Powell Scolds Hill Staffer At Hearing

[InjaYew]

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www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A34636-2004Feb11.html

Powell Scolds Hill Staffer At Hearing
Secretary Also Clashes With Ohio Lawmaker

By Glenn Kessler
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, February 12, 2004; Page A12

The general chewed out the buck private yesterday.

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, a retired four-star general known for his even temperament, paused yesterday during a congressional hearing to berate a Hill staffer for shaking his head as Powell offered a defense of his prewar statements on Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction.

The public scolding came after Powell had already endured a number of attacks by Democrats on the administration's Iraq policy during an appearance before the House International Relations Committee. He had just snapped at a member of Congress who had casually declared President Bush "AWOL" from the Vietnam War.

Powell was recalling for the panel his review of the prewar intelligence. "I went and lived at the CIA for about four days to make sure that nothing was," he began, when he paused and glared at a staffer seated behind the members of Congress.

"Are you shaking your head for something, young man, back there?" Powell asked. "Are you part of these proceedings?"

Powell's unusual remarks threatened to derail the hearing. Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), a 12-year veteran of the House, objected, "Mr. Chairman, I've never heard a witness reprimand a staff person in the middle of a question."

Powell shot back, "I seldom come to a meeting where I am talking to a congressman and I have people aligned behind you giving editorial comment by head shakes."

"Well, I think people have opinions," Brown responded.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) rushed to defend Powell. "I think the secretary is owed an apology for that, not reprimand," he said.

This brought a reaction from Rep. Gary L. Ackerman (D-N.Y.), who had earlier in the hearing been cut off by Rohrabacher when a statement he made denouncing the administration's claims on weapons of mass destruction ran over the assigned length. "Point of order, Mr. Chairman," he asked. "Has that gentleman who's speaking been recognized?"

Rep. Henry J. Hyde (R-Ill.), the committee's chairman, urged members to calm down, despite the "very emotional subject."

For much of the hearing, Powell had calmly answered barbs by Democrats over the administration's inability to find weapons in Iraq despite alarms before the war about the grave threat posed by Saddam Hussein.

"Truth is the first casualty of war," said Ackerman, who had voted for the war resolution. "I would contend truth was murdered before a shot was fired."

Powell, however, became testy when Brown said, in a reference to questions about whether Bush completed his National Guard service: "You are one of the very few people in this administration that understands war. We have a president who may have been AWOL" from duty.

"First of all, Mr. Brown, I won't dignify your comments about the president because you don't know what you are talking about," Powell snapped.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean, Mr. Secretary," Brown replied.

"You made reference to the president," Powell said.

"I say he may have been AWOL," Brown repeated.

"Mr. Brown, let's not go there," Powell retorted. "Let's not go there in this hearing. If you want to have a political fight on this matter, that is very controversial, and I think is being dealt with by the White House, fine. But let's not go there."

[Timber Loftis]

Some people, mostly those who use annoying catch phrases like "the truth was murdered," deserve to be slapped upside the head with 9 inches of limp d***, as my bruddas NWA would say. Not much more to say here.

[Skunk]

Originally posted by Timber Loftis: Some people, mostly those who use annoying catch phrases like "the truth was murdered," deserve to be slapped upside the head with 9 inches of limp d***, as my bruddas NWA would say. Not much more to say here.

If misleading congress in order to lead the nation to war is not a crime, then I quite agree that the 'catch phrase' is as inappropriate as the vegetarian war cry of 'meat is murder'.

[Timber Loftis]

Assuming they mislead congress, intentionally, and assuming it is a crime, the catch phrase "murdering the truth" still needs to be dragged outside and shot dead. You can't murder the truth, just as you can't murder an animal, as you point out. Murder has a specific meaning: the intentional taking of human life.

What's worse, it's overt pandering to the media. Powell should be questioned so the truth can be ascertained. Rather, congressional "hearings" are more about our statesmen getting a chance to abuse people and make a few headlines. Do you think the esteemed gentleman really gives a crap about Iraq -- or rather about re-election?

If you ever get the chance, check out the movie "The Contender" to see Gary Oldman doing a fantastic job portraying abuse of the hearing process. In case you don't recognize him (he IS quite the doppleganger), he plays the statesman from the "Great State of Illinois."

[ 02-17-2004, 12:44 PM: Message edited by: Timber Loftis ]

[InjaYew]

What I found interesting about the article is that Colin Powel's calm seems to slipping. He lost it on a head nod. Not a good sign. [img]smile.gif[/img]