Frances Townsend: Tom Ridge has it wrong

I don't believe her for one second, and I doubt many others do, either. There is absolutely no doubt that the bush administration tried to use fear to get their way and to sway the public, and now we have confirmation of just one more way they went about, or at least tried to go about doing it.

No biggie here, sounds like normal healthy debates went on. The right decision was made at the end. I would expect the process to be like this. Just before a major election is a good time to look at data and discuss alert level. Are there political motives sometimes?, of course, but then debate and discussion should flush that out.

Frances Townsend, just like Bush, Cheny, Rumsfield, Ashcroft and Rove cannot be belived...a soybean posses more credibility than these clowns.

With all do respect to Ms. Townsend, I don't think there are many intelligent Americans who believe the treat levels weren't manipulated for political gain. Does anyone remember how the level would be raised during the campaign whenever there was bad news from Iraq or bad economic news? Ironically, we didn't hear much of elevated threat levels after Bush got re-elected, did we?

What a load of c###.

The assertion that the Bush administration did not constantly use the threat of terrorism to enhance their political fortunes is ludicrous.

I wonder who is still so poorly informed to believe that characterization, outside of die hard "W" supporters.

CNN you need to get yourself some commentators with their minds rooted in reality. Lets this one go to Faux News where she belongs.

TOM RIDGE WROTE A BOOK.

TOM RIDGE NEEDS TO SELL A LOT OF BOOKS.

WHAT COULD TOM RIDGE WRITE THAT WOULD "HELP" SELL A LOT OF BOOKS?

Of course she is going to say Ridge has it wrong. You think she would admit Bush or Cheney would actually lie to the American people about a security situation for political gains? It's not like they have never lied to the public before, right?

So many times the words of the Bush administration have been proven false that we no longer can believe them innocent until proven guilty. In other words: because of the lengthy track record of lies from anyone & everyone who served in the Bush adminsitration, the burden of proof is on Ms. Townsend – not Mr. Ridge – in this instance. Why should anyone (with a brain, that is) believe anybody in the Bush adminsitration ever acted in the interests of anybody but his or herself?

Another Bush loyalist trying to spin facts so that his administration doesn't look bad. I believe Ridge because he has nothing to gain from lying about what happened.

The spinmasters from the GWB administration continue to be very active. When realities of their conduct become public it continues to be some form of "misunderstanding". Just like Karl Rove claiming non-involvement in the firing the various Federal District Attorneys, that were not politically correct to the Karl Rove standards. The GWB administration was very dangerous and it will take decades to erase the mess the damages they did. The compare themselves to Ronald Reagan, which is a huge mistake. President Reagan was an honorable man and respected the laws of this nation; the GWB administration continues to show they had nothing but contempt for the laws of this nation.

Just because SHE doesn't believe politics played a role in Rumsfield and Ashcroft asking for the terror level to be raised, doesn't mean it wasn't their real motivation.

Ridge NEVER said he was the only one against raising the threat level. In fact, he states quite clearly that he was NOT the only one.

Ridge doesn't say they came right out and said "Let's up the threat level so Bush wins". And they probably didn't, which could easily make BOTH Ridge and whoever this lady is correct. They didn't say that outright, but that was possibly their motivation.

I am from Erie, so I may not be completely unbiased, but I believe Ridge completely. He's never given me any reason to doubt him. UNLIKE MANY others in the Bush Administration.

She still drinks the "W" koolaide, what do you expect her to say?

The Bush administration /Republican party was quick to use fear to get their way. Any one with common sense can see they are doing the same with health care reform. Republicans are americans and as a whole good people but they are condoning the lies and misinformation put out by the far right . Tom Ridge is a good man and the Bush people are circling their wagons.

She says on one hand that politics weren't involved in the discussion but later says:

"The only discussions I recall were, on the margins of that, there was concern if the intelligence supported raising the threat level it might actually be to the detriment of President Bush because people might perceive it being political."

Seems pretty clear to me they were aware of the political side and it was discussed.

War is peace. Good is bad. We are living in Orwell's worst nightmare. There is no real news anymore.

I think Tom has it right. I have always wondered how those twin towers came down when the jet fuel had burned up hours ago and they collapsed in a neat demolition style heap. And building seven collapsed and it was not even hit? And the area was not treated as a crime scene, the debris was swept up in quick time, disposed of and some sent overseas before a thorough investigation could be done. I have always wondered. But bush was very successful in getting two wars, and elected a second time even though he was a dunce of a president.

Mr. Ridge supposedly states politics never played a role in HIS decisions re: the threat alert system, that pressure was possibly applied from above. I choose to believe him. If the Bush administration has proof that politics did not play a role, let them prove it. I think alot of people would like to see that proof. I know I would.

Tom Ridge could have stood up and screamed at the top of his lungs when Bush and his ilk were scaring the American public. Now that it is too late he comes out to clear his head.....too late bucko, I hope you rot in hell, you traitorous ass.

People are still trying to cover the previous administration's tracks.

Pretty ingenuous; of COURSE good old president Bush, who never ever told lies, didn't REALLY want a big alert on the eve of his terrorism-powered election. He wanted to win fairly, heh heh heh.
Good old Bush. We'll NEVER FORGET HIM.

Hey look, liberals are still obsessed with Bush.

It's really amusing that they expect us to believe that politics wasn't involved just because it wasn't mentioned overtly... these people were grown-up Washington insiders who know which side their toast is buttered on.

What really frosts me is how dumb they think we are... but given how many people buy their crap, maybe they're right!

Oh sure, everyone has it wrong on the Bush Jr presidency...the whole of America is an idiot melting pot!!! I can understand when 1 person cries foul, but when more than half of your administration cries foul, something is not right. First there was Richard Clarke, then Scooter Libby, then Tom Ridge, then the fat spokesperson whose name I forget, the list goes on................

This is really a non issue. It's hard to conceive of an electoral process in which the candidates do not try to highlight their strongest sides. With the Bush administration it was counterterrorism and in all, what the book show is that Tom Ridge kept clean of abusing this issue. I'll also say that if: A. There's an election coming, B. There is a tape of Bin KLaden that has just appeared and C. We have been attacked before. Then all these considerations would justify raising the level of awareness to prevent further terror. Let it go, this is old news.....

Based on other Tom Ridge statements, this seems to be nothing more than him reiterating that his position is on the left side of the Republican party. Don't we all update our resumes occasionally?

Of course there was no overt political discussion in the meetings. And nothing in the quote from the book – “Ashcroft strongly urged an increase in the threat level, and was supported by Rumsfeld. There was absolutely no support for that position within our department. None. I wondered, ‘Is this about security or politics?’” – contradicts anything that's said in this article. Ridge doesn't say that anyone in the meetings discussed politics, or assisting the Bush campaign. He simply says that he could see no legitimate reason for raising the thread level and thus the only reason he can see that Rumsfeld and Ashcroft would want to raise it would be for political gain.

Makes sense to me.

It's interesting to watch people like this covering their tracks. Also, it's funny how those terror alerts pretty much went away after the '04 election. Up till then, the alerts were shoved in our faces almost every day. The Bush administration was playing a game - scare Americans until they can't think rationally anymore. And it worked... for awhile.

So, if Tom Ridge says politics were involved in influencing the actions of the Secretary of Defense and the Attorney General, he's simply wrong. But if Frances Townsend says politics and personal ambition are what is fueling Tom Ridge, she's right. Really?

And we are supposed to believe her over Ridge? Tom Ridge has proved to be one of the few from the Bush WH years that I actually believe is a good man, as opposed to the rest who I know see as either gullible such as Bush, pure evil such as Cheney, or in between such as Townsend.

Right! I recall Bush calling a press conference immediately before the DNC convention on the night of Kerry's nomination, where he preempted all of the major networks to announce ... that nothing had changed.

Politics had nothing to do with Bush administration actions on security. Right. Anyone who believes that want to buy a bridge?

Sounds like circling tof he wagons has begun by the youngish and talented Ms. Townshend. Only problem is that her arguments are not plausible. Just because Ridge didn't share his misgivings with her, a clear Bush loyalist with a presumed future, and he didn't make the most eloquent case in a room with highly skilled gov't officials doesn't refute his account. And Ridge's account is consistent with Scott McClellan's and others' alegations of politics trumping the facts in Bush administration policies. By fudging the facts in the runup to an unnecessary war and attempting to manipulate the billion dollar DHS' policies and public pronouncements, not to mention the harm done by mismanaging the financial health of the country, the Bush legacy will ultimately be looked back on as history's most harmful to the country.

I don't believe Townsend, her vague parlance speaks volumes. Its obvious Ridge didn't discuss his suspicions with Townsend because she would use it as ammo against him. People who attend meetings know just because you don't discuss a particular objective doesn't mean that you can't try and steer a decision to that end.

Imagine-The RNC using scare tactics to win an election. Even if they did, you know they would NEVER try it again....oo wait. "death panels", "medicare taken away", "socialism" taking you guns away"
Maybe they WOULD use scare tactics, since most people only listen to the first few lines of a story and wont search out the truth for themselves. Learn to swim or get out of the pool!

Fran is still very much a "Bush Loyalist" and will continue to stick up for his administration. It is amazing to me how much one can have a "clouded vision" and unquestionable loyalty. In the end all of this is going to come out and then what is she going to say to support these hypocrits.

"TOM RIDGE WROTE A BOOK.

TOM RIDGE NEEDS TO SELL A LOT OF BOOKS.

WHAT COULD TOM RIDGE WRITE THAT WOULD “HELP” SELL A LOT OF BOOKS?"

Nail on the head. This is nothing more than a publicity stunt by Ridge to get some free promo for his new book. This is a non-issue people...step back and take a look at the bigger picture.

She is a Republicna lapdog. The alert level was used to gain votes. Ridge is right. Since Obama has been in office, I havent heard anything about these alert levels.

Anybody notice that since we've thrown the Republicans out of office that the terror alert stuff has gone away? Makes me wonder if any of it was ever legit.

What a self-serving load of CRAP. The politics were never mentioned but I bet they were the elephant in the room. The entire Cheney administration was self-serving and ALWAYS chose political considerations over what was best for the country.

I would suggest that the invasion of Iraq and the federal prosecutor issues are more than enough to bring charges of TREASON against all senior members of the administration, without even bringing up these minor issues.

I would LOVE to watch the evil Dick Cheney, the man who has ALWAYS put his own personal goals above those of the country and the rule of law (the real definition of FASCIST for you morons that only equate it to GERMAN NAZIS – fascism is actually ITALIAN), PUT TO DEATH for TREASON.

I do not doubt Ridge, but why wait till he can sell a book, why did he not speak up or resign at the time. I am tired of all these people coming clean to save their reputition and to make money. A real person of integerity would have resigned.

It is interesting that CNN hires Bush insiders as "contributor".

I always maintained that those Bin Laden tapes were fabrications. They came out at such opportune times. Can we really believe a man living in a cave could have looked so opulent and healthy and have such access to the media? I believe Bush knew it also. With the CIA and the government under control of such corrupt officials both here and abroad, anything was okay to keep Bush and these corrupt people in power. It's hard sometimes to believe we're talking about the U.S. and not some third world country where such things are common.

I cant believe some of you one here slamming the Bush Administration for merely wanting to issue a raise in the threat level. How ungrateful some of you are. All of you people are so quick to agree that its being done for political purposes but overlook the obvious fact that Ridge is merely doing this for his own gain! Bush Administration raised levels for security purposes, Tom Ridge is doing this to sell books. How hypocrytical of him and for half the people on here to believe on side could be doing it for there own benefit and not even consider how Ridge may be using this story.

Re above:
"Alabama Brain Trust" now there is an oxymoron....probably more accurate wtihout the "oxy" too!

She's lying through her teeth. It might take 10 years, but as this stuff continues to trickle out, even the Bush-lovers will have to admit that this was the most corrupt and dishonest Administration in the history of our country.
Shameful.

Of course CNN, make sure you get the "defense side" posted, aired and covered ASAP.......... it's not like you afforded the same coverage to those questioning the Bush Administration in 2003, is it?

Was wondering when CNN would chum the water with another Bush-related story to get the radical left fired up.

Doesn't take long for them to trot out another liar, does it?

Imprison Bush and Cheney.

How disingenuous of Ms. Townsend – as well as the "fierce" questioning of her interviewer (who seems more like a "handler") – to state that politics was never discussed in regard to some claimed need for raising the threat level, and then to turn right around and accuse Mr. Ridge of the same thing on even less substantive basis. How stupid do they think the American people are?
And because it wasn't brazenly thrown out in the meeting as a reason for raising the threat level, therefore it was never a Bush Administration consideration?
It would be nice if CNN attempted to provide some legitimate analysis of the "news" it purports to present rather than additional apologetics from a failed regime for its false and failed policies.

All she keeps saying is that it was *never discussed*....Who out there believes that Ashcroft and Rumsfeld the Nazi would have come straight out and said "The election is coming up...raise the Terror Alert level"! OF COURSE no one ever *DISCUSSED* it....none of them would have wanted to anyone to quote them on that...so when they were asked later – LIKE NOW – they could all DENY it!

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the suspicious TIMING here....in innuendo...the IMPLIED message...Hint...Hint...but for God's sake don't say it out loud!

So, if they had said outright "let's raise the terror alert to help Bush win relection"

that's the ONLY way she'd believe that those motivations existed?

PLEASE – rational people everywhere are rolling their eyes at this mentally challenged woman.

Of course political reasons for raising the threat level were not discussed in those meetings. Ashcroft, Rumsfeld, etc. were not morons. You don't have those discussions at a meeting where many people can corroborate your underhanded tactics. You lean on people beforehand behind closed doors so you can always deny that you did anything inappropriate. I am not saying that what Tom Ridge stated is true, but it could be, and Ms. Townsend really needs to acknowledge that possibility. If she doesn't, she is being naive about how government and politics really work.

Who cares!!! The Bush administration is no longer with us. We should be spending our time cleaning up the mess that they left the country in. I think it is accepted fact that the Bush adminstration was the most corrupt, incompetent, and criminal administration ever. Let's never speak of them again and get to the work at hand. America get out there and help all the needy people that the Bush administration has created. You rich people accept 25$ a month tax increase to fund the health initiatives proposed by the Obama administration. The only way to wipe the bad taste of the Bush administration out of the mouth of America is to make this country better.

If Townsend, Ridge, Powell and others said there was no basis to raise the threat level, why did the White House push it through and make it happen? In this interview we're not given the basis for raising it so why shouldn't we think it was political? Just because Tom Ridge kept his mouth shut until now?

Wake up conservative idiots and quit listening to these radio wackos as your Republican gospel.Could it possibly be that the Bush/Cheney admin. was more corrupt than the Nixon/Agnew one?

The poster 'Alabama Brain Trust' who posted at 10:45 am uses a handle that's an oxymoron. No wonder he sides with the Bushies. There are no brains in Alabama. Simply hicks and people with the same DNA.

another bushco liar, and this one's actually EMPLOYED by CNN. so much for journalistic credibility.

[...] Townsend, the former Homeland Security Adivser to the Bush administration, took to the airwaves this morning to dispute Tom Ridge's claim that some administration officials wanted to raise [...]

funny how people think everyone lies except the one they want to believe.

The law-abiding, trustworthy, above-board, respectable, honest, “Truth Squad”: Bush, Cheny, Rumsfield, Ashcroft, Libby, Gonzales, Townsend, and Rove. What a wonderful group of individuals that all parents point to as a model for their kids.

Seems people who respond to this article are playing their own game of politics. When are the so-called Democrats going to leave this alone and focus on what is happening now, they are the idiots who elected the current administration and for Hannah Stevens to insinuate that the twin towers were brought down by our own govenment, well, she needs to move to somewhere where she can join the Taliban, she is a true traitor.......

Both sides lie. Since the beginning of man, the political process, once your in power, involves keeping the power by ant means necessary. None are immune to it – politicians and businesspeople. Republican or Democrat, Liberal or Conservative, they all lie to keep the power. Those who don't eventually get beat by those who do. As voters we only love politicians that lie.

I will believe Tom Ridge, he has proved himself to be trustworthy. The others loyalty to a person or a party is not even worthy of comment. We heard enough lies from the Bush Whitehouse and so called advisors that I would even think of believing any of them, unless I personally saw the memo, order, or an email saying the opposite of what I believe.

The lies did not stop at one department, it was like a cancer in the entire administration starting at the top and ran down the entire group of advisors into all the departments and agencies.

And there are people questioning Obama's credibility right now. Is there any real comparison to the level of deciet in the Bush Administration?

Based on everything else we've learned about the Bush admin.'s methods and actions, I don't doubt this for a second. It was 8 years of manipulation for political and probably in some cases personal gain. Of course she's going to deny it, but sorry, not buying the denial.
I would have been more impressed with Ridge had he, oh I dont' know, spoken up THEN! I realize it would have been career suicide, but if he really felt that was happening and wanted to do what was right, then would have been the time to stand up and say publicly, hey these guys are trying to manipulate you and scare you into re-electing them. Instead he reveals it now for a book. Everyone tells the truth or points fingers after it's too late to do anything about it.

How can supposedly intelligent people miss the real point?
The security level was NOT raised.

Duh.

No wonder they call you Dims.

Lots of emoting going on from every angle. Wouldn't an audio or video or minutes be nice? We all have learned from our earliest days to CYA and to try to be the guy in white on a white horse. These are after-the-fact maneuvers and not the gutsy "don't do it!!" at the moment heroics. I'd like to beleve SOMEBODY, but I don't have a program for this play. Who are the Good Guys? Anybody?

How is this a story? "Policy" is merely the end result of any "political" debate. The root of each word proves the point ("poli-"). Democratic, Republican, Socialistic, or Anarchistic: a policy is enacted ONLY after the politicians have reached a consensus, even if that consensus is to perpetually disagree. Overarching ideals and/or petty personal rivalries aside, the political consensus was that it would be impolitick to raise the threat level at that time in light of (or in spite of) the imminent presidential election. Milk spilled. Move on.

Here's the problem. One of them is lying. Believe who you want, but the truth is we really don't know. Of course Bush haters are going to believe Ridge because it just adds fuel to their fire, if for no other reason. The problem is, ALL of our politicians lie like this, he said/she said. It is not a Republican/ Democrat thing. They want you to believe that, but it is not true. They all lie. Pelosi has been in this situation many times as well. She says one thing, an insider says another. Most people believe one over the other for no other reason than their feelings towards the person. If you already hate Bush, of course you are going to believe Tom Ridge. If you already hate Pelosi, of course you are going to think automatically that she is lying. This is what they want. Both parties want us to be irrational. It is easier for them to control the masses and the mobs.

I don't beleive any republican, what ever comes out of their mouths is a lie, guaranteed. thank you

i've know tom ridge almost all of my life. he has always been forthright and honest. this is townsend setting her self up to be the next presidential nomination or join the party ticket.

One nice thing about the Freedom of Information Act, all of the claims and finger pointing will be aired out for the public, in due course. I would trust Tom Ridge before I would trust George Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, or anyone supporting them in an effort to cover their own butts going forward. Frankly, Bush yelled "possible attack" every-time he wanted to get the media off his back.

As was pointed out in the past by MSNBC, there is a direct correlation between the terror alert level and political expediency in the Bush Administration. I do believe Ridge and question CNN's motive to put an opposing view on page 1.

I hope the majority of Americans understand how "spin" is used by all sides to try and influence public opinion to favor their view. In this case I am amazed at the bias that exists in the minds of so many on "BOTH" sides of this debate. I just resent how the press uses headlines to try and "spin" the news in a particular direction that will support the bias of the press or grab attention to get more readers. Shame on everyone.

There's no story here. Nothing happened. Some say pressure was put on Ridge to up the security risk level and some say it wasn't, but it's a moot point because it was never raised. It's an entire story about NOTHING HAPPENING!

The very same people are now raising the alert on health care trying to subvert it into failure with inpunity and arrogance. When do the American people wake up and realize how shrewd the conservative movement has destroyed the relationship between the government and the people. I donot believe Frances Townsend.

It all comes down to perception. When it comes to Ashcroft and Rumsfeld I would trust Ridge's perception over hers. Of course they aren't going to openly discuss the politics of it... she would have to be foolish to think that they would. I'm also sure that Cheney's fingerprints are all over this.

[...] post amendment: to be fair, Ridge's claims are in contention. i admit my anti-Bush administration leanings have affected who i believe so far... Possibly [...]

Fran Townsend was a propaganda/publicity expert for the Bush administration. Everything she says in defense of her former bosses and is self-serving at best.

Everything the Bush administration undertook was thoroughly vetted for political advantage before action was taken. Karl Rove, the Bush political advisor, held a position equal to cabinet rank for a purpose; he was not window dressing. If anyone wants a model on how NOT to govern, they need look no farther than the Bush administration.

Look at the Repubs now. Everything they are doing is for political gain; they could care less about the American citizen. They are only interested in trying to return to power. If the American people are smart, the Repubs will wander in the wilderness for at least forty years.

Tom Ridge and Colin Powell are the only 2 GOPers that have any backbone to stand up to W. I have lots of respect for both men...it's a shame thaye coludn't have revolted sooner!

Left, right, liberal, conservative, libertarian, democrat, republican. If any of you think that anything that politicians do is not influenced by politics and its political effects on them you are naive beyond repair.

Ashcroft and Rumsfeld, now there's a couple of arrogant dudes. I just believe that Bush had no idea what was going on in his Adminstration. He trusted these two clowns (and Chaney) way too much and stuck with them way too long. If he had some ba@@s and had got rid of them early, maybe his legacy wouldn't be as tarnished as it is now. The far right (and far left) are very scary and can never be trusted for the betterment of the US. I just hope we in America have our eyes open better with the Obama Adminstration than we did with Bush. Power breeds corruption. I think Obama is getting way too much of a free pass from the media. It's in our interests for them to "supervise" the new Administration with thefortitude they used with the Bush Adminstration. just my opinion.

Please bring Bush back! We are in a crisis with government right now that is incredible.

Nice try Ms. Townsend, but I don't believe you for a millisecond! We can add this one to the lenghly list of ILLEGAL acts committed by the Bush administration. The GWB administration will go down in history as the most corrupt administration to ever reside in Washington! Their acts were dispicable and unforgivable. It has left a stain on our country's reputation that will remain for decades to come.

The maddening part of all this is that the Obama administration seems to be willing to turn a blind eye to all of the previous administration's illegal acts. To me this makes the Obama administration guilty of conspiring to cover up these obsene and hateful acts by simply ignoring them. So our country's reputation remains stained and our government's word doesn't mean s%@! anymore! How sad to see this great country of ours ruined by those people we entrusted to protect it ....

I doesn't take long for the far-right hit-machine to swing into action against anybody who publicly disagrees with their orthodoxy. But for CNN to lend itself to the effort further erodes CNN's credibility. Isn't one Fox News enough? Having your interviewers lob softball questions worded to help a true believer attack Tom Ridge is intruding well into Bill O'Reilly's airspace.

I'd say "Shame on CNN," but I have no reason to believe anybody there is capable of feeling any.

Cheney and Bush played fear at every turn. Heck they scared some so bad they have never come back to their senses.

Townsend is making use of one of the most effective lies in politics when she states "there was no discussion" of raising the terrorism threat level for political reasons. Everyone in the bush administration was well aware of the advantage that could be gained by frightening the public. No discussion of political advantage was necessary. Moreover, why shold we lend any credence to Townsend or CNN when she is now a paid employee at CNN. CNN national security contributor ? What a laugh.

BDs (Bush Derangement Syndrome) is still alive. All of you have your shorts in a knot and are still feeding your bleeding ulcers over Bush. He's in Texas enjoying life. You need to get a life; or are you just like Barama Obak. Everything that happens isn't Bush's fault. That there hasn't been a major terrorist attack in eight years isn't an accident. You should be glad that we had (past tense) a President who had enough testosterone n his system to do what was right even at personal expense; not like this bunch of weenies in Washington now.

And she is now a CNN National Security contributor? Give me a break.

Who would trust her comments?

Gas prices dip just before elections. Terror alert levels go up. Same old same old. The US has a massive propaganda machine and it uses it well. It fools most who just don't have the time or inclination to verify the facts/statements for themselves or actually research and understand what is going on fully. This lack of understanding spreads over into the news Media. Ask yourself why the reports in the news media are always quick glances with little to no detail. (i.e. This happened.. the end). Foreign media, such as in Japan, actually take time during the broadcast to -explain- what is in the news in detail, so the observer actually knows the facts and help them come to their own conclusion. Rather than 'BEING TOLD' how to think things are.

Follow-up to my previous comment on the media. I don't think that the media has the integrity to objectively cover the Obama Administration. They couldn't objectively cover Bush neither.

I can't wait until an Obama Admin official comes forward and admits that the "swine flu" frenzy was engineered to drum up support for a government take-over of health insurance in this country.

Of course she would say that it would take a foul to think anything different.

And who in any responsible position never gets pushed to do something that you are uncomfortable with? I am constantly pushed to do things that I don't agree with and it is my responsibility to do what I think is right. Tom is basically saying that he is a weene and has no backbone.

Well, that's settled.

There was no political pressure to raise the threat level.

Sorry, Fran, but while Ridge deserves no credit for revealing this now instead of in 2004, I believe him a lot more than I believe you.

I believe Tom Ridge. Always a stand=up guy and a good governor of my state his integrity is unquestioned.
Those of us with brains knew all along that the truth took a back seat to whatever Darth Vader(Cheney) wanted so this is no surprise.
Tom Ridge is just the latest honest person to come forward with the real truth and not Bush ficiton.

The left is losing ground each and every day. Approval ratings for this administration are dropping as people wake up to the fallacies of this administration. Soon this administration will create a crisis to raise public approval. Read the book from Ridge. This article does a horrible job of relating the position of Ridge.

Ms Townsend you are so full of it. Save it for the your GOP cronies.

Of course she would say that. It would take a real foul to believe her.
It just amazes me how stupid they think the American people are.

More lies from the Bush people!

So raising the terror alert level prior to the first presidential election after the worst terrorist attack ever conducted on U.S. soil is not a legitimate reason?

Military bases overseas raise their alert levels for less and that was before 9/11. People who are saying that raising the alert level are nothing more than fear mongering for political gain are the same people that would be first in line to demand to know why the level was not raised if something did happen. Ever hear of the term better safe than sorry? They want people who are trying to make us safe sorry and at the same time make them sorry if they are not safe.

just call it another 'confession by royalty"–book royalty, that is

Members of the Bush administration are liars. Add Frances Townsend to the list. But what does Townsend care? She's sacrificed the truth to further her own interests. She's built an ongoing income stream at the expense of America. She has no conscience. By sidling up to the power brokers and money bags of a corrupt political administration she's sold out and guaranteed her future as a television pundit, author and public speaker. In this culture of celebrity what more could she want?

Do any of the crazies posting on this think for one second that Mr. Obama doesn't check popularity polls before deciding on what color socks to wear??? The Obama administration is unparalled in its inability to make any move without first assessing how it will impact its political power.

Doesn't Townsend contradict herself by saying, "There was no discussion of politics whatsoever," then in her next response saying, "The only discussions I recall were, on the margins of that, there was concern if the intelligence supported raising the threat level it might actually be to the detriment of President Bush because people might perceive it being political"?

I dont really care about your personal stripes – in fact, I think I may be the last American in America – that is, I am not a republican, not a democrat, not a conservative, and not a liberal – I am just an American.

And as an American, anyone, and I mean ANYONE trying to suggest that the Bush administration was somehow "honest" or upstanding is simply nuts. You only have to look at the record.

Bush and his gang lied to all Americans about Iraq. When the lies were exposed, they simply re-tinkered the lies. 5000 American soldiers are now dead because of those lies and what have we gotten in Iraq? Nothing but dead Americans.

Bush and his whackos tell us we must fight the war in Afghanistan to "keep Americans safe". That concept is purely absurd on its face – NO WAR EVER on anyone EVER made anyone anywhere else "safe" because you cannot wipe out an enemy. You can hurt them, slow them down – but eliminate them? It has NEVER happened. ...and it wont in Afghanistan – so once again Americans die in a foreign country for NOTHING.

George Bush and his gang did more damage, more destruction for nothing, and more lying than any other President in our history and the ONLY people who think he did something "good" are people so filled with racism and odd ideas that well, they dont really even matter – they are the whacko fringe.

Tom Ridge is in good company. General Colin Powell, Scott McClellan, Richard Clarke all did their duty as upstanding American citizens attempting to expose the Bush administration for what it was. Bush and Co. did a fantastic job of manipulating the American public through their lies.

Really people. Do you forget that we were attacked by terrorists? Do you forget that there were several instances when the Bush Administration thwarted terrorist attacks on our soil? Are you really that short sighted and narrow minded? Is your hatred of President Bush so deep that you can't even recognize that he kept us safe after 9/11? President Bush has many faults and made many mistakes, but he kept us safe and for that we should all be grateful.

The Bush apologists continue to be so pathetic!

DMR -President Reagan was an honorable man and respected the laws of this nation

Are you kidding me? Ever hear of Iran-Contra? Respect the laws of this nation my @ss

Why do we keep going back to interview these liars? Who cares what they think? What we know already is that over an 8 year period they were willing to lie about everything, in spite of the fact that their lies resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of human beings, and the destruction of several societies. If human death & destruction couldn't move them to be honest, what makes us think that Kiran Chetry is capable of drawing the truth out this profesional deceiver? She and the rest of that administration should take George Bush's lead and disappear back under the rocks from which they came.

Yea, they faked the terror environment all together. They also stole the election from Gore and they put OIL back in business for their buddies back at home....Duhh.... All the blood shed in the middle east because of those crony's. There will be judgement for them. And the funny thing about life is, you live it and you die. Nothing material lasts forever. Remember the soul will always reap what your sins have sewed....

Well, the way I see it, its his word vs hers unless someone else comes forward. The problem is, the folks that would come forward, all have some sort of agenda to influence what they would say, so you can't take any of them at their word. The best you can do is judge if they are telling the truth from their past actions. When you do that, things start looking very bad for Townsend since the administration has had a problem differentiating between facts and 'convinient relatiy'. You can only lie so many times before you're branded a liar. You ever hear that story of the boy who cried wolf? Well, Ms Townsend, you've been spending too much time with that boy to be believed. At least Ridge resigned a month afterwards and I don't blame him. It would be extremely foolhardy to go up against the administration while you are in it, considering how many shadowy alliances and friendships connect this group of people. I certainly would have kept my mouth shut too, but 2, 3 years down the road – I would definitly want to set my record straight so that I do not go down in history associated with the worst disaster to have hit the US in the 00's.

"The views expressed here are mine and do not reflect the official opinion of my employer or the organization through which the Internet was accessed."

Agreed with mk above. ... Tom Ridge could have stood up and screamed at the top of his lungs when Bush and his ilk were scaring the American public. Now that it is too late he comes out to clear his head…..too late bucko, I hope you rot in hell, you traitorous ass. ...
I usually didn't like Bush Jr. Now I fell pitty for him: He failed because of his Senior Staffs failed him like: Cheney, Collin Power, and now Tom Ridge. I think they better shut their mouths

The George W. Bush administration used fear to motivate the American public, and the American public fell for it. The administration had no use for reason and no use for discourse. As one of the 5% who did not buy into GWB's rationale for going to war against Iraq (since it was bin Laden and not Hussein who attacked us on 9/11/2001), I was told by the misinformed majority to "shut up."

The American public is going to be fooled over and over again because the majority are very gullible and stupid people.

This is why a Republic based on individual rights, and not a democracy based on mob rule, is the best form of government. This is why the Founding Fathers gave Congress, NOT THE PRESIDENT, the power to declare war, so that logical discourse could prevent a tyrant from placing Americans in harm's way to fulfill a private agenda. As a result of the subversion of our Constitution, we haven't had a legal war since WWII.

As a sensible, reasonable individual, I do not want to be pushed around and bullied by fools, even though they might be a majority.

Reading this I don't think she's really disputing anything Tom Ridge has written. She says that others, including Colin Powell, disagreed with raising the threat level. Ok, but that doesn't eliminate the fact that Ashcroft and others wanted it raised. The root here is around opinion. Ridge feels the Bush advisors wanted it raised over politics. Townsend's opinion is they didn't. I'd like to ask both Townsend and Ridge if their offered opinions are based on politics?

I suspect that this woman may be factually correct regarding this particular meeting. What she said had the ring of truth. However, the Bush administration along with the entire Republican party has learned that combining the terms "terrorism" and "patriotism" in the same sentence is a wonderful tool for manipulating the psyche of the American people to abandon any sense of justice. They are even testing the idea of combining other concepts like "freedom" and "free choice" with "patriotism" in the healthcare debate to see if they can manipulate the American people to believe they are better off to put control of their health in the hands of corporate CEOs and boards of directorsof insurance companies and to abandon any sense of social justice as being un-American. Judging by the town hall meetings they are quite successful there too.

Here we go again, they usual line is, "What he ment to say was???" Well, I do believe he is telling the truth....always told my son when he was growing up, tell the truth, cause if you lie, it will catch up with you later and be a whole lot worse....seems to be happening doesn't it...

I guess that is why Mr. Ridge left....tired of the lies....

To "Just let it go" – the reason we're still talking about Bush is because we're living the nightmare that his administration let happen every day.

Why is she coming out and defending Bush and companions? Let Tom Ridge speak for himself and defend himself... Too suspicious! She might be part of the problem..

To Ben and the Alabama Brain Drain, BUSH and Associates were LIARS. You people should let it go. Bush, Chenney and friends should be on trial just like the Nazis were after WWII, but the Democrats are spineless. Hopefully the rest of the world will go after these crimminals.

agreed. the left is really beginning to get scared with obama's rating dropping like a rock and most of the country going nuts over health care reform. i think they are beginning to panic...maybe a little too much. it's early...you may still be OK. you own congress and the senate now – too soon to be freaking out. you're going to last at least another 3 1/2 years.

Bottom line: all these posted comments reflect personal political bias. No one here was there, so no one knows the truth.

Politics may not have discussed at the meeting she is referencing, but I believe it may have discussed by others prior to the meetings.

I do not believe that Tom Ridge would write this if it was not true. The Bush administration was throughly corrupt. It did things like this repeatedly. This is only one instance. There were many. Lies about weapons of mass destruction, lies about torture and lies about rating on Valarie Plame. The list is long. The Bush legacy is frightening. It was successful in silencing the press.

I don't know what is more frightening – how effectively the Bush Administration and the GOP used Fear to practically torch the Bill Of Rights and con a pathetically gullible portion of the U.S. public into allowing them to do whatever they wanted while in power despite the obvious lack of truth to any of their spin, or the fact that the GOP is still very effectively using the same tactics on the same portion of ignorant Americans in their effort to derail health care reform. Anyone dumb enough to fall for these tactics deserves the misery the GOP reigns down on them.

He should sell millions of books now. He gets an A+ in marketing.

If Francis Townsend has less credibility than a "soybean" and is a "clown" why would Secretary Napolitano ask her to co-chair a bipartisan task force to make recommendations about the threat advisory system? Sounds like the Obama Administration thinks she has a lot of credibility.

Ah, lady, give it a rest. It was quite clear to most clear thinking American citizens that Bush and Cheney, backed by Ashcroft and others, used the threat of terrorist attacks as a way to shut down real debate on foreign policy issues and on the Constitutionality of the Patriot Act.

To "The Truth": the story refers to a time period THREE YEARS after 9/11. We were already fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq. So yes, raising the terror alert level before the election was not legitimate...it was strictly political, and even members of Bush's own staff and Cabinet KNEW that. You've conveniently forgotten that Bush and Cheney were actually informed of the probablity of terrorist attacks in the months of July and August of 2001 and did NOT raise awareness levels or move the National Security threat level at all - in fact, Bush went on vacation.

We were a year into the war in Iraq...of course the terror alert should've been on High....Liberals are idiots.

LLPOF – liar liar pants on fire – the Bush WH, their moles and pundits and fundraisers never tell the whole truth. This is a work of fiction.

Who do you expect Townsend to support? – Bush who gave her the job for which she was no good at? OR Tom Ridge?

This woman does not contradict anything Ridge says. There is only her opinion that politics did not play a part in raising the threat level, and his belief that it did. The timing is certainly suspect, but so is every other fear-mongering tactic used by the Bush administration to increase and secure their power. These are the people that got us into the most costly war the US has ever waged ON A LIE. Then, the people at the top profiteered on that war.

CNN, why are you reporting this as "news"? This is not news, it is opinion.

So, she's calling Tom Ridge a boldfaced liar?

Tom Ridge was floated by the Republicans as a potential VP candidate in 2008, and was in charge of Homeland Security. He is certainly credible, especially when he is implicating himself. His hands are not clean in this story.

More proof of the appalling and corrupt Bush Administration.

As to those that think this situation constituted due process, what a bunch of moronic suckers. I'd love to be a right-wing politician and have you as my constituents. I would pull your strings like a marionette. You people don't deserve to live in a democratic republic. You are too stupid for that. You should live in a totalitarian state where the leader tells you what to do and you sheepishly follow.

oh really !this is coming from the white house that supported torture. Nothing these people say should be believed. I stll say that Bush, Cheney, Rumsfield will end up at the Hague – Can't think of a better venue for them.

It seems clear that both Ridge is pitching his book and that also Townsend is trying to deceive. Note how she tries to maneuver in her first response. And then she states that politics was not discussed in the meetings. Of course, there would be no need to discuss politics, even if politics were the prime undercurrent pushing positions. Well, maybe being openly lied to will make us more sensitive to falsehood in the future before choosing irrational invasion of another country over, for example, reasonable health care in the US.

Sure Ms. Townsend Ridge is wrong and you are right....Ridge was a Homeland Security Chief and you were a little tag along adviser, and you got it right and Ridge has it alllll wrong? Do you think people are stupid?Besides, this is not the first time that a former Bush Administration official came out of the closet to rat on Bush and Cheney. All of these former adminstration officials are telling lies about various things, right? It's a conspiracy right? It amazes me corrupt 2001-2008 Admin was. Possibly one of the most dangerous leadership in our country's history.

Hey, ALABAMA BRAIN TRUST: Your comments are dumb as your State name reflects it.

Its really no wonder that something like this would pop up years later.

Does it really need to be discussed in the meeting to be implied though?

How many tapes did they go through years before and after that threat level was never raised, and what were the positions of the accused then?

Did politics play a role? my guess would be yes, but then again nothing in Washington happens without people taking the politics into concern, dem or rep.

What did you expect from the Bush/Cheney administration? Worst presidency ever!

Sorry Frances I don't believe a word that you are saying.

I have no respect for the Cheney-Bush administration, and thoroughly regret what they have done to America and its reputation. But the debate Ridge complains about is exactly what I want our top policy folks to engage in. It is heartening to know that even in a bone-headed administration like Cheney-Bush, there was intelligent debate going on between people of different opinions. And that they came to the right decision. I worry about folks who find "proof" of wrong-doing in the mere fact that a discussion took place.

I believe the Clinton administration was accused of similar tactics a time or two. Bottom line if you think politicians (Republican and Democrat) are not constantly trying to manipulate your opinion rather than argue their case based upon the facts you're in a fantasy land.

If anyone does not believe that the Bush administration used the "Threat Level" changes to keep this country in fear – they are naive or they are staunch republicans who also thought Bush and Brownie did a good job during Katrina. If you can't hear Dick Cheney's evil laugh in the background while the picture of him wringing his hands comes to mind every time the "Threat Level" was raised – you probably still think Iraq had something to do with the 9/11 attacks. Lets review – institute a warning bell, ring it every now and then, claim to have thwarted nonexistent attacks, attempt to create yourself the legacy of a hero keeping his country safe time and time again...are those the steps?

Tom Ridge needs to drum up sales for his new book. What she is saying makes the most rational sense. Of course the die hard W haters out there will believe Ridge, which is exactly what he's going for. I think I should write a book about how much I hate W so that I can make a million dollars!

Two interviewers, one former senior govt official, and all three purposefully miss the point and/or just twist the story to their own respective agenda. Ridge simply wrote that he THOUGHT politics may be driving the discussion, and this left him personally disaffected. This is significant in and of itself as insight into Ridge's biography, but it is also socially insofar as the AG ans SecDef could possibly have been acting in such a corrupt manner. The interview completely misses the mark on both counts–Ridge simply made no representation whatsoever regarding a discussion of politics at that meeting; in fact it is absurd to think that sort of discussion would be explicit in any event.

She's just another spin doctor on behalf of the Bush administration. Ridge only confirmed the obvious. Make no mistake, without 9-11, there would be no Bush administration and they had no qualms about using the death of Americans to further their partisan agenda. Every American whether they be republican, democrat or libertarian should be appalled and offended.

Now the republicans are comparing Obama to Hitler? Wow, talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Only Hitler would have been sleazy enough to use the death of his countrymen to further his warped visions.

Why should we believe this individual, when her boss has come out saying the opposite.

Ridge's confessions were really no surprise at all; just confirmation of the obvious fear tactics that GWB was employing throughout his 8 years in power.

God bless Ridge for being honest.

This is a woman who, in her resignation letter to W, said:

"In 1937, the playwright Maxwell Anderson wrote of President George Washington: 'There are some men who lift the age they inhabit, til all men walk on higher ground in their lifetime.' Mr. President, you are such a man."

How can anyone believe a person who is this dillusional.

None of this suprises me.Frances may no be giving us information is vital and important.The fact that a meeting was called to perpretrate a fraud at the highest levels of our government is what is astounding ! This speaks to the integrity of those in power at that time and the methods that they would use to hi-jake this nation and rest power in the hands of their chosen body. This describes "anarchay". This is "treason". Those very person's that questioned our patriotism were robbing us of the very foundations that our nation was built on.We have got to always remember "The Dixie Chicks",these are the people that, on a whim, ruined them because they dared speak out."The Dixie Chicks" were the couregous!
We recently found out that there were Cuban spies in our midst.They had been operating for years.We are now trying them and anticipate puting them in jail for years.What gives us the right to "OUT" one of our own spies ?? This same group of people did this.Is it just words on a page that we want or do we want to be responsible ?

If all of this was true, why didn't Ridge resign "right on the spot" when he was first asked to do this??? Why bring it up now? Why, to sell books of course. Doesn't add up, if you ask me.

It's great that Bush has moved on but the problem is we have a guy that gives a great speech and knows how to get folks registered for welfare running the show. It will be clear to most eveyone (except you far level folks) that Big O is a post turtle. You know he doesn't belong up there, don't know how he got there and can't undestand who placed him there. Just like Jimmy Carter was selected as the president (VOTE AGAINST NIXON) Big O was elected as a vote against Bush. Enjoy Carter 2.0. You and I will pay for this for years to come just like Carter.

I believe her as much now as I did back then....zilch, zero, nada......that whole Bush crowd used the fear threat constantly to make their cases.

We know from concrete historical evidence that Franklin Roosevelt did this consistently during the Depression and WWII. His acts, if known, would never get him re-elected today, not even for the 2nd term. His spin was atrocious and potentially criminal by today's standards. Remember, he was already censured by Congress years before his first run and called a professional liar by members of his own party on the floor of Congress. Look it up. And he was President 4 times over. Nowadays, like before, who really knows outside the inner circle? Is Obama doing it? Who knows? The posters here have no clue if this stuff is true. We will only believe what we are predisposed to believe. Some believe Bush was completely capable of it. Others Obama. We always find out much, much later.

She is a Bushie from the word "go". That's why I wanted to see him arrested, so people of her ilk would not be able to speak with unfettered voice for fear of supporting Bush's conspiracy. Obama hasn't done anything to bring this criminal to justice.

Some of you folks are just so funny. Bush and all his folks are liars! But Ridge who WAS one of those folks must be believed no matter what anyone else says. So the Bush folks can only be believed if they bash Bush. Great criteria for determining their truthfulness.
Now, if he had actually raised the threat level based on this meeting there might be something to sniff at, but in fact it wasn't raised so obviously the "pressure" wasn't all that great, if it existed at all.

Sorry Lady, Ridge has it RIGHT! The Bush Administration used FEAR to manipulate people and to deny that would be a lie!

Omg, are people still trying to claim conspiracies over this? The sad part is Kerry was a terrible candidate and instead of admitting it, the Kerry supporters just shout conspiracy.

Isn't Tom Ridge out of the public sector now? I doubt his disclosure of the events was politically motivated. I just think it speaks to the fact that the Bush cronies AGAIN wanted to win the White House at any cost and not let the public decide without tilting the scales in their favor, ethically or otherwise.

I find this amazing how everyone that worked in the Bush administration had no problems then, but now that they need some
money and publicity they are writing so called "tell all books". So now we are supposed to believe them. Give me a break.

In Washington, everyone lies and nothing is illegal.

..

I just think is kind of peculiar that once the 2004 election was over, the whole alert system kinda just vanished. Seriously, that dopey chart dominated the news all the time and then Bush won another term and -poof- the terror level chart disappeared from the nightly news. i mean, it may have popped up from timte to time after the election, but if it did, I have no recollection of it. that's how infrequestly it reared its head afterwards.

It could make perfect sense that with an election coming up, levels may have indeed been elevated as terrorists may have wanted to disrupt elections. It may have been legitimate. But the fact that the system went into near extinction afterwards makes me raise a slightly suspicious eyebrow.

Don't forget that prior to the '04 election, Condelezza Rice advocated suspending the election. There is ample evidence that the Bush WH did in use the "fear tactic" to get the american public to fall in line. The frightening thing is just how much it resembled 1930's Nazi Germany. Spy on your own citizens, incarceration without due process, report on your neighbors and overt threats to other nations to either be "with us or you're against us".

Sadly the same fear tactics are being used today by the GOP.

I'm sure Fox News will now give Ms. Townsend's resume the attention it deserves.

Has the threat level even been raised since that election? I think the answer is no, therefore it is hard for me to believe that politics played no role in raising it at that time.

You people are too stupid to vote. Please don't do so ever again. You think you actually know insider information about what goes on in the White House? Give me a break. All you have is hearsay and innuendo. Proof, or it didn't happen.

Why would CNN use someone who worked FOR the administration as a contributor, and why aren't American citizens of every party outraged at how complicit cable media is with whoever is in power? Honestly, Dan Rather lost his job at CBS after a LIFETIME of journalistic credibility over one story, while CNN, FauxNews, etc, do not even pretend to aspire to objective, populist-based reporting.

Neither Fran Townsend nor anyone in the Bush Administration is credible. Let's see here:

George W. Bush: "Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction."

Colin Powell: "Not only does Saddam Hussein have weapons of mass destruction, we know where they are."

Dick Cheney: "We have found weapons of mass destruction."

Need more proof anyone?

..hmm i tend to side with Tom Ridge on this...truthfully....I think you'd find a majority of citizens siding with him.....he may not have said it, nor the public said it, yet so many thought it and still do.

Ridge has zero credibility ion this. he is tryingto sell a book and looking for press and PR.

There were 25 people in the meeting – from every intelligence group - Only Ridge tells this story. And why now, years later? Becasue his book is out.

Tom Ridge is an idiot looking to make a buck There is no story here unless you are a left wing radical conspiator theorist or working for CNN

I wonder if there is anyone in the country who believes what she is trying to prove. Unfortunately for Kerry the fear tactic worked.

Liberty&Tyranny: "We were a year into the war in Iraq…of course the terror alert should’ve been on High….Liberals are idiots."

I guess you overlooked the memo on how there WERE NO WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION and that Al Qaeda HAD NO PRESENCE IN IRAQ (until after we invaded it). But hey, if you're arguing that Bush's policies made our country inherently less safe, I'm with you.

What gets me is all these stupid liberals saying "There is absolutely no doubt that the bush administration tried to use fear to get their way "
You idiots know NOTHING for a fact and talk like you do. You spout insipid quasi-facts like a dog with the runs with about equal value.

When it come to faith in the motivations from the Bush Administration, I have less faith than the Biblical Mustard Seed!

Non-political? In a pig's eye!

Dave – you have it EXACTLY right. Ridge's book must be selling slowly so he and his publisher have decided to bring this up now. If he felt so strongly about it, why didn't we hear about it in 1994? This is just another politician trying to make a fast buck. Best thing to do is NOT buy his book.

Let us all concede that fear is a very powerful tool in politics. Now, let us all concede that the very same fear tactic was applied to bailout, stimulus, and now health care.

The fact that you all think Obama is any better than Bush is just pathetic. He is the most partisan, ultra liberal president we have had since Johnson. He and his ultra left crew (Pelosi, Holder, Frank, etc) are making fools of themselves on healthcare, the economy and the two cash for clunkers program. And what do you do?....you keep blaming Bush and finding minute news stories like this to keep the witch hunt alive. I'm glad it makes you feel better, but don't expect your misguided hatred to fix the many critical issues that your 'change agents' are now bungling beyond any human recognition.

The "elephant in the room" is never discussed. (Almost) All appointed members of the government are constantly aware of the political implications of their decisions. If they weren't, they would not have been appointed. Townsend is smart. She can "tell the truth" by saying political implications were never discussed. Unfortunately, she was not asked whether SHE was aware of the political implications of the discussion. OF COURSE she was, as were the others at that meeting. Ridge may have ulterior motives. Townsend's willingness to throw her hat in the ring and dance around the truth compromises her journalistic integrity.

of course, CNN hires a Bush insider to dispute allegations against the Bush administration. hmmm.... anybody see a conflict of interest here? this woman is as much of a fraud as anyone else in the Bush admin. With few exceptions, the entirety of that admin was based on fraud, lies, and fear-mongering. townsend is certainly no different, and the fact that she is now a CNN commentator says it all. typical.

I beleive Tom Ridge over her.

Hey Jackie. Obama inherited the war AND the economic woes we are now facing from the Bush admistration and if you don't believe that you're walking around with blinders on. Oh, I forgot. Anyone who thinks GWB did a good job will ALWAYS think he did a good job no matter what the TRUTH is! The only thing Obama is guilty of is being such a weenie about health care. I will never understand what makes him think he'll EVER get anyone from the party of "NO" to go along with him on this issue. The GOP leaders have more or less told us all that they want Obama to fail and they'll do ANYTHING to make sure that happens! Even if it means bringing the entire country down with him. Obama needs to blow off the GOP on this one and keep his party together. After all, THAT'S what the Bush administration did when they had control of the house, senate, and white house....

I don't believe Townsend for a minute. Every single thing the White House did it did for political purposes. It's nice that Ridge confirmed what everyone already knew, but it didn't come as a shock – it wasn't even a surprise. The Ridge revelations are being met with a collective, "Well, of course."

Aargghhh. Conjecture & more conjecture that's all I read. If Bush lied & people died, why was'nt he & members of his administration, specifically Karl Rove, impeached or prosecuted by a the democratically held congress? Clinton was impeached for simply lying about a dress. Rationality points to the facts which are simply that irrespective of how much Bush was/is hated, he kept within the law. Liberals need to find another pinada to poke. Obama anyone?

I think she's a liar, GW did anything and everything the POS wanted and did'nt give a rat's behind what anyone thought. I still waiting for someone to tell how and where he hide money that was lost. I still can't believe how many stupid people believe this guy was'nt a disaster, I know I've suffered and alot of my friends have lost their jobs.

she basically just validated everything tom ridge said. she agreed that several people including ashcroft and rumsfeld wanted to up the security level. so tom ridge was right. However, fran cant speak on weather politics were the motivator as being merely an adviser she wouldnt be part of those high level conversations. so she can only give her opinion, just like tom ridge can give his. Its pretty obvious that bush and Co. jumped at the chance to raise the threat level just before the election. Thankfully we had people like tom ridge and collen powell in place to fight
it. Its funny though how both of those men lost thier jobs after that election. i wonder why.

Let the hate go libs! It gets in the way of rational thinking! You cant see a thing.

Really people. Do you forget that we were attacked by terrorists? Do you forget that there were several instances when the Bush Administration thwarted terrorist attacks on our soil? Are you really that short sighted and narrow minded? Is your hatred of President Bush so deep that you can’t even recognize that he kept us safe after 9/11? President Bush has many faults and made many mistakes, but he kept us safe and for that we should all be grateful.

You have got to be kidding me.
He kept us safe? Maybe we wouldn't have been attacked by terrorists in the first place if Bush hadn't IGNORED the memo in August stating that Bin Laden was determined to hijack a plane and fly into a building. What other attacks did he thwart? Anything credible? All I know is he put a lot of American soldiers in harm's way with that cluster-you-know-what war in Iraq.

If Jesus came down from heaven to say "W" hadn't done anything wrong and the Satan showed up saying he was a tyrant ... I think most of the liberals would back the devil.......

He's gone now, get over yourselves!

i guess people selling books have sellected memories

Frances has a history of defending the undefendable when it comes to the Bush Administartion. She is still on the Repubs payroll.

Ok – lets have all of the parties she refers to testify under oath and take lie detector tests. They won't do it.

The deceit and lawlessness of the Bush era continue to leak out and confirm what we already know. What a shameful legacy and a disgrace to those that still try to defend it in the face of facts.

Why is CNN hireing these people ? Has the corporation gotten to concerned that they need to get some of Fox News watcher to come over for their ratings. CNN has gotten off track from the good reporting they did in the past and are trying to " stir the pot" to get some tabliod reporting ratings.

CNN has a conflict of interest here. Frances Townsend is a Bush political hack. Deeming her a disinterested commentator makes CNN a mouthpiece for the Bush administration. Shame Shame.

This conspiracy stuff is so stupid. Remember when before every election after 9/11 that supposedly "Bin Laden is already caught, and Bush will trot him out right before the election to win it." Remember that one that never came true? And this stuff about 9/11 being an insde job? Everyone from Popular Mechanics to Mythbusters has debunked these "conspiracies". Remember the beams that looked like they were "cut with a torch"? They probably were, AFTERWARDS in order to make the area safe!!! You ever been in a demolition area where you have to cut certain things down to make it safe?? Geez people, use your brains.
Did certain people want to raise the threat level in this meeting? Possibly. Did others disagree? Likely. Of course not everyone could have agreed in the first place, otherwise, WHY HAVE THE MEETING IN THE FIRST PLACE??!?! If everyone agreed, then they don't need a meeting, right??
And the use of scare tactics? Just like Obama using scare tactics about health care?? About Afganistan?? Come on people, use your brains.

Of course the threat level wasn't politically motivated. It's amazing how the left has talked themself into believing all this fear mongering tactics that have no facts behind them. It's like watching school kids talk each other into believing things that aren't true at all.

So... the defense of Bush is that he also used terrorism to sway the election more than one time, and that makes it less bad because... um.

Ok, I give up. Why is it not bad that the Republican Party used terrorism against the United States for financial and political gain?

I can easily understand why an individual would argue to raise the threat level during a period of time surrounding a national election.

Even the Karzai's government raised threat level and the security posture of his nation during the recent elections.

Why does the media spin everything out of whack?

congrats to CNN for starting to see thru the fog of what has been the most political presidency I can remember.

And yes I'm talking about the Obama presidency. Is it really news that there is a political point of view in any major policy dicussion regardless of the party in power?

The majority of americans are now complaining about what the president has done IN THE LAST 8 MONTHS.

My comments may be in the minority on your web site but the fact remains that the phrase "the last eight years" is not an excuse for the
political manipulation that this administration has conducted under that increasingly irrelavant excuse.

Filthy political Bush broad...

To Tim:

The terror threat hasn't gone away the Democrats just aren't concerned with it. You should be very concerned that they aren't concerned enough. We are in the midst of a global war and because of how successful we've been the attacks have only slightly gone down. But just look at the election violence in Afghanistan and the recent bombing in Iraq; Al Queda is still out there killing innocent people every day.

So many different people coming out of the Bush Administration with the same theme of politicalization of many different facets on the war on terrorism. Only a few hardcore Bush supporters saying “their wrong”. The facts speak for themselves; from selling the Bush / 9.11 photos to contributors to the Republican Party to Carl Rove’s memo to use 9.11 as a campaign issue to this.

Tom was cut, dried, and left twisting slowly in the wind. She would have fit nicely in the Nixon administration.

All you liberal clowns out there ranting against your antichrist need to take a deep look at what you are thinking and saying. Your current savior is just as much of a political manipulator as any conservative has been. Just because you disagree with someone does not make them a liar or a fool or evil and just because you agree with someone doesn't make their statements the gospel truth. Your fanatic liberal ideology confuses your little minds just as much as you think a fanatic conservative is confused by his/her ideology. Get over yourself and you may actually have some good ideas to contribute!

Yeah, yeah, she's a liar. Of course you are going to say that but ask yourself this, why would she lie? Also ask yourself why no one else is stepping forward to support Ridge's assertion. Surely someone else out there would love to save face besides Ridge.

Does Ms. Townsend honestly believe that anyone with an ounce of common sense would believe anything that the Bush administration did or didn't do was not politically motivated? How stupid does she think the American public is? It's almost laughable to see her try and continue to defend this group. She must have absolutely no self-esteem whatsoever.

Murray,

I don't understand your logic. If one cannot trust the word of Bush administration members – how can you believe Ridge. Was he not appointed by Bush himself? You can't make a statement of non-trust for all members and selectively believe the ones that agree with you perception.

To Greg,,,
the Clinton adiminstration may have played politics in the process, but they never used the fear tactics of Bush and Cheney. Republicans prey on the most simple minded people and stir fear to get their agenda satisfied. Hopefully people will start to figure out they have been taken by all these Repbulican lies.

Boy the liberals are out in force today. Is it that time of the month, or are you all just pissed off about you idiotic health plan falling apart.

Townsend was part of the problem. She went on National Television and help spread fear for the Bush administration and now, is covering her tracks. Any intelligent person knew the Neo-Con's agenda and the events they were CREATING and her silence speaks to her patriotism and commitment to this country! We need a UN investigation because the very people that committed this crime, are still employed covering their tracks, like Townsend!

Nothing at CNN can be trusted ...

Are we now to believe this coming from a tight Bush supporter ? I would believe Ridge before I believe this woman. Tom Ridge had and has nothing to gain from this and the facts have proved this. Bush's numbers have always increased after a terror alert change and they knew that. Tom Ridge resigned a month after the election, coinicidence ? I think not. For all you so called true republicans who can point a finger at our current president for trying to pass reform I say shame on you. Look at your last administration and how they abused their power ( firing the judical staff), using their power to sway the voters. Remember it was the Bush in florida that got Goerge elected. Is this all coinincidence ? Think again before you talk.

put all of them in front of a grand jury, under oath, and let's see who's really telling the truth. you Republicans are staging disruptions to health care forums and encouraging people to carry assault weapons at healthcare forums where the President speaks. you are also passing out photos of the President with a Hitler mustache. you complain about the Democrats trying to pass bills with a simple majority when you not only did the same thing when you ran Congress, but you held hearings late at night and scheduled votes on bills hundreds of pages long so Democrats would not be able to read and research the contents. you are morally repugnant, all of your conservative naysayers are liars, cheats, and some are convicted felons. you did absolutely nothing in the 12 years you ran Congree to promote healthcare for all Americans. you Republicans are the real Nazi Party of the United States, with your encouragement of right-wing hate groups and militias, religious fanaticism, and attitude that only what you believe is the true American way. you prove it every day by ridiculing members of your own party if they step partially away from your path of righteousness.

Bush was such a horrible president. Lets see if Obama can go lower than him in the rankings!

Incompetent administration.
You voted for them, they hired Townsend as a homeland security adviser. She continues to advise.

Of course, the current administration uses no scare tactics in the health care reform. No, not at all.

Hand me a glass of the finest cherry kool-aid, please...

Tom Ridge is a lot more credible than Townsend who parrots the Bush line ad nausium. CNN should get a lot more objective contributor. The Bush people are getting very nervous that they may face prosecution.

If Ridge is trying to show he is honest, he should have done somthing about it and raised this issue while he was in the Bush administration. It is so nice to bring this up when he needs to sell books.

Townsend states politics did not come up in the meeting, of course not. I'm sure Rumsfield would not state the threat level should be raised to help boost the polls but.......

Ridge raised the terror level right after John Edwards was named as the Democratic Vice Presidential candidate, just to kill the Democratic buzz. He didn't have anything specific – so he was just misleading the public for political gain. Frances Townsend is an idiot.

It is interesting to see this discussed when we have a Democratic government that is using fear to sell this socialist federal takeover of all the economy:

The stimulus bill must pass NOW (before anyone reads it) or the economy will collapse!
The federal takeover of the healthcare industry must pass NOW (before anyone reads it) or the health care for all people will collapse!
We have to force the automakers into bankruptcy NOW (before the bondholders and stockholders can get the courts to negate it) or they will collapse!

Then all the other LIES that we have been fed during the campaigning and since...

No fear used at all. Bull

So wait ... You're saying that some people actually took the terror threat level seriously?

Wow, news to me...

I thought it was prety much the biggest joke ever.

What is more scary to you: the color RED or the thought of your grandmother on steroids?

This is what the GOP is all about, propaganda, lies and deciet.
They are attacking the health care plan like wild fire, planting more lies and propaganda to the American people, I wonder how patriotic these people are, I knew all along that thye 2004 election was set up for a GOP win.

She may be telling the truth about the meeting content, but it's obvious that the meeting would never have taken place without the political push from Rumsfeld and friends. So she is at the very least being disingenuous.

I really just view all this crap coming out now just like the OJ trial. Everyone now wants to create more controversy and make money writing books. It's the American way!

It's never been a question that the Bush/Cheney whitehouse herded the right wing public like sheep but the real shame is that they manipulated and used the staff who were loyal to them like this poor clueless woman. She still has no idea what was going on and will probably never be able to comprehend it.

I do in fact believe her when she says that political motives were not discussed in the cabinet meetings. But does this mean there were not political motives behind the discussions? Anyone in that room would be stupid to openly say they needed to make the move to help the Bush campaign, knowing someone would eventually write a "tell all book."

So like many political figures... she tells the truth concerning the offical cabinet meetings, but maybe forgets to talk about discussions outside of the meetings.

If any poster here thinks the Democrats in general, or Mr. Obama in particular, wouldn't play politics if they thought it helpful an/or necessary, you are deluded. Hate to tell you, but Mr. Bush did not invent "play the fear factor."

I do not even have to read this article to know that the terror levels went up and down at the drop of a voting pole. Replublicans are such a fear mongering little group. I left the party for a reason. Bush Lied Soldiers Died.

That's the biggest fairy tale I've ever heard!!!! Nothing but liars in the entire Bush administration.

I am not surprised; fear tactics are standard MO for the GOP. Even now they use fear of the meltdown of the medical system to stifle health reform debate. I can't help but wonder what bogeyman they will drag out of the closet to frighten the electorate in 2010?

Nor is it surprising they'd throw one of their own to the wolves to cover it up. Republicans rarely hold themselves to the same high moral standards they use to vilify Democrats, either, or Sanford would've been crucified already by his own party for the very same reasons Clinton was impeached. In any case, lying has become derigeur for the GOP as demonstrated so aptly by the Bush administration. I'm therefore more inclined to believe FORMER Republican Ridge than any of his old comrades.

Here's hoping the GOP scares itself out of existence!

This woman really isn't lying, she's just putting a spin on the events. If you notice, she's very clever in choosing her words. She didn't say that the administration wasn't trying to use the threat level for political gain, she said "it was never discussed." Duh! Then she goes on to say that Tom Ridge may be saying this now for political reasons, especially since he had never discussed the topic with her (as if he would!).

To the remarkably ignorant ones who said "Why didn't he resign?" Uh, he DID resign, in November 2004!

And Powell, the person Townsend says was even more against raising the level than Ridge, also resigned that month!!!!!!!!

Wow. Ms Townsend hasn't done much for her credibility in this interview. She's trying to undo Ridge's claims, but has actually inadvertently supported them!!

UGGH! The THREAT LEVEL WAS NOT RAISED. There was only a discussion. Some said yes, some said no. Hard to see the political conspiracy when again, - The THREAT LEVEL WAS NOT RAISED.

Did anyone really expect Ms. Townsend to say Tom Ridge is correct. We were all a bunch of politicized liars covering for the worst president in US history?

Townsend has been a insider of the W clan all along. Ridge was a dutiful player in the W movement. W Insiders like Ashcroft, Gonzales, Rumsfeld, Cheney, and their staffs like Townsend have been documented attempting to Bully others into a unrealistic position. Even Ashcroft was bullied when he was drugged up. Townsend, after interpreting her comments, suggests that she was the "set-up" person to have this meeting, spearheaded by Ashcroft and Rumseld, to twist Ridge into a corner. But it backfired and Ridge had the strong support of Powell and Muller!
So, Chetry and Roberts, why don't you push back with these tough questions? My respect of Ridge has increased by an order of magnitude. Sounds like CNN interviewers are patronizing fellow contributors! CNN has been my primary website for news, but this interview is definitely weak. As a tech-industry analyst for the last 17 years of my career, I give CNN a F-D grade on this interview

Everyone can believe what he/she wants in anything, and the truth always like somewhere in the middle in cases like this. I think people forgot that Ms Townsend served also in the Clinton Admin. What she said here is reasonable.

Good distraction. Lets see, maybe we should dig into Clinton's pass while he was president and start questioning him. Monday morning arm chair quarterbacking can be fun. The left does have it right, Bush is to blame for everything now. Without him, the left and the media would not of had a villian and Obama would never had gotten elected. So it is Bush's fault we are stuck with Obama for 3 1/2 more years. ugh.

If the GOP isn't lying they are planning to lie.

Lets be real here – of course the Bush administration used fear as a means to manipulate and produce political gain – can anyone say Iraq?

As a Bush's adviser, of course she will defend her boss. If CNN wants to be a no-bias main stream media, it should not present the so-called opinions from an insider of the Bush administration.

Thankfully, stupid people like me have incredibly smart people like Mike in Los Angeles to set us straight. So much for the left being on the side of tolerance.

This woman has never been anything but a colossal tool for the Bush administration. I don't believe a single word that ever exits her mouth.

it is amazing how many people believe the lies that we attacked Iraq because of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. We attached Iraq because they INVADED, raped, and pillaged Kuwait, a country we had a protection agreement with and were threatening to attack Saudia Arabia where we also had agreements. The UN was with the USA on this too with several resolutions.

We did not finish the job the first time because Democrats in Congress (and much of the UN) started making too much fuss, and once the Iraqis were out of Kuwait they wimped out.
There was no resolution to the Iraqi invasion, just a CEASE FIRE agreement that Saddam never abided by during the entire Clinton administration despite all the "jawboning". He kept on following his murderous ways until he was captured and executed by the Iraqis after the USA and our partners finished the job.

Selective memory is an interesting thing... And a lie told often enough becomes like the truth...

Since Bush was roundly hated by the media, why would he raise the terror threat to advance his political position when he knew he'd be crucified for it if nothing terrorism related happened? It doens't make sense politically. But if he did, he's in good company with our current president, who's using scare tactics and one-sided statistics to force the country into a health care system it may not want. A good example is the oft-quoted 40-50 million Americans without health insurance. A very large part of the number are young people who can afford it, but choose not to buy it because they are young, healthy and probably won't need it anytime soon. Since a lot of these folks voted for Obama, they are going to be ticked when they get forced to buy coverage by their messiah. Here come the chickens back home....

Wow! Looks like we are going to live with wacko Bush-conspiracy theorists for many years to come.

Frances Townsend agreed with Tom Ridge. The threat level was not raised. Ms. Townsend has nothing to gain by lying. Tom Ridge has books to sell.

If President Bush had concocted 10% of the conspiracies he is accused of master minding, he would have been much smarter than he really was. If he was going to do a conspiracy, he should have fabricated WMDs in Iraq to justify the war. As it was, he deserves some credit for not fabricating WMD evidence (the stuff was never found). GWB was not very good at manipulating the media.

On the other hand, President Clinton, walking on an all-sand beach at Normandy on the anniversary of D-Day, with a media entourage, suddenly comes across a convenient pile of pebbles and arranges them in the shape of a cross for the media to snap a bunch of pictures.

C'mon guys! President Bush didn't have the smarts to do everything he is accused of doing.

Ridge's comment only underscores what many knew at the time– that Homeland Security threat levels were sometimes jiggered for political reasons. The fact that Powell and Mueller weighed in against Ashcroft (in the meeting Chetry reports on) tells all. Attempting to discredit Ridge's statement that this was a factor in his decision to step down is transparent. Who knows his decision making process better? Chetry or Ridge? Chetry is aligning herself with a dubious administrative decision: to try to raise the threat levels around election time. Why does CNN pay her as an expert consultant? She sounds like an apologist. In this case, CNN does itself no credit with its choice of an "expert" talking head. If the object was to create a firey backstory by enlisting an opposing opinion, why not get Ashcroft to deny it? Then you would have a national story rather than a tempest in a tea pot.

Are you guys aware that the story here is that they chose NOT to raise the threat level? So, lemme get this straight. If they chose to raise the threat level, they're fear mongering. If they chose NOT to raise the threat level, then they're still fear mongering? Seriously, there no winning with you guys!

This woman is lying....and the Bush administration lackies have moved too quickly, as they have to, which indicates that they are doing what they do best....cover up or 'lie' about their self-serving policies. Why do we still give these folks air time?...and, haven't we moved past this senseless debate about questioning someone who decides to come clean about his insidious activities under Bush...we know he's telling the truth. Those ruthless bastards did way worse than raise threat levels and lied about it.

What a liar. You can tell by some of her answers just how political the whole "threat level" situation was over hte entire year and more before the election. With the bull that Bush, Rumsfeld and Rove threw at the public every chance they got, they made it sound like a nuc would be set off the next day and only they could stop it. Tom RIdge has been a man of conviction and honesty and he finally had it with the lying to the public and made the right decision to get out of the Bush Administration before it destroyed his morals as it has to everyone associated with Bush. None of them, Bush, especially Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rich and Gonzales can never be trusted to tell the truth about the last 8 yrs. They all played thie American citizens like fools and the GOP was just dumb enough to fall for it. Any intelligent adult could see right through their lies. Party loyalty should NOT mean that you go along with the lies to the public who think they put you in office for the betterment of our country. Bush and his whole admin are a disgrace to everything great about this country. They took my constitution and tore it to shreds. They will answer to God for what they have done to my country.

Fancis Townsend is a liar. Plain and simple.

Tom from Chicago:

Please provide some data or beef to back up your claims. I would be interested to hear your reasoning regarding Obama and polls, and how he would differ from any other president.

We heard from John DiIulio, Harvard, Princeton, Penn professor who ran Faith office, former Alcoa Chairman Paul O'Neil at Treasury, Richard Clarke, Scott McClellan, Colin Powell and now Tom Ridge.

Rove and the Bush 43 administration was always more interested in politics than policy. They made the choices that they did and we got what we got. I hope that they are proud of their accomplishments.

So the Homeland Council met, according to her statement. The Homeland Secretary, the Homeland adviser, the Secretary of State and an assistant to the Attorney General didn't think there was a threat. So who did and who made the final decision?

Just goes to show a politician will do anything to feather his nest. He ain't no different than all the rest. Have you noticed that new political leaders ,to keep the heat off their butts, start investigating and trying to charge former crooks in the prior government with something to keep the press busy just as you throw your dog a leather bone while you try to eat.

Why doesn't CNN report on the same tactics being used by the current administration instead of focusing on the same old beat up Bush tactic. It is boring and used up. Last I checked ol W is sitting at home laughing and drinking a beer.

Note that definitions of the threat levels have never been published. Nor has a list of prescribed actions to go with the threat levels.

If no one outside the group that decides threat levels knows what they mean, how can they have any purpose other than to control fear?

I don't believe her. Because the Bush administration NEVER CARED about negative public opinion – they had the chutzpah to brazenly use the trappings of power to further their personal goals. And never apologize for it. And then deny it in the face of overwhelming evidence, while smirking all the while. WMD? Yellowcake? PATRIOT Act? Ilegal wiretaps? Valerie Plame? And now THIS??

These men (Particularly Cheney and Bush) have damaged the leadership of the free world in a way that would make Richard Nixon run for the hills. And that's saying something.

So Townsend is lying, and Ridge is an unimpeachable source of honesty? Gimme a break. Tom Ridge is still bitter about being taken out of circulation for a shot at President, and is now airing his sour grapes. if it was such a great concern to him, why did he wait 6 years to say anything?

She has zero credibility and is undoubtedly lying.

It will be interesting to read in a couple years about how much more damage was done to this country by Obama then by Bush.

Right... because Tom Ridge, the guy at the TOP of the food chain at Homeland Security, knows LESS about the goings-on at Homeland Security, than Frances Townshend, a mere ADVISOR to Homeland Security...

I think we can reasonably call this a gigantic FAIL on the part of CNN.

If the Bush administration was so crooked why would you believe Tom Ridge?

How do you know when a de. is lying? Their lisp are moving.

As a democrat and resident of Pennsylvania, Tom Ridge was one of the best and most honest politician in years. He was an incredible Governor, and was liked by both democrats and republicans. I had proudly cast my vote for him. The man left his position due to the fact that he had character and integrity. I would take his word over anyone in the Bush administration, even little Frances Townsend.

Another Liar from the Bush Administration-Frances Townsend!!

What a joke!! do these people have not shame?

Bush's whole Presidency was based on threat alerts, lies,etc!!

Bush and his cronies left this country in the worst possible shape and now the republipigs and conservatives are moaning about the bad job Obama is doing after 8 months in office!!

Obviously they must have had amnesia during the 8 years Bush and Co. was in office!!

If you think the threat level is low why not watch the reruns of the planes flying into those building that morning or do you think that was a big scam.

is this all msnbc can talk about. they should change there name to bush haters.in fact this groupe and the bunch that said mrs obama short were to short are with out a adough the poor excuse for news people there are.a little advise from a not so smart person. report the new and stop trying to change history bush sold the election in 2000 and obama is not a citizen are two of the poorest reason for your air time to be on the air

Frances, you should go to jail with your boss Bush and Cheney and Rumsfeld!!!

As usual, there are various viewpoints on what occurred. Not at all surprising to anyone who deals with meetings, and assorted personalities.

I wouldn't put anything past the most dishonest administration in American history., Amazing that for all of the lying, killing and favortism of the Bush years, there was never an impeachment. Really shows the true feelings of Americans...sickening

Anyone who doesn't believe that every decision made by politicians does not have a political consideration is naive.

Just look at her. Like Nazi members of old, she feels compelled to wear her "uniform" of republican red, just like other right-wing political zombie yes-people.

Someone sent me this sentence the other day: "Before your government can give you anything they have to take it from you." I do not know who said it but he was sure as hell smarter than the average person living today.

Most of you are sheep. You follow the media hatred of Bush and assume that everything he did was for political gain. GET OVER IT! Let time tell if he was a good or bad president. Same for Clinton, same for Obama.

So Frances Townsend says that Tom Ridge is wrong about his claim that the Bush Administration was going to raise the terrorist threat level during the Bush/ Kerry race... like she's going to claim otherwise. I'm pretty sure she got her job with CNN – Conservative News network – as a favor to Bush and Co. – and it puts her in the perfect role to deny claims like this.

And I'm sure there is a counterpart to her on Fox News put there by the left...

I am certain that politics was never brought up at these meetings. If they were there would be a trail for later prosecutions. The political discussions took place in pre-meetings. "Lets get our stories straight so we can look the American people in the eye and not lie about what we discussed in the Cabinet Level meetings." Even Mr. Bush was not dumb enough to allow politics to be brought up in a meeting that would ever have the potential to be discussed on CNN.

Tom Ridge is now supporting a president who just today gave Scotland hell for turning a terrorist loose as he is about to turn 96 loose.

How do you know when Republican Party officials are lying? Their lips are moving.

Has anyone forgotten that during the 2004 VP debates, Dick Cheney looked directly at the camera, and essentially told the TV audience that if Kerry/Edwards were elected, we would be attacked by terrorists again, and the people who voted Kerry/Edwards would be to blame?! I will never get over that.

Bush and his whole team lied about everything, from WMDs and Iraqi nukes on down. Terrorism and fear was all Bush/Cheney could offer.

Absolutely hilarious! It's people like this who THINK that the American public is so naive as to believe that politics had no bearing on putting FEAR into everyone is ludicrous. You know what, as a former GOP supporter, I am tired and disgusted with the same SCARE and INTIMIDATION tactics STILL being used on the American public. it's unfortunate that MANY people still listen to media personalities that want to REWRITE someone experiences because it doesn't FIT into what THEY believed in years ago. Grow up Frances and stop drinking the GOP Koo-laid..

Another person on the Bush admin who "just gets it wrong." Even Bush has it wrong according to Cheney.

Look GOP, this thing is quacking like a duck and has been for a long time. You have to agree it is a duck.

I can see a closed for comments coming up real soon.

It's Code Paisley suckers!

No more taxation without representation....Pueto Ricans have more rights then citizens of Washington, DC.

Sounds like a bunch of BS to me. Ah, seems like just yesterday that chimp, Dubya the Bush, was down in Crawford cutting brush with a whiskey bottle in his hand. Boy, how the conservatives cry when you bring up those old Bush days and how much evil was done in the name of eventual good that never happened. The worst president ever. And of course Ridge isn't lying, any more than Obama is out to put your dog to sleep or steal your gun or whatever. Get a grip, people. Cheese.

I honestly cannot believe all the left wingers on this site. Does CNN just attract them? Tom Ridge is selling books and what politician can any of you name that tells the absolute truth about anything. They all paint themselves in the best light possible just to look good and sell books.

Stop hammering Bush so much. All you Bush haters – look at what you voted into office–are you all happy now? At the very least the nation had a class act as a president – look how he has never ever bashed President Obama since he left office. Come on now, you think the democratics would show that kind of class–they never ever miss a chance to bash the former administration meanwhile they lie, cheat and steal our money.

I doubt that Townsend is telling the truth now either.

I think Tom Ridge is an honest guy. After all, in time of crisis he was the one man called on to head homeland security. It wasn't a planned political move to put him in, they found the person that they could rely on most. I say he should run for President.

When did politics not influence any decision they made. It was never about anything but maintaining power to line their pockets. I give Ridge credit for leaving this group.

George Bush was President for two terms. Both times his election was rigged. The man couldn't find his way out of a paper bag and yet he won. Hmmmmmm. Like I have always said, the twin towers would still be standing if George Bush hadn't become President. Look now how this country is suffering from his ignorance.

If you remember your history about 9/11 George Bush had the Bin Laden family escorted out of America shortly after the towers collapsed on the only plane that was in flight. Why are we still trying to cover this up. George and Dick need to be put away for war crimes not only in Iraq but within our own country.

Just a couple of simple questions?
1) Where are the colors now?
2) Where are the WMD?
3) Where is the money that would support the war?

Nuff Said

If any of you think back to that time, the threat levels being raised always seemed to coincide with some issue the administration was having. Most of it was pure nonsense – who remembers running out to buy plastic sheeting and duct tape to seal their windows??? I remember telling my family back then that it was politically motivated. There was just one too many times that the threat levels were raised at a time when Bush needed a policital win. If you don't believe Ridge, then your memory is failing you.

I agree with the other David – most of these comments are based on political bias. Sad that a lot of people take what they think as facts. They think they know a lot about what goes on at the highest level of our government. They probably just know a lot about the different sound bites that the media feeds them.

I've never heard of Frances Townsend, but I must admit I'm a little suprised even CNN would allow such intellectually barren comments go unchallenged. The notion that politics were not a factor because it was not explicitly discussed is ridiculous. I guess as long as they can fool enough people, it doesn't matter if a few people call BS. Ahhhh, makes me feel like I'm back in the Bush years again. That said, I sure wish all of these former administration officials would have had their consciences pricked at the time they were witnessing these questionable acts. At least enough to speak out when it could have changed the course of this country. Perhaps easier said than done though.

So Ashcroft and Rumsfeld didn't say they wanted to raise terror alerts to influence the election. Don Corleone didn't say, "Kill Paulie." He said, "We've got a situation here I'd like to see go away." It is jejeune on the part of Frances at best.

forget bush...forget kerry...
ask yourself....what does she have to gain from coming out and saying this?

ALL Presidential administrations lie to further their policies or to hide the truth. It's not new to Bush the Sequel. We can look at Presidencies of the the past, and find that they lied about something. That's not what bothers me. What bothers me, and, I suspect, many other people, is that Bush was leveraging the obvious lies to foment fear and to create an atmosphere in which he could tell further lies to get ahead. He used the Office of the President to make himself and his buddies rich while he was sitting IN that office. That is what bothers me. The depth of the corruption that he exhibited and exercised is very hard for me to swallow. And this from a professed Christian man...

SPIN is the name of the game. Was Frances Townsend present at all meetings with Tom Ridge?

What politician would discuss national security in terms of political motives when they know that is forbidden?

Political motives never enter directly into discussions in the Executive Branch when discussing issues related to government decisions. Those motives always remain unspoken. Understood, perhaps, but never spoken outright.

The decision to dismiss federal prosecutors, for example, may have had political motives, but none of those involved would ever say that directly.

Ms Townsend should know this, but her saying political motives were never discussed implies that someone would sometime do so, and that is just naive.

Her speaking out now is likely politically motivated, but she is not about to say that ever, since she is now a "respected journalist" whose interviews and articles must not reveal any political motivation.
She had a political job in the past, and she may want another in the future, so she is protecting her political credibility by supporting those in her political past who hired her. Another shill.

All of the former Bush people are now telling the truth. Ridege, Powell and I think a couple more. If they are so wonderful and good people why didn't they speak the truth then and show some integrity and resign. Doesn't do any good to kiss and tell now. All those wonderful conservative moral and family values; where were they?

Isn't all politics based on either fear or empty promises? Didn't Obama promise no new taxes, yada yada yada? Isn't he using fear of the evil Insurance industry to get his health care bill passed? It's been the same for my 40+ years of life. It 's only a matter of who is doing the spinning to make their side look better. Both parties have always used fear and they always will. Anyone that thinks otherwise doesn't think at all.

Conspiracy Theorists: First you contend that Rumsfeld ran everything, but the Threat Level was never actually raised. If there was an evil plot, why didn't we all see the Threat Level raised??? Stop jousting with windmills and let's move on!

The fact that politics did not enter into the discussion, that is no proof that politics had nothing to do with the *desire* by the White House to raise the threat level. It is very widely believed that politics played a huge role in decisions made by the administration – particularly Bush, Rumsfeld and Ashcroft. It is also well known that Colin Powell was somewhat of a 'maverick' in that administration. Of course, there is no evidence that politics was the basis for the pressure – but the timing of it, and the circumstantial evidence of other events (the DNC issue, the firing of lawyers, the WMD issue, tying Al Quaeda to Iraq, etc.) would certainly be enough to sway a jury of 12 to consider the 'preponderance of evidence'...

I love these people who post their comments and who's opinion is based soley on the information being fed to them by the media as if the government (Rep or Dem) is telling them all of the secret things that go on behind the scenes. Let's face it, if you make blanket statements about this or former administrations and you are not an "insider" to the real information you are only proving how dumb you really are. If we knew everything that was really going on you'd be afraid to leave the house.

All the liberal lowlifes are now jumping on the hate Bush wagon AGAIN! Get over it! Obama is turning into a liar now and all the liberals are trying to spin anything to say it is not so. Get used to it! He did a Bill Clinton, say what they want to hear. Now that it is time to pay the piper people are finding out he is full of crap!

OK – enough – this is a "he said she said" controversy – and if you are pro- Bush you will defend "W" and if you are a "Bush hater" you are going to support Ridge's view and comments. But for anyone here who cares to undersatand that all Presidnet manipulate events for political reasons – please remember President Clinton's firing Tomahawk missles into Afghanistan after the USS Cole disaster??? Clinton lobbed some cruise missiles into an empty terrorist camp in Afghanistan, and then he blew up a Tylenol plant in Africa. Take that, you terrorist scum!

So give me a break will ya!

Interesting debate. It is nice to see civilized disagreement comming for the right. This is a wonderful change. That said, the record is clear, no WMD, 935 lies stated by the Cheney administration in the run up to the war, and no reason to attack other than President Cheney wanted to finish what he started in 1991. As to whether the Republicans campaign on fear, the evidence of that is quite public, and overwhelming. They have nop coice in that they have no ideas, policies, or suggestions. BTW, the Republicans held the White House for 28 of 40 years, why didn't they propose changes to the health care system?

The surprise is not that the Bush administration used the Threat Level for political gain - they did that throughout the first term whenever they wanted to draw attention away from some inconvenient truth - but that Ridge wrote about it.

There sure is a lot interest and discussion regarding something that didn't happen. People had a discussion whether to recommend to Bush if the Threat Level should be raised. The group decided "no" and made that recommendation, to which Bush agreed. The Threat Level was not increased. Now if you want to complain about Osama's message four days before the election affecting the outcome, you might have a point.

Frances Townsend is nothing more than a sensationalist. What is worse is that she is also a very good liar. Unfortunately the mindless fall for this type of rhetoric...someone trying to save face.

Jeff gets it exactly right- the whole 'no politics were discussed except when for the part when politics were discussed' argument just highlights the fractured, illogical way that Bushies all argue their cases. Townsend is just another example...

Not only is she lying, her words prove it. She is being ask for facts and she uses a statement "The only discussions I recall were" you recall, well i can only recall certain things everyday does not mean something did not happen. If you re going to come out and say someone is lying you say I remember every word spoken and it wasnt this or that, you don't say that i recall. IDIOT!

"discussions" about politics aren't a pre-requisite to exert political pressure

[...] And on the other side of the other side... Sphere: Related Content Comments 0 Post Comment [...]

"We were a year into the war in Iraq…of course the terror alert should’ve been on High….Liberals are idiots."

You obviously fell for it too. Um, Iraq wasn't attacking, or going to attack anybody.

Just so you are up to speed, the WMD's were all lies. Got it?

It is interesting that people will refuse to believe someone simply because that someone does not agree with their hatred. Several people who were at all the meetings agree with her. One person says something different and masses of people want that one person to be telling the truth and all the others to be liars. common sense is missing

Wait 'til Jeb Bush is elected president. He'll fix this and all the other screw ups.

Because meetings are either recorded or minutes taken or because some high profile people will write books, taking non-political action for political gain is not discussed overtly. For instance, no one would say "Lets raise the threat level to manipulate the election." That would be stupid.

But then, the Bush White House was governed on stupidity...

The left and the right sides of our political spectrum both are poisoned by hatred and bigotry. It's amusing to see how closed minded some people are as they shriek at others for daring to behave like them.

It would be more accurate to say that the terror alert was raised up and down to keep the american people pertrified the first three years after 9/11.

Whether it was raised specifically or not around election time is debatable.

However, whether the alerts themselves were politically motivated to increase power, prestige, and ensure secrecy – that's not debatable.

You can argue each case back and forth and say politics played only a minor role but politics played some role almost all the time and it should have played none.

And if you read carefully what Frances Townsend says she isn't claiming in the instance Ridge focuses on that politics had no role – she is saying it was as decisive a role as Ridge claims.

There's not necessarily a contradiction between what Tom Ridge and Ms. Townsend are saying. Perhaps politics were not discussed at the meeting she cites, but Ridge may have nevertheless felt political pressure from Rumsfeld and the rest of the gang. I'm inclined to believe both of them.

Anyone who has ever been "someone" has all the "secrets" for they are the material that sells books. Do I believe any of this? Does it matter? I think not however the "Bush Bashers" must continue to live in the past!

This is misleading. Ridge does NOT say that the political side of raising the terror alert label was discussed during this meeting. And so Townsend's comment is correct in that it was not discussed during the meeting. HOWEVER, what Ridge is saying is that Ashcroft and Rumsfield were pushing to have the terror alert raised right before the election and there was no basis for that request from an intelligence point of view. Therefore the obvious conclusion is that the request was being made for political purposes. Of course they would not discuss raising the alert level for political purposes in the meeting...but the underlying reason for the request being made by the administration was purely political. That is the point...not whether or not it was brought out in the meeting.

I have read both sides of this story, and I am ashamed that we still have people running this country that want to act like 4 year olds and taddle on each other – GROW UP! We have more serious issues to deal with than this.

Republicans...Democrats...keep it up. You will soon find your seats being taken over by those running as Independants.

Okay, so let me get this straight–if you are a Republican and/or like G.W. Bush, then you think Tom Ridge is lying. If you're opposed to the Republicans and/or dislike Bush, then you think Frances Townsend is lying. Both sides will argue passionately and in the end, no one will ever really know anything other than what side you identify with. Does this seem like something not worth discussing to anyone else?

First of there would be no "discussion" of politics if politics was involved. That is a ridiculous premise. If any "discussions" about raising the alert for political gain took place, there is not reason they would take place at this level with these people. Has she ever been involved in a single political discussion? Does she surmise from that there was never any political discussions? Karl Rove didn’t exist?

Then you claim that he is making these claims for political reasons, but where are these "discussions" you think validate the first claim?

They hypocrisy and blatant bias remove and credibility from Townsend’s ridiculous response.

Townsen is a lying anti-American. Once again she is distorting the truth.

Oh yeah, Frances, we'll take your word for it. It's not like the Bush administration was full of constantly lying criminals...

You're part of it, and you will go down in history as a traitor to our country, just like the rest of the administration who lacked the courage to speak out against the lies and propaganda of an illegitimate regime

I've heard this woman before. I think Jeffrey Toobin said it best in response to her mealy mouthed spin, "Words are supposed to mean something". Tom Ridge is well respected by Democrat and Republican for his honesty. If he says it is so, I tend to believe him. Isn't it time CNN took Frances Townsend off the payroll? She is not news, she is spin.

I'm in agreement here, Frances cannot be trusted. If she actually chairerd this meeting, why can't CNN get Colin Powell"s assessment of the events that occured? He is still a very trusted figure in American politics.

I wonder how many more of the Bushies are employed by CNN???

Hindsight is always 20-20. That is, it's 20-20 about how you see it now, 6 years later. We were all scared then, whether you admit it or not. And just like when you hear a noise in the house late at night – it can be a loose screen – or it can be something dangerous. At the time you are reacting to the info you have. Later it seems a bit ridiculous that you may have over-reacted.
Nonetheless, this harping about how Pres. Bush did or didn't assess the threat level to your personal liking, is moot point. I'm more concerned about Obama, his crew and whether or not threats are being assessed – rightly, wrongly or stupidly – and being acted upon, swiftly and decisively, to protect this country.

Townsend’s own words undermine her point. Why was Bob Muller “at great personal risk” in expressing his opinions in the meeting? She inadvertently emphasizes the point that the Bush administration was not seeking honest input from open-minded, critical thinking people. Blind adherence to promoting failed policy was the norm.

George Bush and Dick Cheney TERRORIZED the American people during their 8 LONG years in office. As a republican I am horrified over what they have done to this country. As a veteran I recognize my duty to "Defend the Constitution against ALL enemies both foreign AND domestic"...

Cheney and Bush are domestic enemies in my eyes. They have all but destroyed this country and shredded the Constitution in the process. For those of you with short memories, habeus corpus the backbone of the American judicial system all but went away save for ONE SUPREME COURT vote...

THINK about it... your Constitution rights almost permanently went away. God help us!

Tom Ridge is trying to sell his book AND the threat level was a political tool. honestly...how is/was that threat level ever in any way useful to an american citizen? none of us were in a position to do anything to make the world less threatening sitting in front of your TVs and commputers. it was useless information thats only affect would be to scare people.

Ms. Townsend's main point seems to be that raising the threat level was never discussed in terms of politcal gain...of course it wasn't. you don't sit and openly talk about manipulating civic institutions for your own political gain...you just talk around what you're doing and everyone understands what you mean. its called plausible deniability, and it is the hall mark of bush's entire presidency.

Gee, Francis, I had no idea that in Homeland Security meetings people that had political motivations for pushing for a higher threat level would come right out and tell you. So, there were no discussion sin the meeting that they were pushing for a raise for political reasons? Golly jeepers, I guess that means there were no such considerations. It's not like they could have possibly discussed all those political things BEFORE the meeting, right? I know I'm always sure to blurt out my bargaining goals in the middle of all my negotiations. And CNN, for the love of god, if you're going to write scripts for your interviewers, can you at least pretend it's not a spoon session...?

I believe what Ridge said is very and she is doing damage control. I believe others in Bush administration has some stories too and was too afraid to say something while employed by Bush. Bush administration used 911, along with fear mongering terror tactics to scare people. This was the only way, Bush could win along with stealing the election. He brainwashed people into thinking that he was the only one could keep us safe as President.

As the great Tom Petty once sang, "You believe what you wanna believe."

In the greater Boston area, residents were treated to security measures, traffic tie-ups and barricades that went miles up to Rt 93 because of security concerns for the Democratic National Convention being held in Boston, where Kerry was going to be nominated. Oddly enough a short time later, the Republicans had their own convention at Madison Square Garden in NYC, and these extreme (and grossly inconvenient) measures were suddenly not needed. Many people believed that politics played a huge role in this, and future authors will probably come out with their own books stating that this was the case.

I want to be mad at something. I want to beat my simian arms on the ground and berate public officials. I want them to know how impotent I am. My voice is muffled, confused and angry. Should I fear being blown up or should I fear my government? I want to be seen and heard even though I have nothing to say. I have delusions of grandeur. I want to be important enough to be spied on, but I know I am not. I want to rack up debt, and goods, and cars, and people. I want to owe until I die. Then I only want to rest. I have filled almost every hole, in my soul, with products and preformed political bias. I watch the television programs that are prescribed to my social demographic. I mindlessly drool with the rest of you then I become angry at my own stagnation. Our time is over. We are done. We have failed.

It's funny how the liberal left constantly refers to the right as 'haters', yet when you read the insane outrage pouring out here you can see who the real haters are. They shred anything that they disagree with. Hypocrites. And I'm sure they'll shred this post as well...

This whole interview does nothing to discredit Ridge, not that you can "discredit" someone's personal musings anyway. Ridge only stated that these thoughts crossed his mind since he couldn't justify the arguments made by Ashcroft and Rummy. He didn't say he had proof, or intended to act on it or whatever. So what if he never mentioned those thoughts to this woman or anyone else? So what if he stated his own actions on the alert system were not politically motivated? How does that change that, at the point of this meeting, he suspected political meddling?

This is basically a by-product of the 24-hr cable news cycle. If someone says something interesting, quickly find someone to play counterpoint, no matter how weak. Real investigative journalism would realize that the only thing that can enhance the story is further evidence one way or another of Ashcroft and Rumsfeld's intentions, not just more speculative defamation.

And why would anyone care for the opinion of an accomplice?

Playing on people's fears is what ALL politicians do. Obama has been doing it since he got in office with the stimulus and now health care. Politicians have their own agendas on both sides of the aisle and the disconnect of control the American people actually have over their government and elected officials shrinks with every presidency.

There is an interesting contradiction here. Muller voiced his own opinion "at great personal risk" since it contradicted his boss (Ashcroft), yet we are told that there were no politics at these meetings and the point was to get real discussion between disagreeing parties.

So which is it, an open discussion or a political affair where dissent is risky? In that environment, can you really question why some opinions were withheld?

Lefties and Righties please calm down! When and if other people at the meeting confirm or deny her recollection you can then assume to be suffciently knowlegeable to go off the deep end. Until then please think. I know an unnatural act for the fringe elements.

You sissy libs and your conspiracy theories are sad and pathetic, I suppose there are no political overtones to obama's crew, what a joke!

She's just another liar I'm very disappointed CNN hired her another reason to watch MSNBC instead

You don't need to bring up politics in a discussion for politics to be involved. On one hand Frances Townsend says there were no discussions about politics that caused the security level to be raised, and then she accuses Ridge of using politics for his claims. Tom Ridge never said politics were involved in his writing his claims.

Typical hypocritical media.

I dream of a day, when CNN can be more like BBC news-give the facts and let the viewer decide what to think. Townsend, Bill Bennett, Dobbs...no news here. CNN quit preceding all your reports with a question (are we safer than...?) and start reporting facts. I don't need a political round table on every issue.

Nothing happened move along. The end state of this whole Ridge issue is that there was no political interference. There might have been attempted political interference but it doesn't really matter because the Threat level wasn't raised.

If you hate Bush and you believe he was a criminal then you need to look for a better target than this issue. It's in the news cycle right now to sell Tom Ridge's book. And it seems to be working. If you feel the need to defend bush it needs to be aimed at another target because again nothing happened in this instance. He really needs no defense, except possibly on ethics, and I think that there are bigger ethical issues that need to be defended first.

Looks like the Bush administration, in the person of Ms. Townsend, is still lying, long after they've left their mess behind. Let's see, how many lies does that make? WMD, Saddam and 9/11, torture, illegal wiretaps, secret prisons, domestic spying, mission accomplished, ...

I was with a polce department years ago and we would call all this nothing more than He said She said nonsense. Who really cares?? Politics is politics.....over and over and over again. They all lie, all of them. I haven't met one honest politician yet!! I have been around for years, many years so I do have some say. So let's open a Congressional Hearing on the matter to waste more taxpayer's money. Isn't there more important issues on the table right now? Anything for a story, fluff, it's all fluff.

Frances Townsend is about as believeable as most Washington politicians. She was just another servent of the people in the Bush administration who did her job unselfishly never thinking of herself or her next career move inside the beltway. PLEEEASE! Everytime I see an ex-politician or an ex-administration official or another ex-General who is now being a paid political analyst on TV, it makes me want to spend more quality and productive time outside away from the tube. And they want to know why more people are getting their news from the internet??

Face it Tom's goal is to sell books. He wanted to get his book on the stand before Cheney and Bush beat him to it. Americans (Dems, Ind and Rep) need to look forward and solve the problems of today, economy, healthcare and remaking the US economy for the future.

Bigoted folks who automatically assume the worst about either people who declare themselves Democrats or Republicans can't be expected to suddenly develop a rational stance on any issue that comes before them. I am so tired of knee-jerk posts that jump to predictable conclusions not supported by facts. Give me a break folks. If our country is going to get to a better place, it will be because a majority of us get truly sick of spin and knee-jerk left-right loony reading of tea leaves that and start to think rationally for God's sake. Anyone on the left or right that cannot keep an open mind for over 40% of the adult population is, and I used this word consciously, a BIGOT. So if we must be intolerant, let us all agree to be intolerant of bigotry on both the left and the right. The high ground is to not paint each other with one brush, but to actually place more value of ideas rather than what political party affiliation a person speaking has. Innocent until proven guilty should apply at all levels, and for all our sakes, let us temper the political discourse by actually listening and finding redeeming qualities in people of all political stripes.

What a bunch of whiners on this post!! As if Obama and his cronies are honest and have intergrity Ha Ha. Face it we need real reform across the aisle.

Oh wow look at the angry liberals. I'm sure raising the terror alert is much worse than socialized health care. Oh wait I've never been hurt by the raised terror alert but I was hurt by the socialized military health care.

Aparently Frances Townsend is worried about indicting herself and adopting a very lawyerly response in saying there was no discussion of politics in one meeting she chaired. Why and how cabinet members like the AG or Sec of Def thought that the threat level needed to be raised in the absense of any good reason can only be attributed to ... what ?!?! Irrationality ? Mischief ? A poor joke ?

Get a grip on reality Ms Townsend. Your administration is history and your propaganda will only work on your party ditto-heads.

My gosh! Are you CNN liberals still looking for something to slap Bush around for? Get on with your lives! Maybe you should spend more time looking into how corrupt Obama and his cronies are and how bad they want to take down the American way of life. They don't care about the common man, much less anyone that doesn't believe or conform to their communist beliefs. All they want to do is take more of our money so that they can force us to pay for abortions and other immoral acts. Get a life CNN and move on. Your reporting is biased and always favors liberals. Have some integrity from now on.

Well, thank heavens we have such a transparent administration with members of rock solid integrity in place now. Obama and his team would NEVER deliberately try to scare people. Whew, that was a close one!

Did anyone notice her nose getting bigger and longer as she was denying the political motives of the terror alert??? The best way to get to the bottom of this is to get Mr. Ridge and Ms. Townsend a lie detector test. Then the public will know if Mr. Ridge is just trying to sell more of his book or if Ms. Townsend is just trying to keep these perpetrators from being investigated. She need not worry as the statute of time limitations has passed in regards to this incident.

Frances Townsend is a Bush era hack with zero national security /military experience. How the heck does someone like this end up working terrorism issues in the WH?

I give credit to TOm Ridge for being man enough to stand up and say what really happend. It's going to take more guys like him, for the truth to come out. All these guys in the Bush administration should have to stand trial for what they did. I thank mr. ridge for being honest and I hope more people like him will have the guts to come out and speak the truth.

All I can say is Ms. Towsend is deluded

One opinion vs. another opinion on circumstances and the one that people flock to is the one that seems to validate their own personal biases.

so much for truth.

This says it all. Hope you are not close to the next main event in the USA. It's just a matter of time and when. Look around you, you can see it can happen at any time.

Plus, don't forget!

TOM RIDGE WROTE A BOOK.

TOM RIDGE NEEDS TO SELL A LOT OF BOOKS.

WHAT COULD TOM RIDGE WRITE THAT WOULD “HELP” SELL A LOT OF BOOKS?

LuddITE:

And you personally know that she is NOT telling the truth on this? Please provide your inside knowledge to back up the assertion. In other words, she is not telling the truth, but the claim attributed to Ridge ( who just happens ot have a book to sell) IS true. Is that your "confirmation?"

Yes it was used for political purposes and she was one of the people doing the using.

I agree with so many other comments - Frances Townsend is not a credible, unbiased commentator and deserve no place with CNN.

[...] writes one thing, says the [...]

[...] do I not think that it – that politics played any part in it at all – it was never discussed," said Townsend. On its face, it sounded like Townsend was fighting with Ridge. They were not. Ridge never said [...]