Amazing... I can't believe I hadn't heard about this. MSNBC is flashing that quote up on the screen for emphasis. I think that's the comment of the day from Pickard, thanks again to Richard Ben-Veniste.

bushco is in flames

press conference let alone stand up to this sort of stuff he will face.

If this quote is correct about not wanting to "hear about it", that has to be a direct result of the what the WH and the * wanted. LIHOP

to distract

but the bad news for Bush is, it (his PC) will be after the evening news.

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Yup Yup - that's it!!

counter-terrorism as well. Ashcroft was too concerned about pornography and bongs.

n/t

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i dont want to hear about it.............nice

I keep hearing about it, but I can't find any source for it.

Thanks in advance.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/terror/statement13.html
(ON EDIT, the actual pdf from the Commission itself: http://www.9-11commission.gov/hearings/hearing10/staff_statement_10.pdf)
(Acrobat Reader required)

"Acting FBI Director Thomas Pickard recently told us that during his summer telephone calls with Special Agents in Charge of each FBI field office, he mentioned to each the heightened threat, among other subjects. He also told us that he had a conference call with all Special Agents in Charge on July 19 in which he discussed a variety of subjects. He said one of the items he mentioned was that they needed to have their evidence response teams ready to move at a moments notice in case they needed to respond to an attack.

We found in our field office visits last fall, however, that a number of FBI personnel, with the exception of those in the New York field office, did not recall a heightened sense of threat from al-Qaeda within the United States in summer 2001. For example, an international terrorism squad supervisor in the Washington Field Office told us he was neither aware in summer 2001 of an increased threat, nor did his squad take any special steps or actions. The Special Agent in Charge of the Miami Field Office told us he did not learn of the high level of threat until after September 11.

Pickard said in late June and through July he met with Attorney General Ashcroft once a week. He told us that although he initially briefed the Attorney General regarding these threats, after two such briefings the Attorney General told him he did not want to hear this information anymore. The Justice Department has informed us that Attorney General Ashcroft, his former deputy, and his chief of staff deny that the Attorney General made any such statement to Pickard.

Ashcroft told us that he asked Pickard whether there was intelligence about attacks in the United States. Pickard said he replied that he could not assure Ashcroft that there would be no attacks in the United States, although the reports of threats were related to overseas targets. Aschcroft said he therefore assumed that the FBI was doing what it needed to do. He acknowledged that, in retrospect, this was a dangerous assumption."

SO, the President "assumed" the FBI was on the job. Aschcroft "assumed" the FBI was doing its job.

You know what happens when you "assume", don't you?...

... that some referred to in this earlier post today?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1399359

i.e. is it testimony, under oath, before the 9-11 Commission? And is it regarding an alleged statement by Ashcroft or an actual memo (in writing)?

The thread earlier today had Chris Matthews saying that a memo was released. That would be incredibly damning, for both Ashcroft and the Bush administration.

Holy crap!!!!! I mean, did somebody give them a donation or something? I never thought I'd see the day.

Man, I can't wait for this "News" Conference tonight...

The quote is already featured in large letters on the AOL Welcome page, along with a photo of Asscroft with his hand cupped to his ear.

The millions of AOL users who aren't watching the hearings sure are seeing the "He Didn't Want to Hear" headline. Heh.

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

More than anyone else in this Administration, I want Ashcroft to GO DOWN. Well, ok... he's tied with Rumsfeld right now...

Well at first blush it looks like ( according to Ashcroft) its the lawyers fault we didn't stop 9/11. They tied his hands so he is blameless.

Seriously, someone needs to put a breast in his face, quickly... or, a Calico Kitty would do nicely...