Posted on 06/29/2002 10:42:42 AM PDT by Paul Atreides
A web site with ties to the Democratic Party and ex-President Bill Clinton is charging that President Bush is most likely "personally and directly responsible for the deaths of 37 passengers and 7 crew members on Flight 93," claiming that evidence shows Bush and Vice President Cheney ordered the plane shot down on 9-11.
The left-wing web site Democrats.com goes so far as to contend that the famous photo depicting President Bush talking on the phone that morning aboard Air Force One was likely taken as Bush was authorizing Cheney to give the order to have Flight 93 blown from the sky.
"Here is a very likely scenario," says the web site. "Bush was approving the shooting down of hijacked airliners, which led Dick Cheney to order the shooting down of Flight 93 - with all of the Heroes on board."
The photo, offered earlier this year for $150 as part of a GOP fundraising package, has the Democratic web site complaining that sale of the picture was "a huge insult to the victims of 9-11 — who died never knowing they were helping raise big bucks for the Republican party."
The report, by Democrats.com co-founder Bob Fertik, blames Bush - and not the terrorist hijackers - for killing the Flight 93 heroes:
"A careful analysis of all available evidence points to a shootdown as the most likely cause of the crash of Flight 93 - thus making George W. Bush personally and directly responsible for the deaths of 37 passengers and 7 crew members on Flight 93."
Democrats.com accuses the Bush administration of perpetrating a massive cover-up by going along with the convenient cover story that it was the battle between Flight 93's passengers and the plane's hijackers that caused it to crash into a rural field in Shanksville, Penn.
"Certainly, the White House has every reason to lie," says the Democratic Party's web promoters. "After all, it would look pretty horrible if Bush and Cheney were responsible for the deaths of the crew and passengers about Flight 93, even if the planes were shot down to protect Washington DC."
"Unfortunately for the White House" says web site continues, "there is overwhelming evidence that Flight 93 was shot down - and no evidence at all that the Heroes succeeded in taking control of the cockpit."
In fact, no one has ever claimed that Flight 93's heroes "succeeded in taking control of the cockpit." Otherwise the crash might have been prevented. The question is, did their failed efforts to regain control distract the hijackers long enough to foil their ultimate plans to attack Washington, D.C.
Given their public comments to date, the families of Flight 93's heroes seem to have no doubt about the cause of the crash.
Last April, after hearing the in-flight recording of the plane's final 30 minutes in a special session arranged by the FBI, family members seemed convinced that their relatives' heroic effort to storm the cockpit - and not a missile from an F-16 - was what brought the plane down.
"I felt incredible pride," said Deena Burnett, whose husband, Tom, died on the United Airlines plane, told reporters after hearing the tape. "It was obvious they all acted heroically."
"I never doubted that there were specific individuals who worked together, and the tape confirmed that," said Alice Hoglan, mother of Flight 93 hero Mark Bingham. "I never doubted that the cockpit had been taken over by terrorists who were thwarted, and the tape definitely confirmed that."
Hoglan, who along with the other Flight 93 relatives was asked by the FBI not to discuss specifics, described the tape as "wonderful in a strange and odd way" - hardly the words of someone reacting to evidence that her son was killed on orders of the president.
Further proof of a shootdown, Democrats.com argues, comes from reports that debris from Flight 93 was discovered eight miles away from the actual crash site, a detail the continues to perplex those on both sides of the political aisle.
But if Flight 93 did explode in midair, there are other plausible explanations, such as the bomb the hijackers said they had and threatened to detonate, according to several passengers who relayed the news in cell phone calls to relatives.
But Democrats.com doesn't let details like that get in the way of accusing President Bush of responsibility for the crash and the ensuing "cover-up."
"The FBI has stated that there was no evidence of a bomb at the crash site," the web site argues. "If the hijackers detonated a bomb, it is hard to imagine a reason why the FBI would cover it up."
Democrats.com has at least nominal connections to ex-President Bill Clinton.
Former Clinton pollster Stan Greenberg sits on the web site's advisory board.
And last August, Democrats.com boasted it had "arranged with the office of former President Clinton for birthday greetings sent by e-mail to be delivered to him personally," adding, "Please join us in thanking the last legally elected President of the United States for his dedication to public service."
On its "Community" page, the left-wing web site explains:
"Democrats.com is the largest online community of Democrats. We have created a unique space where Democrats can meet, discuss, and work towards building a stronger Democratic Party.... Take our Voter Pledge to sweep all Republicans out of office."
The Democrats, in displaying an utter contempt and disrespect for this woman:
are telling the country their party has no place for married, successful families, or for brave courageous REAL men that go into danger on our behalf.
The dem message? Hate Shivalry. Hate family, Hate SCOTUS, Hate boy scouts. Hate real men. but most of all, hate the memory of Todd Beamer, his wife, and their children.
That's why this will backfire.
And, honestly.. it makes no difference one way or the other. The plane had to come down and the passengers knew that, as well as the Vice President.
You cannot allow someone flying a bomb to reach a target like the WTC, it's common sense. So, even if it was a shootdown how does this tarnish the Administration? Because they realized the same thing the passengers did? What does that prove and how is it bad?
Oh, exactly..
These bastards are putting their little soapbox on top of the WTC rubble. Pretty arrogant bunch we have here.
...And blowing up the Hindenburg, kidnapping the Lindbergh baby....HECK...I bet Jimmy Hoffa's body is on the Bush ranch!!
Two out of three ain't bad..
What idiots.
Cheney has no authority to order anything more than another ice tea. If it was a conspiracy, it would have to be Cheney who convinced Bush to give the order. These guys can't even write plausible fiction.
And that is different from Republicans.....how?
Well Bill, newshound that you are, you may recall Richard Nixon, knowing the election was stolen in 1960, allowing Kennedy to assume the presidency anyway and refusing to call for a recount. Can anyone imagine a Democrat doing that?
Let's fast forward; August, 1974.
The Republican House and Senate leaders go to the White House to inform President Nixon they are withdrawing their support and will not block impeachment proceedings from going forward. You know the rest. Think Democrats would have done that? Not likely, not even in '74.
Of course Republicans want political power; nothing can be accomplished without it. It's how you attain it (vote fraud, lying to the people) and how you use it (compare Reagan/Bush to Clinton/Gore) that matters. Republican are no saints and we have our sleezy types but on the whole, Republicans are responsible, honest and occasionally admirable indivduals.
President Bush, despite all the yapping about him here and elsewhere is a prime example of the savvy, moderate but responsible Republican. The fact that the hard right fringe (and Libertarians) hate him almost as much as the liberal left is a good indicator that he's doing the right things as president. Not pleasing everyone (no chance of that, ever) but doing a lot more good than harm overall and he's clearly trusted by the American people, for good reason.
Yes, Republicans want power but generally they can be trusted with it. The new breed of Clintonized lefty Democrats can't say the same.
As for this Democrat-sponsored website accusation; it's typical, desperate and offensive but not unexpected. Some folks can't get up in the morning unless they are assured that someone, somewhere is in a vast conspiracy to do bad things and that they'll find out about and won't be fooled...no sir! Oh well. That's why the tabloids prosper as well as the conspiracy books and websites. It's American as apple pie.
Very, VERY good point!! Consider the course, though...this is the same crew that convinced a generation that if they are attacked in the street, they should just do what the perp wants and be nice and submissive...and the perp will moct likely be nice enough to spare the victims' lives and limbs. Perhaps they now believe their own propaganda.
I was wondering about that too....maybe The Operation was a success??
Oh, and PS:
From the account that I read (it was the WP, but still) I didn't come away from it angry with the Administration. Quite the opposite actually.
I was impressed with Cheney's clarity and how quickly he reached a decision. I thought he performed extremly well under such pressure.
I came away from it with respect for and confidence in Cheney because of it. No waffling, no hummm or haw.. He was very precise and very direct.
First they have the article stating that Bush ordered the shootdown of Flight 93 and the death of all its crew and passengers. Then not three articles later they state this:
"Democrats.com Launches 'BuckStopsThere.com' To Expose ALL Top Officials Who Let 911 Happen
September 11 was the worst terrorist attack in American history, resulting in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people. The first duty of our President is to defend and protect America. But in the weeks leading up to September 11, George W. Bush and his top officials failed to take numerous precautions that could have stopped 911. And on 911 itself, Bush failed to respond in real time to the unfolding events. FBI Director Robert Mueller has received most of the blame, but Mueller was new to his job and in no way bears the most responsibility. Democrats.com has created an organizational chart showing the responsibility of ALL key officials, from George W. Bush on down. As Americans, we have the right - and the duty - to hold each of these individuals responsible for their failures. Harry Truman said, "The Buck Stops Here." But Bush will do anything to avoid responsibility - that's why our new site is called "BuckStopsThere.com" - spread the word!"
These liars lie in both directions. If you don't believe Bush shot down a plane of innocents, then you can believe he took no action at all!
I agree, which makes the whole argument against arming pilots a pile of bullsh!t. If the U.S. military is fully prepared to shoot down a hijacked airliner filled with passengers, then what f#cking difference does it make if an armed crew member shoots a hole in the side of the aircraft????
I have this hunch that what's REALLY getting to them is the GOP seliing photos of the president for 150 bucks a pop...and even DEMOCRAT VOTERS bought copies. THAT'S what's getting to this bunch of "The Republicans profited from 9-11" crowd.
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