Hi Chris,

 First thanks for the reply. My comments are below.

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Reg stated:
> the subject of the memo is that the Bush administration lied and
> have been caught with their hand in cookie jar. Which is bad
> enough but to turn that fact around they are trying to use the
> memo to make the Democrats look bad for abusing their access
> to this information by using it against them.

 With this statement, I have to disagree. The subject of the memo is not that the Bush Administration lied.

Ok, I understand you disagree but I do believe that is the whole gist of the memo. That's why they wrote it, I feel, and it's about the fact that they feel they have a responsibilty to expose them.

The subject of the memo is how certain Democratic party members can abuse their position of power to defame the Bush administration right before the election.

We certainly have a different opinion in this case. The memo does discuss options and timing of when and how to release information and use it but with the idea that they have the goods on them. I think, in general, the memo expresses the idea they believe they do. There are no specific facts addressed in the memo, so I guess that would be information that will show up later. I certainly agree that they are probably stockpiling info to use during the campaign when it would cause the most damage.

What is so disturbing about this memo is that they have already made up their minds as to what the findings will be, yet they haven't even finished the investigation. They are simply usingthe investigation as a political campaigning tool...regardless of its outcome.

What I find most disturbing is that they have to discuss this at all. I think there should be "no lingering doubts" when you choose to use force against another nation. It is obvious there were many and loads of backtracking has made it clear there was no real "clear cut case" we should have attacked Iraq when we did. I think they have seen enough evidence to disturb them and they have seen administration officials create roadblocks to hinder this investigation...basically the gloves are off on both sides. My guess would be they will be quite careful with the timing of the release of information because they don't want to squander the opportunity to do the most damage. So, I think they are going to be quiet about what they have until 2004...you know the game. I also feel we have not heard the last about the Bush administration outing that CIA agent. That was a serious crime and it will at some point, I believe, return to create some real damage. The way Bush handled that was shameful and I really don't understand his lack of outrage on the matter.

They state in plain english that if the investigation has not damned the administration by election time, they can fire off their own investigation and make sure it does.

They do, again, discuss the options and best plan under the rules. It's not a surprise that they'd like an independent investigation now is it?

In my opinion, Rockefeller should be ousted from the committee and replaced by someone with honor and respect for the committee and it's responsibilities.

Rockefeller did not draft the memo and whoever did is never mentioned. There is a weak reference to an article written by Robert Novac that states Rockefeller asked his people for "options"...but in reading it, it's intentionally vague about what he asked for options on and why...and never states who actually provided them or wrote the memo. So, you'd have to agree that these articles are blowing this story up to suit a conservative agenda. To call for Rockefeller's head is the exact response these articles are shooting for.

Reg continued:
> Makes you scratch your head doesn't it. I'm not sure who's
> side this story is worse for...in my opinion this is worse
> for the Bush crew...it basically states they've got the goods
> on them...but to someone on the right I guess they'd say it's
> worse for the Democrats because they are abusing their access
> to this information. Basically using the lies of the Bush
> people against them for political reasons.

Did you actually read the full text of the memo?

I think it's clear I did.

Nowhere in there does it state that they have any "goods" on the president. Nowhere does it state that the administration "lied".

I bolded the summary of the memo which states why they wrote it. No, they don't use the terms I used but...and you could call this my opinion I suppose...I think it certainly implies they know the Bush administration was dishonest.

Fact is, they don't have the "goods" on him. If they did, we all know they would be shouting it from the mountaintops and moving for impeachment. Yet they are not, because they have no grounds to do so.

I'm not so sure about that. I think they are saving up all this information to unload it at the worst possible time. Again, we know someone in the Bush administration committed a crime when they outted that CIA agent. They've got stuff on them but I think the silence at this point is intentional. They know this coming election will be a fight and I think they are stockpiling ammo. This is of course my opinion, so we'll just have to wait and see. 

Reg goes on:
> I'm not at all shocked or surprised by any of this. Both
> sides work this way and they all at times come across as
> a bunch of hysterical school girls. I think the feeling is
> the stakes have been raised so high that it's ok to bend
> the rules, cheat, lie, steal, kill, whatever...to knock
> down the opposition. Washington DC is really the worlds
> most expensive whorehouse these days and it's whoever pays
> the most gets the most beautiful whore.

Reg, all I can say about that statement is Amen! I agree that both sides of the aisle are corrupt, and much of the time just full of BS.

Be careful what you agree with there Chris...you may have just killed any political career you may have had as well. I can say that according to Dan you and I have just lost the schoolgirl vote. Ha!

But in this case, because they are already planning to ignore the investigation if it's findings don't suit their needs and "pull the trigger" on their own investigation before the election, it goes above and beyond the petty partisanship normally seen in politics.

I agree, it's getting uglier all the time. I think this coming election will be the worst and most disgusting spectacle we've ever witnessed in the history of American politics. It will probably have a lasting effect on the American publics opinions.

This is manipulation of national security and abuse of power.

I'm sorry to say that's a running theme in DC and in my opinion no one does it better than the Bush boys. We certainly need sweeping changes. Thanks again for your interesting comments. I hope you continue to hang around and contribute your thoughts.

                                              Best regards,

                                                                      Reg