Jersey Girl takes on Obama about 9-11 comment

[emilyg]

Jersey Girl Takes on Obama Over 9/11 Comment
by alegre, Fri Apr 04, 2008 at 11:39:20 PM EST

I was at my desk in DC the morning of 9/11 - watched the Pentagon burn from the rooftop of our building - labored over whether hubby and I should pack up the car and get us and our infant daughter out of the city. I also watched as our city turned into a ghost town at night for the next 7 or 8 months, got used to the sound of F-16s criss-crossing our skies at regular intervals, and listened as the news readers explained how to tape up a safe room and put together grab and go bags. My friends who worked in the Pentagon were lucky that day - they worked in another corner of the building. But I'll never forget the pregnant wife of a guy named Eddie who sat vigil on a hillside near the smoldering corner that did get hit. She refused to leave until he was found (hopefully alive) and the news talked with her one evening. My heart ached for her and her 3 kids. Thousands of families went through what she endured and the Jersey Girls made news when they fought for an honest investigation into what happened that day.

more....http://www.mydd.com/story/2008/4/4/233920/0748

[blm]

1. Sadly - the 9-11 commission was told to not look into terror matters before 1998

and so the Jersey Girls probably could not imagine that there would have been NO 9-11 event even possible if BCCI matters left outstanding hadn't been deep-sixed throughout the 90s to protect the secrecy and privilege of GHWBush and his powerful cronies.

If the Jersey Girls really want to know the roots of 9-11, BCCI report, released in Dec 1992, is the blueprint for the funding of global terror networks.

[Major Hogwash]

2. Consider the source - mydd, a Hillary love nest if ever there was one.

Those asshats couldn't take the heat at Kos, so fled to mydd.

Another useless web site.

[rodeodance]

9. Stop killing the messenger---Did you read this?:

MATTHEWS: But it has been predictable.

OBAMA: Oh, well, the--I don't think anybody predicted 9/11. And, so, we don't know what kinds of circumstances are going to come up.

Yup. That's right, Barack Obama glibly stated that he didn't "think anybody predicted 9/11."

Perhaps Obama might better strengthen his image of having a handle on national security issues by not sounding so much like the disgraceful, incompetent former Bush Administration National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice.

Recall that Ms. Rice stated that "I don't think anybody could have predicted that these people would take an airplane and slam it into the World Trade Center, take another one and slam it into the Pentagon; that they would try to use an airplane as a missile, a hijacked airplane as a missile."

I am not even going to bother listing the hundreds of cites/articles/studies/reports/military exercises, drills/testimonials/PDB's/SEIB's or even television shows that disprove Rice's statement. I will just mention my personal favorite -- the August 6, 2001 Presidential Daily Briefing titled, "Bin Laden Determined to Strike in the U.S."

[not_too_L8]

42. Oh, well, the--I don't think anybody predicted 9/11.

I noticed no quotation....I wonder what's in between "the---I don't" and he did not say "could of predicted" he said "think anybody predicted 9/11." meaning time and place of the attack not possibility of an attack as Rice had implied.

nice try

[Mags]

16. The Barry folks can not accept the truth, not matter where it comes from

They will never face reality. How sad. They will do or say anyhing to win, so will Barry.

[Tom Rinaldo]

19. So DU is an Obama love nest, does that make here a useless web site also

or is useless a totally partisan definition?

[enid602]

27. obamabators

Nothing of substance comes out of here any more.

[emilyg]

25. Wrong. Many good articles on Obama there.

[anigbrowl]

3. I think this is a bit of a reach

9/11 *was* a major shock. Certainly the adminitration should have predicted it, but on the other hand the way the question is put to Obama by Matthews is fundamentally stupid. If we're talking about a predictable event (and Matthews is saying that another AQ attack is very predictable), then it's not likely the President would get a 3am phone call saying 'Terrorists are flying towards the capitol right now'.

Disagreeing her interpretation does not mean I disrespect her experiences; I just think the blogger is reading far too much into his comment.

[sandnsea]

4. Nobody did predict 9/11

That's why it happened. Whether they "could" have, or should have, is another question.

[DesertFlower]

8. there were the unheeded

warnings from the phoenix FBI agent and from israel, but i don't think anyone could have predicted the attack itself.

[petgoat]

41. There were warnings from 13 foreign countries.

The FBI had known since 1995 about al Qaeda's "Project Bojinka"
plan to fly hijacked airliners into Sears Tower, WTC, and the
TransAmerica Pyramid. (They had Abdul Hakim Murad in custody)

The FAA had 52 warnings about al Qaeda before 9/11.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13203-2005Feb10.html

David Schippers, former Clinton impeachment prosecutor, tried
to forward warnings from frustrated FBI agents of upcoming
attacks in lower Manhattan. He couldn't get his calls returned.

http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/October-2002/True-Believer/

Dr. David Ray Griffin tells about it here:
http://911review.com/articles/griffin/madison.html

Two days after 9/11, Schippers declared that he had received warnings from FBI agents about the attacks six weeks earlier--warnings that included both the dates and the targets. These agents had come to him, Schippers said, because FBI headquarters had blocked their investigations and threatened them with prosecution if they went public with their information. They asked Schippers to use his influence to get the government to take action to prevent the attacks. Schippers was highly respected in Republican circles, especially because of his role in the impeachment of Clinton. And yet, he reported, Attorney General Ashcroft repeatedly failed to return his calls.<21>

Schippers’ allegations about the FBI agents were corroborated in a story by William Norman Grigg called “Did We Know What Was Coming?”, which was published in The New American, a very conservative magazine. According to Grigg, the three FBI agents he interviewed told him “that the information provided to Schippers was widely known within the Bureau before September 11th.”<22>

[rodeodance]

11. READ THIS--then come back and we can have a discussion:

MATTHEWS: But it has been predictable.

OBAMA: Oh, well, the--I don't think anybody predicted 9/11. And, so, we don't know what kinds of circumstances are going to come up.

Yup. That's right, Barack Obama glibly stated that he didn't "think anybody predicted 9/11."

Perhaps Obama might better strengthen his image of having a handle on national security issues by not sounding so much like the disgraceful, incompetent former Bush Administration National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice.

Recall that Ms. Rice stated that "I don't think anybody could have predicted that these people would take an airplane and slam it into the World Trade Center, take another one and slam it into the Pentagon; that they would try to use an airplane as a missile, a hijacked airplane as a missile."

I am not even going to bother listing the hundreds of cites/articles/studies/reports/military exercises, drills/testimonials/PDB's/SEIB's or even television shows that disprove Rice's statement. I will just mention my personal favorite -- the August 6, 2001 Presidential Daily Briefing titled, "Bin Laden Determined to Strike in the U.S."

[izzybeans]

21. Can you post where a specific prediction was made?

if so that person should be lauded for something that has rarely and arguably never been done in the history of social science.

We all foresaw it coming in hindsight. Shit I even said when Bush was elected, "Damn and I'm moving to New Jersey. This asshole is bound to get us bombed. I don't want to be anywhere near New York City when that happens."

I didn't predict 911, did I? If so, can I have my Nobel Prize now?

[Fireweed247]

24. The lone gunman predicted it...

Months before 9/11, TV show pilot has airliner crashing into WTC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB6EWF3vulc

[Florida22ndDistrict]

28. re: Nobody did predict 9/11

The government was aware that Bin Laden was determined to attack in the United States. They were also aware of the real possibility that airplanes could be used as weapons and quite frankly they believed it. There is good reason why Bush slept on a ship with surface to air missiles at the G8 summit prior to 9/11 and there is good reason why surface to air missiles where placed on top of his hotel when he came down to Florida right before 9/11 (that is not standard procedure).

[sandnsea]

29. Maybe they could have, or should have,

used that information to predict 9/11 - but the fact is, they didn't.

[Florida22ndDistrict]

32. re: Maybe they could have, or should have,

They were aware of the general time frame the attacks were going to happen. They were not necessarily totally certain on the targets that would be hit but the ones that were hit were on their short list. They were not necessarily capable of stopping the events that were already in motion but they knew it was going down. The president doesn't go to hide in Florida with surface to air missiles on his roof without reason. The facts and events of 9/11 have been buried. Its pretty obvious that flight 93 was shot out of the air and then covered up. To anyone who reads what is available to the public, its pretty obvious they knew, but just failed at foiling the plan.

[sandnsea]

34. "general time frame" is not a prediction

It's just like the WMD, if you don't know exactly where they are, then you don't know they exist. If you don't know enough about an imminent attack to stop it, then you can't predict it.

[Florida22ndDistrict]

35. re: "general time frame" is not a prediction

Funny, whenever a hurricane is headed my way and the National Hurricane Center tells me where they anticipate the storm to hit, the strength at which they think it will hit, the general time frame the expect it to hit, and the cone of error, I take that as a prediction. Things don't always end up exactly how predicted, but none the less it is still a prediction. The same is true here, the difference is that no information was release in concern over public safety. No evacuation order was put in place. No alerts hit the MSM.

[sandnsea]

37. Yeah, that's not a "general time frame"

That's a freaking storm that everybody can see. There may be evidence some day to prove somebody knew these particular people were going to fly these planes into buildings on that specific day, or even that week, - but right now there isn't. It's completely different than a hurricane.

Nobody predicted 9/11, specifically, was going to happen. Lots of people predicted a terrorist attack would happen at some point in time, that's not the same thing.

[Florida22ndDistrict]

38. re: Yeah, that's not a "general time frame"

The point being they had information on
- Airplanes to be used as weapons
- Bin Laden determined to attack
- Possible targets: World Trade Center, Pentagon, Capital building, White House, etc. on there short list.

Being that Bush ran down here to Florida and had surface to air missiles on his roof during the situation infers that they were trying to keep the president safe. They could have issued alerts, even if they panicked some people. They issues alerts now even if nothing happens. By the way 40 years ago we were only given a few hours notice about incoming hurricanes, but notice was still issued. While today's predictions on hurricanes are good, they are not always right either. They still issue warnings, and ask people to drop what they are doing and evacuate. Many times a hurricane will stall, breakup, or turn but the predictions are still taken seriously.

[sandnsea]

39. The 2008 Hurricane Season Starts June 1

"On December 7, 2007, Klotzbach's team issued its first extended-range forecast for the 2008 season, predicting above-average activity (13 named storms, 7 hurricanes, 3 of Category 3 or higher)."

Possible targets: Florida, Georgia, North & South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas

Now. Did anybody predict a hurricane will hit on any given day, or week, or month?

[Florida22ndDistrict]

40. re: The 2008 Hurricane Season Starts June 1

They will when better intelligence is acquired. By the way that warning is equivalent to receive more chatter in CIA/NSA terms (i.e. telephone/email intercepts). They had far better intelligence at their disposal about 9/11. I still take the national hurricane center's warning seriously. I have hurricane windows and shutters on my CBS house. I have a generator to run my business in the even that disaster happens. I have stocks of food and water for my family.

[sandnsea]

44. No they didn't

They had nothing to indicate specific players or specific targets or specific dates, at least not that they knew they had. Like I said, they did not predict 9/11. Whether they could have, or should have, is a different story.

[dansolo]

30. WRONG! It was predicted.

Obviously the specific events were not known, but a terrorist attack on US soil was predicted.

http://archive.salon.com/politics/feature/2001/09/12/bush/

[sandnsea]

33. He was referring to 9/11, the specific event n/t

[rodeodance]

5. She has high praise for Hillary and her help to 9/11 victims:

One of the reasons I support Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama is because of the enormous help Senator Clinton gave to the 9/11 families who were fighting to create a 9/11 Commission.

My experience in Washington showed me that there were very few people who understood what needed to be done and even fewer people who had the courage, stamina, and ability to get those things done.

Hillary Clinton was one of those people. And without fail, anytime we needed help -- whether that was achieving bi-partisan consensus, strong-arming the White House and/or House Republicans, or cajoling reluctant and recalcitrant Democrats like Lieberman, Senator Clinton always took the call and helped solve the problem.

[DesertFlower]

10. don't you think obama would have

done the same thing if he was a new york senator?

[rodeodance]

12. I am not into hypotheticals--Lets talk about the article.

[DesertFlower]

22. excuse me, but

the thread said: Jersey Girl takes on Obama about 9-11 comment and you mentioned him in your post.

[rodeodance]

6. REC

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Oh this headline is so much better:

9/11: Where Barack Obama and Condi Rice Sound Alarmingly Alike

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kristen-breitweiser/911-where-barack-obama-an_b_94850.html

If you are going to slam Obama, comparing him to Condi is so much more appropriate!!

[rodeodance]

17. You obviously did not read the OP or you have seen this is EXACTLY what they are saying.

9/11: Where Barack Obama and Condi Rice Sound Alarmingly Alike


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kristen-breitweiser/911-w...

If you are going to slam Obama, comparing him to Condi is so much more appropriate!!

[rodeodance]

Thanks for the post

[Condem]

13. The Jersey Girls

were overrated in 2004. Now, their just irrelevant . Fuck, what a snooze tonight on DU . I'm going to watch some hoop.

[rodeodance]

15. They did a hell of lot for the families & for America--to get 9/11 investigated and you poop

on them.

Disgusting

[Condem]

47. The second that Breitweiser endorsed Clinton

It became not about the tragedy but advancing her own political opinion. If she had endorsed Obama we would not be having this conversation. And you know that, Rodeodance.

[PM7nj]

18. I see Ann Coulter has joined us...

[Mags]

23. close your eyes, never question anything, except if it is something

from an enemy to Barry. God, how could the Gods be so wrong as to question the chosen one. How sad for you and your followers. I am sincere, it is just sad that you can't face any reality at all.

[BeyondGeography]

14. Obama basically said there was no 3 a.m. phone call about 9/11

and this is all part of the silly 3 a.m. phone call game that the 3 a.m. phone call candidate started.

How's that working, anyway?

[PM7nj]

20. No one outside of the government knew 9/11 was coming

Of course Bush and Condi knew 9/11 was coming. Nobody else did. I think that is what Obama meant.

[AX10]

26. K & R!

Obama is clearly not up to date on world events.
Has Obama forgotten about the PDB (Presidential Daily Briefing) from August 6, 2001.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/04/10/august6.memo/index.html

[zulchzulu]

31. Does Jersey Girl know what Obama has said about 911 commission actions?

Somehow she is assuming either that Obama had no idea of the Presidential DB (August 6, 2001), which he has mentioned in many speeches or she is trying to trash Obama by implicating he doesn't know about the issues regarding 911.

Here is a letter to Bush from Obama about the 911 Commission findings:

August 15, 2006

President George W. Bush
The White House
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

Like all Americans, I am grateful for the work of the British intelligence service, combined with the swift response by authorities across the globe, to prevent what could have been a major terrorist attack last week. Unfortunately, in the more than two years since the bipartisan 9/11 Commission released its report, the Administration has failed to implement many of its most important recommendations and still seems to suffer from the "failure of imagination" that the 9/11 Commission identified. As a result, there are too many glaring gaps in our security efforts here at home.

From improving security for our rail and transit systems and our chemical plants, to increasing cargo screening in our airports and ports, the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission have been underfunded, or worse, ignored. Indeed, the 9/11 Commission gave the Administration dismal marks - 5 F's and 12 D's - on the implementation of the Commission's recommendations for homeland security.

Over the past year and a half, I have joined my Democratic colleagues in the Senate on numerous occasions to fight for funding to ensure that Americans are protected from the next generation of terrorist attacks. However, our efforts have been consistently thwarted by the party controlling the White House and Congress:

* In July 2005, just a week after the London subway bombings, Sen. Byrd proposed adding $1.2 billion for transit security grants and $265 million for rail security to the FY 2006 Homeland Security appropriations bill. Sen. Schumer also offered amendments to improve the screening of air cargo and to track the shipment of hazardous materials. All three amendments were rejected by Senate Republicans.

* In March 2006, during the consideration of the FY 2007 Budget Resolution, Sen. Lieberman offered a comprehensive amendment to increase homeland security spending that included $1 billion for rail and transit security, $752 million for aviation security, and $150 million for chemical security. This amendment was rejected by Senate Republicans. Sen. Menendez also offered an amendment to increase funding for port security by $965 million. This, too, was rejected by Senate Republicans.

* And just last month, during the consideration of the FY 2007 Homeland Security appropriations bill, Sen. Schumer and Sen. Biden offered amendments to increase funding for rail and transit security, but these amendments were also rejected by Senate Republicans.

In short, Congress' failure to adequately fund homeland security has left our nation vulnerable to attacks.

The Administration also has submitted budgets that have called for decimating programs for first responders. This year, the Administration's budget proposed eliminating the Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program and cutting funds for Emergency Management Performance Grants, both critical sources of homeland funds for our communities.

I am also disappointed that the Administration has not taken a lead in pushing for balanced and robust chemical plant security legislation, as Sen. Lautenberg and I have proposed. Five years after September 11, our nation's unguarded chemical plants remain tempting targets for terrorists.

In the days after 9/11, the nation was prepared to join together to shore up our defenses and fight the very real terrorist threat we are facing. Unfortunately, that strong sense of national purpose has been tossed aside in favor of partisanship and political brinkmanship. As a result, we are woefully unprepared today on a number of fronts, including rail, port, chemical plant, and cargo security.

Now more than ever, we need to come together to address the real security needs of the nation. I hope the White House and Congress can work to immediately address the 9/11 Commission recommendations and provide adequate funding to guard against terrorist attacks.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama
United States Senator

http://www.votesmart.org/speech_detail.php?sc_id=25130&keyword=911&phrase=&contain=

[Vinca]

36. Come on zulch, you know that doesn't count.

:rofl:

[Hepburn]

43. mydd.com....need I say more?

:puke:

[Life Long Dem]

45. Is she saying she predicted it, or would have?

If so, I think some officials would like to speak to her.

[sampsonblk]

46. Obama is definitely wrong on this one-nt