One of the many traits I didn't like about President Clinton is he never took responsibility for anything. Now I see President Bush doing the same thing about this 16 word "mistake". I am not a big fan of current CIA Director George Tenet but he should not be taking the blame. If those words are incorrect (and the British believes they are correct) then President must take responsibility. I even recommend taking 15 minutes to address the nation and explain. Most Americans will understand that mistakes can and will be made but would appreciate taking the responsibility. Didn't a past President once say "The buck stops here"? I'm all for that.
Posted by Tim at July 13, 2003 10:17 PMPresident Bush seems to want it both ways. He blames Tenet completely on the State of the Union fiasco, but then says he has complete faith in Tenet.
Didn't Tenet say something to the effect that he should have been more persuasive with the President's staff to convince them to delete info like this?
It's as though he hoped the next move would be by President Bush saying something like, "Two sides contributed to this mistake. I accept Mr. Tenet's apology that he should have been more persuasive. But maybe my office too should apologize for not listening more closely to his arguments."
I really think trogers is onto the reason this issue isn't fading. It can't possibly be right that only the CIA is to blame. There must have been contribution by the Executive Office in this issue. That's why there are continuing questions, and it looks like the press will dig and dig until someone in the Executive Office 'fesses up to some responsibility.
Posted by: Kurt at July 14, 2003 10:02 PMI don't even care who's to blame. I think the man at the top must take the blame. I don't see anything unethical but there may have been a mistake. A leader needs to step up and take it.
Posted by: trogers at July 14, 2003 10:11 PMI think you're right that the guy at the top has to take the blame in the end. I believe when the full story is out, and the top guy takes responsibility, the story will end. The problem is the full story is not out, so the President can't yet honestly take the blame for the full story. But also he's not helping get it out.
You get a taste of the problem by going through today's Washington Post front page:
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"President Bush yesterday defended the "darn good" intelligence he receives, continuing to stand behind a disputed allegation... Bush said the CIA's doubts about the charge... were "subsequent" to the Jan. 28 State of the Union speech... Defending the broader decision to go to war with Iraq, the president said the decision was made after he gave Saddam Hussein "a chance to allow the inspectors in, and he wouldn't let them in."...
...Bush's position was at odds with those of his own aides...The president's assertion that the war began because Iraq did not admit inspectors appeared to contradict the events leading up to war this spring: Hussein had, in fact, admitted the inspectors and Bush had opposed extending their work because he did not believe them effective....In the face of persistent questioning...administration officials have responded with evolving and sometimes contradictory statements...."
Posted by: Kurt at July 15, 2003 06:50 AM
