Comments (45)

gcs wrote on October 30, 2007 5:09 PM:

I-M-P-E-A-C-H-M-E-N-T.

Got it Pat? Otherwise you need to grow a pair.

Jake D. wrote on October 30, 2007 5:09 PM:

So, what's Leaky Leahy going to do about it (other than "again calling on the White House" or, God forbid, another strongly-worded letter, please ANYTHING but that!!)?

theWalrus wrote on October 30, 2007 5:11 PM:

Trust me. Leahy will still be "calling on" the WH to produce documents *next* October. Na ga happa.

Impeachment would have been an effective way to get documents. That process should have begun Nov. 9, 2006.

Dave B. wrote on October 30, 2007 5:15 PM:

Amen to that

Dennis wrote on October 30, 2007 5:20 PM:

It's not just Lehay who needs to get tougher (somehow), but the entire Democratic party that either needs to stand united and back him.

Otherwise, the Democrats are just another "Republican" sham.

You don't have to be a blind conservative not to see it, just an ignorant one to deny it.

nellieh wrote on October 30, 2007 5:21 PM:

Luccy pulled the football from Charlie Brown again for the umpteenth time" Lucy Umpteen! Charlie(Leahy) 0!

Waiting in Texas wrote on October 30, 2007 5:22 PM:

You know at some point, you just have to kick the damn door in to get the results you want and that is exactly what Leahy et al are going to have to do. Forget trying to be nice. The WH doesn't give a rat's as* about these Committees. Start stalling their nominations, be jerks, do what you have to do and so what if the Hannity's of the airwaves slime them. Enough is fuc*ing enough!

Tross wrote on October 30, 2007 5:22 PM:

Drip. Drip. Drip.

This is such a transparant delaying tactic by the White House that it boggles the mind that Leahy and his feckless cohorts are still blind to the truth.

Bush/Cheney will do everything, hell, they'll do ANYTHING they have to do to delay this investigation until it becomes moot.

Either Leahy knows this and is just playing along or he's naive as hell.

Either way, I'm not encouraged by the possibilities.

still illusive from Seattle wrote on October 30, 2007 5:28 PM:

How long are you gonna let the WH manhandle your oversight obligation to the american people! Why do Democrats always fold, when they go the better hand?

phil james wrote on October 30, 2007 5:28 PM:

Why should the WH give Leahy anything? The WH has what it wants. An AG nominee who isn't going to get confirmed so the far worse acting AG can stay in place for the duration, a politicized cabal instead of an independent DOJ, and yet another stiff middle finger to the Dem-controlled Senate. Why it's drinks for everyone at the WH!

poggy wrote on October 30, 2007 5:29 PM:

Ooh, maybe Leahy will write another letter to Fielding. Why I oughta .... F****ing wimpocrats. Leahy will cave in for the 20th time, not arrest the criminals, and he'll give Bush Mukasey as well, who believes that the president can decide unilaterally which laws he feels like obeying. Wait, didn't we get rid of King over 200 years ago?!

Webster wrote on October 30, 2007 5:40 PM:

Patrick Leahy: n. inept rube

Gus Tarin wrote on October 30, 2007 5:49 PM:

"Wimpocrats" That's good. Pretty much sums them up.

Between the GOPers defending Bush over the last 6 years and now the invertebrate Wimpocrats unable to act effectively, Bush and Cheney have run roughshod over American constitutional democracy and are leaving a mess that may not be salvagable. It's almost as if it doesn't matter what congress does now. They gave up their role when the GOP took over during "war" hysteria. The time to bring Bush and Cheney to account was years ago, but they had the public so bamboozled congress - any that hadn't sold their souls, that is - couldn't do much about it. So let's not forget that in a participatory democracy the final responsibility lies with the people. And so far we haven't done anything about it.

doh! wrote on October 30, 2007 5:50 PM:

I think Leahy's obvious next step is to start crying on the Senate floor while making profuse apologies to the White House for asking them such hard questions. That would be about right for this sorry crew.

JD wrote on October 30, 2007 5:57 PM:

I predict stonewalling until the end of Bush's pResidency and then a blanket pardon of all top level members of this corrupt admin INCLUDING Bush himself. Any takers?

anon wrote on October 30, 2007 5:58 PM:

A minor point but, damn it, why didn't Leahy get back to the WH in, say, 30 minutes with a "No way!" Instead, he sends a thank you and waits a week to complain and ask again? Come on. Even if Leahy isn't on top of every document, some staffer should have been.

jw wrote on October 30, 2007 6:06 PM:

It would be comic if it weren't tragic. Senatorial Slapstick provided by the Keystone Kongress.

moondancer wrote on October 30, 2007 6:07 PM:

Fielding is toying with him. Leahy is a gentleman. A man of integrity. He is engaged in combat with a switchblade wielding criminal. Without some outside help, don't expect much.

heh wrote on October 30, 2007 6:12 PM:

Pelosi threatens Pete Stark and shames him into apologizing for his remarks lest he be censured on the war remarks and not one person stands up and says anything to Dick Cheney when he told P.Leahy to go *F* himself.

WTF is going on in our country?

Its almost as if they're inviting civil unrest.Its that bad.

Seth H. wrote on October 30, 2007 6:15 PM:

To all of you I'd say it's about time you stop blaming the democrats in Congress for the inadequacy of their response to the nonsense that comes from down the Avenue. There are good people in Congress, many, if not most at this point, support an impeachment process. Why hasn't it happened? Blame them only insofar as they are guilty. I think in many ways this points to a deeper problem. Our system of government is broken. What the often good people we elect try to do is work within the system already established to ends they think they can accomplish. This system has been consistently more bogged down with compromises and token legislation since our government was established 220 years ago. A little system overhaul (United States Government 2.0?) might be a good idea.

Anyway, enough of that little rant.

brendancalling wrote on October 30, 2007 6:17 PM:

this is just getting ridiculous.

xargaw wrote on October 30, 2007 6:34 PM:

What is so pathetic is that as a general rule, be it Senators or House members, the level of preparation for these hearings is appalling. Typically, the members of Congress know less about the subject than the bloggers. They should allow the bloggers to prepare their questions. Often you see the questioner reading his notes prepared by his staff while he is asking the questions and because he is so ill-prepared, he has no followup to a BS answer. Their level of preparedness would get them all failing grades if this were a college course. Couple that with the caving in from the left and the result is that we are loosing our Constitutional Rights and our country is going down the tubes.

JohnW1141 wrote on October 30, 2007 6:43 PM:

Leahy has been nothing more than a windbag.

sparrow wrote on October 30, 2007 7:23 PM:

Leahy consistently acts like Bush will play nice, again, and again, and again...
The Dems need to actively and repeatedly raise hell in a very public way at any and every opportunity. To hell with caution.

Anonymous wrote on October 30, 2007 7:27 PM:

"Oh, thank you Mr. President for providing copies of information you already disclosed. We wouldn't have ignored it the first time . . . but we're, how shall we say . . .Congress."

This is pathetic. Leahy is "thanking" the President for "disclosing" something Leahy could have looked up himself.

The DNC should go hom. They embarass themselves.

linda wrote on October 30, 2007 7:30 PM:

i swear there are times i just want to cry at the astonishing ineptitude of the democrats and their continuing snivelling posture at the feet of this most despised president. what is wrong with them? how is it that time after time after time they are out-maneuvered and on the receiving end of such contempt (well-deserved, i might add) by this administration. who are they listening to that is giving them such cravenly gutless advice.

Anonymous wrote on October 30, 2007 7:30 PM:

I say we have a discussion on a new system of governance for the US. This crew is absymal; the checks and balances are not working; something is needed to compel oversight.

The rule of law, Constitution, oath, and existing system seem pointless. Anyone up for some serious discussion of what new system of governance will compel Congress to conduct oversight?

How about some "public oversight committees" to oversee Concgressional Committees? They're good enough for law enforcement. Let's get some public oversight -- on an ongoing basis -- of Congressional Committees. Something outside the media, something that will have some real muscle.

chabuka wrote on October 30, 2007 7:31 PM:

WTF..? The Democratics still believe in fairy tales..? Lie after lie passes through this administration via Bush and Cheney and all the other neo-cons and still the Dems sit and act like the next thing this corrupted, rotten to the core administration says, will be the truth...? Are they really that stupid...? How dare that lying, nasty, little frat-boy Bush, get up there on his bully pulpit smirking and degrading the Dems..how dare the Dems allow it..? And that stupid, vapid fool Pelosi, can't find justification for impeachment hearings..? PULEEZ..!

United, I stand alone against collectivism wrote on October 30, 2007 7:36 PM:

I have a theory. Ever see the movie Idiocracy? Same idea except that it will be the Hispanics who will be the most fecund and proliferate. What will that bring? Besides a generation of some of the hardest working mother-fuckers in a great while, lots of other great changes too. Sales of religious themed tall candles will skyrocket! Lawns will look absolutely fantastic, as will bathrooms. You won't have to drive to the East side to get good Mexican food. And they'll mostly vote for one or another candidate en mas. When they figure out who the republicans really are, that will be that. Don't worry too much about our country. We spicks will take care of the mess. And yes, Leahy is a windbag.

glennpdx wrote on October 30, 2007 7:36 PM:

Leahy and the rest of Congress are just tilting at windmills. This is an outlaw administration that does whatever it pleases, and responds to no one, nothing and no law. Members of Congress should just quit pretending they are dealing with reasonable people in the executive branch. That's difficult for honest, sincere public servants (Democrats in particular) who believe in governance and the rule of law. But really, stop. Just stop pretending, it makes you look foolish...

Sully18 wrote on October 30, 2007 7:43 PM:

It`s like Leahy is the wife,the Bush is the abusive drunken husband.I`m sure people have told Leahy that Bush is beating him like a drum and rarely tells the truth,but Pat just keeps coming back with," But I luv him."
It`s an empty well,Pat.Impeach.

Orwell's Intuition wrote on October 30, 2007 7:46 PM:

Senator Leahy and his *cough* esteemed colleagues need to recognize that when Cheney told Leahy, "Go fuck yourself," it wasn't an outburst of temporary frustration with Leahy. Rather, Cheney was expressing his fundamental attitude toward Congress and particularly its Democratic members.

Joe Monster wrote on October 30, 2007 7:46 PM:

Hold on. I can't be the only one, can I?

Show of hands: Who trusts this administration to do anything but the self-serving? That is, do you, reader, think the ...

Oh never mind. There is no light. There is no tunnel. Trick is to BURY us.

Not enough investigation, apparently. Cripple this executive with investigations, and that's all you can do.

Charles Daney wrote on October 30, 2007 7:57 PM:

I think something VERY important is being overlooked here. There is someone who needs to grow some balls even more than Leahy.

His name is Mukasey.

He is obviously being used as nothing more than a pawn by the WH. His nomination was nothing more than a throw-away gesture. The WH already has what it wants - a complete toady in the position. They are prepared to keep it that way until Jan. 20, 2008 if need be, along with the attendant lack of adult supervision at the DOJ.

Does Mukasey understand what a fool he's been made of? If he has sufficient grey matter to understand that, and if he has any self-respect, what he ought to do is promise, under oath, and without reservation, to oppose all forms of torture, including waterboarding, if he is confirmed.

Let the WH then withdraw his nomination, or fire him if he is confirmed.

It would be Saturday Night Massacre 2.0.

Would he rather be known to history as an AG Richardson, or Gonzales? It's his choice.

Should be fun to watch.

ChrisO wrote on October 30, 2007 8:07 PM:

It's great to rant on about Leahy, but I have yet to hear anyone say exactly what course of action they think he should take. Other than impeachment, which isn't going to happen except at the leadership level, (and which I think would be a bad idea) exactly what is Leahy supposed to do? He can issue subpoenas, and then try to enforce them in court (assuming the DOJ would prosecute) until it ultimately goes to the Supremes. Any bets on which side they would come down on?

It's not like he has a police force at his disposal that can just go start arresting members of the administration, as pleasant as that thought may be.

Jake D. wrote on October 30, 2007 8:25 PM:

Actually, ChrisO, Congress has the power to arrest: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inherent_contempt

LabDancer wrote on October 30, 2007 8:31 PM:

What in the name of responsible government do you think Sen Leahy should be doing which would achieve any other result?

I'm starting to see that for the most part the frustration in these comments is getting every bit as moronic as we Dem bats claim is typical of the Rub wingers.

The first thing we must always remember what Will's Wisdom sez about the Dem Party: "I don't belong to any organized political party: I'm a Democrat."

The second point to remember her is that unlike everyone in the Bush-Cheney administration & the vast majority in Congress Sen Leahy is doing his job: exposing executive wingery & speaking up whenever & where-ever he spots the Boy King & his BAd Company playing silly bugger or taking too wide a stance - which as we have come to know is at least most of & possibly all the time.

So it's a busy job & he does it & the benefit is that the American voters know whassup.

Third point: Sen Leahy is not the Leader of this unruly party.

As with any recent period of extended bloody war

- on this front being the Battle of Bull Newt's Run Against Clinton 93-01 followed by The Battle of Bully Rove's War Against Functional Democracy 00-06 -

when one side has been absorbing a lot of shots & is just starting to gather enough ground cover to think about how to strike back that side's leadership will tend to be formed from the ranks of whoever has been able to keep their heads from being blown off in the wars

- which in this case of means [1] those whose constituencies comprised more of moose than men & [2] those with strong survival instincts.

Moreover the dynamics of national political parties versus the dynamics of national political elections are such that newbies in Congress finding themselves at the end of a long line of moose & DC insiders tend to conclude the "DC is not working for me" & so decide to run for King under the "DC is not working for you" [NEW! IMPROVED! NOW WITH CYBORGISEXTIN!] ticket.

Which explains most of what passes for 'strategy' in the actions of the Congress Dem leadership in Speaker Pelosi & Reps Emmanuel certainly & Hoyer mostly.

As to the Senate - anyone with any spine left or the slightest of conceit as to leadership has graduated to chairing a committee or is now running for president - except of course for Sen Feingold who as the sole Progressive Democrat gets instead the satisfaction of representing our beloved Leftmoonbatosphere as he awaits the demise of his elders & fends off their invitations to dinner at their particular troughs.

Fourth point: I have no doubt that Sen Leahy knew a long time ago that taking impeachment off the table would turn regrettable - but since he remains on the front lines of defending the American democracy he has kept himself busy nursing to its wounds & feeding it soup until it is fit to fight again.

Dismissing him as a confused old windbag is wrong & not right & just mean.

Jake D. wrote on October 30, 2007 8:51 PM:

I never said Leaky Leahy was "confused".

cebm wrote on October 30, 2007 8:55 PM:

heh's comment above that it's like they are trying to incite civil unrest really makes me wonder about Bush's martial law declaration of last year. Remember, any person, not just foreign combatants, can be condemned as an enemy and disapeared with no habeas corpus rule. Halliburton(sp) has the detention camps ready, you know, the camps for "illegal aliens". Any bets about what he'll do about elections? God, I sound like a tin hat crack-pot, but I don't put anything past these guys.

Jake D. wrote on October 30, 2007 8:58 PM:

cebm:

I'll bet $100 that George W. Bush is not President of the United States on January 21, 2009.

cebm wrote on October 30, 2007 9:14 PM:

Jake D.-Thanks. I needed a good shot of hope.(removing tin hat)

Al in Austex wrote on October 30, 2007 9:18 PM:

OK children , TROLLS -particularly you Jakester- You all are being way to vitriolic & unkind to lEAHEY et al.
Please remember we are going into the 2008 election season - The Committees leadership collectively are now bringing their respective investigation to the "lets rumble phase" - all of this well now be played out in the context of the election.
I would urge us all to watch the unfolding Democratic election narrative (HEY !!! - I think I just caught a glimpse of Begala & Carville behind that rostum.. ) -Speaker Pelosi started setting the stage for it today- Pushing back on Lil BoyGeorge's petulance about SChips spending ..The Speaker talking up the waste and abuse of tax dollars in Iraq... while our poor children suffer,,
We need to focus on how much the MSM has been covering the waste of dollars, the "immunity " of the Blackwater mercs etc - There has been a lot of coverage this week ..
The Naysayers- real & imagined on this site must be ignored . WE THE PEOPLE must stay focused on supporting the Democrats in the coming election .
Lets all show Leahey & Other Democratic Leaders some love.
And keep our eye on the prize in 2008 -and we will secure an overwhelming Progressive Majority. Elected by WE THE PEOPLE..And Jake -impeachment IS NOT OFF THE TABLE -especially if Cheney's role in Plamegate is fully vetted -so stayed tuned ..

Jake D. wrote on October 30, 2007 9:26 PM:

You're welcome : )

dweb wrote on October 30, 2007 9:41 PM:

I happened to be in DC last week and attended the Waxman hearing with Condi as the focal point of the committee's investigation of a wide array of State Department failings in Iraq. Time after time after time, when presented with reports of corruption, ineptitude and failure, Condi responded that she was "deeply concerned" about the issue at hand....so much so that I then suggested to the person next to me that what we really needed in Washington was a new Federal Department of Concern to take on the mounting tasks involved.

I now believe that Pat Leahy would make a great Cabinet Secretary of Concern

RWN wrote on October 30, 2007 10:35 PM:

Hey, Pat's staff: You were not fooled this time, you are like Charlie Brown...you have been fooled everytime.

Get it....

Bush said it would be easier if he were a dictator....easier?

Sting the guy. Call for an impeachment. Sting the Democratic leaders of tactics.

Force the issue. Force the Constitution...

Make them sweat... and call it a criminal investigation.