THE WARNING KERRY IGNORED

New York Post Online ^ | March 15, 2004 | PAUL SPERRY

[Sergio]

Save for later read.

[WOSG]

Now why doesnt this guy testify to the 9/11 commission???

[Homer1]

Hindsight is 20/20. It also sounds like Bush's people messed this one up too.

But words cannot express how ce=heesy it was to claim to have triggered an investigation. as with evrything else kerry, bad form.

[My Dog Likes Me]

I stand corrected. Thanks to Califelephant on posting the Boston Globe article from Sept 2001 on the local TV news investigation of airline security at Logan Airport. Looks like it went on deaf ears. (The article was buried on page A-14 of the Globe.)

I must point out that Logan Airport has an actual State Police barracks onsite. It was a prized assignment because of the easy duty. Before 9/11 the troopers' main function seemed to be yelling at cab drivers in front of the terminal. I never saw a trooper inside the domestic gate areas before 9/11. Their responsibilites to Logan Airport security appeared to end at the sidewalk.

Again, before 9/11, the airline security personnel operating the metal detectors consisted of overtasked, but professional, Indian males, American black women, and a few white senior citizens on occasion.

Logan was a disaster waiting to happen.

[gipper81]

bttt

[Ancesthntr]

bttt

Folks, this story can't be ignored. Kerry at least needs to explain this, to come clean about what he knew, and when he knew it. For a guy that complains that Bush was lecturing school kids at the time of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, this is pretty damning.

I would love it if Rush and Hannity got a hold of this. It would at least put the 2-faced ketchup boy on the defensive for a couple of days, and probably cost him at least a few hundred thousand votes in November.

[Califelephant]

After going back and reading this article
http://www.boston.com/news/packages/underattack/globe_stories/0915/Kerry_GAO_probed_security_at_Logan+.shtml a second time, I take back what I said previously about Kerry having some coverage on this issue. Kerry says he provided the TV tape to the GAO and that based on the tape they did an investigation of Logan. The GAO did do an investigation of some airports, but Logan wasn't one of airports included when the GAO later provided a report to Congress. So it's Kerry's word against the available evidence.

[Fabozz]

"In nine of 10 tries, a crew got knives and other weapons through security checkpoints - including the very ones the 9/11 hijackers would later exploit."

I hate Kerry as much as the next guy, but this is revisionist history. The "weapons" the attackers got through security were not illegal for air travel. They could have worn them hanging around their necks and not drawn a second glance from security. 9/11 was caused by Clinton's passive response to terrorism on his watch and by our culture of hoplophobia that made the crews and passengers on those planes submit meekly to the hijackers. All the metal detectors and rent-a-cops in the world at Logan couldn't have changed that.

[paulsy]

BTTT - this one might have legs.

[Tribune7]

ping

[paulsy]

"but this is revisionist history."

I think the point is, Kerry had very specific evidence of systemic (serious) security flaws and failed to act. Whether or not the weapons were legal isn't really that important. The issue is, if knives can make it through, then why not more potent weapons, and what would a jihadist do armed with ANY weapon? Kerry cannot complain about Bush's treatment of information when he clearly had the same (maybe more specific?) evidence that was tempered further by the urgent determination of security experts.

[RightWingMama]

bump

[txhurl]

bump for the next reprisal

[Attillathehon]

How many have heard Kerry's response to the question from the audience about who the 'world leaders' are that want to see Kerry elected? His response was ' are you a registered Republican'. Does that mean you do not deserve an answer to a question if you are NOT a DIM?

The answer to Kerry's querry should have been "I Am An AMERICAN! You are running for President of AMERICA! It's your job to answer MY question, not the other way around!

[freeperfromnj]

BTTT - this one might have legs.

Oh, I think it will. The New York Post has a huge circulation here in the tri-state area and even nationwide on line. I was reading the article on my trip home last night and glanced around and noticed that quite a few commuters had their papers open to that page. Though it is not seen in this posted article, in the actual newspaper there was a picture accompanying the story. A real eye-catcher -- alongside the blaring bold large print headline "The Warning Kerry Ignored", was a picture of the Boston skyline with a plane taking off from Logan airport.

[Temple Owl]

I doubt very much if you will read anything about it in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

[Milligan]

Is Kerry responsible for Logan's Security? I thought the mayor of Boston would be responsible. Why didn't the investigators go to Kerry? Is it a local law enforcement problem?

I'm playing devil's advocate.

[ladyinred]

"You're not a constituent,"

And it was probably "None of his business" either!

So Kerry knew and did nothing about it!

[Petronski]

Kerry let it happen on purpose.

[mylife]

DUh Is going buggy over this today