[Dat Mon]

YOU SAID..."Doesn't pass the smell test, does it?"

I agree. Gets back to my comment that once Ashcroft revealed Gorelicks policy of a security wall in direct testimony ...responsible Republicans in congress should have pressed the issue that the commission could not credibly proceed with Gorelick as a commissioner.

The fact that the pubs did NOT object or press the issue of Gorelick's participation, plus the fact that Ashcroft got reprimanded by Bush for indirectly impugning Gorelick's security protocols, suggests to me that an agreement of some sorts was reached between the White House and the democrats before the commission even started its work. This agreement could have set the boundaries and scope of the investigation, so as to limit damaging political exposure for the Clintons.

That sort of cynical agreement would make this commission in my mind a STAGED POLITICAL EVENT.

[Peach]

I had not known, until reading it the last few days, that President Bush admonished Ashcroft for mentioning the Wall that Gorelick built.

I wish the president had not done that.

And yes, the Republicans should have stopped the proceedings then and there and demanded that Gorelick resign AND testify.