I watched Curt Weldon (R-PA) debate NYT reporter Eric Lichtblauon on
"the News Hour with Jim Leherer" last night concerning the NYT, LAT, WSJ reporting on the the Belgin based SWIFT program and I have to say he showed himself to be a complete imbecile. What an ass...!
First Weldon lobs the theaccusations of treason, frothing and
sputtering about how the Congress takes an oath to keep national secrets and how it is treason to leak that information to a newspaper and irresponsible for that paper to print it.
When asked why only after the story was to be printed did
the Bush administration decide to brief the FULL committees
on the program...until then it was the same select few members of Congress that had been briefed on the NSA wiretapping program and those are sworn not to speak even
to thier lawyers about it, Weldon literally foamed at the mouth as he repeated himself over and over. He never actually addressed the moderators comments or responded to the point at hand but rather kept blathering on and on about how HE is a senior member of the Armed Services and Homeland Security Committees who swears an oath to keep classified information secret. He kept ponificating how it is reprehensible to disclose ANY classified information and to do so is "outrageous"! (Does anyone remember Plame-gate?)
Mr. Lichtbauon maintained his calm logical and reasoned explanation of how the NYT and the Bush Administration were in negotiations for weeks as the editors of the papers decided whether to table the story for national interests or print it. He explained calmly how seriously the editors took the matter and how they would never have gone with the
story had the Bush Admin. been able to show how it might damage or injure the national interests of the country. He thoughtfully explained that it was common knowledge that we tracked terrorist funds and how many in Congress, the Administration and other pundits and authors had
said so many times before. The Bush admin has been bragging about it for 5 years! There's a book called the "one percent doctrine" that explains in detail how the Al Qieda factions haven't used electronic funds transfers for years and now relys on human couriers because it is well
known that funds are tracked that way.
Weldon kept yelling..."this is outrageous", and " it's treason" while the debate proceeded with him looking less reasonable and as if he was about to have a stroke!
I was glad Curt decided to come on the program because he couldn't have done more to make himself look like a blithering reactionary idiot then he did last night.
John Sestak should be comforted that every time Weldon opened his mouth, crap gushed out!
How this idiot has remained in the House as long as he has is proof positive that the incumbant advantage is a powerful one.
I used to live in the PA 7th and still live very close to there so I truly hope Sestak can beat this asshole...if anyone seemed beatable it was Curt (the frothing idiot) Weldon last night!