Ridge Says Bushies Exploited Terror Threats for Political Purposes. No S**t, Sherlock

So now it's been officially confirmed: With political gain as the goal, President George W. Bush's administration attmpted to elevate the terror alert just days before the 2004 presidential election. The disclosure comes from former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge in his new book, "The Test of Our Times: America Under Siege . . . and How We Can Be Safe Again"

Ridge writes that Attorney General John D. Ashcroft, in reaction to a threatening video released by al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden on October 29, 2004, "strongly urged" that the threat level be raised just three days prior to the election, and that Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld concurred with Ashcroft. Ridge claims he vehemently disagreed, suggesting that elevating the threat level on the eve of the election was not warranted and would undermine the administration's credibility.

As expected, Bush officials have denied Ridge's allegations:

"The story line advanced by his publisher seemingly to sell copies of the book is nonsense," said Rumsfeld's spokesman.

Former White House chief of staff Andy Card said: "We went over backwards repeatedly and with great discipline to make sure politics did not influence any national security and homeland security decisions. The clear instructions were to make sure politics never influenced anything."

And former homeland security adviser Fran Townsend: "I'm a little mystified. Never in my experience did I see any political influence exerted on the cabinet secretary."

This is a huge story, but not a surprising one. Anyone with half a brain knew that the Bushies waged its own terror campaign between Sept 11, 2001 and the 2004 election, scaring the bajesus out of Americans by frequently manipulating the threat level to its political advantage. As Associated Press's Ron Fournier wrote in the summer of 2004:

"The politics of terrorism has Democrats tied in knots. Each time President Bush raises fears of a possible attack, the political debate shifts from his most troublesome issue (Iraq) to one of his strongest (the war on terrorism) while Democrats fight their impulse to question the president's motives."

To be sure, as this story unfolds, the criticism of Ridge will intensify. In typical Bushevik fashion, you can bet there'll be harsh attacks and character assassinations, all of which will directly contradict the previous public praise lavished on Ridge:

March 2, 2004: President Bush said Ridge and other officials "are doing a fantastic job of leading this department."

December 1, 2004, the day after Ridge announced his resignation, Bush said: "His efforts have resulted in safer skies, increased border and port security, and enhanced measures to safeguard our critical infrastructure and the American public. In the fight against terrorism, he has played a vital role in protecting the American people from a real and ongoing threat."

That is, of course, until Ridge blew the whistle on his former boss. But his explosive charge is really old news in a way. He's really not telling us anything we didn't already suspect. The Busheviks for eight years abused the power of the presidency, consistently using the White House, the Justice Department and the Attorney General's office, and other levers of government, for political gain. Whether manipulating terror threats, firing U.S. attorneys, or smearing former Ambassador Joe Wilson for example, the Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Ashcroft/Gonzalez cabal zealously and consistently played the politics of fear game. But will any of them ever pay for their misdeeds? Don't hold your breath.

Comments

[MikeLicht]

Republicans using political fearmongering ....

Everything old is new again.

See:

http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2009/08/23/tom-ridge-on-the-bush-terrorism-alert-code/

[ShinjiIkari]

former homeland security adviser Fran Townsend: "I'm a little mystified. Never in my experience did I see any political influence exerted on the cabinet secretary."

That's called willful blindness, Frannie. You and your bosses suffered from it 24/7 when they were running this country into the ground. Willful blindness about the Iraqi WMD; willful blindness about the alleged Saddam/Bin Ladin connection; willful blindness about the damage caused by Katrina.

I'm mystified as to why you and your superiors haven't been put UNDER the jail for what you've done to this country & its Constitution.

[EdwardianWords]

Okay, everyone intelligent knows they were manipulating public opinion. What I don't hear enough of is the idiotic, childish, irelevant, idiotic (I have to say it twice), and dumb color code system. How come no one, even in opposition, did not laugh at this? I mean laugh so hard so that whoever came up with it would crawl home in shame for attemtpting to cynically insult everyone's intelligence. What is next? Sorry, I can't think of anything more stupid.

[chicagurl]

Still waiting for someone to concede about Bush cheating in the debate with Kerry. With the bulge on his back, the earpiece in his ear and his remark, "Let me finish!" when no one was talking, it's just a matter of time before that one comes out as well. And, again, it will surprise absolutely no one.

[Pupadup4oBama]

I think these guys will see their day....sooner even.

[TRex86]

It is a miracle that the American public had a moment of clarity and tossed those crooks out of office. Now we have backslid into fearmongering and demagoguery. No longer is the threat Al Qaeda; now it's hysteria over death panels and socialism. We have a health care system so abusive that its captives have developed a Stockholm Syndrome, quivering in fear of being rescued. Is it something in the drinking water? Is it TV commercials controlling our brains? This great country is on the verge of collapsing under the weight of collective ignorance.

[longtimegone]

"A health care system so abusive that its captives have developed a Stockholm Syndrome." I don't know that I've heard it put so perfectly; would that my own doctor was so adroit with a metaphor, or a diagnosis.

[LMPE]

From the moment that the first plane hit the WTC, it was 100% obvious that Bush was going to do this.

[Pupadup4oBama]

when they were first talking w@r with Iraq, I said no way should they go in...we don't need this w@r....I wish I had been wr0ng.

[njguitarzan]

What is it going to take to make Pelosi or Reed launch formal investigations? People talk about a smoking gun, and we have a smoking country (Iraq) with Bush/Chene­y/Rumsfeld fingerprints all over it.

In the coming days, as the right begins their public crucifixion of Ridge, the left has to avoid the knee jerk reaction to glorify him for his forthrightness. This is coming 4 or 5 years too late to be heroic whistleblowing. He kept his mouth shut when it might have made a difference.

[Freesia2]

Elementary my dear Watson.

And something I'd like to know. (I'm going to sound like a conspiracy theorist. But since it seems we lived a conspiracy - what the hey. ;-) )

I'd like to know about that October 29, 2004 "threatening" video. We were told it was credible. By whom?Why Bush's people of course. Confirmed by the CIA that were Cheney's lap dogs. I'm sure we've all heard of Paint Shop and computer graphics experts and sound engineers and........

[Pupadup4oBama]

Wag the dog, my friend.

[Freesia2]

Yep. That movie looks more and more like a documentary.

[peterg76]

The *function* of the Department of Homeland Security was "scaring the bajesus out of Americans". Did you ever see the department do anything else?