08/20/2009
Tom Ridge Was Pressured to Raise Terror Alert to Help Bush in '04 Election
Former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge is publishing a "tell-all" on September 1. Among the details of the book being promoted is something many folks had suspected for a long time — that national security alert levels were at least sometimes politically motivated and not based on actual threats (other than the GOP and Bush losing elections!).
From Thomas Dunne publishers tease of The Test of Our Times: America Under Siege...and How We Can Be Safe Again:
• How the DHS was pressured to connect homeland security to the international “war on terror”
• How Ridge effectively thwarted a plan to raise the national security alert just before the 2004 Election
• How Ridge had pushed for a plan (defeated because of turf wars) to integrate DHS and FEMA disaster management in New Orleans and other areas before Hurricane Katrina.
Paul Bedard of U.S. News and World Report: "Ridge was never invited to sit in on National Security Council meetings; was 'blindsided' by the FBI in morning Oval Office meetings because the agency withheld critical information from him; found his urgings to block Michael Brown from being named head of the emergency agency blamed for the Hurricane Katrina disaster ignored; and was pushed to raise the security alert on the eve of President Bush's re-election, something he saw as politically motivated and worth resigning over."
Ridge denied in 2004 that the security alert changes were politically motivated.
Posted 11:09 AM EST by Andy Towle in George W. Bush, News, Tom Ridge | Permalink
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Bit of amphigory in the headline, no? Who was pushing?
Posted by: Karl | Aug 20, 2009 11:39:43 AM
No surprise there.
Posted by: Brian in Texas | Aug 20, 2009 11:49:44 AM
Yeah, that headline's confusing. "Tom Ridge *was* pushed" would be more clear.
Posted by: Arkadin | Aug 20, 2009 11:55:08 AM
The reorganization of several government agencies to form the Dept of Homeland Security was also a ploy to replace career personal with Bush operatives. I'd like to hear more about that.
Posted by: JONNY NYNY2FLFL | Aug 20, 2009 12:34:26 PM
Sometimes this country makes me want to throw up.
Posted by: Alan | Aug 20, 2009 12:40:55 PM
There's no such name as "Lary"... I wonder who REALLY helped him write this thing...
Posted by: MammaBear | Aug 20, 2009 12:49:57 PM
Wow! another great *hero* who stood by with his thumb up his ass as Cheney/Bush destroyed America.
We should force professional politicians to give us an outline of their book proposals BEFORE accepting cabinet appointments.
How do these guys feel *forced* to tell the truth AFTER they leave office?
We need these tough, no-bullshit SPILL IT BITCH! NYC book agents working for the CIA.
Posted by: OttoErotica | Aug 20, 2009 12:50:38 PM
Lary Bloom (1 R) is, indeed, a real author know for helping public figures write their memoirs. I don't know if he changed his name when he became an adult, or if it was an odd choice on the part of his parents.
Members of a prior administration rarely release information about their time during a president's term while that president is still alive - *especially* so soon after he leaves office, and *especially* revelations that are critical. Scott McClellan didand now Tom Ridge has done so - already 2 for Bush. I think it speaks somewhat to the relatively new disclosure culture in America, but I suspect it speaks mostly to the duplicitous nature and gross ill-intentions of his administration. Bush was committing acts many would deem immoral, and he knew it, and his employees knew it. They claim they were powerless to stop it. Lies. Now they are trying to clear their conscience. Too late. You have blood on your hands, Scott and Tom, and no amount of Lady Macbeth behavior can clean them.
Posted by: K | Aug 20, 2009 1:08:03 PM
What a complete piece of shit for just now coming out. Tom Ridge, George W. Bush and Dickless Cheney should all rot in hell and should be forced to go there immediately.
Posted by: Bobby | Aug 20, 2009 1:22:39 PM
I hate how all these Republican underlings are coming out now, pointing the finger and passing the buck. It reminds me of the Milgram Experiment. They are all responsible for their actions from the person in the highest office to the employee who feels like they were pressured.
Posted by: Alex | Aug 20, 2009 1:25:38 PM
How these people aren't in prison is beyond me.
Posted by: ChristopherM | Aug 20, 2009 1:27:48 PM
Sorry, but Tom Ridge is not the brightest bulb in the hardware store, either.
Posted by: Jack M | Aug 20, 2009 1:28:25 PM
No, he's not that bright---especially if he ever hopes to be a player in the Republican party again. I hope he got a massive advance for this, because once again the GOP will be taking a major hit and having to cover its ass with more lies on lies! And he will be loathed.
Posted by: Paul R | Aug 20, 2009 2:10:20 PM
Don't be too harsh on people who are coming out with information only now - that will just discourage others from following suit. It's better that the truth come out late rather than never at all.
We need to know as much as we can about the garbage and corruption that goes on in our government. Hopefully the witnesses to todays atrocities will have courage to come forward sooner rather than later.
Those who are responsible for attempting to manipulate Ridge and the public should be prosecuted.
Posted by: paul c | Aug 20, 2009 2:11:21 PM
"But Ich var nur following orderz! Sieg heil!" (sorry for the mangled german).
And when the GOP cry that there isn't enough bipartisanship...perhaps this why no one trusts them.
Posted by: woodroad34 | Aug 20, 2009 2:17:35 PM
Several Clinton appointees have had books out, some well before he left office.
Posted by: anon | Aug 20, 2009 2:21:29 PM
A little late now isn't it Tom Ridge? you should be arrested along with the rest of them.
Posted by: Chris R | Aug 20, 2009 4:55:56 PM
Using fear to score political points? say it isn't so. I wonder what else they did?
Posted by: Ronk | Aug 20, 2009 4:57:37 PM
Paul C
U could knock me over with a feather
I agree 100% with U
:-)
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Aug 20, 2009 6:35:40 PM
Pleez, if he were a real Mensch, he would have resigned and come out when it happened. And somehow, PAUL C, I don't think many Bush staffers are reading this blog and getting nervous over coming out.
Posted by: David R. | Aug 20, 2009 6:53:15 PM
Sure, they exploited America's utter post 9/11 paranoia for the most base political reasons. Ridge's book is not news. The only thing newsworthy is the fact that someone who was in the know is finally admitting it. He should have written his book five years ago.
I knew what was going on in the hours leading up to the election of 2004. It was so freaking obvious, you had to be an idiot to miss it.
On the first posting on my blog on June 2, 2006, I wrote the following:
"PREDICTION: George W. Bush will be remembered in history, primarily, as the first (pray last) former chief executive to go to federal prison. Sound crazy? Stay tuned.:
I stand by those words.
http://www.tomdegan.blogspot.com
Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
Posted by: Tom Degan | Aug 21, 2009 5:05:03 AM
It is upsetting because terror alerts scare the public. This should have never been used to promote their political agendas.
Posted by: Chris | Aug 21, 2009 4:42:10 PM