Sept. 11 commissioners thought they were limited to 2 hours with Bush

AP ^ | 04/30/04 | AP

[stylin19a]

The disclosure, which came amid questions as to why two Democratic commissioners left the three-hour meeting early, appears to contradict the suggestion by the Bush administration in March that it wouldn't be setting time limits amounting to one hour each for Bush and Cheney.

"We knew when visiting with a sitting president we wouldn't get a full day or a half day," said spokesman Al Felzenberg in explaining why the panel agreed to the scheduling.

I'm convinced ! Do not play poker with Pres. GWBush.

So, let's see what the 911 Commission has learned. They had all the the simple intelligence in place to for the date and time frame of the meeting...and they got it wrong.

And the 911 Commission is trying to pin 9/11 intelligence failures on Pres. GWBush ?

[BigSkyFreeper]

OK so they change their story from "other obligations" to "not enough time". I think the Commission is in charge of the amount of time they can question witnesses, and Bush had said in the past that he would give them all the time they needed to conduct a thorough investigation.

[BigSkyFreeper]

And the 911 Commission is trying to pin 9/11 intelligence failures on Pres. GWBush ?

I'm thinking the President didn't apologize, Kerrey and Hamilton got angry because the President didn't give the DNC the ammo they were looking for, and the two of them got up and left.

[claudiustg]

Well, the commission can no longer claim they did everything in their power to uncover the truth about 9/11.

[mcenedo]

What a biased report!! I mean I expect bias from AP, but this is ridiculous!

Oh please, like any lie is ridiculous for the media. The bigger, the better if it ridicules the right.

[Shermy]

"with the understanding it would be restricted to about two hours.

.... "We knew when visiting with a sitting president we wouldn't get a full day or a half day," said spokesman Al Felzenberg in explaining why the panel agreed to the scheduling."

that doesn't sound like a firm 2 hour appointment to me...

[F16Fighter]

Kerrey and Hamilton were obviously engaging in further theatrics and grandstanding by Democrats. What a disgrace.

Are these people capable of ANY dignity and integrity?

[A Citizen Reporter]

"Bush appeared to back off the time limit, however, after Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry (news - web sites) accused him of stonewalling investigations of the terrorist attacks and U.S. intelligence failures.

Ah, ya see, that's where you are wrong, AP. You, Kerrey, and Hamilton have once again fallen into a trap. The President let y'all "expect" that he would only meet with you for an hour. Then he upset those "expectations" and who ends up with egg on the face? I can't imagine how trapped Kerrey and Hamilton must have felt, sitting there in the oval for two hours. They had to run......before they snapped!

[fqued]

It is a blatant lie to say that they thought the meeting was only going to be two hours. I knew it was going to be three, that was reported a month ago.

Anyone who leaves a meeting with the President to go meet with someone else lacks sufficient respect for the office of the President.

[Lucky2]

How long did clinton and gore meet with the commission? Does anyone know? I'm just wondering that since it was Bush and Cheney, telling the truth, then maybe these stupid rats were tired of the truth and were more interested in something less important that our nation's security. Regardless, it was rude and a slap in the face of honor and decency.

[VOA]

Both explained Friday they allowed their appointments to stand because they expected
the meeting, which began at 9:30 a.m. EDT, to conclude by about 11:30 a.m.
Their early departures were not intended to snub the president nor abdicate their
responsibility as commissioners, they said.

Hey, Gorelick and Bill Clinton have already written the final report,
so what's the big deal?

Sincerely,
Lee Hamilton
Bob "Killa'" Kerry

[BFPRufus]

I didn't think the report was too biased, what was said was biased, but they have attributed it correctly to the people responsible.

Honestly, I think this is some of the best news for Bush recently. The Dems have been stirring things up over Bush not being able to appear, he does turn up and half the Dems leave early. When the leader of the free world (let alone the VP as well) makes time available for you, everything else should be cancelled.

[PUGACHEV]

"The Democrats, Lee Hamilton and Bob Kerrey, left Thursday's meeting to attend previously scheduled appointments. Hamilton, who is chairman of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, attended a luncheon at the centre honouring Prime Minister Paul Martin; Kerrey left for a meeting with a senator to discuss appropriations for New School University, of which he is president"

I guess they don't have time for their job on the commission. They should step aside and let a better man take their place, someone who won't have so many schedule confilcts and could give their full attention to the task.

[sockmonkey]

Both explained Friday they allowed their appointments to stand because they expected the meeting, which began at 9:30 a.m. EDT, to conclude by about 11:30 a.m.

I did not see anything on the news about a two hour time limit set by President Bush for the interview, and I'm sure that if he had said something like that it would have been all over the news that he wasn't giving the Commission sufficient time to ask all their questions, and yada, yada, yada.

I worked in a state hospital for years, but I never saw the kind of pathology that I've seen Democrats displaying lately. Talk about a bunch of personality disorders and worse. They should have their own listing in the DSM.

[Delta 21]

This goes to the heart of why Clinton - DOJ - Gorelick wanted "The Wall" built in the first place. It gives all parties concerned a way out by not knowing what the hell is suposed to be happening.

This is not plausable deniability. It is deliberate ignorance designed to shield public officials from properly doing their jobs.

Besides all that, exactly who did anyone have an appoinment with that day that was more important than meeting with the Most Powerful Man in The World?

Throw the bums out !

[olivia3boys]

I was thinking this too--Bush "won" because *they* walked out first.

In my job (dealing with angry people on the phone), if I hang up on someone, I lose. If they hang up on me, I win!

[Paul_B]

> Both explained Friday they allowed their appointments to stand because they expected the meeting, which began at 9:30 a.m. EDT, to conclude by about 11:30 a.m.

Right. With all eyes on them, front page coverage, they scheduled tight up against a combined interview with the pres and vp, after the White House said there would be no time limitations. Perfectly reasonable. What's sad is the number of people who will take this article for a legitimate explanation. After all, it's in the newspaper, right?

[Mia T]

bump

[Unicorn]

Want to by a bridge?

[RobFromGa]

Felzenberg said commissioners were able to ask all the questions they had but declined to say whether only two hours of questions were prepared beforehand.

They had two hours worth of questions, I guess they just weren't prepared for "answers". Once Bush opened his mouth, they were destined to "go long".