Well, isn't that conveeeeeeenient....
Posted on 06/20/2005 7:55:48 AM PDT by Tumbleweed_Connection
The so called Downing Street Memo - which was presumed to be authentic when Bush administration critics began touting it last month as evidence the president committed impeachable crimes - is actually a manually recreated copy - with the source of the memo now admitting he retyped the document before destroying the originals.
British reporter Michael Smith, who broke the memo story in the London Times on May 1, revealed to the Associated Press over the weekend that he "he protected the identity of the source he had obtained the documents from by typing copies of them on plain paper and destroying the originals."
Smith's admission means there's now no independent way to determine the accuracy of the Downing Street Memo, i.e., whether he made any typos or transcription errors that could have changed the memo's meaning.
The revelation has conjured up memories of the CBS News forged document scandal last year, where anchorman Dan Rather argued that damaging records he obtained from President Bush's National Guard file were essentially accurate, even though they had been faked by his source.
While British officials hadn't disputed the authenticity of the Downing Street Memo, a senior member of the Blair government who reviewed the Downing Street Memo in light of reporter Smith's admission could say only that its contents "appeared authentic."
That official, however, requested anonymity, refusing to make an on-the-record endorsement of the memo's accuracy.
New questions about the authenticity Downing Street Memo come at a particularly awkward time for Democrats in America. Only last week, House Democrats staged a mock impeachment hearing based on the re-created document.
Former presidential candidate John Kerry announced on June 2 that he intended to confront Congress with the Downing Street Memo, believing at the time that the document's authenticity was beyond reproach.
"I think it's a stunning, unbelievably simple and understandable statement of the truth and a profoundly important document that raises stunning issues here at home," he told a reporter.
Last week, a Kerry aide said his boss was sending a letter to President Bush demanding that he answer questions about the fake memo.
Is this starting to smell like Rathergate??
The originals will net him and his source a nice long term in a British jail for violating the British Secrets Acts.
Conyers is an idiot and an a$$hole, who is re elected by dumber idiots and bigger a$$holes.
He is like Michael Jackson and OJ Simpson. He can lie, murder and prey on children and be re elected by his racist idiot voters.
Here's an idea for a slogan: "You Wont Believe What's In My Downing Street Memo's"
Well, isn't that conveeeeeeenient....
I like it
One would think that after the last anti-Bush fiasco the Libs would quit with the fake memo ploy. Duh.
"he protected the identity of the source he had obtained the documents from by typing copies of them on plain paper and destroying the originals"
Repeat! Repeat of Dan Blabber episode.
If the memos succeeded in triggering an attempt to unseat Blair I could envision him being offered immunity in exchange for producing the originals as evidence.
Without them he would be in a lose-lose: either the copies would be ruled unsubstantial and his story discredited or they would be upheld and he would be subject to the penalties you mention, since there would be no need to grant him immunity for what he's already released. He shouldn't be able to have it both ways, i.e. able to claim they are real enough to indict Blair and Bush but not real enough to land him in jail.
One would think that after the last anti-Bush fiasco the Libs would quit with the fake memo ploy. Duh.
They did it this way because of FOB&B syndrome. (Fear of Buckwheat & Bloggers) The KNEW what would happen if they put the jury-rigged copies up.
Dan Rather said that if those memos are fake he would like to be the one to break the story.
Reminded me of all of that MO senator's "friends".
Yep, even their UK libera devil buddies can't help the Rats.
Good one.
They teach that in journalism schools these days. It's called the Buckhead protocol.
The whole "staged hearing" thing is downright weird, almost creepy. What's next? A puppet show? Interpretive dance?
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