NYT: Colin Powell said nothing

[deminks]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/05/politics/05cnd-prexy.html

Bush and Former Cabinet Members Discuss Topic No. 1: Iraq

WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 - Colin Powell said nothing - a silence that spoke volumes to many in the White House today.

His predecessor, Madeleine Albright, was a bit riled after hearing an exceedingly upbeat 40-minute briefing to 13 living former secretaries of state and defense about how well things are going in Iraq. Saying the war in Iraq was "taking up all the energy" of President Bush's foreign policy team, she asked Mr. t Bush whether he had let nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea spin out of control, and Latin America and China policy suffer by benign neglect.

"I can't let this comment stand," Mr. Bush shot back, telling Ms. Albright and the rare assembly of her colleagues, who reached back to the Kennedy White House, that his administration "can do more than one thing at a time."

But if it was a bipartisan consultation, as advertised by the White House, it was a brief one. Mr. Bush allowed 5 to 10 minutes this morning for interchange with the group - which included three veterans of another difficult war, the one in Vietnam: Robert S. McNamara, Melvin R. Laird and James R. Schlesinger. Then the entire group was herded the Oval Office for what he called a "family picture."

[rzemanfl]

1. If these people had any class they would have all failed to show.

Why the hell be ponies for * dog and pony show?

[Pirate Smile]

9. Perhaps they hoped Bush wouldn't have left only 5-10 minutes for

comments/questions. Of course, that is one of Bush's old tried and true tricks.

I'm glad to see Albright got that question in - it sounds like a pretty good slap to Bushie boy.

They probably actually would like to help. They care about the country, not Bush.

He will be gone in '08 and all of us, including them, will have to live with the aftermath.

IMO, they did the right thing by going. Bush, as usual, did the wrong thing by not actually using their knowledge and experience.

[rzemanfl]

28. I wouldn't be in the same room with that prick-unless the Secret

Service happened to go out on strike....

Mods, this is a joke, not a threat, the Secret Service doesn't go on strike, but I bet a lot of them have some serious job-related issues right now.

[jazzjunkysue]

29. Right. Why does Powell do this to himself? He's out. he walked.

Free at last! Oh, lord, I'm free at last!

[daleanime]

2. Picture this...

Jr. had all that experience in one room and he just used it for a photo op?:rant:

[PassingFair]

21. Bushie, or perhaps Rover, obviously received the book

"Team of Rivals" for X-Mas.

About Lincoln's cabinet, and how he held together a divergent team of political rivals and saved the union. Lincoln WORKED and LISTENED to ALL the members of his cabinet.

Bush thinks he's like Lincoln.



What a tool our pResident is!

[G_j]

3. 5 to 10 minutes ?

just long enough for a few photos

[Turbineguy]

10. 5 minutes

That's the depth of time Bush can allow for this. Any wonder it's a disaster.

The other 5 minutes was to make sure his tie was straight and his zipper was up.

Then they had to draw straws. Short straw stands by bush.

[fooj]

4. 5-10 minutes? I can't take a decent shit in 5-10 minutes!!!!

He is a total embarrassment.

[Tinksrival]

5. Bush is Bazaar!

I don't know what else to say! I really think the guy is absolute bat shit CRAZY!

[madokie]

19. Crazy'ern a shit house mouse.

[havocmom]

6. bush allowed 5-10 minutes for interchange with the group...

Just another token photo op to show he listens to those who do not share his views.

Hog wash thunked up at the pig farm. Infantile attempt to look like he thinks and is capable of listening to opposing views and use them to hone his own thinking.

Hog wash!

[robbedvoter]

7. "more than one thing at a time" - kill AND ROB you

ABC News just covered this story too. I hope no one is going to take it as a great act of courage from Bowell. he is the one who tried to sell this war in the UN, knowing the truth full well. Silence now is nothing. He should have spoken when it mattered.

[sweetheart]

18. Really, he'll be rembembered as the boy who lied

for the man. His time for silence was in 2003. Now is his time
for contrition and apology to the american people, something that
takes more than a passive disagreement with his old master.

[librechik]

25. 3, if you count torture

but we don't DO torture.

So yeah, only two.

[babylonsister]

8. What an insult; I'll bet they're all sorry they got out of their pj's. nt

[proud patriot]

11. 5-10 minutes is an OUTRAGE , the photo op was the target

bush bastards .....

[Canuckistanian]

12. "Good men need only to stay silent for evil men to prosper"

I think that sums up Colon Powell. (not a typo)

[madokie]

20. Thanks my northern friend

[arewenotdemo]

13. 5 to 10 minutes!

too good to be true

[troubleinwinter]

14. "Mr. Bush allowed 5 to 10 minutes this morning for interchange"

There is not a clock available. It is more than enough time for "interchange" (read: chimp 'uhms and aws' and yucks for 3 minutes of it).

What a fucking sham.

[Algorem]

15. Lehrer interviews Albright and Schlesinger on PBS Newshour tonight

High-Level Help
President Bush met with former secretaries of defense and state Thursday to discuss his Iraq policy.
Jim Lehrer speaks with Madeleine Albright, secretary of state in the Clinton administration, and James Schlesinger, secretary of defense in the Nixon and Ford administrations, about the White House meeting.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/newshour_index.html

[democrank]

16. Another day, another load of BS.

How the hell much could this group have offered in 5 to 10 minutes? Media obeyed Karl and announced this Bipartisanship-O-Rama. Mission accomplished. Run along now.

[sandnsea]

17. And not a peep on the liebox

5 to 10 minutes. And not one newsmodel is reporting that little detail. Not even Lou Dobbs. Incredible.

[daleanime]

23. Lou Dobbs?

Wash your month out.

[sandnsea]

27. Oh I know

But if anyone were to report it, it would be him or Cafferty. He was praising the Florida Supreme Court decision and public education today, he isn't all bad. Just not quite willing enough to hammer down on business and see the related corruption. Probably still thinks the Democratic Party is mobbed up or something.

[applegrove]

22. Trying to get the Octo crowd back to the GOP fold. Woops! Those Octos

remember not just WWII but the rish of the fuher.

Nice appeal to the vanity of former Secs. Nice photo op.

[librechik]

24. Now, when people say "You never listen to anybody cept Rove"

Bush can say "I do so! See?" and haul out the picture of his photo op. See, he listened. He's got the photos to prove it!

[Maru Kitteh]

30. You think powell is deliberately looking away in that snap? n/t

[robbedvoter]

31. Nicely aligned along the nice carpet (replacing Clinton's ugly one)

That was a well spent 10 minutes! Next!

[Just Me]

26. A reckoning?

As disgusted as I get about peoples' weakness to give into self-service, I never NEVER give up on anyone's capacity to reach a reckoning. Even Sharon reached that spot,...pert near to his death,...perhaps a saving from pergatory. Meanwhile, that possessed-preacher, Robertson, is spewing the work of the devil and he don't even know it. :rofl: Crazy fucking people run wild!!! :rofl:
!

[unkachuck]

32. why do Dems....

....even participate in 'events' like this?....and Colin said nothing because eveyone knows he's a liar....I've seen myself, in front of the UN Security Council....