion is questioned already. But hey I'm sure his book deal is no incentive to embellish a little.

Yes, Bush started the war in Iraq, which is where the vast majority of the body count was from.

Try and keep up, wingnut.

hum cant think of anything that would have got bush re-elected but the war

 

[concept]

Yeah that sure won't help sell any books.

And denying it won't help the former national security adviser on the CYOA front either, right?

I suppose you're all going to go on about how Tom Ridge is a liberal now...

Nope. Good luck to him with his book sales.

 

[concept]

hmm, so, body count in a war Bush started... factual information.

Raising the threat level due to a supposed rise in the threat from terrorism... False information.

One is truth, one is a lie.

So, no, it's not a "wash".

Bush started it?

What a moonbat.

And Ridge's assertion is questioned already. But hey I'm sure his book deal is no incentive to embellish a little.

Yes, Bush started the war in Iraq, which is where the vast majority of the body count was from.

Try and keep up, wingnut.

Hmm but I thought it was a cease fire and that Iraq had violated many directives? So basically what he did was pick up where 41 mistakenly left it. 41 should have taken Saddam out back then.

Nevermind that radical Islam has been at war with us for years. You clowns actually believe that they will call it off if we stop fighting. yeah. That will happen.

And the body count... yeah I remember the daily count updates by the msm. Don't seem to see them too much these days. And when we do, they haven't been killed by freedom fighters, they were killed by terrorists.

Or is it, man causing disasters? I can't keep up with you loons.

I remember the scientific (sic) studies about Iraqi deaths too. The ones claiming over 600,000 deaths. Talk about a bogus claim... I remember all of the libs breathlessly bleating about that one.

 

[concept]

Bush started it?

What a moonbat.

And Ridge's assertion is questioned already. But hey I'm sure his book deal is no incentive to embellish a little.

Yes, Bush started the war in Iraq, which is where the vast majority of the body count was from.

Try and keep up, wingnut.

hum cant think of anything that would have got bush re-elected but the war

Why? We had job creation, low unemployment, booming stock market, strong housing market, low gas prices.

All that took a downward turn in '06.

Gee, what happened then?