Hastert Vs Woodward's Book - A Pyrrhic Victory?

[HardWorkingDem]

Over the last couple of days I've watched several interviews with Bob Woodward about his new book "State of Denial" and what I'm wondering is if all this Hastert-Foley talk is drowning out the information from Woodward's book.

For example, he was on one show talking about the memo released by the Whitehouse that listed five big myths in his book and then he went through them and disproved them all. Also, he reports Condi Rice was briefed months before 9/11 and then lied about it.

I'm just wondering if the real story is being drowned out by the Foley matter.

[Kagemusha]

1. The market has already priced out Rice lying about 9/11.

No need to mourn.

[waiting for hope]

2. I'm right there with you ....

While what Foley did was vile and repugnant, Woodward's book should be carrying more weight in the MSM..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2308205&mesg_id=2308205

[formercia]

3. All of the 9/11 material has made most of us numb

I've got that 9/11 thousand yard stare. We hardly react to it any more.

You're right, though. ABC and all of those Republican sources was just too good to be true.

[HardWorkingDem]

5. Woodward's book about much more than 9/11

And it makes me wonder if the Foley story wasn't around, if his book and information would be getting much more coverage.

[formercia]

9. I'm sure it would

Especially how Clinton, Bush and the 9/11 Commission entered into a 5 year secrecy agreement with respect to information that all parties didn't want disclosed. It was a whitewash. You could take all of this back to before WWI and see how everything is interconnected. Republicans and a lot of Democrats are going to be hung out to dry as well.

[Demit]

4. Does your last sentence mean you think Foley is not a real story?

I think all the news and talk venues are covering Woodward as well as Foley. I don't even watch TV much and I've seen Woodward all over the place. Seems to me everybody is covering both. They both resonate. Together, they have added power to focus everybody on this administration—Republican—and what they have been up to in the past 6 years, and how they have abused their power for the sake of power.

[HardWorkingDem]

7. Relatively speaking.....not when compared to Woodward's

Yes, what is happening in the House is important, but Woodward's book deals with a much larger issue.

For example, in his interviews he keeps expressing how shocked he has been over the hiding of the numbers of attacks on American soldiers in Iraq. In three of the interviews I have seen, he has said this each time. (On average, soldiers are being attacked every fifteen minutes.)

I guess we'll see later on in November.

But don't get me wrong - the Foley story is very important, especially the angle if House leaders protected him to safeguard one House seat.

[Demit]

11. I just don't understand this compulsion to have the two stories compete.

The underlying premise being that there always must be a Number One in everything. Can we possibly not see this as some sort of American Idol contest? It's not a zero sum situation.

Think of the two events as each adding weight to the burden of corruption and ignominy that are beginning to crush the Republicans—either one of these stories could be the final factor in breaking the back of their abusive power. They both tell a tale of it. I don't feel the need to choose. I'll take both.

[calimary]

6. I really don't care. Let 'em Foley themselves for awhile. It only works

to our advantage. The Woodward stuff may move the meter a little, mainly because of his star power. But NOTHING seems to grab America's attention like a sex scandal. I think it's the Puritanism still so deep in our mitochondria that many of us just can't help ourselves. If THIS is what gets everyone's attention, and finally turns their stomachs for good (INDEED!), then I'm MORE than fine with it. And maybe once they're softened up by the Foley stuff, the field will be fertile for the Woodward seeds to sprout. Once America is convinced the Guard Our Perverts party is no good, they'll be MUCH more receptive to things like Woodward's revelations. Whatever brings 'em into the tent.

:toast:

[Terri S]

8. a few blips still from Woodward..

but the Foley scandal is clearly overriding everything else.

I wrote this to someone who authored a petition to oust everyone in the Republican Party responsible for covering up the Foley affair:

I very happily signed your petition. The people involved most certainly need to go, but quite frankly, they are just a drop in the bucket, and this is just another in a looooong line of sleeze, deceit and hypocrisy that has defined this administration. The White House and most of the Congress (on both sides) needs to be cleaned out and thoroughly disinfected. The textbook Republican Party does, indeed, not exist anymore. The Democratic Party can't seem to remember who they are most of the time either.

Foley's behavior was repulsive. Covering it up is an outrage, but par for the course, as far as I'm concerned, with this administration. Absolute power does indeed corrupt absolutely.

My outrage began a long time ago. It started with the invasion of Iraq, and has been continuously fueled by nearly every single thing this government has done, aided and abetted by the media, and a sleep-walking country...with every death of our troops and innocent Iraqis caused by the deceit of a war sold as retribution for 9/11 and its criminally disastrous occupation that grinds on and on while the president urges 'stay the course' as it takes us further down the toilet. My outrage peaked a few days before this scandal, when, in effect, this congress legalized torture, and turned whatever morality either side ever professed into a joke. Apparently sex sells better than totally destroying the soul and professed ideals of this nation.

Yes, Foley's behavior was reprehensible. Anyone that endangered our children by turning a blind eye deserves the harshest condemnation. But in the final analysis, there have been and will be more children harmed by the war in Iraq that should have never been fought. The immorality of acceptable torture, as defined solely by the president, outtrumps sexual predation by a long shot.

For bankrupting this nation, morally and financially, a lot more people in government need to go. For failure to protect our children from the increased hatred and terrorism caused by their greed and incompetence, a lot more need to go. For saddling our children and grandchildren with debts their corruption and lies have caused, while giving them fewer jobs, less income, worse education, and a more polluted planet, a lot more need to go. By trampling, in six short years, every principle this country has claimed to stand for, a lot more need to go.

I'll settle for this bunch for now. I want a lot more on November 7th and nothing short of total overhaul in '08. To give our children any less would be the REAL outrage.

I read this by Dave Lindorff this morning.. Outrage as Misdirection - The Real Scandal Isn't Foley

I couldn't agree more!!

Also,read this:
The March to War: Naval build-up in the Persian Gulf and the Eastern Mediterranean



I don't doubt that people who have known full well what damage this administration has done is able to keep it all in focus .. but the larger population sleepwalking through outrage after outrage pretty much hasn't got a clue. And while everyone is salivating at the thought of this Foley thing bringing about a real shot at regaining some control in the houses next month, precious little has been done, or is being done to ensure anyone's vote will actually be counted.

[Hosnon]

10. We've tried for 6 years to beat this Administration using their most

serious screw-ups...unfortunately the public doesn't care and the issues are too complex to stick.

Sex sticks.

I consider this the "refs" making up for the six years of bad calls regarding legitimate concerns.

If this is what knocks the Republicans of the throne, so be it. It's like convicting a mob boss on tax evasion: You got him...it just wasn't for his worst shit.

[Dr Fate]

12. What makes you think a single swing voter would even glance at that book?

Or spend 30 seconds listening to somefancy pants writer" talk about "what everybody already knows."

Seriously-I would love to hear more about the book too- but I dont believe it would have changed too many minds amongst the 30% pro-Bush hold-outs.

If DEMS were smart, they would tie Foley to the book- "What else are they covering up? Iraq? 9/11?"

[allisonthegreat]

13. hope not n/t

[Singular73]

14. Everybody already knows whats in the Woodward book

After 6 years, people have made up their mind about that issue.

I'd take foley over woodward ANY DAY of the week as an issue.