Baier left out GOP Sen. Specter in blasting Dems for visiting Syria
SUMMARY: In a report on Sen. Bill Nelson's recent
visit to Syria, Fox News' Bret Baier falsely suggested that
"despite warnings and disapproval" from various administration
officials, only Democratic lawmakers would defy the administration and meet
with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. He did not mention that Sen. Arlen
Specter, a Republican, is also reportedly expected to go to Syria.
On the December 13 edition of Fox News' Special Report, during a report on Sen. Bill Nelson's (D-FL) recent visit to Syria, Fox News chief White House correspondent Bret Baier falsely suggested that only Democrats would defy the administration and meet with Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. "Nelson is the first in what could be a long line of Democratic lawmakers who travel to Damascus," Baier reported, specifically citing Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT) as one of the Democratic lawmakers who "has already announced his intention to meet with Assad." Baier mentioned that various administration officials -- as well as "Nelson's Republican colleagues," including Sen. John Kyl (R-AZ) -- were "clearly not pleased with Senator Nelson's effort." However, Baier did not mention, as several news reports have, that Republican Sen. Arlen Specter (PA) is also reportedly expected to visit Syria and meet with Assad.
For example, a December 14 Washington Post article reported: "The recommendation [of the Iraq Study Group that the United States open talks with Syria regarding Iraq] has begun a new wave of consultations with Damascus. Democratic senators John F. Kerry (Mass.) and Christopher J. Dodd (Conn.) and Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) are tentatively scheduled to meet with Assad this month." A December 13 Associated Press report stated that Kerry, Dodd, and Specter are "[a]lso expected to visit Syria."
Indeed, National Public Radio national political correspondent Mara Liasson noted Specter's possible visit to Syria to meet with Assad while appearing on Special Report's "All-Star Panel," about 40 minutes after the end of Baier's report. "[L]ook," she told host and Fox News Washington managing editor Brit Hume, "there's some more senators who are expected to go over there, including Arlen Specter ... who's a Republican, and Christopher Dodd, who's a Democrat."
From the December 13 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume:
HUME: Welcome to Washington. I'm Brit Hume. In a direct affront to the Bush administration, Democratic Senator Bill Nelson of Florida met with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus today. The State Department and White House made no secret they had discouraged the visit, but Nelson went anyway. Chief White House correspondent Bret Baier reports.
[begin video clip]
BAIER: Democratic Senator Bill Nelson of Florida met with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus for more than an hour and later told reporters the Syrian leader, quote, "took note" of Nelson's concerns that Syria needs to help stabilize Iraq and neighboring Lebanon. Senior Bush administration officials charged that Syria has continued to fully support Hezbollah inside Lebanon and has helped create more chaos in Iraq.
At the White House, spokesman Tony Snow said the administration was clearly not pleased with Senator Nelson's effort.
TONY SNOW (White House press secretary): It is a real stretch to think that the Syrians don't know where we stand or what we think. We don't think that members of Congress ought to be going there.
BAIER: Nelson's Republican colleagues also chimed in.
KYL: Each team has one quarterback. We elect a president to be our spokesman with foreign countries, and he does speak through the State Department and, certainly, elected senators are not supposed to be part of that diplomatic team.
BAIER: Senator Nelson is the first in what could be a long line of Democratic lawmakers who travel to Damascus. Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd has already announced his intention to meet with Assad, despite warnings and disapproval from the State Department and the White House. Meeting directly with Syria and Iran about Iraq is one of the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group.
Senior administration officials have been openly skeptical that any talks would be successful.
The Baker-Hamilton Commission also did not recommend adding more troops to Iraq, but senior aides tell Fox that's what President Bush talked about with top officials and commanders at the Pentagon this afternoon.
[...]
LIASSON: He's [Nelson] saying that there was a crack open to negotiate and that he obviously agreed with the Iraq Study Group.
HUME: Then who -- and who will do that negotiating?
LIASSON: Well, the administration would have to do the negotiating. He's not negotiating.
HUME: So, he's doing -- so, notably, he was going -- so, it was a diplomatic mission?
LIASSON: Well, no, I think it was a fact-finding mission for him. He doesn't speak for the administration. He wasn't negotiating anything. It's his view that they should negotiate and, look, there's some more senators who are expected to go over there, including Arlen Specter --
HUME: Yeah, that's right -- Arlen Specter. Dodd.
LIASSON: -- who's a Republican, and Christopher Dodd, who's a Democrat.
and adds fair and balanced to the proceedings. Just remember the Decider is still deciding, with Cheney's fatherly advice, and most likely also with Rumsfeld's advice in the background.
And find out what the hell Dick Cheney was doing in Saudi Arabia while we're at it.
KYL: "Each team has one quarterback. We elect a president to be our spokesman with foreign countries, and he does speak through the State Department and, certainly, elected senators are not supposed to be part of that diplomatic team. "
What is our quartback's rating? Low 30's? You can't even get a job on the practice squad with that level of incompetence. I think these guys are going because the Bush team keeps fumbling and their cheerleaders only know how to scream "touchdown!"
..At least he wasn't in Tehran.. right? :(
Pardon me Tony but if you look out the window, you'll notice that the majority of Americans as well the majority of people around the world, don't give a rat's behind what this administration likes or dislikes.
Specter is no more of a Republican than Hillary Clinton is. Merely having the Republican label doesn't actually make you a Republican. You have to actually believe in the things that Republicans stand for, which Specter obviously doesn't.
I knew there would be some sort of entertaining attempt to deny the simple facts of the post.
Thanks for the chuckle.
Oh wise one how Specter's beliefs actually go against what real republicans believe.. And none of this neo-con BS, because let's face it. Bush will be the last neo-con President ever. He's messed it up so bad, there won't be another neo-con President.
Just for a quick reference for you, here is his issues page from his website: [link to specter.senate.gov]
Also, just because you don't march in lock step with the President, doesn't make you any less of a republican. It makes you a person who was free will, and may be doing the things that is best for his constituency. Last I knew, President Bush didn't live in Pennsylvania. Maybe you should actually know what the man stands for before you pass judgment on his republicanism.
Specter has a lifetime American Conservative Union rating of 45%. That means that he votes with the Democrats more often than he does with his own party. He is now the most liberal Republican in the Senate. Lincoln Chafee was the most liberal with a lifetime ACU rating of 37%, but he lost his re-election bid.
In your opinion, what has he done that you disagree with? Have you looked at his voting record? I think probably not. And the ratings by the ACU? Please... When you can cite a source that is independent on the issue of who is conservative and who isn't, I'd rather listen to that. Being that the ACU is a highly conservative lobbying effort and all. They certainly have their own agenda, and it doesn't include the good people of Pennsylvania (which is who Specter works for, and who they keep electing). Seems as though the other former Senator from Pennsylvania who garnered a higher rating that Specter from the ACU got ousted this year. Hmm....
[link to www.conservative.org]
Or are you naturally delusional?.Look this is simple Zell Miller is a Dem and Arlen Spector and Guliani are Republicans, see its THEIR choice NOT YOURS.
You have to actually believe in the things that Republicans stand for, which Specter obviously doesn't. The truth detector _______________________________________________
Are you sure that you want to make THAT one of the main reasons for your argument, ttd?
Bush claims he's looking for a "new way forward" with Iraq, yet steadfastly refuses to deal with Iran and Syria... meaning, he's not really changing his "strategy," if any... so, someone's got to go over there and make things happen...