Tom Ridge: I Was Pressured To Raise The Terror Alert to Help Bush Win

[ArmedROBery]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/20/tom-ridge-i-was-pressured_n_264127.html

In a new book, former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge reveals new details on politicization under President Bush, reports US News & World Report's Paul Bedard (http://www.usnews.com/blogs/washington-whispers/2009/08/19/tom-ridge-on-national-security-after-911.html). Among other things, Ridge admits that he was pressured to raise the terror alert to help Bush win re-election in 2004.
Ridge was never invited to sit in on National Security Council meetings; was "blindsided" by the FBI in morning Oval Office meetings because the agency withheld critical information from him; found his urgings to block Michael Brown from being named head of the emergency agency blamed for the Hurricane Katrina disaster ignored; and was pushed to raise the security alert on the eve of President Bush's re-election, something he saw as politically motivated and worth resigning over.

All too depressing. Bush officials are denying it, but I suspect it's true... what about you guys?

[xshady121]

Former official writes a "tell all" book. Not that there isn't any truth to it, but how much of it is embellished to sell copies of his book? His book certainly wouldn't sell any copies unless it had something juicy in it.

If I'm not mistaken, didn't they end up not raising it? So what is the issue here.

edit, from the Washington Post


Former Pennsylvania governor Tom Ridge, the first director of the Department of Homeland Security, says that he was pressured by other agency heads to raise the terrorism threat level on the eve of the 2004 presidential election -- a move he rejected as having political undertones.

It sounds a lot more like Ridge is making up a story to push books.

[.invisible ink.]

does this really surprise anyone?

[anamericangod]

I highly doubt he is making this up. In one regard, sure, you could make a case that terrorists would love to stage an attack during an important event such as a Presidential election. However, unless there was legitimate, valid information to do so, it shouldn't happen.

I have no doubts the Bush administration would have been or actually was totally okay with pressuring him to raise the level simply for the political purpose/fear mongering, regardless of whether or not there was a credible thread.

No reason to doubt Ridge at all.

[x togepi x]

he's not making it up. i remember reading articles around that time about how the threat level was supposed to go up around election day but then there was political backlash so it never happened.

[Tead42]

It's not like it really matters anyways; the few amount of voters swayed that night seemed insignificant to the election as a whole.

[ericsounds41]

Former official writes a "tell all" book. Not that there isn't any truth to it, but how much of it is embellished to sell copies of his book? His book certainly wouldn't sell any copies unless it had something juicy in it.

If I'm not mistaken, didn't they end up not raising it? So what is the issue here.

edit, from the Washington Post



It sounds a lot more like Ridge is making up a story to push books.

Pretty much what I think.

[konvalbr]

this story is about as interesting as someone saying they almost saw a movie last night but didn't because they weren't in the mood. it has no relevance to anything. all about selling books.

[zach]

Given the Bush administration's track record of creative ethics and blatant partisanism, there is absolutely no reason to believe that this isn't true. I can understand why some Bush apologists would try to play down it's significance, but I can't understand why any thinking, rational person would down play the importance of any public official trying to manipulate the populace with fear during an election time. It doesn't matter if the terror alert level was raised or not. It's terrifying enough that the idea was even on the table.