Rachel Maddow Asks Pelosi: 'What About Accountability for Bush Crimes?'

[Hissyspit]

Run time: 03:12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69BnZgEl6gg   Posted on YouTube: March 12, 2010 By YouTube Member: firedoglake Views on YouTube: 11   Posted on DU: March 12, 2010 By DU Member: Hissyspit Views on DU: 6865

 
MSNBC The Rachel Maddow Show - 11 March 2010: Speaker Pelosi & BushCo accountability: still 'unclear' The entire Pelosi interview can be found here: http://firedoglake.com

MADDOW: "Let me also ask you about something that I think is very dear to the heart of a lot of American liberals, and it doesn't get a lot of traction across the political board right now, and that's the issue of accountability for things that happened during the Bush administration.

Torture. Warrantless wiretapping. The hijacking of the Justice Department for partisan political purposes. Lies being told to the American people about what the intelligence that we had as a country indicated about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

So, on all of those issues, while we can talk comfortably about them and they are not at the heart of political discourse right now, there is a sense that nobody was ever held accountable for those things. Does that trouble you, and should we ever expect as a country that people will be held accountable for those crimes?"

PELOSI: "Well, the President has wanted to go forward, to move on and go forward. There were those of us who were supportive of a commission to review some of those activities, but the President has decided to move on. All of those things that you name are important. The issue that, you said does it bother me? that bothers me the most is the issue of the Iraq War. There is so much evidence that there was no reason for us to go into that war at that time ... but to think that thousands of lives have been lost, lives affected to the tune of hundreds of thousands, the cost to our military readiness - it has not made our military stronger - in terms of dollars to the treasury, but, again, most of all, loss of live, our precious treasure. On this war, there was really was no price to pay for it.

So, when you ask what bothers me about it, yes, all of those things do, but I think the record has to be straight about what a serious mistake the Iraq War was, and I regret that."

MADDOW: "Do you regret having the issue of impeachment off the table in terms of talking about the President, the way the President communicated about that issue to the country?"

PELOSI: "No. no. The, um... I believe that the impeach... if there was evidence... if we could have the evidence to impeach the President, then that could come forward. Just because I say it's off doesn't mean, if the evidence is there, that something wouldn't go forward. It's not a question of not knowing where the culpability is, it's what you can demonstrate and what you can prove. But I do think that those who had a hand in perpetrating, not only going into the war, but the misrepresentations to the American people. Every piece of evidence that we have points to the fact that there was no reason in terms of weapons of mass destruction to go into Iraq."

MADDOW: "Even though we were told that there was."

PELOSI: "Even though we were told that there were... but, it is, uh, it is... that there were weapons there... but it is... It's one of the great tragedies."

[SharksBreath]

1. In other words.

We are not going to do a damn thing about it.

[Name removed]

93. Deleted message

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

[Drops_not_Dope]

105. In Other Words

THIS From the Nobel Prize Speech is Just Words

The ideals of liberty, self-determination, equality and the rule of law
have haltingly advanced. We are the heirs of the fortitude and foresight of generations past, and it is
a legacy
for which my own country
is rightfully proud.


Furthermore,
America cannot insist that others follow the rules of the road if
we refuse to follow them ourselves.


First,
in dealing with those nations that break rules and laws,
I believe that we must develop alternatives to violence that are tough enough to change behavior - for if we want a lasting peace, then
the words of the international community must mean something.
Those regimes that break the rules must be held accountable.


Those who claim to respect international law
cannot avert their eyes when
those laws are flouted.


This brings me to a second point -
the nature of the peace that we seek. For peace is not merely the absence of visible conflict.
Only a just peace based upon

the inherent rights and dignity of every individual

can truly be lasting.


It was this insight that drove drafters of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
after the Second World War.
In the wake of devastation, they recognized that if
human rights are not protected,
peace is a hollow promise.


No matter how callously defined, neither America's interests - nor the world's -are served by the
denial of human aspirations.


So let us reach for the world that ought to be -
that spark of the divine
that still stirs within
each of our souls.
Somewhere today, in the here and now, a soldier sees he's outgunned but stands firm to keep the peace.

Somewhere today, in this world, a young protestor awaits the brutality of her government, but has the courage to march on.

Somewhere today, a mother facing punishing poverty still takes the time to teach her child,
who believes that a cruel world still has

a place for his dreams.

[Solly Mack]

2. K&R

Snort

[gimama]

3. am I alone in being sorely disappointed

by madame speaker's responses?
not surprised, but still disappointed..

Rachel, of course, was awwwsome.
& I'm thankful she is STILL outraged, as I am.
& sad..

[Mike K]

35. You are definitely not alone.

Pelosi's announcement that,"Impeachment is off the table!" signaled the end of any hope I held for any significant changes to derive from the Democrat victory, mainly because I knew she would not have said that without the new president's prior affirmation. I've been disappointed with Obama and the Democrats ever since and I expect nothing from them aside from a few mediocre improvements over the Bush Administration -- especially since Pelosi's constituents saw fit to re-elect her in '08 in spite of her outrageous betrayal. America's worst enemy is its own people.

And I agree with you about Rachel. She's good at what she does.

[gimama]

46. I am feeling better now..!

Ck out my post downthread..
I appreciate Your post:
..I needed to re-watch *AND* get a reality check..
this is all so surreal,
& I *KNOW* WE are better than this, as a Nation..
The fact that JUSTICE is ignored,
the Constitution neglected & abused,
& ALL the WORLD sees us more clearly than we see ourSelves..
makes me so sad, angry, disappointed.
But at least TODAY, the subject was RAISED!!!
In public, in front of God & everybody!
Thank YOU, Rachel!
& then..I found this fb page, link, youtube video..
& my Faith is stronger now, than earlier tonite.
Ck it out! ;)

[rhett o rick]

50. The response by madame speaker was total bullshit. She said nothing.

She sad that those things were wrong, but it's the president's fault because he wants to go forward. I will never forgive them for this. I have a hard time deciding which is worse, the crime or the failure to prosecute the crime. Fuck em all.

[gimama]

85. Yep, YOU are right : (

Did You see the video I posted re REAL accountability??
1st REAL *HOPE* I've felt in a year..this guy means bizness.

[ScottLand]

87. You are not alone.

I think this is the issue that makes or breaks us. If "going forward" is the final word, for me then it means going forward away from this broken system of government and discontinuing to waste my time on it.

[FreeJG]

4. obama says move on we won't look back and prosecute "past" crimes....well

we NEVER prosecute future crimes....ONLY PAST CRIMES.....get it? The move on thing by obama has nothing to do with the law. we are a country of laws and all these people need to go. "the president has decided"....blah blah....now ask why? why is obama not holding anyone accountable? is it because he is continuing all the same shit? me thinks so....

[Tx4obama]

5. I believe that Obama is going to surprise us ....

I think the White House and Eric Holder are gathering evidence and they WILL bring charges against those that committed war crimes and ordered the water-boarding. Obama's working on his own time schedule and not ours.
Just my opinion.

[Hissyspit]

6. There is absolutely no reason to believe that.

Would love to be proven wrong.

[Tx4obama]

12. Yes, I know

there is absolutely no reason to believe that ... but I just have a feeling about it that won't go way.
Time will tell.

[EFerrari]

47. This will not come from politicians. Ever, imho.

But they are not our parents.

[gateley]

11. I think Biden would have done it if he'd become Prez -- he certainly indicated

as much when he was running. He's not the only one, either. I've no doubt Kucinich would have, too. Not too sure about any of the others...

[John Q. Citizen]

17. Biden could make a citizens arrest.

[John Q. Citizen]

20. If your opinion turns out to be worthless, should we ignor you in the future, when you express it?

Or will you do the honorable thing and remove yourself?

[demwing]

65. Remove himself for having an opinion that turned out wrong?

Do you understand what the word "opinion" means? Are we all now held to the principle that what can think and say what we like, as long as we are never wrong?

[rambler_american]

66. WTF!

[Mira]

27. I would love to believe that. Give me a tiny shred of hope N/T

[Mithreal]

30. Is wishful thinking, justice for war crimes?

Listen to Pelosi, no means no. She may be great at delivering the votes and fundraising, but she is also a broken record on war crimes.

[Tx4obama]

51. a little bit more of what I think....

President Obama has been in office for less than two years.
It was never in his agenda that he was going to prosecute anyone one regarding war crimes.
He is now between a rock and a hard place.
I believe that he would love to prosecute the folks guilty of war crimes,(I believe in his heart he would like to do it 'right now') but if he does it 'now' then he has to admit that AMERICA committed war crimes.... will he do it in his first couple of years in office? No. Will he do it in his third or forth year or in his second term? I believe he will.
I still think he and Eric Holder are gathering evidence for a slam dunk.

[Mithreal]

54. After reading what you have written and responded I believe your heart is in the right place.

I know the President is a swell guy to have a beer, smart, focused and as charming as humanly possible. Nothing has persuaded me that the President is on the side of Justice, rather he's a politician who said what he needed to get elected. I welcome you to convince me otherwise.

Any link please to gathering evidence for this slam dunk?

And how would your argument change if this President is committing war crimes?

[Mike K]

38. There is a point at which optimism -

- fades into naivete. I do hope you are right and I am cynically pessimistic.



But I just don't think so.

[hulka38]

62. +1

[icee]

69. I think there is more chance of aliens landing at the Lincoln Memorial

than that happening.

[pundaint]

77. I wish he wasn't working SO hard at making it a surprise, and I hope you're right.

Of course my big shiny Hope from the campaign has starved to death over the last year.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

80. It's not going to happen --

because there are high ranking Dems who would be taken out with such an investigation.

Not. Gonna. Happen.

[rhett o rick]

100. Heyman. Pass that joint over here. nm

[earcandle]

We'll probably be prosecuting Obama as well for continuing the crimes when we finally get around to

Run time: 03:12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69BnZgEl6gg   Posted on YouTube: March 12, 2010 By YouTube Member: firedoglake Views on YouTube: 11   Posted on DU: March 12, 2010 By DU Member: earcandle Views on DU: 6865

 

it.  And WE WILL... its just a matter of time. 

[Mithreal]

31. I suspect the same. Would not be surprised in the least if Regressives

went after him for war crimes and let Cheney and Bush off with a slap of the wrist.

[icee]

72. Ahhhhhh.... You know, I never thought of that-- That's it; they'll go

after Obama and trample over the Democrats that don't join them doing it.

[Mike K]

36. And methinks you're right.

[DutchLiberal]

86. American presidents can break ALL laws and get away with it...

Johnson, Nixon, Bush I, Clinton, Bush II...

And not just presidents, but everybody in the administration...

McNamara, Kissinger, Rumsfeld, Cheney...

They ALL get away with it. Some of them even receive the Nobel Peace Prize and are treated with utmost dignity by the media.

[howmad1]

107. Whoever said "Crime does not pay"......

....is an idiot!

[Wizard777]

92. But Obama always gets what he wants. Like universal health care.

Just like any other issue before Congress. What Obama wants is irrelevant. It's about their duty and what We The People want.

[Bitwit1234]

7. I know it would have caused contention

but, if bush and cheney had been prosecuted or even brought up on charges this country would surely have started to heal better. The truth about all the crooked corruption and starting a war without provocation would have been laid out and a lot of people would not have a leg to stand on now.

[Cleita]

10. And you are so right.

However, it seems this country is getting weirder and weirder about putting our high profile criminals behind bars. I still have some hope in the future.

[OnyxCollie]

99. Maybe we only live in an illusion of democracy.

If the selection of shrub was, in fact, a coup perpetrated by the SCOTUS, why would we believe they could be removed by legitimate means? The candidates are chosen for us by the media; the counting of the votes (an inherently governmental function if ever there were one) now outsourced to private companies and tallied with secret, proprietary software (With ES&S buying Diebold and becoming the biggest. We'll see if the DoJ can break them up before Nov.); a politicized Justice Dept. indicting and investigating Democrats before elections in swing races; the SCOTUS allowing corporations unlimited funding for campaigns; all this and caging lists to remove black voters. None of these things have been addressed. We drift on, the principle of movement carries us past contradictions.

Here's a thought: Nothing will change, nothing will get better. Things will get worse. This will happen because we no longer control government. It has been outsourced. Yet, all will appear as it always has. The population will continue doing what they have always done, happily fed by the teat of corporate media. You and I will become lonely but not alone; isolated in loneliness, not in solitude.

Maybe this is happening because the world is ending. The rich and powerful will take all that they can while the masses remain comfortably ignorant. Maybe this flagrant violation of laws, this blatant theft of money, is being perpetrated because climate change, pollution, overfishing, and an unsustainable population is pushing the earth toward the destruction of the human race. Many people have said, "The End is Nigh," and lived their entire lives without seeing the world end; maybe you and I won't be so lucky.

Or maybe not.

[gateley]

15. I'm not sure I agree with that -- I think it may have divided the country further.

It would have gone a long way in the right direction to many of us, but I don't see it bringing the country together by any means.

And having said that, I still feel strongly that they should be brought to justice, regardless of how the country responds.

[Mike K]

48. There is no question about that.

The fact that the Bush gang has gotten away with their many massive crimes ensures that more of the same, and a lot worse, will take place in the future. What Obama has done is perfectly comparable to ignoring the perpetrators of any other crimes, from larceny to homicide. Repetition is inevitable.

I believe Obama has a responsibility to direct his Attorney General to investigate and prosecute the high-level crimes of the Bush Administration. If he deliberately ignores that responsiblity he could be leaving himself open to a charge of criminal malfeasance -- provided we are so fortunate as to elect a principled successor.

[ClassWarrior]

24. The fact that they let GOP role model Dick Nixon get away is the reason we have...

...much of the lawlessness in office that exists today.

No lessons learned, apparently.

NGU.

[Mithreal]

33. Clinton did not prosecute Bush and Reagan, it's become a pattern.

[Mike K]

39. As my profane Dutch granny used to say -

- "Most politicians shit in and eat out of the same pot!"

There is honor among thieves. If Clinton had prosecuted Reagan and Bush-41 he would be setting a precedent for the event that he got caught. And I believe Obama is similarly un-motivated to prosecute his criminal predecessor.

[Mithreal]

49. I hope she passed on more zingers.

Cheers for all the good ones who resist the corruption and persevere.

Obama will be hugging the chimp and dick when it's all over and we'll just be holding our heads in shame. Please, I so want to be wrong about this President.

[olegramps]

67. Not only Nixion, but the Great Pretender, Reagan for Iran-Contra.

[bigmonkey]

84. Revert the definition of the pardon to its common-sense interpretation.

Get a ruling that the pardon can only be used on someone convicted of a crime. It was the redefinition of the pardon as a pre-emptive action under Ford that really set us on the wrong course. This wouldn't cause any "24 hours" type of problems, the pardon would still be available. You'd just have to cop to the crime technically first.

"Did I <fill in the horrible act>? Yes. But it obviously allowed us to disarm the nuclear device!"
"Pardon granted."

[bertman]

98. As much as I wish you were right, Bitwit1234, I doubt that's the case. We Americans are too

dependent upon the benefits conferred on us by our military hegemony: low cost petroleum products (remember what happened when gas prices went sky high?), cheap imported goods from subjugated peoples, cheap natural resources from nations who can't defeat our proxy armies (controlled by our special forces and CIA).

We believe that we are supposed to be able to live like the kings and queens we see on TeeVee. Of course, I'm being facetious about the kings and queens part--we don't really see THEM on TeeVee--but I'm not kidding about living like kings and queens compared to most people on the planet.

Sadly, the chickens will be coming home to roost in the not-too-distant future. Our bill for ongoing military/intelligence operations all over the globe is going to be a huge factor in bankrupting us. But until then, most Americans will cling to the idea that we are special, so we have to protect ourselves and our specialness at all costs.

[20score]

8. One of the other great tragedies is that the leaders who were not the driving force behind crimes,

are too cowardly or involved in the crimes to do their duty. It is beyond belief that this is what constitutes leadership in our country now. Anyone who advocates doing what is legally and morally obligated is labeled a nut.
Thirty years ago carrying out their legal and moral obligations in a situation such as this would have been considered a given.

Nixon was chased from office for less than Bush admitted to publicly.

[Mithreal]

34. Nixon had a smaller fan base, I guess. That's more important anyway.

[flyarm]

9. Nancy ought to package and sell some of that powder..there ought to be shit loads of it now! eom

[Hulk]

13. This is just sad....

She speaks out of both sides of her mouth. Yeah...she's really bothered/troubled by the cost of the Iraq Invasion. But we'll just forget responsibility for this heinous crime and blah, blah, blah.

This is just sad. Guess what? Guess we can repeat this again, and again, and again. Other countries hold their leaders responsible. We just let evil war-mongers live on and try to twist history into hailing their keeping us safe??? Absurd. I don't even know where to go with this logic.

[Cleita]

14. She always seems nervous, but tonight

talking to Rachel, she was as nervous as a sparrow caught by a cat that wants to play with it a bit. I know Rachel won't eat her, but she won't let her get away with a little paw slap either.

[Name removed]

41. Deleted message

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

[Skip Intro]

96. There's really no need for that.

[John Q. Citizen]

16. When Pelosi says the President wants to go forward, I assume she means both bush and Obama.

Why have laws at all, it they are just a joke?

[Hubert Flottz]

23. We need laws for people like you and me.

The powerful and the wealthy are "Entitled" to get away with anything they do.

"Justice" is an unfunny joke in this "Nation of Laws". We have become a nation led by outlaws. Sarah was right America went Rogue under Bush and Cheney. The BushCo criminals or worse, will be waiting in the wings to rape, pillage and plunder as soon as they get another chance. Not holding the guilty accountable will embolden the criminals. The severity of their crimes will escalate down the road. Who's fault will that be Nancy? If the premeditated murder of thousands of people in Iraq, brought on by Bush and Cheney's lies, is not a "high crime" I don't know what is.(maybe a knob job?) Charles Manson's crimes were small time compared to the mass killing that the Bush Gang did.

[gimama]

37. funny You mention manson..

ck my post below..
Vince bugliosi, who prosecuted manson, is going after * & co!

[lebkuchen]

70. That's why I'm retiring in Europe

It's why my significant other is retiring in Europe and my brother in Australia.

Instincts say the US isn't a safe place in which to live, on many levels.

Good to see you!

[Hubert Flottz]

71. Good to see you too...

The food and the beer is enough reason to live in Europe!

[gateley]

18. Even if she wanted to do something (which I'm not convinced she does) she has

to sing the company song.

[dflprincess]

21. No she doesn't have to

she chooses to.

[gateley]

22. Yes. She chooses to. nt

[nosmokes]

19. Didn't Obama say he'd go after Bush if we put him in office? Think about this

when you're told how they'll improve health-care later...

[Mike K]

40. I think he implied it -

- much in the way he implied a lot of other things he had no intention of doing. He's very good at that deceptive technique and I'm surprised at how many people continue to be fooled by it.

[nosmokes]

58. I know it was said by those speaking on his behalf and w/his authority but

whether Obama himself said it I can't be 100% sure. But for that cunt Pelosi to shrug off her and the rest of the dems incompetence in allowing the Iraq war to proceed w/o so much as asking a tough question and now dismissing the dead and wounded as *the great tragedy* with a toss off as if she'd run over the neighbor kid's cat is just sickening and repulsive.

[DutchLiberal]

88. No, he said he didn't think Bush did anything worthy of impeachment...

[DearAbby]

25. In other words...

there are laws (suggestions) for them...then there are laws for the rest of us.

[Grassy Knoll]

26. Obama has way bigger problems than this shit.......

we can't even go forward, let alone backward.

[laconicsax]

28. You're absolutely right!

War crimes and treason committed at the highest levels of government is no biggie. Let's help him mandate private insurance with no public option, bailout Wall St., and call it even.

:eyes:

[Mithreal]

44. +1

[icee]

74. I take it your being sarcastic? Those things in the latter part of

your sentence pale in comparison to war crimes and treason.

[laconicsax]

81. While I am being sarcastic, it is exactly what we're asked to do.

The Wall St. bailouts have already happened and we're told why we shouldn't be upset about it. As to this train-wreck of an health insurance bill, I remember quite clearly, about a year ago, encountering the argument that Obama shouldn't go after *, et al. because it could jeopardize the chances of getting HCR.

[Mithreal]

42. Um, when he took the job, he had a clue. Justice is one of this country's legs.

And you excuse kicking it out from under or leaving it broken?

The President cannot be in all places all the time, he must focus. :wtf:

That is one of the tiredest excuses. Do you realize we have a DOJ? Do you think they just get the President his smokes and coffee? And hire more investigators and prosecutors, that'll help the economy too.

Don't stand up for what you know is right. This is why people accuse Dems of being weak and it sticks, we all know it even if some choose denial, pathetic spineless excuses. It's a clear message to Independents and the rest of us, we refuse to uphold the principles that make this nation strong. If you can't do the basics, why should I trust you to represent me on anything. And despite all the nice things people say about Pelosi, I won't forget, she is traitorous and this should be called treason. I'm sure her heart is in the right place and Dem Leadership are master strategists biding their time, right. Republicans aren't the only ones that can say No.

Mr. President, we will make you and your administration do your job even when it is inconvenient. If you are not cut out for it, then step aside at the end of your term. I am just getting angrier, I'll stop now. The only light I see on this is pressure from us.

[JHB]

103. Has it occurred to you that one reason why "we can't even go forward"...

...is because he hasn't made "this shit" a priority?

What's been his big obstacle? The lockstep, party-line obstructionism by the Republicans.

What has he done to attack that? Nothing.

Would exposing the widespread corruption, abuse, and looting of taxpayer monies by the Busies (and supported just as lockstep by the Republicans) send some scrambling to distance themselves from the pack and play the "Independence" card?

Yup. It would. Happens every time.

[intheflow]

29. Could I love Maddow any more?

And could Pelosi squirm and be evasive any more? This clip perfectly illustrates Maddow's intelligence and Pelosi's complicity in the matters brought forth.

[Mithreal]

45. +1 Maddow for Speaker!

I know, in another universe.

[gimama]

32. WOW! I feel better NOW!

found on fb:
"indict cheney, bush, rumsfeld, wolfowitz for war crimes and murder!!!"

www.indiegogo.com/bush
YOU gotta see this video!

[Mithreal]

90. The Bugliosi video, should post a video op, maybe I missed someone else posting

[gimama]

94. I KNOW!!! I tried to post it

but it had been posted last year(the youtube version).. although it just came out last month(huh?)..
The original OP video was so long ago, I don't know why it can't be re-posted? Any ideas/suggestions?
If YOU know how to post it without causing 'trouble' ;) I would appreciate it & *KNOW* other DUers would too.

[Mithreal]

102. People do reposts often. Just have to make sure is a good youtube link.

Older ones could be just about the book. More recent ones about the movie. I hadn't seen anything about the movie though. Maybe there was a preview that was a year old?

[EFerrari]

43. Thank you, HIssyspit. n/t

[mmarsh]

52. Pelosi missed a fundimental point. No culpability means the neocons will do it again in Iran.

History always repeats itself, and since the Democrats are basicially trying to pretend that the Iraq war didnt happen the way it did the GOP will almost assurately do the samething all over again.

[Mithreal]

56. Neocons, Neoliberals, New Dems, Old School Thugs, all friends here.

The Propaganda War against the American people over Iraq is Mission Accomplished.

http://www4.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/Pres+Obama+Meets+Henry+Kissenger+George+Schultz+lLRdqHiKYssl.jpg

It's not just the GOP.

[scribble]

53. She's a monumental hypocrite

but she's good at it.

sc

[puebloknot]

55. One of the great tragedies for our country is that an aging beauty queen ...

... has the power of obfuscation so thoroughly twisted around her well-manicured little finger.

I watched in disgust as she sat there, denying her role in refusing to impeach Bush, et al., and as she simply stated that Obama wanted to move on. Dictator Obama? Is that what she means? Because I thought the Congress was supposed to have some say in what happens in this country.

This is all part of the "post-partisan" swill that Obama has been dishing out all through his campaign and now his tenure in office. Maybe the guy just wants to stay alive, but I'd sure like for him to show some courage on behalf of We, the People!

[Mithreal]

57. Pelosi just told you the Congress has ceded authority to the Executive

As speaker, she has just told you that she has neutered Congress and turned power over to the Executive to investigate the Executive. She is obeying because(?) the President is head of the party and they have made not prosecuting criminals a political decision.

Anyone else see the problem with that? Maybe someone can explain how I am wrong, I'll admit if I am.

She took impeachment off the table and Obama wasn't even President then. You can blame it on some funky fraudulent strategy, AGAIN a political reason for not upholding justice.

Pelosi is no neophyte. She has always seemed a lil squirrely to me. Watch her eyes when she says the President has decided to move on around the 1 minute mark. Watch her eyes through the whole thing, she is signaling on that statement about the President's decision. I think she either knows its unacceptable, bullshit, disagrees, or is lying.

I don't think she would hold up to being interrogated or under oath.

[rpannier]

59. Well, the President has wanted to go forward, to move on and go forward.

So the President wants are more important than the Rule of Law or The Constitution

Thanks Nancy

[Mithreal]

60. In a nutshell, yes. They've politicized justice in this country. Rove2.0

Wouldn't be prudent, notgahdoit.

[spicegal]

61. Glad Rachel brought it up, but certainly not surprised at the response.

The Democrats can barely get legislation passed with a sizable majority. Can you imagine if they'd try to go after the Bush administration, during or after the fact? I don't think Obama felt it would be productive to use political capital on that fight, and it would have been a huge fight.

[Mithreal]

79. It's not at all clear that is the case.

How many people on DU knew we would never get substantive HCR without maneuvering around the filibuster way back last year? The reps in DC knew this better than us. My one Senator is Senate leadership and her CoS places the obstruction not just on the Regressives, but we never needed them, places it on the President.

Funny how that pattern is repeated on this topic. OBSTRUCTION of Justice. I don't care how much lipstick you put on it, Obama is Excusifier in Chief.

On HCR there are all those "special" interests that the President partnered with. It's somewhat obvious why we have encountered speed bumps. But War Crimes? Do you really think the MIC wouldn't let Bush and Cheney hang out to dry? There is something else going on here. President Obama is accessory to War Crimes at the very least or outright War Criminal himself. Don't take my word for it, wait for the Republicans to make the case when they are back in the saddle and see how persuasive the media is while they shrug off the chimp's "mistakes." They'll say we didn't know there weren't any weapons of MD, we had all of our receipts. But by the time Obama took office, it was pretty clear to everyone paying attention, why didn't he stop things. Wait and watch. Regressives are masters of hypocrisy. Of course, maybe all that reaching across the aisle and ball playing the corporate masters will pay off and he will stay out of that boiling pot.

What we have here is a failure to connect the dots. It's the President.

Don't buy the political capital excuses. You stand up for what is right or you don't. You accept excuses or you don't. Yeah, I get it that there is middle ground where you only sometimes abandon what is right. That's weakness personified. At least Republicans have the courage of their convictions even if they are the Party of Cain.

[FlyByNight]

63. Accountability doesn't apply to the Beltway-Wall St. axis

The higher the position one occupies, in either Washington and/or Wall St. circles, the less likely one is held accountable for crimes.

Smoke pot - throw away the key. Justify, promote and commit torture - look forward. Appalling.

:grr:

[AsahinaKimi]

64. Thanks madam Speaker..The phrase "Justice for all.."

Just fell between the cracks of the Congressional floor.

[olegramps]

68. Its about BIPARTISANSHIP, BIPARTISANSHIP, BIPRATISANSHIP...

[Blue Owl]

78. no kidding

look at who they're partying with -- thieves, liars, cheaters, corrupt cronies, and charlatans of the GOP.

Bipartisanship is great -- if your goal is to get stuck in the swamp with no way out.

[Mari333]

73. knr to rachel for exposing the spineless Pelosi and her spineless friends

she makes me :puke:

[vanbean]

75. Our Rachael has some kind of gonads. What I love about her is

that she is not afraid to use the word "liberal".

[Hissyspit]

76. kick nt

[Myrina]

82. ... because EVERYONE who stood by for 8 years and let it happen is ACCOUNTABLE,

including Madame Speaker. And she knows it.

[Mithreal]

83. +1

[Capitalocracy]

97. I wish we lived in a country...

where if everyone in Congress is guilty of a crime, everyone in Congress would go to jail.

[crim son]

89. Pelosi:

"Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Blah."

[rg123]

91. Nancy Had Her Chance But Looked The Other Way

It's been over a year now since Dennis Kucinich introduced 35 Articles of Impeachment
The evidence is there they just won't do anything about it.
Here is the video starting @ 41:37: http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/205889-3

[Capitalocracy]

95. If you listen to the Republicans, Obama's already prosecuting

Liz Cheney kept talking about it at CPAC, saying Obama was investigating and trying to prosecute these brave American patriot heroes from the CIA who kept us safe by waterboarding.

If you're going to pay the political price for doing the right thing either way, you might as well just DO IT! What are you afraid of? That the Republicans will say you're prosecuting torture and they don't like it? THEY'RE ALREADY SAYING IT! THEY HAVE NO CARDS LEFT TO PLAY! JUST FREAKIN' DO IT ALREADY!



sorry, this pisses me off

[Borrego]

101. Enough Already

Really, Nancy Pelosi is an alien in a human costume. Nothing is natural about that broad. Honestly I think the Democrats should drop the whole prosecuting Bushco for war crimes spiel. Maddow sounds like shes trying to cling to the leftist base to draw some sort of meager rating for her failing program. Drop the past and lets get to work on the future.

[JHB]

104. So you're OK with unrestricted wiretapping, abuse of the DOJ, crony contacting...

... outing a CIA operative and in doing so destroying an operation that tracked nuclear materials, and all the other criminality that took place under the Bush administration without even getting into the "war crimes" debate?


Sorry, I've heard this tune played before. The "future" it brings is the same group of corrupt bastards, plus their proteges, getting back into power a few years later and doing the same damn things and worse.

So yes, "enough already". Investigate and prosecute.

[bongbong]

106. Trifle disappointed

I'm a bit disappointed with Rachel on this one. She KNOWS/KNEW the standard reply to "why aren't you impeaching (fill in name of any 'pig)?" is "we need to move on". The obvious rejoinder to this is "well then that means no crime is prosecutable. Are we a nation of laws or of men?"

I would've ripped Pelousy* to rhetorical bits.

* yes, I know 'pigs use that pejorative all the time, but so what!

[sam sarrha]

108. Accountability for psychotic war profiteering criminals IS OFF THE TABLE..!!

[bdamomma]

109. a tragedy all right we have no one in the government who

wants to hold bush thugs accountable, sad some of us aren't going to forget that is for damn sure!!!

[3324SS]

110. Obma, DOJ and the Dems are Just as guilty as Bush Now

and he needs to be impeached right along with Bush, Cheney and the Rest of the Criminal Cabal.

Following the law is more important then any 1 person or party.

As long as they let them get away with the crimes committed by the Criminal Cabal they become just as guilty.