Goss Out
Yikes – From Christy Smith at Firedoglake, MSNBC reports that Porter Goss has resigned as CIA director. I have no idea what that means or whether it connects with the Watergate hooker story, but this sort of sudden resignation usually comes just before some variety of bad news.
Whether Dusty Foggo follows Goss out the door will give some clue what this is all about.
***Update***
The AP puts Goss’s resignation in the context of recent White House staff turnover, but I don’t think that anybody saw Porter Goss as one of the officials likely to get the axe. If there was any warning that Joshua Bolten had a new CIA director in mind I did not hear about it.
***Update 2***
Contest time! Who will Bush nominate to replace Porter Goss? Post your guesses; the first correct guess wins a locally-available six pack of beer. Rules are as follows: The first guess wins, you can guess as many times as you like but each guess supercedes the last one (so a correct guess will not count if your next guess is incorrect), contest not valid in countries where I have to go through ridiculous currency exchanges to get you your beer. I will end the contest as soon as “official” leaks start coming out about likely picks.
Since I’m never shy about buying myself a sixpack of beer, I will guess Tommy Franks. I know it sounds ridiculous but I figure that the nominee has to be ideologically safe but not nakedly partisan, minimally competent and won’t have any Kerik-style surprises in the confirmation process. Once you apply those filters there aren’t that many choices.
Have at it.
***Update 3***
I pity the server at WaPo. Yes, that means I will probably refresh it a few times tonight just like everybody else.
***Update 4***
Voting is now closed. Assuming that the leaks are accurate Brian can email me for his sixpack.
***Update 5***
Larry Johnson has the most informed scuttlebutt about what’s going on, at least for now.
Mr Furious
Gee, which Republican scandal is he ensnared in, I wonder. There are a few to choose from…
[commence shadenfreude]
The Other Steve
TPM has been reporting that the Watergate had been recently subpoeanaed for records. Just this past week. And the limo company has dissappeared. That investigation is heating up.
No way is this a staff turnover. Too much of a coincidence that Goss’ number 2 guy is directly connected to Hookergate.
Now the question is. Will the media takes this scandal on with the zeal that they went after Clinton?
stickler
I believe he’s ensnared in the scandal that involves both hookers AND the Watergate Hotel.
It’s like a perfect confluence of ready-made scandal ingredients: espionage, spymasters, hookers, limos, defense contractors … and the freaking Watergate itself.
What will this end up getting called? “Limogate?” “Hookergate?” “Watergategate?”
History, as Karl Marx once observed, always repeats itself. The first time as tragedy, the second time as farce.
jg
This is all Bushs fault.
DougJ
Obviously, this has something to do with Hookergate.
Caseyl
OMG. This is too good for mere popcorn.
Let the Margartita Mixing begin!!
Tim F.
I like Watergategate. It has the perfect blend of appropriateness and ridiculousness on both conceptual and pronunciation levels.
Steve
I guess I can put aside my pet peeve against labelling every scandal “This-gate” and “That-gate,” when it comes to a scandal that actually involves the Watergate.
Let us assume, for the sake of argument, that Porter Goss actually wanted to resign to spend more time with his family or whatever. There is absolutely no chance that they would decide to pull the trigger just as reports are implicating him in the hooker scandal, even if he was completely innocent. They know how it would look and they’d postpone the retirement until later.
Coincidences do happen but I’d be pretty shocked if there was an innocuous explanation for this.
Caseyl
Hookergate for sure; but I wonder if the disclosures about why Plame was outed also played a part?
Yes, I know Goss wasn’t in charge during that particular fiasco.
But he was put in charge in order to complete the job of turning it into a neocon branch office, which burning Plame was one part of.
GossIng
Clinton was taken care of nicely. Real nice.
Goss can’t control the retirees. They are getting people killed.
LITBMueller
No WAY was this a planned Bolten shakeup. Several reasons: (1) no previous indication; (2) no live press conference; (3) no named successor. That’s how you do a staff shakeup: give the impression you are completely in control and everything is going to plan.
The Watergate subpeonas absolutely had something to do with Goss leaving. If investogators know on what nights the “Hookers n’ Poker” parties were being held, they just have to check hotel records, view security cameras, interview staff, etc. Piece of cake.
Foggo is done for, too. But, it will be done really really quietly – perhaps a change in position without a public announcement.
How about “Bootiegate”?????
The Other Steve
Quick someone call up monster.com.
We need applicants for a new Head of CIA immediately!
The Other Steve
Remember. Porter Goss was a Florida congressman until he was appointed to this post. The Watergategate thing was linked to several former congressmen, they said.
Wait, I think I see Mike Tyson eating a dog.
Caseyl
The wheels are coming off the bus, cha cha
The wheels are coming off the bus, huzzah…
I’m sorry, but my glee simply cannot be contained.
The Other Steve
I need $400 to post a job for CIA director to monster.com, who wants to help? :-)
jg
Armageddon is upon us….......the Arizona Cardinals have sold out every game.
Caseyl
Oh, damn, if only I was paid today and not next Friday.
I’m everlastingly sorry, but am totally broke this week :(
Paddy O'Shea
Oooohhh. The first Bush biggy falls to the scandal known as Hookergate.
Neat!
Interesting little article on MSNBC:
“Republican Right Abandoning Bush” Detailed polling information that not only shows Bush and the GOP Congress hitting historic lows, but also the reason why this is happening. Apparently conservatives are now bailing on this disgraceful administration.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12643666/
VidaLoca
Yes, and for the same reason: sex sells. The interesting thing will be who tries to cover it aggressively, and who tries to cover for it aggressively.
Bootiegate, bitches!
fwiffo
The rumor going around that one of the, um, beneficiaries of Limogate/Hookergate/Watergategate was a high-ranking former congressman in the CIA. Goss certainly qualifies.
I really appreciate this particular hookergate quote.
(Bold emphasis mine) That seems an excessively specific denial. Can anyone say Jeff Gannon? I suppose that would just be a little to much to ask for.
LITBMueller
fwiffo: great pickup! Could be Hairybootiegate, but who knows?
Sorry…. :(
Par R
If Goss is entangled in the Cunningham/hooker scandal, then he had to go, and the sooner the better. An alternative theory for his resignation appears in a Time post today, and here’s an excerpt:
“...Ever since John Negroponte was appointed Director of National Intelligence a year ago and given the task of coordinating the nation’s myriad spy agencies, he has been diluting the power and prestige of the best known of them all, the Central Intelligence Agency. From day one, he supplanted the CIA Director as the President’s principal intelligence adviser, in charge of George W. Bush’s daily briefing. Other changes followed, all originating in the law that created the DNI — and all traumatic for CIA fans. But now, in a little noticed move, Negroponte is signaling that he is moving still more responsibility from the CIA to his own office, including control over the analysis of terrorist groups and threats….”
Steve
One of my colleagues just walked in my office and I pointed him to the CNN headline reading “Porter Goss Resigns.” He shrugged.
“I bet you have no idea about any of this,” I said. “You have no idea that there’s a major scandal being investigated that involves Republican lobbyists and parties with hookers at the Watergate Hotel.”
His response: “Are these parties going on right now?”
VidaLoca
Pictures? Oh please, please, please—can we have pictures too?
Caleb
Fornigate.
Watergategate.
Hookergate.
Watergate 2:Electric Boogaloo.
LITBMueller
Par R: Personally, I don’t buy it. The Time post just doesn’t explain the surprise nature of this resignation.
Also, it assumes that Goss was appointed so he could be the intelligence top dog. From looking at Goss’s actions during his (brief) tenure, it seemed more like he was sent there to weed out the “disloyal” employees and make sure the CIA never ever crosses the Decider again.
To further eviscerate the CIA, more and more intelligence funding has gone to the Dept. of Defense.
srv
Goss hasn’t been effective enough of embedding enough political appointees into sensitive security positions to facilitate the Iran wardrumming. Look for Cheney favorite, (maybe Hadley) to get the nomination.
Caseyl
Sure, Par R. This was all planned, an orderly transition, etc. etc. etc.
That’s why it wasn’t announced in advance, and why it’s “effective immediately.”
Personnel changes are always like that, right?
No they are not always like that.
Jeebus Creepers, a secretary is supposed to give a week or two of notice. You think the freaking Head of the freaking CIA doesn’t have to let anyone know he’s stepping down?
Good try, guy. But you might be better off waiting for the Official Talking Points.
VidaLoca
dang, I think that was the transmission that just dropped out…
Justin Slotman
Watergate II: The New Batch?
Watergate: The Next Generation?
The Watergate Strikes Back?
Watergate vs Predator?
Paddy O'Shea
Here’s my question: If you’re going to become the head of the CIA, the administration would be expected to do a little bit of backround checking, right? And wouldn’t the CIA as well? Maybe the FBI?
And they couldn’t uncover his rather problematic activities at the Watergate?
So who did the vetting? Jeff Gannon?
The Other Steve
His response: “Are these parties going on right now?”
Maybe he was looking for a good time?
ppGaz
It is Goss’s hand-picked #3 man at the CIA, Kyle “Dusty” Foggo who is under serious investigation in connection with a massive bribery scheme that touches on sweetheart deals, million dollar contracts, and yes, even hookers.
You will recall that Ken Silverstein, based on a source, noted that the prostitution scandal could touch a former lawmaker “who now holds a powerful intelligence post.” Speculation abounded that Porter Goss fit that description perfectly.
That’s the current DKos take on it, and I have to say, it seems much more plausible than the “Heckuva job, Porter” song coming out of the White Noise House today.
The Other Steve
And they couldn’t uncover his rather problematic activities at the Watergate?
You’d think. I remember when a collegemate joined the NSA. They came out and talked to all sorts of people who knew him.
But that doesn’t mean they spoke to the right people. If Goss was in on hooker parties, chances are his regular friends and family didn’t know about this.
And the people who did know probably didn’t think there was anything wrong with it.
aym
Other Steve,
You can post a job to craigslist in DC for free. :)
Steve
That was, indeed, the point of the joke.
JoeTx
Internal poll of my 3 nearest co-workers, one was in the Navy and another was a Marine, nether one had even heard Duke Cunninghams was in jail
These people aren’t dumb, they just aren’t getting the information from the corporate media. No wonder Bush STILL has approval ratings in the low 30’s. NOBODY is telling them whats truly going on!!
Foggo’s next, Foggo’s next!
Pb
Caleb,
PotD! :)
And really… Watergate? Sounds more like Vaselinegate.
Maybe we should have some sort of dumbest prospective scandal name contest:
Bacongate!
Aha, the real scandal—Shirkgate.
LITBMueller
Dude. Who the hell steals bacon?
SeesThroughIt
What about Shootingaguyinthefacegate? That one had a nice feel to it.
jaime
Watergate vs Predator?
I like Watergate II: On the Rocks
or
Watergate II: Electric Boogaloo
or maybe
Watergate II: The Search for Goss
Pb
LITBMueller,
It sounds crazy, I know. I smell bacon:
In a CIA polygraph test, Kostiw’s responses to questions about the incident and his past tours abroad led agency officials to place him on administrative leave for several weeks, according to four sources familiar with the events. Kostiw has told friends he decided to resign during the leave. Agency officials arranged for the misdemeanor shoplifting charge to be dropped and the police record expunged in return for his resignation and agreement to seek counseling, a former official said.
Now really, that doesn’t sound like that big a deal. What was this guy doing before Bacongate struck?
Ok, so why bring it up and force him out then?
Aha, a leak! I wonder what their reasons were…
The Other Steve
Karen Hughes
Blue Neponset
Update No. 3:
My guess – someone I have never heard of who had nothing to do with Iraq. I don’t think the Bushies will nominate anyone who will have to answer for his/her part in Operation
Dumbo DropIraqi Freedom.The Other Steve
Newt Gingrich
The Other Steve
Bozo the Clown
ET
I don’t think Goss was part of the shake up. He was either falling on his sword or trying to head trouble off at the pass. It will be interesting to see if Goss ends up more connected than previously thought.
Pb
Blue Neponset,
My guess – someone who had something to do with (a) Iran/Contra and/or (b) Election shenanigans.
Steve
Ben Domenech.
Ancient Purple
Harriet Myers
jaime
You gotta hand it to Drudge.
He’s got 9, count ‘em 9 stories about the Kennedy accident and 1 story about Goss buried in the middle of the page. You’d think the Hooker angle would be enough to overcome his stoogy-ness
VidaLoca
Joe Lieberman
Krista
Boo!
Well, I think Fornigate is pretty good. Of course, there’s my boyfriend’s rule of sequels, being that when stuck for a sequel name, you can just add “The Quickening” to the end of it, and it sounds fun.
Watergate II: The Quickening
The Full Monty II: The Quickening
Throw Momma Off The Train II: The Quickening
Try it with any movie, it somehow works.
Oh. I just thought of a good one, but it’s rather vulgar, so I probably shouldn’t share.
jaime
Oops just noticed the banner ad as well.
Porter Goss.
Vladi G
Watergate: The Next Generation?
The Watergate Strikes Back?
Watergate vs Predator?
This is the computer age. Watergate 2.0
VidaLoca
Oh yes you should! I was only kidding that last time, I wasn’t really shocked. Honest.
Krista
You sure?
Perry Como
Heidi Fleiss
ppGaz
I nominate Darrell to replace Goss.
LITBMueller
OK, Tim, here’s my guess: It may be Pat Roberts, but I’m not gonna pick him. He’s doing a “heckuva job” blocking any kind of serious investigating by his committee, so why would Bush move him?
Hadley is out because any confirmation hearing would lead to questions to his potential in Plamegate.
My bet? John Lehman – former Sec. of the Navy under Reagan, sat on the 9/11 Commission, member PNAC, and the Heritage Foundation, his name came up as a possible replacement for Tenet (along with Goss and Armitage), was also considered for DNI, eyed as a potential replacement for Rummy.
He’s outside the bubble, but inside the club. He indirectly helped out the Swift Boaters in the Kerry medal controversy, so that should piss off the Dems and endear him to the GOP. A perfect choice!
FYI: best summary of Bootiegate I’ve seen is at AlterNet.
fwiffo
Are you serious? Who wouldn’t steal bacon?
Have you totally forgotten Bush’s ability to completely screw things up and his compulsive need to surround himself with cronies? My bet is that he’ll first appoint somebody of Harriet Miers caliber (not sure who yet), then there will be a period of laughing, then he’ll try again and make that Tommy Franks style pick so he can just get somebody through confirmation.
Pb
Share, dammit. :)
Krista
(mumbles)...Twatergate….
I’m so, so sorry….
Perry Como
btw, does Sam Adams Millennium come in 6ers? Because that’s my request when Ms. Fleiss is announced.
Punchy
This is a no-brainer for Goss’ replacement:
Dog the Bounty Hunter
LITBMueller
Krista deserves a six pack just for that suggestion! :)
The Other Steve
Kennedy suffers from Rush Limbaugh Disease
Will be checking himself into the hospital for treatment of addiction to pain killers.
Frankly, I think it’s a good thing. As I warned my mother when she was given Oxycontin after her knee surgery, taking too many of those things will deaden your brain and turn you into a Republican.
VidaLoca
Krista,
Oooh, beats Bootiegate, hands down! :)
DougJ
Hookers, bribes, bogus contracts with the Department of Homeland security—all inside-the-beltway stuff. You think the American people care about any of that? While there’s a freaking war on Christmas going on? Guess again, moonbats.
Punchy
Genius. Absolute GENIUS.
VidaLoca
Uh, Krista, I just had this terrible thought.
While I really think you’ve got a great idea for a tag line there, we haven’t yet established that all this professional companionship was of the female persuasion…
LITBMueller
VidaLoca: Maybe Krista wasn’t referreing to the hookers, but to Goss. ;)
JoeTx
Tom Delay! heh, he IS looking for a new job!
akaoni
I think that we know where Bush gets his nominations. Either in-house or from Fox. Thus my guess: Brit Hume
The Other Steve
Steve,
I took it another way. Sorry, just used to dealing with wingnuts. But I saw the dialogue as if they aren’t still going on, then it’s no big deal.
VidaLoca
Or to be perfectly fair to everyone, maybe there’s female congress critters involved.
The mind reels.
capelza
(mumbles)...Twatergate….
I’m so, so sorry….
Hahahahaaaaa….best yet! On so many levels.
Punchy
Anything better than Krista’s suggestion?
White Sauce Goss-Gate (if flows….)
Whores, Smores, and a Straight…
The Ken “Wrinkled” Starr Investigation
Porter Foggo’d Duke: The Stupid Names version
Now, when I hear “Duke sex scandal”, I have to wait and see if it’s the lacrosse team version or not…
Ozymandias
Katherine Harris for Director of the CIA.
That way Porter Goss can run for that Senate seat.
Pb
The Other Steve,
Ambien will do that…
I don’t know that that’s quite what he said, though. It sounds like that’s what he already did this past Christmas, but not necessarily what he’s doing now.
Faux News
Dude, speaking of bacon, we were not allowed to post the word “maplebacon” on F-edcompany.com
Yes, it’s a long story…
Pb
Krista,
Perfect! Can I change my PotD nomination now?
The Other Steve
Can you become addicted to Ambien? It may be that he’s got a problem taking many different pills. Certainly taking a combination of pills is more likely to screw up the system.
canuckistani
Krista-
My suggestion is Watergate II - The Hookening, and you almost beat me there. I too use “The Quickening” for stupid sequelitis. Is it a Canadian thing?
Jon H
Hm. Watergate? Poker? Hookers?
Call it “Watergate 2: DC Hold ‘em”
Perry Como
Hat tip to Krista.
VidaLoca Says:
Manginagate?
Pb
The Other Steve,
Yes, I believe so.
Well at the least, he has had problems with addiction in the very recent past, and this episode concerns him. It sounds to me like he’s being very cautious about this, and taking it very seriously, because of that history. Past that, who knows.
canuckistani
I’ll pick Karl Rove for my sixpack entry. I think it’ll be a blatantly partisan pick, to rally the base or some such foolishness. Pat Robertson is out there too, a world authority on assassination, but I think he’s being held in reserve in case the Whittington gang comes gunning for revenge and Bush needs a new VP.
VidaLoca
My thoughts exactly. Before we can go there though (or maybe even as we do…) we have to consider whether this is all the kind of been-there-done-that behavior that we all know and love, or whether there are whips and chains involved. In which case I think it’s fair to tag it—
Dominate-a-gate
LITBMueller
Pass the bacon, cuz this may not be over: courtesy of Laura Rozen, the Huffington Post has put up this little brief cap:
Ok, OK…before you say, “C’mon, dude, the HuffPo? Please…”, Laura also links to this WaPo story:
The review is an outgrowth of the continuing investigation that resulted in charges against Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-Calif.), who resigned from Congress in November and is scheduled to be sentenced today after pleading guilty to tax evasion and conspiracy to take $2.4 million in bribes.
The story doesn’t mention an Undersecretary, but does note:
My bet is that its Burtt who goes next. Quite a nice collection of Congressional and lobbyist piggies we have feeding at the trough while we’re supposedly fighting the GWOT, eh?
Why do they hate America?
Pooh
Pat Roberts
fwiffo
One of the big reasons why Ambien is a popular prescription sleep aid is that it has a relatively low risk of addiction. It’s possible to become dependant on any sleeping pill though. Sleepwalking really is a known side effect (google sleepwalking and ambien), and people have been known to black out, engage in strange behavior, eat things, wreck their cars, etc. while on the drug.
Bob In Pacifica
I like Watergategate myself.
A thought, though. CIA agent, Florida. Why do I think the 1980s and cocaine?
Any hookers named Jeff in this scandal?
srv
F**K. Ugh. Tim, need beer now.
fwiffo
Article on Ambien and sleepwalking.
Welego
Larry Johnson and Valerie Plame.
Death Spree
Clinton got off easy.
MAX HATS
Gen. John Abizaid
Brian
Go fluff your donkey, would you?
Mike Hayden will replace Goss, and go after change there much more furiously than Goss did. There’s more deadwood (a.k.a. Mary McCarthys) there to be rid of.
Punchy
If Pat Roberts is the new CIA pick….
DougJ
Who will Bush nominate to replace Porter Goss?
Jeff Goldstein
Keith
Fred Thompson…BushCo saw how the press fawned over the easily-recognizable Tony Snow, so he’ll grab another celeb.
Perry Como
I bet if there are any hookers involved, those hookers are all Democrats. It was probably all coordinated through the DNC. In fact, how do we know one of the wasn’t acutally Howard Dean in drag? With a wig and a tuck, who would know the difference?
DougJ
It takes a hooker to catch a hooker. That’s what they say.
Vladi G
Bill Kristol says the resignation was due to something that “popped” this week. Yeah, something popped alright…
map
I’m looking forward to Jonah Goldberg’s next column in which he explains that Porter Goss was never really a conservative.
Pooh
F**K. Ugh. Tim, need beer now.
Tell me that doesn’t make perfect sense? (Though Arlen Spectre maybe makes more sense, as he’s starting to get frisky again.)
LITBMueller
Wasn’t this Scottie McC’s last day? Boy, Tony Snow is gonna have a BLAST on his first day
Best of luck, buddy! :)
stickler
Oh, and let’s not forget that since this story first burbled up to the surface a few weeks ago, there was rumor that the FBI had obtained pictures of the parties and their attendees…
So far it beats the crap out of the original Watergate. That one just had Nixon’s overuse of “expletive deleted.” This one has pictures of prostitutes (male or female, yet to be determined). Hoo boy.
I’m going to bet that Bush nominates an ex-military guy. Are any of the retired generals not on record condemning Bush?
Par R
Goss will probably be replaced by a senior military figure. Tim’s suggestion of Tommy Franks is as good a guess as any.
The Other Steve
The new spin will be:
Porter Goss never worked for the CIA. The real Director is super secret, and Goss was just a figurehead to confuse our enemies.
Perry Como
CIA Director Jeff Goldstein testifying in the Senate Intellignece comittee:
JG: If I may, I’ll answer that in Haiku
“Arabs are evil
They hate us for our freedom
Did you fuck my dog?”
Richard Bottoms
I am so happy. This administration is going down in the brightest ball of flame in history. Can’t we please vote now?? I’m not sure I can contain myself until November.
Par R
Here’s a Link to the WaPo website and a video of reporter Dana Priest talking about the Goss resignation. As Tim noted, she defers to tomorrow’s edition of the Post for the full story, but then goes on at some length to talk about the fact that the CIA was not functioning well as Goss had said today….that there were enormous personnel problems at Langley…that the people Goss brought into the Agency did not get along with veterans…and so forth. She in no way, shape or form alluded to the so-called hookergate issue as a reason for the resignation. But who the Hell knows?
demimondian
Of course! That’s why they outed Valerie Plame!
You see, while she was still covertly covert, there was the risk she couldn’t be double super secret probably covert. So they outed her, so that she could be doubly double crossed super stupor secret, and could really be the directory.
Now it all makes sense!
Nikki
Krista, you the MAN!!
Par R
ABC is reporting that the White House was planning to push Goss out of the CIA late last summer, but along came Katrina and they abandoned the plan at that time. Here’s some excerpts from their piece and the whole story is at their website, ABC.com:
Several of Goss’ deputies had reportedly been looking for new positions in the last few weeks.
ABC News’ Chris Isham reports the White House had sought to push Goss out late last summer, but the plans were delayed because of the administration’s failure in handling Hurricane Katrina.
From the day he arrived at CIA headquarters 18 months ago, he met enormous resistance from the agency’s top officials, many of whom resigned, virtually en masse.
White House officials continued to hear reports of poor morale at CIA, and concerns were raised last year about Goss’s overseas travel with his wife to Europe.
Punchy
I see no real diff, other than GooGate is a better media sell. The point is, Porty brought in a bunch of cronies just like himself. He tried to make a very, very serious and important intelligence division into another FEMA. He hired some clown named Foggo, which sounds suspiciously like someone out of Lord of the Rings. Goss was a partisan hack, by every definition, and whether he goes because he sucks, or she sucked (rim shot!), makes no diff to me.
DougJ
Should we even be talking about who the next director will be? What if the president wants to surprise the terrorists?
Pb
fwiffo,
Thanks for the WaPo link!
Others involved in the lawsuit face criminal charges for things they have done while they say they were sleepwalking on Ambien, including driving and shoplifting. One alleges she was twice sexually assaulted after taking
Ambien, and has only partial memories of the incidents.
Susan Chana Lask, a New York lawyer who represents the plaintiffs, says that besides seeking damages, they hope to force the drug company to provide stronger cautions about sleepwalking. “People need to know about the risks of serious problems associated with this drug,” she said.
Yowza. That would make quite the drug commerical. “Risks include sleep-walking, sleep-eating, sleep-driving, and sleep-shoplifting. There is a small risk of sexual side-effects, including sexual assault.”
Steve
This takes the cake as far as wingnut speculation, at least so far.
It’s certainly more creative than Par’s suggestion that this was all just the culmination of something that was supposed to go down last summer, which explains, of course, why it happened suddenly on a Friday afternoon with no successor in place. They’ve wanted to push him out for a year, the story goes, but they never bothered to find a replacement! I like mine better.
Par R
Steve, are you incapable of reading and comprehending English? I was not the one suggesting that Goss was supposed to be fired last summer; that was ABC News late this afternoon. And here’s the Link to their full story available on their website.
Vlad
Dammit, someone already took Lieberman. Guess I’ll just have to get in line…
Steve
Ok, Par, I thought you were suggesting that you actually believe that story. I understand now that you were just passing it on even though it obviously seems silly.
The Other Steve
Ok, other speculation.
It is possible that Goss had nothing to do with ForniGate. Instead the Whitehouse realized that Goss has been politicizing the CIA, as evidenced by some of the recent articles by Steve Clemons, etc.
In light of all of this, the Bush Administration realized that Porter Goss was bad for their image, bad for the CIA, and bad for America. So they shitcanned him.
Granted, this is a pretty far out moonbat fantasy of mine, but it is a possibility. The problem with this theory is it assumes that Bush cares about America, and I see no evidence of that.
Regardless, Goss out at the CIA is an incredibly good thing.
The Other Steve
This speculation may be on target… Muckracker is reporting that Goss was being investigated internally…
Steve
Hahahaha! That’s some great snark. Yeah, who could have foreseen that a well-qualified guy like Goss would take the reins and then suddenly start purging all the anti-administration elements?
It’s good for America, though. Consider how we’re still bogged down debating that moonbat claim that Bush ignored dissenting views regarding Iraqi WMD. We won’t have to deal with that tiresome debate again.
Tulkinghorn
Elliott Abrams.
This will leave the Dems so gobsmacked they won’t know how to respond.
When they do finally get to their feet and protest, accuse them of anti-semitism.
skip
Goss needn’t be personally involved. He may have hired bad apples for high posts. That is reason enought to can him.
ImJohnGalt
Krista:Boo!
Krista, the Canadian Dollar is now pretty much worth a Washington now anyway, so no exchange is necessary. There may be a free Unibroue in your future.
Keith
Oh, wow. Fred Barnes hypothesized that Porter Goss just retired because he’s ready to retire to Florida. “Sometimes people just retire”
PotVsKtl
I’m partial to something I saw over in the Fark thread regarding this:
Watergate II: THE GATENING
Sstarr
So, I’ve been wondering about the lack of major press interest in the hookers and defence contractors story. I think the minstream press’s reluctance to run with the story is the result of the Dan Rather’s National Guard letter fiasco.
The press knows that if they’re even slightly wrong on the charges, or any of the particulars, the wingnuts will crucify them.
It’s great when a long term project (discrediting the media) bears fruit!
Krista
Excellent…
Glad you all liked my contribution, by the way. It’s a good thing I was alone at work, because it popped into my head, and all I could do was clap my hands over my mouth while giggling and thinking, “Oh nooooo….that’s just so wrong!”
ppGaz
On a Friday when CNN feature three—three!—“Breaking News” alerts about Pat Kennedy. One when he made a statement, one when charges were brought, one when he announced rehab.
Three alerts in one day, about one guy …. whose picture wouldn’t be recognized by one half of one percent of the American population.
Meanwhile, Goss is third page news.
What a country!
Bob In Pacifica
I liked Watergategate until I saw Krista’s. Fantastic.
If Bush uses Fred Thompson, does that get him off “Law & Order”?
Damned at Random
Next nominee for DCI contest-
Has anybody taken Ollie North yet?
Blue Shark
...Rummy
...These clown always promote incompetence…always.
Balloon Juice
[...] is now closed. Assuming that the leaks are accurate Brian can email me for hissixpack. [...]
Par R
Apparently there are at least six or seven senior CIA staff that have been fired tonight and will be leaving over the next several weeks. A long overdue bloodbath.
Zifnab
That’s assuming they even got the right guys, or that said guys will be replaced with anyone remotely more competent.
Feel good knowing that no matter how much crap you shovel out, there will always be plenty of it.
Steve
It would be nice to see the people who made the mistake of being right finally get held accountable. Unfortunately for them, you have to be wrong to get a medal.
Pb
Way to go, Brian! I was wrong about a potential Iran-Contra connection, but with Goss out of the way and Michael “
4th AmendmentWarrantless Wiretapping” Hayden in place, it sounds like Negroponte won a turf war—so I’ll have to settle for Iran-Contra by proxy.Perry Como
Oh, come on Tim F. Larry Johnson is just another liberal nay sayer that has BDS and…oh wait…mind asplodes.
Perry Como
WW3, bitches.
Pb
Heh. That’s sure to piss off the other neo-cons who called The Cold War WWIII...
skip
“Elliot Abrams. This will leave the Dems so gobsmacked they won’t know how to respond. When they do finally get to their feet and protest, accuse them of anti-semitism.”
Ah but why not go the whole nine cubits. Choose Charles Krauthammer!
And anyone who doesn’t agree with everything Mr. Eretz Israel demands is Waffen SS, Al Qaeda and Blame America First.
The Other Steve
The press knows that if they’re even slightly wrong on the charges, or any of the particulars, the wingnuts will crucify them.
It’s great when a long term project (discrediting the media) bears fruit!
But yet they reported on every little stupid fabricated Clinton scandal they could.
Why?
Because the fruitloops crucified them if they did not.
The non-wingnuts need to start exerting some force on them to report actual news.
PeterJ
Pb said:
And to tie this thread to the “Friday Beer Blogging – Great Beer Movies” thread
Hypothetical or fictional usage of WWIII or WWIV
Now I really have to watch that movie…
radioleft
We don’t know why Goss resigned. All we know is why he didn’t. And that list is mighty impressive. Heckuva job Gossie
ppGaz
Nice looking blog there, radioleft.
But I had no luck trying to play your audio file.
Pb
The Other Steve,
In part, but also, it was already being reported (thanks to a certain right-wing billionaire), it was sensational, and they were lazy.
Zifnab
Doesn’t the President realize that letting go of our head officer in the CIA in the midst of wartime is both dangerous and detrimental to the World War on Terror? My god man, we’re in WWIII. Nukes may start flying at any instant… within the next five years… We’re at Terror Level: Yellow! That implies a Significant Risk of a Terrorist Attack. And now is the moment that you’re kowtowing to the Liberal Media and their party of Criminalizing Politics? For shame mister President. I expected more from you.
ppGaz
I’ve gone ahead and painted a permanent Yellow: Significant Risk of Terror Attack warning on my toilet seat, my steering wheel, and my pillow. That way I can see it and be mindful of it just about 24 hours a day.
Heckuva job, Chertoffie!
I think that history will look admiringly on the great job that DHS is doing. The four-year yellow alert, and the complete lack of any meaningful protection at our ports, I think, are the greatest achievements.
The Other Steve
Hold on with that six pack!
Republicans are balking at the notion of a General running CIA.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12388117/
I’m telling ay… it’s gonna be Bozo!
Brian
Thank you, Tim, but I don’t drink (although I’m sure some here think that I should). I drank a lifetime’s worth in my teens and twenties.
I will donate my sixpack to the first taker. Any takers out there?
Thanks again.
srv
Me!
srv
Damn, but Rocheforte and Westmalle don’t come in sixpacks…
Arrrggghhhh! Damn you Tim for improving my taste!
Tim F.
That works for me. srv, if I knew your general geographic vicinity I could recommend some good hooch that you won’t get laughed at for requesting, price-wise. Assuming that you’re not in the southeast where I know less than diddly.
Krista
Damn—just when you think a thread is over, it suddenly gets really good again. Oh well. That was very generous and nice of you, Brian.
srv
OK, thanks Brian, I offer 6 slap downs of ppGaz in return.
Tim, I’m 4 blocks from the Toronado. Is that new Unibroue out yet?
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