The Political Timing of the Saddam Hussein Verdict

[ContraCommando]

"As noted by the weblog Eschaton (written by Media Matters senior fellow Duncan Black), on the October 29 edition of CNN's Sunday Morning, CNN anchor Betty Nguyen reported that " letter from Saddam Hussein's lawyer to President Bush ... accuses the White House of trying to time the verdict before the midterm elections." In a later segment, CNN video correspondent Arwa Damon reported that Saddam lawyer Khalil al-Dulaimi "accuses U.S. President George Bush and the U.S. administration for deliberately orchestrating the date" so that the verdict in the first trial of Saddam -- involving allegations that he committed mass murder in the Iraqi town of Dujail -- will be announced "just two days before the midterm elections." Damon continued: "We were expecting a verdict mid-month. It was, however, delayed." On the October 29 edition of CNN's Reliable Sources, CNN anchor T.J. Holmes said, "The verdict is to be announced a week from today, a date Saddam Hussein claims is timed to the U.S. elections two days later."

(snip)

"Media Matters noted several documented and reported instances of the Bush administration manipulating the timing of announcements or actions for political benefit."

(snip)

"As Media Matters noted, the Los Angeles Times reported on October 11, 2004, that the Bush administration planned to delay major assaults on insurgent strongholds in Iraq until after the 2004 U.S. presidential election, fearing large numbers of U.S. military casualties."

http://mediamatters.org/items/200610290003

----* don’t forget that Olberman did a special on how the administration was politically timing increases in the terror alert system. They have a history of this kind of thing. I wonder if this is why Rove is so confident of victory?

http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/august2006/150806thenexus.htm : Video (good)…. #8 on the list, the sabotaging of Kerry/Edwards.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9665308/#051012a (transcript)

[Old and In the Way]

1. I thought I read that the Iraq PM is not playing along and will see that

the verdict is delayed until after the election? Suits me fine, although I doubt the show trial is going to change anyone's minds on the war being a debacle.