OK, so I know I shouldn't make fun of this, as it deals with the 9/11 Commission and, well ,the truth of the matter is the country is not best served by partisan bickering over the testimony or even the path to it (i.e., Dr. Rice is going to testify now...give her all the credit she's due for doing so).
However, via Marshall, and oddly enough no where else that I read, I've learned that part of the conditions for the President and Vice President to appear before the commission again is that they must testify together. Marshall offers three possible (decidedly unflattering) explanations for this seemingly unnecessary demand (paraphrased here):
- It's to limit the amount of time they will need to testify. By doing it simultaneously, (three hours have been promised), they're both out of there in 3 hours, as opposed to potentially 6 if they testify separately.
- It helps them not contradict each other.
- It keeps the president from "getting himself into trouble, either by contradicting what his staff says, or getting some key point wrong, or letting some key fact slip."
Again, none of these are particularly flattering to the President, but I can't imagine another reason they'd insist on this.
I can think of several reasons NOT to have them in the same place at the same time. Unless they're 100% sure they've covered the whole security issue.
Posted by: Slartibartfast | March 31, 2004 at 09:36 AM
Sloth love Chunk.
Not familiar with that expression... Meaning?
Posted by: Edward | March 31, 2004 at 09:46 AM
Sloth love Chunk.
Posted by: praktike | March 31, 2004 at 09:46 AM
That's so weird the way the comments get out of order..
Posted by: Edward | March 31, 2004 at 09:49 AM
It's when they have the same posting time. Posting time is only in minutes, so it probably puts them in alphabetical order when the chronology is the same. Alphabetical by poster, maybe?
Posted by: Slartibartfast | March 31, 2004 at 09:53 AM
Changing my name to "AAA Edward," in that case.
Posted by: Edward | March 31, 2004 at 10:09 AM
I think in MT you can specify the sort order.
Posted by: praktike | March 31, 2004 at 10:17 AM
"Sloth love Chunk" is a Goonies reference.
Posted by: praktike | March 31, 2004 at 10:50 AM
I suppose the obvious is too mundane for Mr. Marshall. Hasn't it been a consistent format in the commission that Cabinet Secretaries appear with their deputies? If the idea is to get questions answered, the appearance of both together makes the most sense as they can collaborate and confirm information as has been done when Powell, Tenat, etc. It saves time for both the commission and the witnesses.
However, if the idea is just to play "gotcha" and "catch" one or the other or... well, then why are wasting any time on even pretending the commission serves a purpose.
Posted by: Macallan | March 31, 2004 at 11:16 AM
I suppose the obvious is too mundane for Mr. Marshall. Hasn't it been a consistent format in the commission that Cabinet Secretaries appear with their deputies? If the idea is to get questions answered, the appearance of both together makes the most sense as they can collaborate and confirm information as has been done when Powell, Tenat, etc. It saves time for both the commission and the witnesses.
However, if the idea is just to play "gotcha" and "catch" one or the other or... well, then why are wasting any time on even pretending the commission serves a purpose.
Posted by: Macallan | March 31, 2004 at 11:16 AM
Bush isn't a cabinet secretary -- he's the president of the United States. He shouldn't need a deputy with him.
Posted by: Skip | March 31, 2004 at 01:13 PM
Bush isn't a cabinet secretary -- he's the president of the United States.
Thanks Skip. Gosh, I'm so embarassed.
Posted by: Macallan | March 31, 2004 at 01:24 PM
Dang. Who knew?
Posted by: Slartibartfast | March 31, 2004 at 01:28 PM
Holy cow. Bush Jr president?
Well, that certainly explains how screwed up everything is. We should take care of that problem post-haste.
Posted by: sidereal | March 31, 2004 at 01:46 PM
We should take care of that problem post-haste.
A few of us are working on it.
Posted by: Edward | March 31, 2004 at 01:50 PM
Macallen wrote
"I suppose the obvious is too mundane for Mr. Marshall. Hasn't it been a consistent format in the commission that Cabinet Secretaries appear with their deputies? If the idea is to get questions answered, the appearance of both together makes the most sense as they can collaborate and confirm information as has been done when Powell, Tenat, etc."
Good point. If Powell can have his deputy there, Cheyney should get to have his there too. (Badum-bump)
Seriously, your argument is sort-of relevant. There is clearly a significant difference between the roles of President as chief executive and that of a department head, charged with overseeing administration policy in a particular area. That being said, this argument-by-analogy could be made, if Bush was testifying with his chief of staff. The Vice-President is a constitutionally distinct and traditionally seperate office. The Vice-President role is not that of chief assistant to the President. He does not deal with all the same issues, keep the president's schedule, etc. The Vice-President's office functions more like a cabinet post rather than an under secretary.
(warning no spellcheck)
Posted by: IMU | March 31, 2004 at 03:23 PM
Can you image Clinton insisting on Gore being present? For Anything..?
Posted by: judson | March 31, 2004 at 04:52 PM
Can you image Clinton insisting on Gore being present? For Anything..?
Well, maybe if he needed a human shield. Thick oak probably makes a pretty good bullet-stop.
Posted by: geoduck | March 31, 2004 at 05:56 PM