Republicans struggling with insecurity

[cal04]

George Tenet's resignation has added to a growing feeling that the US may be safer with a Democrat in the White House, says Philip James
The US public can tell when something is up, and sometimes they nail it before the pundits do. Forty-five minutes after George Tenet resigned as the head of the CIA, the Washington Post began a live chat with its internet readers. This was the first contribution, sent in from Raleigh, North Carolina: "To us out here in flyover country, the resignation of Tenet at this time comes as a total shock.

"I mean, at this point in the election cycle, that means the CIA is gonna be leaderless until next year. Am I right about that - that it's impractical to think that a full-time director can be vetted, announced, and confirmed (not to mention the pointlessness of the whole exercise given that Kerry may win and would want to pick his own man)?" The Post's associate editor, Robert Kaiser, replied: "There is no shock here that Tenet is out." Flyover country 1, inside the beltway punditry 0. The timing of Tenet's departure is stunning. There is no way it does anything other than wound George Bush, adding to the growing perception that this president and his administration are dangerously incompetent. Whether it later emerges that Mr Tenet was pushed because of the hopelessly flawed evidence he presented as fact to justify the war in Iraq, because his agency failed to connect the dots signalling the September 11 2001attacks, or because someone in his office leaked the name of an undercover CIA operative to the press does not matter.

To the outside world, it is looking more and more as though Mr Bush cannot keep his house in order. What is more, his national security credentials - which he was hoping would safeguard his re-election - look increasingly shaky. John Kerry now has the chance to press home a theme he has carefully exploited over the last few days. It is one going against conventional political wisdom: that the US is safer with a Democrat in office than a Republican.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections2004/story/0,13918,1231480,00.html

[mike_c]

1. "because someone in his office leaked the name..."

"...of an undercover CIA operative to the press...."

:wtf:

[jayctravis]

2. no doubt thi is

strategic in favor of the Democrats. Good for him. Hope he has an excellent life with his family!

[mike_c]

3. umm, last I heard it was likely someone in Cheney's office...

...that ratted out Valerie Plame. Wouldn't it be just like the repigs to try and let that one go to the memory hole with George Tenet?

[Vickers]

4. C'mon, Mike, just say it 3 times quickly in your head

There....feel better? Now it's the new truth.

:P

[newyawker99]

5. Hi jayctravis!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: