Kondracke called Dems "a hanging party," said Leahy response to Goodling "reminds you of McCarthyism"
SUMMARY: On Special Report, Mort Kondracke called the Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee investigating the firing of eight U.S. attorneys "a hanging party," explaining that he chose the characterization "because every time there's an inconsistency in somebody's testimony, however minute ... they're ready to pounce and accuse [the witness], basically, of perjury or violating the law or something like that." Kondracke also accused Sen. Patrick Leahy of "McCarthyism," for questioning the reasons behind Monica Goodling's decision to invoke her Fifth Amendment right and refuse to testify if called upon by Congress.
During the "All-Star Panel" segment on the March 28 edition of Fox News' Special Report, Roll Call executive editor Morton M. Kondracke called the Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee investigating the firing of eight U.S. attorneys "a hanging party," explaining that he chose the characterization "because every time there's an inconsistency in somebody's testimony, however minute ... they're ready to pounce and accuse [the witness], basically, of perjury or violating the law or something like that." Additionally, Kondracke accused Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) of "McCarthyism," for questioning the reasons behind Justice Department White House liaison Monica Goodling's statement that she would invoke her Fifth Amendment right and refuse to testify if called upon by Congress. Addressing Goodling's announcement, Leahy stated: "The American people are left to wonder what conduct is at the base of Ms. Goodling's concern that she may incriminate herself."
Fellow panelist and Weekly Standard executive editor Fred Barnes later stated that he thought the whole investigation is a "witch hunt," while Fortune magazine Washington bureau chief Nina Easton added that the investigation is "just a dangerous distraction from what Congress should be focused on."
Fox News Washington managing editor and host Brit Hume began the segment by asking Kondracke, "[W]here, really, does this case stand?" Kondracke responded by referring to the "Monica Goodling issue," which he characterized as "worse" than the case of former vice presidential chief of staff Lewis "Scooter" Libby. Libby was convicted on March 6 of two counts of perjury, one count of making false statements to FBI agents and one count of obstruction of justice for lying to investigators and a federal grand jury investigating the CIA leak case. Kondracke explained the difference, saying that "in the Scooter Libby case, presumably, [special counsel] Patrick Fitzgerald was conducting an open inquiry and trying to get to the facts." "In this case," he continued, "we have a hanging party ... consisting of the Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee," where "every time there's an inconsistency in somebody's testimony, however minute ... [committee Democrats are] ready to pounce and accuse them [the witness] basically of perjury." In that situation, Kondracke said, Goodling "has every constitutional right not to stick her head in the noose that they have prepared for her."
Kondracke then discussed Leahy's response to Goodling's announcement, in which the senator stated that "everybody has the constitutional right not to incriminate themselves with regard to criminal conduct," adding that "[t]he American people are left to wonder what conduct is at the base of Ms. Goodling's concern that she may incriminate herself in connection with criminal charges if she appears before the Committee under oath." Kondracke said Leahy had made "some nefarious conclusion on the basis of the fact that she's exerting her constitutional right" and added that Leahy's comment "sort of reminds you of McCarthyism, way back when anybody who took the Fifth [at the time] was suspected of being a communist. In this case, it's not a communist, but it's some sort of lawbreaker," at which point Hume interjected, "It's a Republican!" Kondracke agreed, saying: "Yeah. Right."
From the March 28 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume:
HUME: So, where the matter stands now is that she [Goodling] won't testify. Kyle Sampson, the departed top aide, executive assistant, or whatever, to the chief of staff to the attorney general, will, but where, really, does this case stand?
KONDRACKE: Well, you know on the Monica Goodling issue, this is worse than the Lewis Libby case. I mean --
HUME: Why so? From her you mean? From her point of view?
KONDRACKE: Well yes, because in the Scooter Libby case, presumably, Patrick Fitzgerald was conducting an open inquiry and trying to get to the facts. In this case, we have a hanging party, and -- consisting of the Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee who are after somebody, and they're using --
HUME: Why do you say it's a hanging party?
KONDRACKE: Well, because every time there's an inconsistency in somebody's testimony, however minute -- and it often turns on the definition of what is political and what is not political -- they're ready to pounce and accuse them, basically, of perjury or violating the law or something like that. I mean, she does not -- she has every constitutional right not to stick her head in the noose that they have prepared for her.
So, you know, and then the idea that Leahy is making some nefarious conclusion on the basis of the fact that she's exerting her constitutional right sort of reminds you of McCarthyism, way back when anybody who took the Fifth under those was suspected of being a communist. In this case, it's not a communist, but it's some sort of lawbreaker.
HUME: It's a Republican!
KONDRACKE: Yeah. Right.
[...]
HUME: Would I be correct in describing this is a regular mess?
KONDRACKE: Yeah, and it's a mess --
BARNES: No. No, witch hunt would be better.
EASTON: And a dangerous distraction from --
HUME: I don't think they're mutually exclusive, Fred, you can have a witch hunt that's also a regular mess.
BARNES: Yeah.
EASTON: I would add just a dangerous distraction from what Congress should be focused on.
I must admit, I stopped watching these pricks years ago...when did Kondracke stop pretending to be the "progressive"?
I think Morty still does the "pretending to be the progressive" act, or at least pretends not to be a Republo-zombie, sort of in the same way Brit Hume does occasionally.
That means he pretends to be confused or ignorant about an issue, or argues weakly from the position of the right-wing straw man "liberal position".
Then he has the GOP "facts" patiently explained, and sees the light, realizing he had been misled by the liberal media.
If you watch The Beltway Boobs, Fred Barnes and Mort work together at this little play.
The Beltway Boobs are not even mentioned by Olberman as possible " worst person" award cerimonies. Not even on the periphery of the radar screen.
Kyle Sampson, the departed top aide, executive assistant, or whatever, to the chief of staff to the attorney general
Sampson was Chief of Staff. Hume makes him sound like the guy who made the coffee...
The "or whatever " remark, lends proper credence to anything that was said afterwards. teen agers use that phraseology to indicate don't bother me with facts.
This from the "Bill Clinton lied! He lied! He lied!" "news" organization.
Another one was their pet phrases was the "rule of law".
Let me see- Gonzalez (by all indications) has lied to congress. That's illegal. Let the "rule of law" reign down upon him.
Also - these Fox "All-Stars" idiots have been consistently wrong for many, many years.
SAVE DEMOCRACY, VOTE FOR A DEMOCRAT!!
"Fair and Balanced" as they are not would mean they would have had their licensed revoked and sold to a responsible broadcaster that does not feel the need to promote an political agenda as rational political analysis!
Vote for a Democrat in the next Presidential Cycle and expect, no demand a reform of our elections, and the return of the Fairness Doctrine.
Information is Power, and we have had information distorted by those whom would relieve us our access to the truth!
Happy Thoughts;
Dan Grady
Exactly right,
More Happy Thoughts;
Goobs
Mortina is such a wimpette. I mean, she sure thought a white stain on a blue dress was plenty shocking.
Here's another partisan idiot that evidently forgot the Clinton years. If I recall correctly, There was a two and a half year (if not more)witch hunt about a friggin' blow-job that had nothin' to do with voter fraud or manipulation of the Justice system for partisan means. Seriously, if this Administration does't need to be investigated for everthing from instigating a needless war for profit (although I don't think thats going too well for them), to trying to rig the 2008 elections, we all need to cash in our chips and head for the hills, because the Democrats cain't save us either!
Some cheese with that whine?
When you see 140+ reichwingers arrested and thrown in jail on trumped up charges, you can scream McCarthyism.
When the equivelant of the "hollywood blacklist" emerges, and hundreds of reichwingers are forbidden from getting a job anywhere, you can scream McCarthyism.
When hundreds of reichwingers get hauled in front of senate subcommittees with the purpose of none other than to question your patriotism and then practically force you to take a loyalty oath, you can scream McCarthyism.
When 12,000+ reichwingers loose their jobs because of this "witchhunt" y'all are screaming, you can scream McCarthyism.
Until then, deal with it. Us thinking people know that you reichwingers were the bedrock of McCarthyism. If what's happening today tastes like McCarthyism to you, it's because no one would know better than you what McCarthyism really is.
They're so mean! They ask questions...and if you say something wrong, they...they ask more questions!
Could somebody tell Mr. Mort that making 'inconsistent statements' under oath to Congress IS perjury?
Its the equivelent of saying WWAAAHHHHH they are destroying the GOPs God given right to LIE TO CONGRESS
Is Special Report self-nominating as a candidate for venue of the next "hanging party"? They certainly appear fully deserving of consideration.
I'd even volunteer rope - I had about 100ft left (from 200ft) I bought last year, and no foreseeable use for it . . .
Kondracke is ignorant about McCarthyism. His usage of the word McCarthyism is an attempt to limit it's meaning to "witch hunt" when in reality McCarthyism was an attempt to coerce conformity by suppressing advocacy, association, and collective activity for wholly legitimate purposes.
Bush took an oath to uphold the United States Constitution which means at the time he was sworn in he has affirmed his loyalty to the People of the United States. If this investigation uncovers his having the powers granted to him to carry out a loyalty to a private organization above and beyond his loyalty to the people then this matter is serious indeed.
There is no comaprison between the investigation of the firings of the eight prosecutors to McCarthyism in light of the what could unfold.
You must be following the announcements that Waxman wants records for contracts with MZM, to find out whether there might be something funny in their very first Federal contract ("furniture and computers for Cheney's office" or "checking WH mail for anthrax" [which MZM lacked and never acquired capability to do, BTW]) in the amount of $140,000 - sheer coincidence, certainly, that two weeks after payment of that contract, Cunningham paid off the $140,000 pre-negotiated for his little boat). Or was it the interim prosecutor screw-up in the court case initiated by one of the dismissed US Attys, that cost the Treasury at least $100million? Or the Fish & Wildlife head, sending copies of internal departmemental documents and studies - to Corporate interests opposed to pending actions? (ALL YOUR FILE ARE BELONG TO US) . Or was it Lurita Doan, GSA head, on the matter of violating the Hatch Act, by running Republican campaign promotions in Federal facilities - the infamous Rove slide-show?
Public investigations instigated by a self-regulating government are ALWAYS a good thing, even if they are drilling dry wells.
The problem the Republicans have with the Democrat's investigations is that they are gushers.
Randy
The metaphor is acutely apt - given Bungle and Darth as "oilmen"!
Never watch the show, but from the transcript seems like the panel of the bobbel heads.
Serve at the PLEASURE of the President.
This is the "excuse" the GOP glommed onto to first dismiss this issue. The Prez can fire these guys at any time, for NO REASON if he wants, they say.
But, as previous posters have pointed out, why this monumental shift from the Clinton days? Remember the TRAVEL OFFICE? THOSE people were serving at the pleasure of the president, and he fired them. The Rightwing went BALLISTIC! Endless hearings, people under oath, investigations, scandal in the headlines for months.
Did they really forget? Or do they just think the American People are STUPID? (Not a fair question. Rightwing elitists, like Kondracke -- and Bush, and THEM ALL --, are CONVINCED of their superiority, no matter HOW MANY TIMES they are proven to be not only WRONG, but dangerously WRONGHEADED. They will never learn. Luckily for them, they are not PAID to be correct, factual, or even very bright; They are paid to consistently deliver rightwing propaganda. Their jobs are secure.)
Serve at the PLEASURE of the President.
Yes a convenient myth that only shows what a bunch of dumb-asses our pundit class is made up of. Some positions are completely at the descretion of the President, but many require the consent and approval of the Congress. This is hard to understand?
US attorneys who are hired used to require congressional oversight, Then a little doohickey was put in the Patriot (sic) act by a Republican Congress that said US attorney hirings do not require concressional oversight. Our Democratic Congress after this fiasco just turned over that dumbass rule.
Gee whiz what a thought, practicing law enforcement based on the rule of law rather than partisan politics. Wonder if anyone can get the bobble heads on this panel to start bobbing their heads up and down on that thought.
Mort's recent comments comparing Leahey to McCarthy is way over the top from a guy who is way over the hill. With that much drama in his diatribe and perfectly coifed hair, Ann Coulter will be calling into question his sexual preference landing her in rehab. Never mind, keep up the good work Mort!
I THOUGHT McCARTHYISM WAS GOOD
Ann Coulter has nothing but good things to say about Se. McCarthy. Also, a few months ago Tweety Matthews talked about the ggod things about the McCarthy days. Now another Conservative hack is comparing Democrats to McCarthyites? I'm not sure if Mor-Ton is slamming dems or not.
I can use an "edit" option to correct my typos.
Kondracke is actually a Democratic hack. I won't call him a liberal because he's more of a moderate Democrat, but he's a partisan Democrat none the less. The fact that he doesn't toe the far left line 100% of the time doesn't make him any less of a Democrat.
And your evidence is ?
Oh, right, none is necessary, because you said so!
Kondracke is actually a Democratic hack. - RINO Hunter
Now you're just being thick on purpose, aren't you?
Or is somebody who questions the White House talking points briefly before accepting them considered "the other side" at Faux Nooz? And do you actually swallow this?
What...no comparison to Hitler or Nazi's...c'mon Mort what gives!?
Kondracke has a sliver of a point. If Goodling is taking the 5th because she truly fears self-incrimination, it is not proper to ask questions like "what, did you commit a crime or something". But that's not what Leahy's getting at. He only wants to know if she is validly invoking the 5th amendment, not hiding behind it to protect the whole nest of vipers that is the AGs office. Kondracke seems to be totally oblivious to what Leahy is really asking.
So Kondracke isn't evil, just stupid, which pretty much applies to any non-conservatarian who regularly appears on Fox News.
The other day Kondracke said that the Democrats are in favor of the Afghanistan war and against the Iraqi war because there's fighting in Iraq but not in Afghanistan- "If fighting started in Afghanistan, they'd hate that war, too." Such comments should be enough to end any idea that Kondracke is a "progressive." Maybe Democrats are in favor of the war in Afghanistan because that's where the terrorists who hit us on 9/11 came from, and where they had governmental support. Also, I'm not aware of a war that Kondracke liked so much that he actually enlisted in.
Kondracke is just an idiot.
I love the g. o. p. (lowercase intentional) claim that Monica Goodling is wary of a "perjury trap".. The surest way to avoid a "perjury trap" is simply to TELL THE TRUTH. The funny part is that the righties can't comprehend this simple fact.
Of course, we do have the advantage of having suffered already through Clinton's problems with the truth, so maybe it will take 9 years and who knows how many convictions, to impress that connection upon the Repugnants. Or, given that they are notoriously slow learners, consistently a century or two behind the rest of us . . .
Hmm . . . there was someone - can't recall who - who asked Valerie Plame Wilson during her testimony if she identified herself as a Democrat or Republican . . .
"Are you now, or have you ever been, a democrat?" Those weren't his exact words . . . but IMHO, THAT reminds me more of "McCarthyism" . . .
Applause light is ON!
Let me see if I get this straight. When someone seeks the protection of the fifth amendment they are saying that to truthfully answer the question they have been asked would incriminate them. Goodling has not even been asked a question yet, so the only logical interpretion of her position is that she thinks that if she tells the truth about anything related to this investigation she will incriminate herself. Kondracke is saying there is something wrong with the conclusion that someone who says that being forced to tell the truth about anything will incriminate them is "some kind of lawbreaker."
WTF???
plaining that he chose the characterization "because every time there's an inconsistency in somebody's testimony, however minute ... they're ready to pounce and accuse [the witness], basically, of perjury or violating the law or something like that."
That's because people who tell the truth do not have inconsistent statements.