Posted on 11/07/2003 11:29:18 AM PST by jmstein7
Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Ut., said Thursday that Sen. Zell Miller, D-Ga, was right to charge this week that a memo outlining plans by Senate Intelligence Committee Democrats to politicize Iraq war intelligence borders on "treason."
But the Utah Republican defended the committee's ranking Democrat, Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-WV, saying he shouldn't have to resign as the committee's vice chairman even if he's found have authorized staffers to prepare the bombshell document.
Asked about Sen. Miller's comment on Wednesday that the memo was "treason's first cousin" and that "heads should roll" over the episode, Sen. Hatch told radio host Sean Hannity, "I happen to love Zell Miller and I do agree with that because bad intelligence results in the deaths of Democrats and Republicans - in other words, our people."
But Hatch refused to call for disciplinary action against ranking Democrat Rockefeller, recommending instead that Republicans "publicly ask the Democrats how they reconcile [preparing such a memo] with the critical need for non-partisanship."
When Hannity said that his sources had identified Rockefeller as being responsible for the memo, Sen. Hatch turned defensive.
Noting that the West Virginia Democrat "has worked pretty well with [Committee Chairman] Pat Roberts," the Utah Republican said, "I really doubt that Sen. Rockefeller would have anything to do with trying to make [the Committee's investigation] that partisan."
Asked what would happen if it turned out that Rockefeller was implicated in the memo scandal, Hatch replied, "Well, it's a serious issue. I mean, it would be, you know - he would be seriously criticized if that were the case."
"I like Sen. Rockefeller very much but, I mean, that wouldn't be right," he added.
Despite the national security breach, Hatch said it would be unwise for the White House to stop cooperating with committee Democrats, saying he feared that the press wouldn't permit it.
"The can't [stop cooperating] because the major media in this country . . . is always on [the Democrats'] side and they don't ever get called to account," he complained. "If [Republicans] did something like that it would be front page headlines all over the country. You know that."
Your comment set off all kinds of bells and whistles in my head!
We've all suspected Hillary! is behind this memo. How about this scenario:
Hillary! devises the plan to use the Intelligence Committee for opposition research to use against the President and the Republicans. She convinces Rockefeller that the only way they can take the WH is to stir up enough dust about our reasons for going to war. A memo is produced outlining their stategy and distributed to the democrat members of the committee.
Hannity has said that we'd "be surprised" who leaked the memo to him. Suppose it came from Hillary!'s office as a means of getting rid of Rockefeller so she can become vice-chair of the committee? Would it be the first time a Clinton double crossed one of their own to gain more power?
</idle speculation>
It will never happen. But it is certainly worth looking at nominating some of our brave defenders who have walked the streets and driven the roads of Iraq to run against the Hatch's, Rockefellers, Byrd's, Spector's and so on. They would need debate training, financial backing and good campaign management.
We could start with Patrick Miller who was the real hero in the Jessica Lynch saga.
Our elected officials need not be brilliant, need not be graduates of law schools, need not have a long record of public service. They need only be likeable with discernable good judgement, have ability to select knowledgeable and competent staff, be willing to take on and expose their adversaries schemes and be able to let supporters know where they stand.
I would love to see a U.S. Army hero without political experience, without pretense and learned cunning run against Rockefeller on pure principles of patriotism.
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