The right hand knows what the far right hand is doing...
Remember when Fmr. Texas Governor George W. Bush agreed to allow the 911 Commision to extend the due date for their report because the commision believed that the May deadline would preclude them from performing the requisite interviews and document reviews. A great day for democracy, a great day for the White House Occupant to show that he is a straight shooter. "Sure, I'll allow the commision to have a summer deadline, even though the report it will issue might be critical of my reign," his implied message was. "It is wrong to play politics with things like this, and so I'll bite the bullet and give the commision until July 26 to write their report, election cycles be damned!"
Brave of him!
What most people don't realize is that the 911 Commision was established by congressional mandate, and only the congress can extend the deadline.
So Bush gets to have his straight shooter rep burnished while letting Denny Hastert wear the black hat. 95 out of 100 voters don't even know who Hastert is. I hope his constituents remember this.
Via Buzzflash
Hastert Tells W.House He Won't Extend 9/11 Panel
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In a blow to the commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks, the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives has told the White House and fellow Republicans that he will not bring up legislation to extend its May 27 deadline, officials said on Wednesday.
President Bush's chief of staff, Andrew Card, personally had appealed to Speaker Dennis Hastert to reconsider, and the Illinois Republican met on Wednesday with Bush at the White House.
But the speaker's spokesman, John Feehery, said Hastert told the White House and members of the House Republican conference that <b>"it's a bad idea to extend the commission and ... that we're not going to bring any legislation up."</b>
The commission wants a 60-day extension through July 26 to complete its final report on the attacks. Despite initial objections, Bush backed the extension and the Senate is moving forward with legislation.
But Hastert cast serious doubt on its prospects for passage in the Republican-controlled House. <b>"He thinks the (commission's) report is overdue and we need to get the recommendations as soon as possible.</b> He is also concerned it will become a <b>political football</b> if this thing is extended and it is released in the middle of the presidential campaign," Feehery said.
The commission says it needs the extra 60 days to complete hundreds of interviews and review millions of documents.