The buzz is building over a new supposed tell-all by former
Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge, “The Test of Our
Times”. The book, however, directly contradicts the fast
moving media message that the Bush White House tried to
manipulate Homeland Security threat levels for partisan gain.
In promotional materials distributed by his publisher in advance
of the September debut, and in the subsequent media orgy, a
narrative has developed. George Bush, the story goes, through
John Ashcroft and Donald Rumsfeld pressured Tom Ridge to increase
the threat level ahead of the 2004 presidential election in order
to gain politically. Ridge refused and, as a result, subsequently
retired. A neat little package tied in a bow, that, and a
delicious second-helping of Bush-derangement syndrome for all the
right people. A recipe, you might be forgiven for adding, for
book sales.
A salacious story, if true. Verifying the accuracy, however,
requires unraveling layers upon layers of spin.
Let’s start at the end. The summary above is what most Americans
are hearing in sound bite form or reading in newspapers and
blogs. For example,
the dramatic telling from the Washington Post below:
Former Pennsylvania governor Tom Ridge, the first director of the
Department of Homeland Security, says that he was pressured by
other agency heads to raise the
national security-threat level on the eve of the 2004
presidential election — a move he rejected as having political
undertones.
The disclosure comes in promotional materials for Ridge’s new
book, due out Sept. 1, in which he writes that Defense
Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Attorney General John D.
Ashcroft tried to pressure him to raise the threat level.
“After that episode, I knew I had to follow through with my
plans to leave the federal government for the private sector,”
Ridge writes in the book, “The Test of Our Times: America Under
Siege … and How We Can Be Safe Again,” according to
publishers Thomas Dunne Books.
He submitted his resignation within the month.
Stirring. Likewise, the following from the Christian Science
Monitor’s
Vote Blog:
For those who had their doubts about the politics behind the
Bush administration’s “war on terrorism,” Tom Ridge’s new book
will fuel long-held suspicions.
The former Republican governor of Pennsylvania, who was the
first head of the Department of Homeland Security, says two top
Bush officials – Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Attorney
General John Ashcroft – pressured him to up the terror alert
level before the 2004 election, according to promotional
materials by publisher Macmillan.
Vote Blog’s headline reads “Tom Ridge kisses and tells on Bush’s
‘terror levels.’” The scare quotes on “terror levels” are the
blog equivalent of threat level orange, if you aren’t familiar.
I asked Donald Rumsfeld’s office if they had any comment on the
allegations above. The entire statement is below the fold, but
here’s a choice excerpt.
“We have no idea what Tom Ridge’s book actually says. The
storyline advanced by his publisher seemingly to sell copies of
the book is nonsense. During the fall of 2004, Osama bin Laden
and an American member of al-Qaida released videotapes that said
in no uncertain terms that al-Qaida intended to launch more
attacks against Americans. ‘The streets of America will run red
with blood,’ al-Qaida warned. Given those facts, it would seem
reasonable for senior administration officials to discuss the
threat level. Indeed, it would have been irresponsible had that
discussion not taken place.”
What the book actually says would seem to be the question. Most
of the press regarding the allegations cite the promotional
materials from the publisher. Considering the stir they’ve
caused, one can only assume the pitch will be
lightning hot. Right?
He details the obstacles faced in his new post—often within
the administration itself—as well as the failures of Congress to
provide for critical homeland security needs, and the
irresponsible use of terrorism by both parties to curry favors
with voters. Ridge also reveals: • How the DHS
was pressured to connect homeland security to the
international “war on terror”
• How Ridge effectively thwarted a plan
to raise the national security alert just before the
2004 Election
• How Ridge had pushed for a plan (defeated because of turf
wars) to integrate DHS and FEMA disaster management in New
Orleans and other areas before Hurricane Katrina
Emphasis added. While certainly the general basis of the press
frenzy exists, it’s hardly the explosive confession you might
have expected. It doesn’t even, in fact, have a quote from the
actual book. I, however, do.
“In spite of allegations of playing politics, as time went on,
our office was more often than not the most reluctant to raise
the threat level. Despite perception to the contrary, the White
House couldn’t, as a matter of course, call us up and say, ‘Go to
orange, Tom.’”
Interesting. That quote is from the chapter titled “The Politics
of Terrorism, Part I,” however, which is not the chapter
apparently cited in the press frenzy. The story most people are
discussing is one in which Ridge was allegedly pressured by
Ashcroft and Rumsfeld, not George Bush. The story is recounted in
a later chapter “The Politics of Terrorism, Part II.”
In October of 2004, a videotaped message from Osama Bin Laden
surfaced. There were mere days until the election. There was, of
course, a Homeland Security meeting. According to Ridge, an
internal consensus was reached that they did not need to raise
the threat level to orange. Security was heightened already in
advance of the election, but had not been officially designated
as a new threat level. Then the decision was brought to a
security meeting with the FBI, the State Department, the Defense
Department and so on. According to Ridge, Ashcroft argues for
raising the threat level, while Ridge argues against. Here is the
apparent money quote:
“I wondered, ‘Is this about security or politics?’”
He wondered. “There was no consensus reached at that session, and
we took it upon ourselves to keep it that way,” he concludes,
which I can only assume is what we are supposed to call
“thwarting” a “plan” to raise the alert level.
It is possible, at this point, that you find none of this very
definitive. But that is OK, because Tom Ridge has a definitive
statement for you. Earlier in the book, addressing the
allegations that political pressure had been applied to raise
threat levels, Ridge has this to say:
“Let me make it very clear. I was never directed to do so
no matter how many analysts, pundits or critics say so.”
That is very clear indeed, Secretary Ridge.
Below, please find the full statement from the office of Donald
Rumsfeld. A call to Tom Ridge’s publicist was not immediately
returned.
Statement by Keith Urbahn, Office of Donald
Rumsfeld
“We have no idea what Tom Ridge’s book actually says. The
storyline advanced by his publisher seemingly to sell copies of
the book is nonsense. During the fall of 2004, Osama bin Laden
and an American member of al-Qaida released videotapes that said
in no uncertain terms that al-Qaida intended to launch more
attacks against Americans. ‘The streets of America will run red
with blood,’ al-Qaida warned. Given those facts, it would seem
reasonable for senior administration officials to discuss the
threat level. Indeed, it would have been irresponsible had that
discussion not taken place.”
For context, I’d urge you to consult the transcripts of the two
videos. Here are some choice quotes:
“After decades of American tyranny and oppression, now it’s your
turn to die. Allah willing, the streets of America will run red
with blood matching drop for drop the blood of America’s
victims.” – Adam Gadahn, October 28, 2004 video
“People of America, I remind you of the weighty words of our
leaders, Osama bin Laden and Dr. Ayman al-Zawahri, that what took
place on Sept. 11 was but the opening salvo of the global war on
America. And that Allah willing, the magnitude and ferocity of
what is coming your way will make you forget all about Sept. 11.”
– Adam Gadahn, October 28, 2004 video
“We never knew that the commander-in-chief of the American armed
forces would leave 50,000 of his people in the two towers to face
those events by themselves when they were in the most urgent need
of their leader.” – UBL, October 29, 2004 video
“It is known that those who hate freedom don’t have souls with
integrity, like the souls of those 19. May the mercy of God be
upon them.” – UBL, October 29, 2004
