Posted on 07/23/2004 1:03:04 PM PDT by pitinkie
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - They pestered, they cajoled, they asked questions and refused to go away.
Known collectively as "The Jersey Girls," four widows of men killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks were instrumental in pressing for public investigations and hearings into the attacks.
Now the women say that many recommendations of the final report on the tragedy released Thursday need to be implemented as soon as possible.
"The clock is ticking," said Kristen Breitweiser of Middletown. "It would be such a travesty if we have another attack and we can't say on that day, `At least we put this in place and it saved lives.'"
Breitweiser, whose husband, Ronald, died in the World Trade Center attacks, was a key figure in pushing for creation of the Sept. 11 commission in 2002 despite initial resistance from the Bush administration.
She and three other widows - Lorie Van Auken and Mindy Kleinberg, both of East Brunswick, and Patty Casazza of Colts Neck - were among the most determined and vocal relatives of the nearly 700 New Jersey residents who died in the terror attacks.
They gave interviews to reporters from around the world, went on television to push for a full, public accounting of what happened that day, and in the months and years leading up to it - demanding answers when few were forthcoming.
While feeling some sense of accomplishment with the release of the final report, the four insist they still have more work to do.
"We're not done yet," said Van Auken, whose husband, Kenneth, died in the trade center. "Our mission was to get the country safer. Until the recommendations are put in place, I can't say we accomplished anything. We can't rest yet."
Kleinberg said she was heartened by the contents of the report, but dismayed by comments she heard from members of Congress on how they were eager to get working on it - in September. She called on Congress to cancel its summer recess and work immediately on implementing the report's recommendations.
"Before Sept. 11, we had a high-threat period that summer," said Kleinberg, whose husband, Alan, was killed in the trade center collapse. "George Tenet went on vacation. The president went on vacation. This feels similar. Where is their sense of urgency? What do we say to the next victims? `Sorry, we got busy?'"
Van Auken said there were "hundreds of times" when she felt so frustrated she felt like giving up on the hope of getting a public accounting of the government's handling of Sept. 11. But she and the others pressed on, and now they want political leaders to act with dispatch to get things fixed.
"We feel it's really important that our congressmen and the president get behind making these recommendations law," she said. "Despite the fact that there's a presidential election, politics can't trump national security."
Breitweiser also said politics cannot be permitted to delay needed reforms, such as better intelligence sharing, foreign policy reforms, better preparedness among local first-responders, and better airline security.
"You know what, it's three years after 9/11," she said. "We've waited long enough. We've been vulnerable long enough. I don't know what more it's going to take. I want our elected officials to feel the same sense of urgency that we do."
How much you wanna bet at least one or more of these gasbags end up addressing the Dem Convention?
I'm not touching that bet!!! I am sure some will be there with bells on! No sympathy here from me after showing their true colors.
"While feeling some sense of accomplishment with the release of the final report, the four insist they still have more work to do."
The Jersey Girls will not just go quietly, much to my dismay.
Sure glad I dont live in Jersey anymore...
These four have absolutely no credentials to make them experts on national security. The whole thing is absurd.
these women are partisan hacks for sure.
But I have to say, some of Bush's statements when the report was delivered could have been better - he should have made a simple statement: that every day since 9-11, he has worked to improve security in every way possible - using the military overseas, homeland security efforts, etc. Instead, he started talking about "looking at the commission recommendation", and it likely left the impression with alot of sheeple that these "recommendations" are really going to be the things that make us safer, and since 9-11, nothing has been done.
Again, the white house communications team isn't great.
Agree
How much you want to bet they have been set up by the DNC to try and have the Democrats "claim" the issue.
Watch for this at the DNC convention.
The Democrat (gay) party must really believe this is the 1970's media world.
Putting congressional fools like, kerry-edwards-kennedy-comradepelosi, in charge is no different than making the same mistake and expecting a different result.
Excellent idea. Let's bring back Congress in emergency session and see if Kerry and Edwards show up. < /sarcasm>
The worst idea is the intelligence Czar. Even the Nazi's and Soviets weren't crazy enough to put that kind of power in the hands of one man. Picture that job with a Clinton appointee in it........
What makes the media think that these 4 women represent the families of the 3000 people who died on Sept 11th.
Odd that they aren't curious about the top secret documents Clinton's NSA stuffed in his socks and pants. /sarcasm
the media installed them as the spokeswomen - that's all it takes.
i agree. But Bush needed to make a positive statement regarding what he has ALREADY done, and is doing everyday - aside from this report.
In order, the media is leftist; lazy; and stupid.
Sorry your relatives died in 9/11.
But just because you have a toothache doesn't make you a Dentist.
That would have been good...but it also might have struck folks as defensive and ignoring the report. We might have appeared worse off if he would have done that.
(sigh)...yet another reason to be ashamed of a state whose notable accomplishments include Jim McGreedy and his band of Merry Marauders, the fire sale of the Nets, and the Gulag Tax. I can't wait to go back to Nashville...
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