The Next Open Thread

by DemFromCT

The NY Times has as good a SOTU roundup as any:

If much of the reaction to Bush’s speech is restrained, perhaps that’s because the address itself had “little ambition,” according to the Washington Post editorial page, which saw “a more cautious, less assertive President Bush.” The New Republic’s Michael Crowley, writing at his magazine’s The Plank blog, says the SOTU won’t affect “the national political dynamic.” Although Cindy Sheehan’s arrest, he writes, “will undoubtedly keep the likes of Bill O’Reilly entertained for a few days.” That’s assuming, of course, that O’Reilly didn’t take a cue from Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo and decide to skip the speech altogether.

Only partisans watch. Bush has already backed off any substantive illusions and prefers the vauge kind. Meanwhile life goes on in scandal-plagued DC. And don't miss this excellent Abramoff diary at Daily Kos.

Iraq has suspected bird flu, actual bird flu, and we stil have a lot to learn. But let me spare a thought for the the public health folks who need to function in an unsafe war zone to protect humanity.

This is an open thread.

Comments

[emptywheel]

I was with JMM not watching the SOTU (well, not WITH him, I was with Mr. emptywheel drinking a bottle of wine). But from what I've heard I can't help but think his "policy" goals have become more cautious than even Clinton's during impeachment. Am I seeing things? I mean, the President still has both houses of Congress, but he's pretty much closed up shop on getting anything new done.

[viget]

Hey EW--

Have you checked out the latest from Murray Waas?

Just a teaser: Murray says that CIA analysts sent Tenet a June 17 2003 memo categorically debunking any attempt by Iraq to purchase uranium in Niger. And both Cheney and Libby were made aware of this memo and its findings within days of Tenet seeing it.

Also, a national intelligence officer for strategic and nuclear programs, Robert Walpole briefed the SSCI and the HSCI on June 18 and 19, respectivley. So at least some members of Congress knew too.

He also touches a bit on why Libby and Cheney would continue to push the Get Wilson scheme even after Tenet and the CIA completely debunked any Niger claims: not surprsingly, both were uber-paranoid and didn't trust anything coming out of CIA, especially WINPAC. And for some reason, even though (at least according the the Libby indictment) both Cheney and Libby knew on June 12 that Plame was NOC by virtue of working at CPD in the DO, they still harbored suspicions that she was working at WINPAC. And when they realized she was Wilson's wife, I guess they must have decided the CIA memo was just a big conspiracy by WINPAC and the Wilsons to make OVP look bad over going to war. I would LOVE to know exactly what whisperings Fleitz was feeding them that made them think this.

So all of this may have been the result of a couple of paranoid freaks in the OVP. Why am I not surprised?