by Mark Silva
Did the U.S. blow it?
That was the question which White House spokesman Robert Gibbs faced today in the West Wing as the president was preparing to meet with an army of national security and intelligence advisors this afternoon.
President Barack Obama already has acknowledged a "human and systemic failure'' in U.S. intelligence and security in the Christmas Day attempted bombing of a U.S.-bound airliner.
But today Gibbs was asked if the government "blew it.''
Helen Thomas, seasoned columnist for Hearst and longtime occupant of front-row seating in the White House press briefing room, was the first to reduce the question to two pointed words.
Gibbs added many more words to his answer, reaffirming the president's stated acknowledgement of failures for which the president is still seeking answers - Obama also plans to address this at a 4 pm EST appearance before the media in the Grand Foyer of the White House following this afternoon's meeting.
"The average person would say, 'they just blew it,'' CBS News' Chip Reid suggested, in pressing Gibbs to address that question.
"I don't know what the substantive difference between the two are,'' Gibbs replied. "The president would say a failure of our intelligence services happened in allowing what we saw on Christmas Day to potentially transpire...'
"A week ago, the president went out and said, 'we had a systemic failure,'' Gibbs said. "This is a far more serious game than trying to figure out which agency can blame other agencies.... The president will not find acceptable a response where everybody gets in a circle and points at someone else.''
(Photo of Robert Gibbs today by Charles Dharapak / AP.)
Comments
I'm waiting for Faux News to produce a memo that says:
"OBAMA IGNORES PRE X-MAS MEMO SAYING AL-QAEDA DETERMINTED TO LIGHT UNDEARWEAR ON FIRE IN DETROIT"
Nothing is to far out of the realm of crazy for the right wing noise machine.
Posted by: over do it and have a fit | January 5, 2010 2:04 PM
I don't know what's worse, having an attempted terrorist attack or having some right wing nutjob like Pete Hoekstra attempt to fundraise off of it.
.
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/12/candidate_rick_snyder_criticiz.html
Hoekstra can't even protect his own name and he expects the people of Michigan to trust him to protect them from radical jihadists?
.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/04/peter-hoekstra-fails-to-r_n_410699.html
Posted by: ZappoDave | January 5, 2010 2:22 PM
The president will not find acceptable a response where everybody gets in a circle and points at someone else.''
OMG! this is the exact thing that this administration is best at! With one very big exception, Bush is no longer in the circle and is the blame for every Obama failure.
But the again, nothing is to far out of the realm of crazy for the Obama noise machine.
You have to really hate America to pull stuff like this on the American public and then simply brush it off as a " systemic failure"?
Of course the crazy Obama noise machine will once again say that this is Bush's fault because the great one is simply following the Bush plans. They must have been really good plans since Obama continued to follow them, up until now that is.
Up until it is actually on the back of the Obama noise machine to explain.
Posted by: springfield | January 5, 2010 2:23 PM
******************************************
OMG! this is the exact thing that this administration is best at! With one very big exception, Bush is no longer in the circle and is the blame for every Obama failure. But the again, nothing is to far out of the realm of crazy for the Obama noise machine.
______________________
Carrot Top,
Bush did ignore a memo that said 'BIN LADEN DETERMINED TO STRIKE IN US'. Remember? Everyone else does....
http://theworstpresidentever.blogspot.com/2009/05/bush-ignored-911-warnings.html
I know you Repugs are desperate to make everyone forget the eight years of disaster (both foreign and domestic) that the Bush Republicans left for Obama to clean up, but I've got news for you: We're still going to be cleaning up the messes from the BushCo Republican era 30-40 years from now, an no, we are not going to forget about it.
Posted by: HHH | January 5, 2010 2:45 PM
Bush went on to talk about the shoe bomber: "The shoe bomber was a case in point where the country has been on alert. A stewardess on American Airlines flight... A flight attendant on American Airlines flight was vigilant, saw something amiss and responded. It's an indication that the culture of America has shifted to one of alertness. I'm grateful for the flight attendant's response as I'm sure the passengers are from the airplane. We've got to be aware that there are still enemies to the country and our government is responding accordingly."
Seems the GOP is OK when Bush said "the system worked".
Posted by: bill r. | January 5, 2010 2:57 PM
Even uber-Liberal Helen Thomas dumps on Obama!
But don't worry--Obama's Homeland Secuirty Chief assures us that "the system worked"!
Posted by: Bruce | January 5, 2010 3:51 PM
Not one question about obama amending executive order 12425?
The order that let's Interpol run amok over American constitutional civil liberties.
Where's the press on this? Oh, I forgot, their in obama's back pocket.
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | January 5, 2010 4:06 PM
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Not one question about obama amending executive order 12425?
The order that let's Interpol run amok over American constitutional civil liberties.
Posted by: Paulo | January 5, 2010 4:06 PM
___________________
Pablo,
Considering that Reagan was the first one to sign that order I'm guessing that Obama is just following along with the wishes of your Saint Ronny the Reagan.
You got a problem with Saint Ronny or something, Pablo?
Posted by: Gotti | January 5, 2010 4:53 PM
RNC Bruce won't be happy until every thread in the Swamp has a quote from some right wing nutjob like Rush or Crazy Glenn Beck.
This is what the Wingnuts consider to be 'fair and balanced'.
Posted by: Gotti | January 5, 2010 5:00 PM
Having logic enter into the equation on how to deal with Air Terror will never happen in the US. Fortunately for Israel, political correctness/Liberalism is recognized for the faillure it is.
http://online.wsj.com/video/how-israel-screens-for-terrorists/987D025A-145D-42F5-9756-7B43CC7613CE.html
Posted by: Liberals Get 72 Virgins | January 5, 2010 6:12 PM
Don't the dopey libs understand the meaning of "amend?" [change or revise a law]
For the the last time, and I know it will be hard for you,but here it goes...obama "amended" exec. order 12425.
Ok...in liberal speak...duhhh, wen reygan was peszident interpol culdnt ursup the u.s. konstitution, butt now they kan undr obamma.
Get it..."amend?"
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | January 5, 2010 6:53 PM
Why should Christmas any different than the other 364 days of the year?
Posted by: Terry | January 5, 2010 9:59 PM