Lawmaker expresses "dismay" that White House allegedly wrote Allawi speech

[kskiska]

WASHINGTON (AFP) - In a letter to the White House, a leading US Senate Democrat expressed "profound dismay" that the White House allegedly wrote a large portion of Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's speech to Congress last week.

"I want to express my profound dismay about reports that officials from your administration and your reelection campaign were 'heavily involved' in writing parts of Prime Minister Ayad Allawi's speech," California Senator Dianne Feinstein wrote in a letter to President George W. Bush (news - web sites).

(snip)

"To learn that this was not an independent view, but one that was massaged by your campaign operatives, jaundices the speech and reduces the credibility of his remarks," Feinstein wrote.

Her letter was a response to an article appearing in Thursday's Washington Post, which also alleged that Allawi was coached by US officials -- including Dan Senor, former spokesman for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq-- in perfecting his delivery of the speech delivered before a joint session of Congress one week ago.

more…
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040930/pl_afp/us_iraq_allawi_letter&cid=1521&ncid=1480

[leftchick]

1. dismay? WTF? how about some OUTRAGE!!!

and any moran could tell Allawi was reading one of idiotboys* stump speechs. God knows we hear the same shit every day!

[wryter2000]

2. This is progress for Difi

The original Dino.

[David__77]

11. She is occasionally better than OK.

I support her on abortion and gay rights. But her international positions stink. Same goes for criminal justice.

[indepat]

15. Well this is o.k. as long as Iraq completely controls its own destiny,

with its freedom and liberty unfettered by foreign influence/control.

[wishlist]

3. Only surprise is that so much direct influence has actually been revealed

It seemed obvious that Allawi's visit was for political purposes since he was touting the Bushco party line so closely, but such close collusion totally wipes out what little credibility he had.

[Demonaut]

4. puppets can't write, requires too fine motor control of the extremities.nt

[Hobarticus]

5. I'm more dismayed that anyone would be surprised...

Fer chrissakes, we gave him his job, probably his suit...why wouldn't we give hima script?

[Pale_Rider]

6. I think the Daily Show covered this ...

...in their Escape from Mess O'Potamia segment.
http://www.comedycentral.com/mp/play.jhtml?reposid=/multimedia/tds/headlines/9036.html

[steely]

10. Yeah, the DS really nailed it. Saw it that night. eom

[Shallah Kali]

23. all congress should be required to watch Daily Show!

It is because of coverage like this that I watch it!

[Pale_Rider]

24. I'm guessing Feinstein did ...

... and got worked up. :evilgrin:

[SKKY]

7. Yea, I was thinking the same thing...

...but then I thought, "Perhaps all that time he spent in Crawford could have influenced his speech."

[VegasWolf]

8. Can you spell Sovereignty? n/t

[democrank]

9. One thing I gotta say about the Bushies....

They get an "A" for image making. I`m getting absolutely bone freakin` tired of all this scripting. Nothing in Washington is real....nothing.

[Catfight]

13. I think the portrait of the last great president Clinton is real. n/t

[goodboy]

12. Kick...I also think 'dismay' is not a strong enough word. nt

[MrBenchley]

14. Good for her!!

The Allawi thing is another stunt that seems to be blowing up in the GOP's faces....

[saracat]

16. Really? Did they admit this somewhere? Link please.

If so there should be outrage! No wonder the speech sounded just like * !

[ElsewheresDaughter]

17. |Nominate Topic for Homepage

[coreystone]

18. No "nation building" or, do PUPPETS qualify! ??? N/T

[genius]

19. Allawi is Bush's employee. Of course the WH speech writers would

write his speech. He's probably stupid like the Bush who hired him.

[Jacobin]

20. Anyone who didn't know the WH wrote the speech when they heard it

is a bufoon, an incompetent, gullible and not fit for office.

[WEagle]

21. I hear ya

campaigning for Bush ..well..duh.. :think:

[Seabiscuit]

22. And the world is supposed to believe

that Allawi is no less a neo-con puppet than the Chimp?

[Peachhead22]

25. "It's like they had the same speechwriter"

That was Jon Stewart the night after that speech. Either he's psychic or we're all a part of some real life comedy sketch. One that's more creepy than funny.

[EST]

27. If you get a chance,

be sure to watch Jon on Charlie Rose-running this week. My respect for this man rose to new heights, although I have less and less respect for
C.R.

[pinto]

26. Thank you, Sen Feinstein. n/t

[drscm]

28. Jon Stewart made the point on the Daily Show on the same day,

showing *Bush and Allawi using the same phrases.

It's pretty bad that a comedy show is more aware than the "media."

[Skarbrowe]

30. Before The Daily show that night, Tweety was getting a report from

Norah O'Donnell, I believe, and she said that Allawi speech sounded like it could have been written by the administration staff (paraphrasing). Tweety was interviewing some big shot rethug, geez, who was it...anyway, he tore into Tweety saying her statement was unfair and unbalanced, something like the Rathergate problem, again I'm paraphrasing and writing horrible sentences.

Tweety let the guy finish and then he said that he just spoke to Norah and she said that she was implying that the messages were familiar in tone (paraphrasing) but that she hadn't said the Bush team actually wrote the damn thing.

WELL. HA!

Good for you Senator Feinstien or Fienstein. Excuse me, I'm still giddy about the debate.

[Carolab]

29. RATE IT

a 5