Big summer stories I seem to have missed

I've been out of town off and on, so perhaps I missed reporting on a few stories this summer. I would have thought there would be all kinds of discussion, headlines, speeches, articles....

Maybe DUrs can update me on:

...When Robert's Phase II WMD Commission report will be finished. Certainly there must have been hue and cry over delaying tactics and perhaps Reid again felt the need to invoke Rule 21? As we head into increasing tensions between Iran and the US, seems like a discussion of a failed process re Iraq would be timely. Have journalists pressed the issue?

...Bolton. Was he confirmed after all? Did dc dems ask Voinovich in private meetings why he broke down a year ago over concerns for his grandchildren, as Voinovich offered? Which dems and journalists asked former ambassadors and diplomats for their input on the need for making friends in the world and how we've squandered good will?

...Ports. Man, was this a big issue several months ago. Did UAE end up with control of ports? What procedures are in place for increased security at ports, an issue agreed by most to be urgent? I'm guessing many dc dems used the issue to point out administration hypocrisy in calling for national security yet all but ignoring port, chemical plant, and reactor security? What about the financial connections with administration officials to foreign corporations?

...Election reform. Conyers and a couple of others were extremely active after November 04 on this issue. We now have another election in front of us as well as dozens of reports of faulty systems, insecure processes, lawsuits, 2004 suspicions, etc. Are dc dems and journalists trying as hard as they can to get to the bottom of this most important issue? Are resolutions being introduced, lawsuits filed, speeches made?

...Katrina. A year ago, the biggest story of the summer challenged all of us, from both sides of the aisle, to think about what was wrong with our government and to rise to the task of repair. This summer, how was administration response framed by journalists and politicians? Outside of Spike Lee's film, I have no idea.

...Iran. We -- most of the nation -- know or suspect that the process leading to the Iraq war was highly flawed and that the administration misled us into war. Surely there must be journalists and politicians working this summer to be sure it isn't happening again? They must be out there correcting administration exagerations and deceptions? Perhaps dems and journalists used the situation to talk about DSM again? Are we getting a valid NIE this time? Urgent, important story....

...Armitage, Fitzgerald, and sealed indictments. If Armitage's Plame confession is just now becoming public, I'm betting Fitzgerald has known about it for a while and has been waiting for enough evidence to move forward. There is a sealed indictment just sitting there, right? Any MSM journalists in addtion to Newsweek been digging hard on this one? Any dc dems standing up for the CIA on this?


Just asking...

I'm sure there was some discussion by some journalists and some politicians. I'd like to know if any of it REALLY reached people, not just DUrs, in a meaningful way.

I'm gratified to see lots of discussion on Iraq failures now; hopefully our press and our congressional leaders have learned that these things need to be discussed in advance...that silence, passivity, and trust in this administration will be rewarded with disaster after disaster.

case.

And Hell's Kitchen all summer. I don't get to hear much news, I must have missed it too. :shrug: