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| Kyl Blasts Dems on Intel Memo |
| 2003-11-06 |
| Hat tip: Ramesh Ponnuru, National Review Online WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ), a member of the Senate leadership, today issued the following statement one day after Senate Democrats’ refused to repudiate a staff memo outlining a strategy to use a nonpartisan Intelligence Committee investigation for political attacks next year against President Bush. Also, one day after "Give ’em Hell!" Zell Miller’s very strong statement ("Heads should roll!") on the same subject. The Senator called on Democrat leaders to publicly denounce the strategy. He also suggested that if staff members deserved the blame for drafting the memo, they should be fired. "First, Democrats sought to blame an unnamed staffer for this memo, saying it had never been approved by any Senators. Next they tried to argue the memo’s merits without accepting responsibility for it. Then, on CNN, Senator Rockefeller attributed it to his three staffers but claimed it was just one ’option’ or ’idea’ adding, ’I disavow nothing.’ "Further failing to accept responsibility, Democrats had the audacity to suggest the Senate investigate how these attack plans might have been obtained - the equivalent of offenders blaming the cops because they got caught. This effort at spin control is patently absurd in any event, since by Senator Rockefeller’s own admission, this strategy memo was not an official committee document and certainly contained no intelligence information. "Another Democrat explanation is that they simply are frustrated that the administration has not provided as much intelligence information to the committee as they have demanded. But what makes them think they would get more information by signaling in advance that they intend to use the information politically or that they’ve already begun to do so? The White House could be excused for taking a dim view of the Democrats’ demands. "All of the Democrats’ artful dodges are attempts to obscure what must be the central questions in examining this serious matter. Does the Democrat leadership repudiate this strategy or does it embrace it? Does the Democrat Party intend to use what is supposed to be a nonpartisan intelligence investigation as a political weapon or doesn’t it? Will Senate Democrats demand accountability for the inappropriate partisan use of the Intelligence Committee or won’t they? "The American people have a right to hear the answers to these questions. I, for one, am not satisfied with what I’ve heard so far." |
| Posted by:Mike |
| #3 The point here is the damage is done. Trying to spin it, or denounce it only creates more damage and keeps the issue in the American public's mind longer. This is the one issue where the public doesn't trust the Democrats and the Democrats have handed the Republicans some ammunitition to use. This will come up again, and again until the election. |
| Posted by: Yank 2003-11-6 3:17:58 PM |
| #2 The Senator called on Democrat leaders to publicly denounce the strategy. What good does it do at this juncture? The memo was leaked, no Senate Dem has disowned the concept behind it or disowned any affiliation with it, so how would publicly denouncing it look like anything other than a knee-jerk reaction? File it away for future reference. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2003-11-6 2:49:27 PM |
| #1 It will be interesting to see how Rockefeller treads through this one. I doubt he will get too much flack from WV. Whatever he says can't be half as bad as what Byrd says everyday. Maybe at least Rockefeller's credibility will be hurt outside of WV. Anybody know what happened to the California Dems that accidently broadcast their budget strategy to all and sundry? It will be interesting to see whether they continue to be reelected. I guess it depends on what district they represent. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2003-11-6 1:23:33 PM |