Official Homeland Security Committee Brownie Bake – Thread 2

[Viva_La_Revolution]

Thread 1
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x378137#378295

[Norquist Nemesis]

Uh-oh...Brownie's pissed they threw him under the bus!

"I'm here as a private citizen."

[SoCalDem]

39. Sounds like they're stalling until a WH person can change their mind

and show up to object..

But of course, the WH will just say he's a "disgruntled former employee who just happens to be a child molester who plagiarized his thesis from a diploma-mill college, and that he's actually the one behind the Nigerian e-mail scam...so nothing he says can be belielved... The fearless leader, Bush is being maligned by this creep because Brownie is jealous of the way Bush looks in his blue checkered shirt and jeans..and Bush spurned brownie's sexual advances.

[BlueEyedSon]

1. He is tapdancing like mad!

[Norquist Nemesis]

6. I dunno...oops! Collins is covering for him

Collins is going to protect the WH, while warning "I would direct you to to answer the questions." She talked to Harriet about it last night.

[FreedomAngel82]

74. Oh interesting

So Collins wants to protect the WH but Brownie wants revenge. Oh this is good! :popcorn:

[LeftNYC]

2. HECKUVA job Brownie!!! nt

[Sydnie]

3. this is theater - they are reading this not having a conversation!

:wtf:

[pdxmom]

4. Sounds like this has all been pre-planned. She knew this was

coming. And he put the executive privilege back in the lap of Congress.

[Catchawave]

I smell a ROVE script !

[tgnyc]

5. Collins: BUSH HAS NO PRIVELEGE

[Maru Kitteh]

8. HOLY SHIT ................ HE"S GONNA FLIP 'EM!

WOW

[burythehatchet]

9. that's not how I perceived it

I could be wrong

[berner59]

10. wow....

Collins saying...spill your guts... Stevens rejecting...ha!!!!

[Dunvegan]

13. Directed to respond...

...here comes the deluge.

Spoke with WH counsel...told them to assert Executive Priv. by today...Miers declined.

[Dunvegan]

30. Trying to squelch...but since they declined...

...spill it Brownie!

No WH counsel present...staffers.

Lieberman is up...says we have an interest in the truth...says that without Exec. Priv. let's go.

Okay...Brownie...Let's see if you do a heckofajob.

[Stephanie]

18. Harriet Miers F*CKED UP!

Let's hear it, Brownie. Who did you talk to?

[SoCalDem]

61. Payback for Bush throwing HER under the bus?

and embarrassing her in public.. I mean really.. What 50-something woman wants her mush-letters publiched online..complete with heart-dotted 'i's...:rofl:

[rodeodance]

86. and she is Jrs counsil--must be others in WH in on this decision?

[The Witch]

7. OK, this is the setup, when's the main event!

C'mon.

Ted Stevens going to cover the butt of the admin?

[malaise]

12. Yep

what a whore. Talk Brownie talk. No he says that's their problem. Talk brownie talk

Edit - add

[The Witch]

11. So viva, is that little creature a brownie?

:rofl:

[stepnw1f]

25. That Be a Troll

If I'm not mistaken. Norse version, me thinks. Notice the bulbous nose.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

55. Why yes, it is.

:)

[Sydnie]

14. Shut up Stevens

Go get a crying towel! Why did you even bother to show up if they shouldn't answer the questions?

[burythehatchet]

Ted Stevens (R - Douchebag)

[LeftNYC]

15. Stevens...shut the fuck up...nt

[pdxmom]

16. Stevens is certainly trying to cover for Bush. n/t

[CornField]

17. Boo-Hoo, Stevens is worried about the dangers of Brownie talking

[LeftNYC]

20. We want names damnnit! nt

[BlueEyedSon]

34. "If they have not asserted it (privilege), that's their problem."

--Sen. Stevens
Hilarity ensues.

[rodeodance]

99. Stevens not interested in public safty-more interest in covering WH.

[BlueEyedSon]

19. I would assume that the absence of an executive branch council

means Brownie should answer all questions, without invoking privilege.

[The Witch]

21. why did the WH counsel decline privilege.

do they have their butts covered already? I'm worried....

[Sydnie]

29. they will let him testify and then pardon anyone named

Another case of "sure we did it, but I forgave them so piss off".

[0007]

107. I think there may be something to what you're saying.

Public opinion can sometimes create havoc with that kind of reasoning.

[Norquist Nemesis]

32. "Disgruntled employees"

will be the label. Of course, I'm hoping to hear Rove's name. Rove WAS the guy initially 'tapped' by Bush to oversee the recovery effort.

[berner59]

38. Beecause they are arrogant bastards...

and think they are invinsible...well well let's see what happens next...

[burythehatchet]

22. They're practically begging the bushies to assert privilege

friggin assholes

[LeftNYC]

23. FOX NEWS FLASH-Lieberman acting like a democrat...nt

[tgnyc]

24. Joementum figting for co-equal rights of Congress!

[FreedomAngel82]

85. Oh my gosh

I think I'm going to faint!

[CornField]

26. Now Sen. Lieberman decides that Congress is a co-equal branch

Wow, Joe. Are you gonna apply that in other circumstances as well?

[rodeodance]

62. past time you woke up Joe!

[The Witch]

27. Droopy isn't out to get anyone.

Pweaze, Papa Bush, don't hurt meeee....

[stop the bleeding]

28. .

:popcorn::popcorn::popcorn::popcorn::popcorn::popcorn::popcorn::popcorn::popcorn:

[Sydnie]

36. I wondered where you were!

Pass the salt please. :hi:

[stop the bleeding]

40. wish I had some brownies -

:toast:

[LeftNYC]

43. coffeee and cigs...

:smoke: :donut:

[malaise]

37. Will there be another terra alert

shortly to clear the room?

:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

[stop the bleeding]

45. a day without fear mongoring inside the WH is like a day without sunshine

:toast::toast::toast:

[LeftNYC]

47. nerve agent...Karl Rove seen with cannister..nt

[Norquist Nemesis]

59. Small plane approaching restricted air space!

FauxViews following the events (fails to inform public the plane is over California headed toward D.C.)

:evilgrin:

[cali]

31. He's not gonna sing

we're gonna get screwed here, or more appropriately, the people of N.O. are gonna get screwed- some more.

[rodeodance]

33. Wonder what we will get from b. now this preliminary work is over?

[rodeodance]

42. and what does it mean now what WH did NOT put forth their won lawyers,

nor letter of excutive priledge. something fishy here

[The Witch]

35. So what specifically are we waiting to hear?

What bombshell will it be and what will the fallout be?

[BlueEyedSon]

41. "Bush doesn't care about black people."

[rodeodance]

46. VTC" held frequently. He was in Baton Rouge.

[rodeodance]

48. For them to claim they did not have awareness is balony--BINGO!

[Norquist Nemesis]

49. "DHS claim they didn't know is just baloney"

:popcorn:

[pdxmom]

He said he didn't know who was on these calls because he was

in N.O. Isn't VTC a teleconference? Like in video with pictures? He couldn't see the TV screen??

[FreedomAngel82]

103. Why didn't he just watch Anderson Cooper?

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

51. I don't know

But, it is refreshing to hear someone from the WH speak candidly.

[Greeby]

44. Now we're as high up as White House Chief of Staff

Interesting :popcorn:

[rodeodance]

53. Brownie just tattled on the WH--they HAD situational awarness!!

[Roland99]

78. What did Brownie say about this? Just that they knew everything?

And were feigning ignorance while * played guitar and ate cake?

[mtnester]

50. Still blaming DHS - DHS will be the whipping boy unless someone

gets for aggressive with their questions

[rodeodance]

56. well, we know Chertoff already said he is not responsible--

[rodeodance]

58. DSH claims not aware till Tues morning--remember this FACT.

[Roland99]

69. On THURSDAY Chertoff still didn't know about people in the Conv. Ctr.

I was listening to the NPR interview on that day on the way home and Chertoff knew NOTHING. NPR had even had a person down there on the phone and Chertoff could hear it.

[Sydnie]

82. Brown admitted on that Thursday that Paula Zahn was the first to

tell him about the Convention Center live on her show. I hadn't heard anything about Chertoff not knowing about it. That is juicy!

[Roland99]

88. I'll look for the NPR show...one min....FOUND IT

All Things Considered, September 1, 2005
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4828771

Interview with Robert Siegel.

[Sydnie]

117. thanks - I will listen and salivate!

[stop the bleeding]

52. I have to work for a little bit - but I will be listening even though I

will be unable to comment for a while, unless something HUGH comes out of Brownies mouth.

[Dunvegan]

54. Brownie sez about the WH...

For them to claim they had no information on (levee pumps failing, and water to 2nd floors) is baloney.

[Sydnie]

60. but, but but, blivet** said no one anticipated that the leeves wouldn't

hold! who are we going to beleive? The unqualified FEMA people or the unqualified pResident? :rofl:

[G_j]

57. anyone have a link?

I am not finding this on C-span

[Ivote]

64. Try Here

www.c-span.org

[rodeodance]

68. msnbc split screen showing flooding, people on roofs, Damaging visuals

Good.

[Sydnie]

94. Go MSNBC then! woot! nt

[Catchawave]

63. Do NONE of these officials own a t.v....?

What's this about "not knowing" about the breach til the next day, I remember watching it live....!

[LeftNYC]

65. From the NY Times...

White House officials have confirmed to Congressional investigators that the report of the levee break arrived there at midnight, and Trent Duffy, the White House spokesman, acknowledged as much in an interview this week, though he said it was surrounded with conflicting reports.

But the alert did not seem to register. Even the next morning, President Bush, on vacation in Texas, was feeling relieved that New Orleans had "dodged the bullet," he later recalled. Mr. Chertoff, similarly confident, flew Tuesday to Atlanta for a briefing on avian flu. With power out from the high winds and movement limited, even news reporters in New Orleans remained unaware of the full extent of the levee breaches until Tuesday.

The federal government let out a sigh of relief when in fact it should have been sounding an "all hands on deck" alarm, the investigators have found.

[speedoo]

66. Brown says he informed WH immediately of NOLA problems.

Says he informed Card or his deputy of Brown's awareness of NOLA problems immediately, contradicting DHS assertions that they did not know anything until 24 hours later. Brown calls DHS assertions "baloney".

Rhode does not contradict Brown. Sounds like Rhode may have been a bottleneck.

[AlCzervik]

67. Sue Collins actually sounds somewhat animated this morning, never heard

her like that before, she seems dare i say almost disgusted?

[rodeodance]

71. recall Joe.L--this is about the SAFTY of the Ameican people. Good for

him.

[rodeodance]

Natural disasters are second class in DHS says Brown. (terror is 1st)

[Greeby]

70. "Natural disasters are now the stepchild of DHS"

nt

[LeftNYC]

72. Reminder of what Bush was doing, while NoLa was swimming...

[Roland99]

Ayup, he strummed his guitar and....ate some cake:

[LiberalAndProud]

73. ..

Mr Brown would not call Adm Keating Rumsfeld

COLLINS: DHS, DOD adm leadership unaware of catastropic impact. help us understand enormous disconnect between situation on ground & official reaction.

BROWN: framing the answer. terrorist attack confirmed would have been dealt with. This was a natural disaster - stepchild of DHS.

They only needed to pay attention and they would have known.

[CornField]

75. Rhode knew about the levees on Monday morning, 9-10 a.m. (more)

Rhode, said he tried to send information directly to the operations team -- he was in Washington D.C.

Collins: "Did you take any steps to make sure information was made known?"

Rhode: I did a conference call and then sent an email to the Dept. of Homeland Security.

Collins: "Not only DHS who says they were unaware of levees until Tuesday. Was there communication from you ... to northern command?"

Brown: "I did not call Admiral Keating directly, but we had a liason for the northern command there so that Rumsfield or others to know what was going on."

Collins: "Help us understand the enormous disconnect as to what was happening on the ground... and the official reaction among many of the key leaders in Washington and Northern Command that somehow NO had dodged the bullet."

Brown: Gives a parable -- if it had been a terrorist attack on the levees, everyone would have jumped. Because this was a natural disaster, it was just pushed over to FEMA. "All they had to do was to listen to the VTC and pay attention to those VTC and they would know what was going on. Matter-of-fact, I emailed a White House official that evening to let them know how bad it was."

[Norquist Nemesis]

76. If it would have been a bomb they would've gotten right on it

but because it was a natural disaster, *yawn*

:grr:

[Arkansas Granny]

77. Is Brownie trying to say that they would have reacted better to

a terrorist attack than a natural disaster? Did I hear that right?

[rodeodance]

80. yes, terror Departments are first class--nat. disasters are an aside.

paraphasing.

[berner59]

83. He called Crawford !!!!

hmmm...how far away was Bush???

[LeftNYC]

95. Hey Hagan...I got the cocktails ready

Laura is gonna strip for us...WOOHOOOH! Who's that on the phone?

[Stephanie]

110. Bush was in San Diego Monday night at a fundraiser

in San Diego.

[CornField]

84. Yes -- he said, in short, that the White House/Pentagon/Northern Command

didn't think it was their problem because it was a natural disaster. They were too focused on possible terror attacks to care about a natural disaster.

[AlCzervik]

93. you heard right.

[pdxmom]

79. I wonder if the emails he says he was sending to the White House

was before or after the emails regarding his wardrobe.

[malaise]

114. Does he recall a damn thing n/t

[Dunvegan]

81. Are any REAL DEMOCRATS on this committee to grill the Brownie?

Or is it only Leiberman?

[LeftNYC]

87. Lautenberg...nt

[rodeodance]

92. Was Brown sworn in?

[CornField]

yes

[rodeodance]

108. thanks.

[Twist_U_Up]

101. yea , so that means they have this licked nt

[Catchawave]

109. yes he was :)

[Twist_U_Up]

96. I see

Collins,Warner,Stevens,Coleman<little prick> and Lieberman. Bi partisan my ass.

[speedoo]

100. Joe's doing fine.

I don't like his Iraq position at all, but he's doing a good job on this.

[berni_mccoy]

89. Dems CAN NOT LET THEM GET AWAY WITH THIS FRAMING

That DHS would have responded better to a Terrorist attack. That is UTTER B.S.

[Norquist Nemesis]

106. Bravo! Excellent point! n/t

[speedoo]

90. Brown says he called Hagen, who was with * in Crawford..

Monday night about how bad things were. Says he wanted to get the word to * "worst nightmare coming true" is the description he uses.

[Stephanie]

98. but the fact is, Bush wasn't IN Crawford Monday night - he was in CA

He was at a fundraiser in San Diego, stayed at the Hotel del Coronado.

[speedoo]

113. Is that relevant? * was on vacation, based in Crawford. nt

[Stephanie]

91. Says he called Hagin at Crawford Monday night

Says Hagin was in Crawford with the president.

But Bush wasn't IN Crawford on Monday night! He was in San Diego at a fundraiser at the Hotel del Coronado. WTF?

[HootieMcBoob]

97. Sounds like Brownie is being very straightforward and honest

it's so different than any other Bush administration official that we've seen to this date. It's really, really amazing.

[CornField]

102. If I was hung out to dry -- incompetence or not -- I'd want to talk too

[The Witch]

115. Since when do we heart Brownie around here? ? ?

I'm really confused, and I really hate to say it, but aren't we sort of unsure as to how we want this to go? We throw Brownie under the bus but pick him right up if we think he will throw the WH under the bus?

Or is it that Brownie was incompetent, but at least he's honest?

Honestly, folks, can someone help me with this? I feel like I don't know where DU is on this?

[Twist_U_Up]

118. Hes had a long time to prepare

Im sure the WH has run him through the ringer a few times

[LiberalAndProud]

104. Lieberman...

Q: did have conversation w/ WH offl regarding monday's flyover

A: i don't recall who I told @ WH. assumptioni it was Joe Hagen.

Q: Called Hagen because responsibility for oversight?

A: personal relationship w/ Joe.

Q: wanted to get word to Pres. Did you tell Mr Hagen that NO was flooding.

A: told him we were realizing our worst nightmare

Q: did you tell him levees were broken

A: didn't use those words

Q: did you ask Hagen for action?

A: they asked me, what do you need? difference is...in 2004 the best way to describe it is in 2004 during FLA hurricane ... asked to keep DHS out of my hair. Change between 2004 - 2005 (katrina) was that there was now thinking that this time we would follow chain of command.

[LiberalAndProud]

122. more qa

Q: housing need in 10s of 1000s. did you speak to pres Bush that night, aug 29?

A: I really don't recall... sometimes pres would get on the phone w/ hagen. I didn't worry about talking directly to pres.

Q: you don't remember talking to pres?

A: i talk to pres a lot.

Q: you told MSNBC that you told pres

A: I told joe hagen.

[LeftNYC]

105. Brownie seems to have utter disgust for DHS...nt

[Roland99]

116. He just missed the horses.

[rodeodance]

He has finally realized that they threw him to the wind.

[AlCzervik]

111. Throaty McHuskington just got mentioned.

[zanne]

123. Republicans always have CRS when they get caught...

Can't remember shit.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

112. THREAD 3 IS UP

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x378909

[Sydnie]

124. thanks Viva -

:hug: Isn't it exciting?

[SoCalDem]

119. Live follow-along at Free Republic.. They are worried

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1575859/posts

[rodeodance]

121. brownie--when i tell Chernoff, I tell the President. WHOW>

[Dunvegan]

120. Brownie called Joe Hagen in Crawford who was with the President...

...and Brownie called and told him we're realizing worst nightmare.

And says he called Hagen because Hagen is the best in DHS for natural disaster.

Brown didn't ask for any help in that call...just told them there was a worst nightmare.

Joe's trying to trip Brownie up...thanks, Joe.

[Lex]

125. Locking. See Thread #3 here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x378909


Thanks,
Lex
DU Moderator