Paul Begala thinks Obama should've taken blame instead of passing the blame to agencies.

[LovinLife]

Do u agree w/ that? I can understand not wanting to throw intel agencies under the bus. They do sacrifice a lot.

[dkf]

1. I just want to know what went wrong.

It doesn't matter anyway. Obama would have been taking the blame for how some agency screwed up. Same difference.

[IndianaGreen]

2. The fault lies squarely on the National Counterterrorism Center

and its head Michael Leiter, a Bush holdover.

[LovinLife]

7. What about the State Dept? He was able to keep his Visa after his father alerted authorites. nt

[IndianaGreen]

10. That's a good point!

Someone fumbled the ball at Foggy Bottom.

[karynnj]

56. Note Begala on a show earlier in the week disputed a Republican

asking where Hillary Clinton was. So, he might be a bit inconsistent here.

[Cha]

61. Ya think!

:bounce: On the face of it..it's a bit disingenuous of begala to single out the Prez this way especially since Obama took responsibility for it.

[dkf]

14. No report on the alert until after the incident.

Unless we fault state for not reviewing all of Bush's approvals, it won't end up there.

Of course, they could be blamed for not cleaning up after an obviously incompetent leadership.

[zbdent]

44. Bush didn't take the blame nor accepted the blame for the failure of

the intelligence community for 9/11. In fact, he let others blame Clinton for it.

However, Bush was given the clear facts about Osama bin Laden (only months after the USS Cole attack), and he didn't act on them. But, picking and choosing things in retrospect works for Repugs, because they scream about how Clinton didn't "accept" ObL on a silver platter when he was "offered" (by a guy who apparently went on to become Glenn Beck's crowd estimator), despite the fact that the Repugs were screaming at Clinton for distracting the nation from the real issues of the day (court case over a bl*wjob) when Clinton struck at ObL ...

[Hamlette]

49. the father's report should have been investigated, not taken at face value

I've been involved in cases where spouses, parents, children, neighbors call authorities to report some horrible wrongdoing on the part of their spouse, child, parent etc. and it turns out it was a lie, part of some awful family dynamic.

[tabatha]

3. The blame should be for the people who screwed up.

[Jamastiene]

37. Agreed n/t

[LiberalAndProud]

4. Why? Because he didn't personally take out the bomber?

He has people who are supposed to be doing their jobs. He should review the massive intelligence data every night before he turns in for the night?

Obama's tone was exactly right today. Exactly.

[gateley]

17. Agree. I was impressed -- and reassured -- by his statement today. nt

[rwheeler31]

5. no

This was a Bush system that never worked. Why would Obama be responsible?

[FrenchieCat]

6. Don't know if you've noticed, but Obama is being blamed.

Even though there were no fatalities, the media acts like there were.
The shoe bomber got 1/10 of the media coverage this has gotten.....

[LovinLife]

8. He's basically saying Obama should've accepted the blame publicly.

[deaniac83]

9. Paul Begala

is the same dude that was pissed at Howard Dean for his 50 state strategy, which Begala characterized as paying people to pick their noses.

I rest my case.

[LiberalAndProud]

11. Yes, one must consider the source.

[LiberalAndProud]

15. Hi deaniac83. Welcome to DU.

:hi:

Is this you?

http://www.mydd.com/users/deaniac83/posts/can-your-conscience-live-with-killing-the-bill

If so, nicely done.

[deaniac83]

24. Thank you!

Yup, that's me. I mostly post on Daily Kos and sometimes on MyDD. But a comprehensive archive of everything there and some more of my thoughts are on my blog, www.thepeoplesview.net. Once again, thank you for the welcome and compliment.

[Cha]

58. Oh good! It gives me a chance to thank you

personally for your writing on the killbill, too.

[gateley]

18. Welcome to DU, deaniac83!

:hi:

[deaniac83]

25. Thanks!

I'm still learning the ropes around here. :)

[bluestateguy]

22. The Clinton people have a certain arrogance

They seem to think they are the only Democrats who know how to win in politics.

Barack Obama proved them wrong, and the Clintonites don't like that.

[Hekate]

34. Indeed. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

Hekate

[deaniac83]

35. Thanks!

This is a great community. :)

[Hekate]

36. Well, sometimes you have to duck the flying tomatoes, but other than that, yes indeed.

I've been here since '02.

Hekate

[bigwillq]

47. Hello

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[karynnj]

57. Not to mention, Begala and Carville were pathetic as 2 of the most prominent people

on tv in 2004. They rarely had a positive thing to say about either Dean, when he was the front runner, or Kerry, as the nominee. Now, in 2008, they both spoke of the wonderful work HRC did on SCHIP - but they never mentioned, as Kennedy did, that the precursor bill for that was written and sponsored by Kennedy and Kerry. Kerry's role was greater than Hillary's (getting Bill to add funding to the budget) - yet in 2004, they were uninterested, and in 2008, it was HRC's greatest accomplishment.

They instead spent their time making snarky jokes about Bush, that made us laugh (and I admit I laughed) but converted no one.

The funny thing is that Begala did not join a Republican a few days ago in agreeing that Hillary Clinton should be explaining what went wrong in the State Department on this. Now, if he believes in their being some dignity and strength in taking blame for everything wrong done by all who report to you ... why is Clinton exempt.

[kwenu]

12. With all due respect to Mr. Begala, I am not a child.

And I have little respect for people who can't accept truthful constructive criticism. The President leveled with us and spoke to us like adults. Grow up.

[napi21]

13. Obama DID take resonsibility & he said tose agencies are his

responsibility, but I believe the reason this happened AGAIN is inter agency terratorialism like it's always been! That was the reaso they wee all combined uner "Homeland Security, but nothing has changed.

Believe me, I've personally experienced it. They won't even talk to each other unless a superior forces them!!!

[gateley]

20. I bet they'll be doing a lot more talking now! nt

[napi21]

23. I hope, behind those closed WH doors today Obama told

everyone of the 20 Agency heads that THEY WILL WORKS TOGETHER! That's what should have been done way back when the DHS was established! That can only be done by their boss, and that boss is the POTUS. Shrub of course wouldn't have thought of doing such a thing!

[gateley]

26. Obama seemed pissed -I wouldn't be surprised if he laid down the law. I'd

love to hear some of what went on! I was thinking the other day that if I were Obama, I'd make the heads of each of the factions meet with me every week and I'd grill 'em mercilessly until I was sure they didn't need a babysitter any longer. Too bad that they need to be supervised and forced to do what they were charged to do, but apparently that's the case. The stakes are too high.

I kind of blew off the incident, but a DUer make me think when s/he posted what if you or a family member had been on that flight? Really -- THIS CLOSE to being blown to smithereens just because of inter-agency/departmental egos. :grr:

[gateley]

16. I didn't read it that way at all. nt

[bluestateguy]

19. He did

and as the president it is also his job to read the riot act to the bumblers in government who are not getting the job done.

[IntravenousDemilo]

21. Isn't it another Democratic President who once said, "The buck stops here"?

It would set a good example for Americans, one that was never set by the Bush administration.

[Hekate]

33. Part of his responsibility is to whip these folks into shape, and that he is doing.

Saying that the bucks stops here doesn't mean he is supposed to do their jobs for them.

Hekate

[vaberella]

43. Tell me about it. n/t

[vaberella]

42. Right...and so, for example...

It's Obama's fault that his security team didn't check on those reality show idiots who were able to get into the WH?! In some cases we have agencies which play a function. The failure is that these people failed at their jobs----not the President.

[tularetom]

27. In view off Mr Beluga's demonstrated partiality toward Hillary Clinton

It doesn't surprise me at all that he is still pissed off at Obama for defeating (and outsmarting) her in the primaries.

I would discount anything he says as the rantings of a sore loserman.

[Jim Sagle]

28. He took responsibility, as he should have.

By placing the blame where it belongs, on the intelligence apparatus, he gave notice that he would not be terror-boated by them or their Republican allies in and (especially) out of Congress.

He may even suspect an inside job, and if so, may be laying the groundwork for its exposure and the punishment of its perpetrators.

Good show all around by the President.

[anAustralianobserver]

30. I agree but will he follow through, or is the whole story here none of the public's business?? nt

[dkf]

29. What's with all the unrecs for basic reporting on what Begala is saying?

Geez.

[impik]

31. Because he had the information and didn't share it?

Bullshit.

[elleng]

32. Begala STILL not into 'truth' as an approach to 'news.'

[jeanpalmer]

38. Did he send the bombers to Yemen?

Then he's to blame. Because that's what caused it. And he knows it. It's incredible that no one in the MSM has made the connection and taken him to task for it, except Glen Greenwald. It's so obvious. It's as if everyone has his head stuck in the sand, wearing blinders for added protection. It's hilarious. But it also points out why we're never going to get out of this war on terror, especially with a Democrat in the WH. People simply can't face up to the obvious. Not in the WH, not on DU, not anywhere.

This bothers me about Obama. He knows the truth, and it's his responsibility to explain it to the American people. Instead he perpetuates the lies that undergird this sham of a war on terror.

[flpoljunkie]

39. This is his administration and when he says we failed systemically, he is taking blame, Begala.

[depakid]

40. The problem's with the agencies- and with interagency coordination

Obama's the commander in Chief- not an administrator.

Then again, if another situation arises after there's been enough time to reasonably roll heads where necessary- that might be another story.

[vaberella]

41. How is Obama to blame for this as well? I thought we had agencies in place to do a job.

It's the President's job to do EVERY single thing?! If that is the case can I take my tax money back that funds these other needless organizations that are supposedly supposed to do a function that is apparently the job of the President?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

45. no because he inherited Bush's intelligence mess!

he trying to revamp it

[Tippy]

46. Obama should nev er take the blame for what others do,,,,

Intel agencies...just what do they sacrifice? The bomb had exploded none of those intel people would have been blown up. If a person can not do the job they are being paid to do, they need to be fired. There are many capable people who would gladly take their place in line for pay they receive.

[Blasphemer]

48. In this case, the agencies screwed up.. The Prez can't do his job effectively..

if they aren't doing their job correctly and critical information is being withheld. There are rogue elements at play. He's 100% correct to lay blame at their feet.

[old mark]

50. Obama didn't screw it up - the agencies did. He is taking them to task

and finding out where they failed...where is HIS blame in this?

Personally I am glad he is finally showing anger at something, and I hope he stays angry for a long time - I think he will be seen as more effective.

mark

[Phx_Dem]

51. I rarely agree with Begala and this time is no exception.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

52. How is scapegoating Obama going to achieve anything?

[AngryAmish]

53. That's racist

[garagedoor]

54. I Don't Think I'm Mistaken

But the plotters of the Christmas Day event were sent back to Yemen in the BUSH Administration. Poster of Message #38 assumes it was the Obama Administration.

This is more of the same vague statements I've heard in the MSM. The Media decry the actions of the "Treasury" when talking about bailing out the banks. Which Treasury Department - the one under the Obama Admin or the one under Bush Admin. The media talks about "the Administration" sending folks from Gitmo back to Yemen when they mean THE BUSH Administration sent them back. The obvious intent is to mislead the public by vague reporting.

[karynnj]

55. This is silly - he as the head of all the agencies accepted blame

as they all report into him. But, that does not mean all the blame rests at the very top. The President can not define, set and monitor all programs the federal government runs. In addition, he did not spend time "assigning" blame. Here, there are several department and agencies that could be blamed, but those are really the same agencies that need to rework their policies to insure that they proactively will use information as well as possible.

In addition, you say "blame the agencies". No one is blaming the intel operatives. In fact, every review said that they followed procedures exactly as they were suppose to. Where the blame lies is at a higher level in each of those agencies and departments - in the people who right those guidelines and propose those procedures.

For instances, with hindsight EVERYONE could say that there is need to "manage" VISAs already issued, pulling them or at least flagging them if there is some new information. The State Department issues the VISAs. I would ask Begala if he thinks Hillary Clinton should take the blame - as the embassy where the father spoke of his concerns and the VISAs are both under her state department. I personally don't think so - but, if Clinton does not lead a tough review on this NOW and fix it (in conjunction with other organizations) than I will blame her.

[Cha]

59. Could it be that begala was just looking for

attention?

[Orsino]

60. Paul Begala has read too much Clancy.

The failures do not seem to have occurred in the White House.