My idiot Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite's response to my DSM email:

[Coexist]

Thank you for expressing your thoughts regarding the release of the Downing Street Memo. I appreciate the time you took to contact my office and welcome the opportunity to respond.

As you know, the Downing Street Memo also known as the "Rycroft Memo," is actually a document written by British National Security Aide Matthew Rycroft. The memo contains minutes transcribed during British Prime Minister Tony Blair's meeting with advisors on July 23, 2002, eight months prior to the invasion of Iraq. The Times of London printed the text of this document on Sunday, May 1, 2005, just days before Britain held its parliamentary elections.

On May 6, 2005, 89 Members of Congress sent a letter to President Bush inquiring about the authenticity of the supposedly leaked document. Both President Bush and Prime Minister Blair have denied that a decision to invade Iraq was made in 2002. The public record is clear that they were preparing for military operations only as an option. A Blair spokesman said the report added nothing significant to the record prior to the war. Additionally, the White House has clearly shown that discussions about military action were "very public" and that the decision to invade Iraq in March 2003 was taken only after Saddam Hussein refused to comply with his "international obligations."

Knowing of your concern, I will closely monitor this matter for any further developments. Should any legislation come before the House of Representatives regarding the Downing Street Memo, I will take your thoughts into consideration.

I thank you for your concern regarding this very important matter and I hope you will continue to share your thoughts and views with me. It is my honor and privilege to serve the people of Florida's 5th Congressional District and my offices and staff are here to provide you with any assistance you may need.


Sincerely,


Ginny Brown-Waite
Member of Congress

[stevedeshazer]

1. So there it is, the canned response.

Nothing to see here, move along.

Very carefully worded, no?

Hey, Bush and Blair have denied it. Good enough for Ginny.

And :wtf: is the "Rycroft Memo"?

You can really tell there's something wrong here with parsed language like this.

[Coexist]

I know! Rycroft Memo

is that trying to disassociate it from Blair??!

[stevedeshazer]

6. Blair and Bush both

I'm looking for any other reference to a "Rycroft memo" now....

[stevedeshazer]

11. So far I've found

a very leftist reference here: http://www.tomjoad.org/downingstreetmemo.htm

a googlebomb blog here:
http://googlebombproject.blogspot.com/2005/05/googlebomb-rycroft-memo-aka-downing.html

a Joe Conason reference here: http://www.salon.com/opinion/conason/2005/05/06/bush_blair_iraq/index_np.html

an al-Jazeerah reference here:
http://www.aljazeerah.info/Opinion%20editorials/2005%20Opinion%20Editorials/May/13o/The%20Matthew%20Rycroft%20Memo%20How%20US%20Intelligence%20and%20Facts%20Were%20Fixed%20to%20Justify%20the%20War%20on%20Iraq.htm

And a Google search brings up a lot more. But, I notice that most of these references go back several weeks, closer to the time it was revealed in the UK press, before all but a few were aware in the US.

It looks to me like the Rycroft Memo was an early meme used primarily before the Downing Street Minutes/Memo term became more common, but it sure fits Rep. Brown-Waite's agenda nicely today, as "Rycroft Memo" is a softer term.

Very interesting choice of words, that's all I'm sayin.

Anyone else want to take a stab?

[meppie-meppie not]

20. ya, how long has she been drinking the koolaide?

:headbang:

[alcuno]

2. She's my parent's rep as well.

Her response sort of looks like a glass half empyt/glass half full response. Probably because that district could swing either way.

[jody]

3. A disingenuous reply from your rep.

"The public record is clear that they were preparing for military operations only as an option."

The issue is what the private records show and apparently they prove Bush had decided to invade Iraq.

[many a good man]

21. "...military operations only as an " [INEVITABLE] "...option."

Shooooo(it)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bunny planet]

4. Perhaps you can ask Ms. Brown-Waite to comment on the

'fixing the intelligence around the policy' part of the memo/minutes?

[Coexist]

7. I addressed that in my email

she is always toeing the party line. This letter was just way worst than most, so I thought I would share it.

[EST]

5. Same sort of polite brushoff I got from Shimkus (Illinois)

[stevedeshazer]

12. Did Shimkus use the term "Rycroft Memo"?

Just curious....

[EST]

19. Don't think so

I glanced at it, saw that it was the usual "I am god, you are a shithole" kind of thing. He always defends the disaster and we always disagree. Otherwise, it could have been the same person.Lucky us, he's supposed to retire soon.

[stevedeshazer]

22. Thanks

:toast: To Retirement!

[katmondoo]

8. She supported Bush's disaster Medicare drug prescription bill

For months I sent her articles about it. No answer. She is a hateful human being, even for a Republican. She spent tons of money mailing flyers for support of the Medicare bill. I believe but not absolutely sure but I believe she was the one who also mailed flyers before the 2004 election saying we should return to Hoovers economic plan. Now we all know what happened in 1929! Several Repugs support this, God only knows why.

[digitalhippie]

9. same from my rep

I can't find my response from Schmimkus of IL- but it was very similar to the response you received. They must have had the PR geeks working overtime to come up with this non-response.

[splat@14]

10. Whew, I feel better! For minute there I thought there was a conspiracy.

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[stevedeshazer]

14. I see you've gotten the "memo" too.

Nice try.

We'll see how meaningless it is soon enough, buttthrax.

[Coexist]

15. Darn! I always miss the good stuff.

[stevedeshazer]

17. You didn't miss much

His screen name says it all.

He seems to be a busy guy: http://mightyrighty.com/forum/member.php?u=275

[Coexist]

23. butthrax??

geesh.

[stevedeshazer]

25. Three T's, but hey. And he has his own blog! >>>

http://buttthrax.tripod.com/

[Sparkly]

29. Sorry I missed that jerk.

"There were people over there saying they voted 10+ times for Clinton. Voter fraud from Democrats, oh the irony."

http://mightyrighty.com/forum/showthread.php?p=33359#post33359

[DoYouEverWonder]

16. We must live near each other

because I live in this twit's district too.

This hag makes Katherine Harris look smart.

[Ravy]

18. I live in her district too. Sigh.

[Coexist]

24. at least we have the St. Pete Times

for consolation!

[Clark Bar]

28. Ginny Brown Waite

is a colossal douc*e bag. I remember her husband being arrested for removing her opponent's campaign signs. You are correct about having the St.Pete Times to read for some sanity in Crackerville.(Hernando,Citrus Counties)

[mcar]

26. She's my idiot rep too and I got this as well

What a moran! Even her own home town doesn't vote for her. The repuke legislature here in FL had to redraw her district so the fundies in Pasco County would vote her in. She loses her own county, and mine.

She is such an embarassment.

[Bozita]

27. Is she the one whose hubbie was caught stealing her opponent's lawn signs?