WALK OUT: 9/11 COMMISSIONERS BOB KERREY AND LEE HAMILTON LEAVE IN MIDDLE OF BUSH/CHENEY TESTIMONY

The Drudge Report ^ | Thu Apr 29 2004 18:24:41 ET | Drudge

[Schnucki]

President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney answered every question on Thursday from the panel investigating the Sept. 11 attacks, a meeting that both the White House and the 9/11 commission had billed as historic.

The Oval Office session began at 9:30 a.m. and ended at 12:40 p.m., but two Democrat commission members -- Lee Hamilton, the vice chairman, and Bob Kerrey -- walked out before it was over!

The stunning walk out -- after Democrats had complained that Bush was not alloting enough time for questions -- has ignited talk throughout official Washington.

In a written statement, Kerrey said he left an hour early to attend a previously scheduled meeting with Senator Pete Domenici on Capitol Hill.

Kerrey: "My office has received several calls asking why I left the White House prior to the conclusion of the session with the President and the Vice President. The reason is I had a previously scheduled meeting with Senator Pete Domenici on Capitol Hill."

Kerrey explained to reporters: "Yeah, it's a little awkward to leave early. But the president certainly understood what we were doing."

Hamilton left Bush/Cheney 70 minutes early to meet with the Canadian Prime Minister.

Developing...

[FairOpinion]

Maybe Hamilton wants to move to Canada.

[Just Lori]

Kerrey and Hamilton were just making another political statement.....and discrediting themselves......again.

[tbeatty]

IT's BS and disrepectful of the office. Nobody should walk out on the President.

[Just Lori]

The democrats cannot sink to any lower level of maturity.


Oh sure they can! They've been practicing day and night. They're working on another sequel.

[ride the whirlwind]

This is the Drudge report. - The stunning walk out...

Could be a lot less of a story than Drudge would have one believe - he is prone to sensationalism, IMO.

[JennysCool]

I think this little incident has "legs." Word is getting around, and my guess is the vast majority of Americans will find themselves outraged by this apparent snub by 911 Committee members.

[SevenofNine]

Well isn't that special

What bunch of Divas Kerry is

NICE GOIN DUDE now you be goof on the net

[HitmanLV]

This is a non-story. Sheesh.

[Capitalism2003]

Reason? Very simple:

No cameras.

[Ditto]

I'd bet most anything that if the TV cameras were running, a team of wild horses couldn't drag those creeps out of that room.

I was slow to come around to this point of view. I like to think the best of people, even Democrats --- I'm old enough to remember some real good people who were members of that party. And Kerrey and Hamilton were people that I never suspected of being below the line of common decency. But I am now convinced that this 9-11 Commission is nothing but a circus. Whatever "results" they produce will be tainted, IMHO.

That is a damn shame. A very damn shame.

[martinidon]

Actually, this "non-story" as you call it; hurts the legitimacy of the commission. (like there was one to begin with) This was completely disrespectful and indicative of democratic party.

[Smartass]

SHAME ON KERREY, AND HAMILTON...
How rude and disgusting. What could be more important,
at that moment, then to quiz the President.

[HitmanLV]

The fact that they had prior commitments? I don;t think that hurts the legitimacy at all. In stuff like this, people leave and coem all the time. I am certain it happened during the other people's tesimony also.

Fair is fair. It's a non-story.

[endthematrix]

In stuff like this...

You forgot what this commission is about (in principle). Unprecedented.

[martinidon]

Their job should be 100% on the commission. They are investigating the events of 9-11. First, they should have cleared their schedules; especially since this was the President of the United States! Secondly, this was not a recored meeting so they can not go back and look at tapes/transcripts of what was said after they left!
This is a story and it will have legs for days/months ahead. As much as the dims would like this to be a non-story it is!

[technomage]

How rude and disgusting. What could be more important, at that moment, then to quiz the President.

In their immature, feeble little minds: Showing total contempt and disrespect to both the President and Vice-President of the United States.

Everywhere they are coming completely out in the open, with their insane desire for power. Putting the country, the people in dire jeopardy merely for acquisition of power.

These Dems are not leaders of the country. They are immature, power mad people who think most Americans are dense, so they act like the bullies in Junior High.

Pathetic!

[Political Junkie Too]

The commission has been acting like this is the most important thing in the world. The media had been discussing the separation of powers implications of the president meeting with the commission. It was so important that President Bush should have been alone when they met. And when the president finally agrees to meet with them, two people find something just a liiiiiittle more important to do.

-PJ