Durbin’s office statement: GOP Propaganda Machine Gets it Wrong Again

[sabra]

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/news_theswamp/files/gop_propaganda_machine3.doc

GOP PROPAGANDA MACHINE GETS IT WRONG AGAIN

Right-wing publications of dubious integrity – conservative blogs such as Power Line and the ultra-conservative Washington Times – are trying to erroneously portray Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) as waiting years to voice his concern over misleading statements by Bush administration officials regarding the invasion of Iraq.

Background:

What Senator Durbin has said repeatedly is that the unclassified summary of the prewar intelligence findings (publicly released in 2002) contained a troubling assessment of Iraq’s WMD. What the public was told and what Senators on the Intelligence Committee were told in closed session were not inconsistent. The difference, of course, is that the Committee had extensive intelligence, as embodied in the top secret National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), that the public did not have. The Senator came to the view that the threat described was troubling, but it did not pose an imminent threat to the U.S (and that’s why he offered a floor amendment saying that the use of force was only appropriate if there was “an imminent threat.”)

Durbin has been both outspoken and consistent about his approach to Iraq. He took extraordinary measures to make his position known and to persuade the Bush Administration to change course.

Here are Sen. Durbin’s four key actions on Iraq: (1) he wanted to know what the coordinated Intelligence Community view was on Iraq WMD so he formally request the Administration prepare the NIE; (2) he asked for an unclassified version of the NIE at the same time so the American people would also know what the intelligence community thought; (3) he offered an amendment on the Senate floor that war should only be authorized if the threat was “imminent” -- the key assessment; (4) and he voted against going to war because the evidence wasn’t sufficiently compelling to justify such an extreme measure.

[wicket]

1. K & R

:kick:

[rodeodance]

2. geesch--------and why omit how Mitch Mcconnell circulated an email related

to Durbin floor speech that same evening!!

[in_cog_ni_to]

3. Good for him! K & R!

[The Count]

4. So, we don't ask him to resign then?

:sarcasm:

[BlooInBloo]

5. Of course we do. DUers never admit they were wrong.

[nosmokes]

6. i don't give a damn how hard or fast it's spun, the EIGHT DEMS on the intel

committee are guilty of not doing enough to stop this mess. and i'm not now have never been anything that even remotely resembles right-wing.

they could have been louder, they could have ben more of a nuisance, they could have refused to STFU.

[JNelson6563]

7. But, but, but...he's evil! Stone him!

:sarcasm:

[jsamuel]

8. So Durbin didn't vote against it because he "knew they were lying" but because

"the evidence wasn’t sufficiently compelling to justify such an extreme measure."

I think some people owe John Edwards an apology for saying he lied in his apology.

[creeksneakers2]

9. They all knew

So many doubts were raised about the WMD intelligence before the war that I can't believe anybody who followed events didn't know the WMD intelligence was all agitprop.

I had my hopes up that Durbin might be the first to admit what he knew but I guess he's not ready yet.

[rosesaylavee]

10. Are we DUers at all concerned how prevalent the RW talking points on this issue

were repeated over and over again here on DU this week?

[jsamuel]

11. I am. I think it is a problem that people are so willing to attack fellow Dems for personal or

political gain for their own candidates with no proof and only accusations.

I will continue to not participate in that behavior.

[rosesaylavee]

14. My tinfoil hat

says that many are getting paid for that behavior... some are just sucked along with the tide but there are some that seem to pop up and say the same misinformation thread after thread.

[BlooInBloo]

16. DUers call you a Nazi if you're concerned about such things.

[rosesaylavee]

17. Wish I had the link but

it was reported in early 2006 well before the election that candidates were hiring official lurkers to promote their povs on the 'internets'.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

12. Never Doubted Him For A Second. He's A Good Dem.

[Tinksrival]

15. One of THE best! I agree!

We need at least twenty more Durbins let alone loose the one we have........sheesh!

[SammyWinstonJack]

13. K&R!