Memory Fault at Location 001600

by RonK, Seattle

National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice on FOX News, regarding White House non-reaction to the outing of Valerie Plame:

SNOW: But there was nobody at the White House at the time who was saying, "Oh, we've got a problem here"?

RICE: Tony, I don't remember any such conversation.

Rice on Meet The Press, regarding the mysterious appearance, disappearance and reappearance of the yellowcake claim:

DR. RICE: It’s not a matter of getting back in. It’s a matter, Tim, that three-plus months later, people didn’t remember that George Tenet had asked that it be taken out of the Cincinnati speech and then it was cleared by the agency. I didn’t remember. Steve Hadley didn’t remember. ...

... The system is busy or has become unstable ...

Assessment: As with the original yellowcake eruption, the administration has failed to converge on a single cover story, or even choosing who to throw to the wolves. This has many intriguing implications.

Outlook: Senior administration officials are rehearsing their Poindexter talking points ("At this point in time I cannot recall..."), and preparing to exercise their Poindexter rights. ("You have the right to amnesia. You have the right to plausible denial. You have the right to assert urgency and secrecy. You have the right to wrap yourself in the flag. You have the right to Presidential pardons.")

Posted September 29, 2003 10:40 AM | Comments (298)