[Futurework] Drip.Drip.Drip 6

[Karen Watters Cole]

Hidden in the day’s headlines that Saddam’s sons are confirmed dead (so we are told), and the media homecoming of Private. Lynch, is news that the top aide to Condi Rice has apologized to the President for the White House staff’s (ir)responsibility in the Niger uranium affair.    Reminds me of Travelgate.  Shouldn’t there be resignations and a full scale investigation, not just a behind closed doors inquiry?  Oh, yes. This is the GOP.  Remind you of Watergate?  Denials. Then blaming others. Then falling on swords, but no immediate firings.  Show of solidarity, cast blame on those who are in the system of checks and balances.  Has the president already retreated to Crawford?  Isn’t that early this year?    See White House Official Apologizes for Role in Uranium Claim @ http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/22/international/worldspecial/22CND-HADLEY.html?hp   The first CIA memo was discovered over the weekend by Gerson, the White House speechwriter.  Gerson did not attend the session with reporters. But, Bartlett said, "he had no recollection" of the controversy. Separately the administration is pressing its GOP allies in Congress to do more to emphasize some of the upside to deposing Saddam.  Other aggressive efforts are expected by the administration in the days ahead to try to regain control of the message, including a possible speech on the issue by Vice President Dick Cheney, administration and congressional GOP aides said. Bush himself has said the uranium phrase had been cleared by intelligence agencies. The president has sidestepped questions on whether he felt personally responsible for the tainted information. The White House last week began an offensive to try to stem the criticism, including putting out newly declassified portions of an October 2002 intelligence report that reflected widespread concern that Iraq was in fact in pursuit of nuclear weapons.  Two GOP sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the topic of Democratic attacks against Bush came up last week when the president met at the White House with House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn. Hastert expressed concern that Bush needed a stronger defense against the pummeling, and the congressional leaders said they and others were eager to help.  An aide to Hastert said advisers to L. Paul Bremer, the U.S. occupation governor for Iraq, traveled to the Capitol Saturday night to help prepare the lawmaker for Sunday interviews. Bremer and Hastert met Sunday at a television studio where they both were appearing. On Sunday, Hastert said that Bush's critics "want to be president" and are out "to hurt the credibility of the president, to throw mud and see what sticks."  On Monday, Frist cited the "relative silence in the press about the conditions on the ground" in Iraq "in terms of progress, in terms of improvement." House of Cards. Show your cards.  Which is it?  KWC