(AP) Senate Majority Leader Bill First, R-Tenn., reacts on Capitol Hill Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2005, after... Full Image
WASHINGTON (AP) - Democrats forced the Republican-controlled Senate into an unusual closed session Tuesday, questioning intelligence that President Bush used in the run-up to the war in Iraq and accusing Republicans of ignoring the issue.
"They have repeatedly chosen to protect the Republican administration rather than get to the bottom of what happened and why," Democratic leader Harry Reid said.
Taken by surprise, Republicans derided the move as a political stunt.
"The United States Senate has been hijacked by the Democratic leadership," said Majority Leader Bill Frist. "They have no convictions, they have no principles, they have no ideas," the Republican leader said.
(AP) Senate Majority Leader Bill First, R-Tenn., talks to reporters on Capitol Hill Tuesday, Nov. 1,... Full Image
In a speech on the Senate floor, Reid demanded the Senate go into closed session. The public was ordered out of the chamber, the lights were dimmed, and the doors were closed. No vote is required in such circumstances.
Reid's move shone a spotlight on the continuing controversy over intelligence that President Bush cited in the run-up to the war in Iraq. Despite prewar claims, no weapons of mass destruction have been found in Iraq, and some Democrats have accused the administration of manipulating the information that was in their possession.
Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, was indicted last Friday in an investigation that touched on the war, the leak of the identity of a CIA official married to a critic of the administration's Iraq policy.
"The Libby indictment provides a window into what this is really all about, how this administration manufactured and manipulated intelligence in order to sell the war in Iraq and attempted to destroy those who dared to challenge its actions," Reid said before invoking Senate rules that led to the closed session.
Libby resigned from his White House post after being indicted on charges of obstruction of justice, making false statements and perjury.
Democrats contend that the unmasking of Valerie Plame was retribution for her husband, Joseph Wilson, publicly challenging the Bush administration's contention that Iraq was seeking to purchase uranium from Africa. That claim was part of the White House's justification for going to war.
Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., said Reid was making "some sort of stink about Scooter Libby and the CIA leak."
A former majority leader, Lott said a closed session was appropriate for such overarching matters as impeachment and chemical weapons - the two topics that last sent the senators into such sessions.
In addition, Lott said, Reid's move violated the Senate's tradition of courtesy and consent. But there was nothing in Senate rules enabling Republicans to thwart Reid's effort.
As Reid spoke, Frist met in the back of the chamber with a half-dozen senior GOP senators, including Intelligence Committee Chairman Pat Roberts of Kansas, who bore the brunt of Reid's criticism. Reid said Roberts reneged on a promise to fully investigate whether the administration exaggerated and manipulated intelligence leading up to the war.
Inside the Senate, Democrats sought assurances that Roberts would hold hearings into prewar intelligence. The Senate had been considering a budget bill when it went into closed session.
-------------------- Spend Word For Word With Me And I Shall Make Your Wit Bankrupt. Posts: 1326 | From: Here | Registered: Oct 2005
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Yoy would think that instead of having a meeting to discuss how and why we got into a war, which at this point really does not matter, they would have a special meeting to figure out how to get us out. Only politicans can figure so many ways to screw up things. To me its like a company going bankrupt, and then you try and figure out why it happened.
Posts: 3875 | From: ca. | Registered: Jul 2005
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Just seems a bit overdone... All of a sudden We HAVE to know what happened? Just watching to see if the dems have any real evidence or if this is more of their witless games.
-------------------- Spend Word For Word With Me And I Shall Make Your Wit Bankrupt. Posts: 1326 | From: Here | Registered: Oct 2005
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They've been asking for a investigation for a year.. Obviously they didn't get an answer, the media wants to throw the libby case in the trash.. They are SICK of the bullsheot. and BTW it seems to have WORKED.
IWISHIHAD. You have to figure out WHY things happened if you want to prevent them in the future.. Getting out is more of a disaster which was created by getting in in the first place.
We have to learn lessons and make changes, the government says they are learning, well, we will see if they really are, I don't think they are they don't care because not enough people care about what happens...
Hey if I owned a company that went bankrupt I'd want to know what happened so it didn't happen the next time!
We've created a FAT LAZY american public and that is exactly what government wants, makes their agenda much easier to accomplish.
If the REAL truth came out then bush would be impeached and everyone in the administration would be charged with treason.
Posts: 562 | From: NY | Registered: Jul 2005
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It isn't all of a sudden. That meeting was supposed to have happened 18 months ago and the Republicans have been refusing to do it.
Posts: 11304 | From: Fort Worth, Texas | Registered: Mar 2005
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snicker....or a tape of Fat Rushthe Doper....tape the jerk and listen to him over and over like the hard shell christains to Billy Graham......
Posts: 11304 | From: Fort Worth, Texas | Registered: Mar 2005
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you do realise that if Alita is confirmed we will have 5 MALE Catholic supreme court judges all nominated by the GOP????
that isn't representative of american culture and i think it proves how despaerately out of touch the PROTESTANT right wing really is..they can't even find an intellectual to represent themselves
i think each judge should be selected on merit, but i also think the court should look like the country...
-------------------- Don't envy the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise. Posts: 36378 | From: USA | Registered: Sep 2003
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quote:Originally posted by 4Art: Were you against Ken Starr's investigation of Clinton?
quote:Originally posted by RiescoDiQui: Just seems a bit overdone... All of a sudden We HAVE to know what happened?
Thought it was a bit silly. I never thought what he did with little willy had anything to do with how well he did his job. I was concerned that he was so willing to lie publicly... and esspecially how he lied... wagging his finger at America. Showed a true lack of respect for all Americans.
-------------------- Spend Word For Word With Me And I Shall Make Your Wit Bankrupt. Posts: 1326 | From: Here | Registered: Oct 2005
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So you feel that intentionally misleading the world in the run up to the war showed more respect to Americans than Clinton's lie about a bl*w job?
Interesting.
quote:Originally posted by RiescoDiQui: I was concerned that he was so willing to lie publicly... and esspecially how he lied... wagging his finger at America. Showed a true lack of respect for all Americans.
posted
My point exactly. We didn't know about Clinton either. That's why an investigation into what Bush knew, and when he knew it, is so crucial.
Posts: 3243 | From: California | Registered: Jul 2005
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Look I would be all for an investigation of where the WMD's went... or why the intell was wrong. I am not in favor of a witchhunt directed by angry hate filled liberals all to eager to declare guilt where it has yet to be proven. This is more about getting back at republicans for ken starr than it is about justice.
-------------------- Spend Word For Word With Me And I Shall Make Your Wit Bankrupt. Posts: 1326 | From: Here | Registered: Oct 2005
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