Ridge's quote concerning election

[Ruby Romaine]

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, a prominent member of the Elections Assistance Commission has expressed his concern that with all the flurry of information about the election, Homeland Security has made no provision about rescheduling or possibly what to do with the elections in the event of a terrorist attack.

RIDGE: Well, I read the letter. I don't exactly agree with his conclusion. But there are constitutional and security questions that are certainly involved. And we're working on them. And certainly, that individual and that group will be involved in the process.

[ibegurpard]

1. Link?

eom

[Ruby Romaine]

3. no link available- do a lexis search, it's there

[cheezus]

7. of course, a simple lexus search....

why, ANYONE can do that!

[Ruby Romaine]

9. sorry, you have to go to a library and not all libraries have it-

University libraries usually do.
it is really odd that the transcript is not easily accessible.
that's why I posted the quote but not the whole transcript.

[cheezus]

20. yeah, sorry. I was just kind of being a dick there

It rubbed me the wrong way and I decided to be an ass about it. Ooops. Oh well, no hard feelings

[neoteric lefty]

2. It always begins with a simple question

"What are we going to do with the elections?" Now watch, within the next week, so-called experts will start talking about postponing the elections in conjunction with these "warnings". The administration will drip it out until they can convince enough of the population that it would be a good idea. This is just the beginning.

[Skip Intro]

6. That will only succeed if we allow it

By we, I don't just mean Democrats, but the American people - Dems, patriotic repubs (who put the wellbeing of the nation ahead of that of their party), voters, non-voters, etc.

We could beat back any regime effort to screw with the elections if we are loud and determined in calling bushco's efforts what they are - unAmerican, un-democratic threats to the very core of our nation.

They can only get away with canceling the elections if we allow them to do so.

[neoteric lefty]

11. You have already heard them talking about it saying,

"Look at the Madrid bombings. The terrorists affected that election with their bombings." Of course we know it was the government's lying to its people which cost them the election. Half this country will buy this argument from the RW without even thinking about it. That's the scary thing about it all. I agree that we cannot let them do this.

[Skip Intro]

18. I don't think half the country will buy into "postponing" the elections

Not if there is an equally loud and persistent voice demanding America be allowed to be America. I just think postponing the elections would be crossing such an important line that if enough people, people who can be heard, say, "hell no - this is America - we will have elections," refusing to accept bush's proclamation, that many people who might have sheepishly sided with the moron and his gang would allow themselves to feel and express a justified patriotic outrage, and refuse to accept bush's decree.

If the Dems roll over on this, then you're probably right, and in my gut I know we'd be saying goodbye to free America. But if the Dems and the media and patriotic republicans refuse to go along with bushco on this, the power of the people will prevail.

[neoteric lefty]

30. if you wanna put your chips

in the trust of the mass media and the U.S. public then go right ahead. All I am saying is that I have seen them have fail before, and I have no doubt that they can fail again. I so hope you are right, but I still have some lingering doubt.

[fdr_hst_fan]

12. If we can conduct an election in the midst

of a world War (1944), we can do it THIS YEAR! We had MORE at stake back then than we do today!

[dusty64]

28. Don't forget the Civil War also!

x

[bryant69]

4. I have to say reading that

The question bugs me more than the answer. I mean it's kind of a crazy question. Was this a FAQ or a press conference? Who asked that question?

I mean his answer isn't all that inspiring; but it is accurate, and if we had Kerry in today, I doubt the answer would be much different. Obviously if there is a terrorist attack in the week before the election you can expect there to be some ramifications.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[ibegurpard]

5. The answer bugs me too.

He should be categorically stating that elections will NOT be cancelled or postponed and that we will be working on contingency plans to carry them out in emergency circumstances. The fact that this continues to come up and and is NOT nipped in the bud by them is EXTREMELY disturbing.

[Ruby Romaine]

8. Where is the LIBRUL Media?????

[cthrumatrix]

10. a figment of the RW propaganda.... this is a con job that is all to real

[Ruby Romaine]

13. amen!

[Media_Lies_Daily]

14. Here is the recent article on this topic that I posted earlier...

<http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1949956>

[Ruby Romaine]

16. thanks,

had not seen that article-
Bush appointee of course

[FredScuttle]

15. "we're working on them"??

This section chills me:


"But there are constitutional and security questions that are certainly involved. And we're working on them."


Like you worked on the Geneva Convention guidelines, you scum?

[Skidmore]

17. Someone, from either party, needs to stand up and tell this bunch

"Don't even think about it!".

[donhakman]

19. Exactly how many elections were postponed during the civil war or WW II

[ibegurpard]

21. kicking this one

because the huge speculation thread keeps getting kicked and this one with the actual quote is getting buried.

[eek]

22. martial law in iraq is just super-duper!

and it is based on the US patriot act.

Look how great it is in protecting the people of Iraq!

Woo hoo!
Let's do the same thinkg here since everyone likes it so much!

[Mz Pip]

23. I sent this to

my Congresswoman, Barbara Lee, and asked her to check into whether there really is talk going on about this.

"And we're working on them." concerns me no end.

MzPip
:dem:

[DoYouEverWonder]

24. Someone needs to sell Tommy a clue

that protecting and defending the right of every American citizen to vote is his most important job.

Short of a massive nuclear attack on the day of the election, there is no reason in the world to even think about canceling or postponing an election. No matter who you think is going to win.

[AspenRose]

25. Former Spanish PM Aznar made a comment about it too

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=34707

Politics: 16 May 2004, Sunday.

Spain's former prime minister warned that terrorists will try to influence the outcome of the U.S. presidential election as they did in Madrid with the March 11 attacks. "It's important to realize that the terrorists will do all they can to disrupt the upcoming U.S. election," Aznar said during his first visit US after he was voted out of office. He did not specify where the terrorists might strike.

[AspenRose]

26. kick

:kick:

[AspenRose]

27. double KICK

:kick: :kick:

[dusty64]

29. Have the Democrats had

anything to say about this? I have heard not ONE word of outrage outside this forum.

[dusty64]

31. Kick!

NEVER has this Country cancelled or postponed elections, the lack of outrage leads me to believe they WILL attempt it and WILL get away with it.