 Related Story Republicans Claim Top Lawmakers Were in the Loop on Interrogations |
GLENN: This is Nancy Pelosi on what did she know and when did she know?
VOICE: At the time you were briefed, did you raise objections?
PELOSI: It's not appropriate for me to talk about what happens at briefings. It's very interesting that people are talking so briefly. But I can say this: At that or any other briefing, and that was the only briefing that I was briefed on in that regard, we were not, I repeat, not told that waterboarding or any of these other enhanced interrogation methods were used. What they did tell us is that they had some legislative counsel, the office of legislative counsel opinions that they could be used.
GLENN: Okay. George Tenet's book, Page 242 of his book: After we received written Department of Justice guidance on interrogation issue, we briefed the chairmen and the ranking members of our oversight committees. While they were not asked to formally approve the program as it was conducted under the president's unilateral authorities, I can recall no objections being raised. Page 242, George Tenet's book.
The minutes of this meeting exist. They kept a record. We know Nancy Pelosi was in these meetings. I think it's time for the American people to demand those meetings' minutes be released. We already know all the other stuff. You notice she said, "I think it's very interesting that people are talking about secret meetings." Really? Now you do? Now you do, now you stand up against them. Why, on the same day, you say this the same day that more pictures have been released of what happened in Abu Ghraib, the same day. You say now it's interesting about this. You know what? You answer to us, Nancy Pelosi. You answer to the American people. And I want to know, are the Democrats playing this game and scamming us and telling us that they were briefed on waterboarding? Or are you scamming us? There's a very simple way to find out who's telling the truth. You can take all the secret stuff out. I just want the names of the people who are in the meeting. We already know those names. I just want them verified that they were there on that day. I want their schedules to be outed. I want to see Nancy Pelosi, "Where were you on that day according to your schedule." I want witnesses called. I don't want them called in congress. I want them called in a people's court. We might even get Doug Llewellyn to do it. So let's release the minutes of that meeting. You can redact everything else. Just say, George Tenet, this is what he said on waterboarding, objection from anyone. She says  in this statement she's saying, "Well, they told us but they didn't tell us that they were going to do it." That is akin to saying, "You know what, I'm going to go over to your grandma's house tonight and I'm going to stay the night and have dinner. I mean, I may end up killing her, but I'm going to have dinner and we're going to watch a movie and then I'm just going to spend the night. I'll call you tomorrow.
That's like  what Nancy Pelosi just said is like now saying, "Well, he didn't tell me he was going to kill her. I mean, he didn't tell me, "Okay, he said that killing may be part of it, but he didn't notify me that he was actually going to kill her!" Excuse me? Who in their right mind would listen to that excuse? "Excuse me. Wait a minute. What did you just say about killing my grandma? What? Hang on, what?" If you had a problem with torture, if you thought waterboarding was torture, you should have said it then and there. If somebody says I'm going to do something outrageous, you don't say, "Oh, well, well call me " if somebody said, you know what I'm going to do, I'm going to take electrical wires and I'm going to strap them to their private parts, put their feet in water and juice them for a little while. "Excuse me, wait a minute. What was that last one? No, I don't think we do that." Nobody objected in the meeting and if they did, I want to see them. I want to see it. I no longer trust these weasels in Washington. I no longer trust the right; I no longer trust the left. I want to see it, but I  you watch. You watch. This will be buried so damn deeply, I'll be surprised if they say these records even exist anymore. They've been misplaced; I don't know what happened to them; they're gone. I want a GPS wrist bracelet or ankle bracelet on Sandy Berger starting today! I want to know where that bastard is all the time! Don't let  if anybody spots Sandy Berger near any kind of archives, call. Let us know.
STU: You mean call if he specifically says he's going to take the records, right?
GLENN: No, no.
STU: Because you wouldn't call unless he specifically says he's going to Â
GLENN: No. If he's anywhere near paper, call. If you see him by a computer and there's a delete button on it, call.
STU: Because I mean, isn't Nancy Pelosi, at the very least, if she were to have said, "Look, I have a major problem with this and, you know, it's obviously your authority but if you do it, I'm going to come after you with all the..."
GLENN: That's all she had to say. That's all she had to say. And if she said that, if she said, "Wait a minute, are we  "if she would have said, "Wait a minute, if waterboarding legal?" "Yes, it is." "Okay, I'm not sure. I want to check into that." Just even that. But if she was talked to about being waterboarding  see, the right says, the Republicans say they not only didn't say anything, there were words of encouragement. There were words, "Is this far enough." I want to see those words. Are the Republicans lying? It's our country. They have betrayed our trust so long for political purposes. They are destroying us with the games they are playing. It is time for us, the adults, to stand up and say, "Sit down, both of you. Bring me the records. Show them to me. And whichever one of you two, and if it's both of you, you are both going to be punished. Both of you." It's just time. It is time to say enough is enough. And whoever's lying, punish them. Whoever is exonerated, great. Congratulations. If that's Nancy Pelosi, great. But we must be able to trust our government. We must be able to know they are telling us the truth.
They are doing the same thing with the banks. Bernanke and Paulson surprisingly have not been put under oath. You know, what's his name, putz face here in New York, who's the DA here in New York  not the DA but  yeah, is it the district attorney? Come on, it's what's his name from Fannie, Cuomo. Here's Cuomo. He's searching for more bonus records. Instead he finds that the Bank of America was threatened by Bernanke and Paulson. Does he put Paulson and Bernanke under oath? Does he pursue that? No, because they are not looking for government corruption. They are looking for anything that empowers them. It's got to stop. It's got to stop.