Tom Ridge flip-flops about raising terror...

Tom Ridge, former US Secretary of Homeland Security, has written in his new book that he was pressured by then Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Attorney General John Ashcroft to "raise the terror alert to help Bush win re-election in 2004."

He explains that "Bush's approval ratings typically went up when the threat level was raised, adding that Ashcroft and Rumsfeld pushed to elevate it during a vigorous discussion."

After a number of former Bush administration officials called these claims "nonsense," Tom Ridge has decided to flip-flop on the issue, writes the USA Today.

He now says that this never happened and that he "did not mean to suggest that other top Bush administration officials were playing politics with the nation's security before the 2004 presidential election."

Unfortunatelly, his claim that he was pressured to raise terror alerts to help Bush win re-election in 2004 could not be taken out of the book before publication on September 1â€¦

Comments: 10

Cathi L. Aug 31, 2009, 2:37am UTC

I was wondering when you put up that other article. If he lied once, he'll lie again and I wanted to know if he was lying at first or then? Now we have three times and which one to pick?

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Spencer T. Aug 31, 2009, 7:55am UTC

I simply have to laugh when I think about the overall corruption in so many bureaucrat's experiences. Weather he told the truth or not initially doesn't phase me in that many of us noticed how the alerts seemed to coincide with political events. Many people went through emotional upheavals when the levels of danger where raised which if they were gerrymanded is a sick way of getting citizens to follow you. Knowing former Atty. General Ashcroft from Missouri as I do I have suspicions he would be involved as well as Sec of Defense Rumsfeld. So Ridge's conversion to a maybe they did it doesn't affect me. For damn sure he won't get any money from me buying his book.

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Alan D. Aug 31, 2009, 11:06am UTC

Good riddance as far as T.R. is concerned. This guy is viewed as independent just because he is pro life. Big deal, he can think for himself on ONE issue. On the rest, he works lockstep with the Bushiites then turns around and rats them out. One thing is for sure, he is a HYPOCRITE, just like the rest of them. Nobody forced you to do anything. They told you to do it and you did it. Then you come out trying to sell books, then they got to you and reminded you of all those other things they "SUGGESTED" you to do and would not want anyone to find out about now.

JUST SHUT TOMMY. YOU DID A HECKAVUH JOB.

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Devin Barber Aug 31, 2009, 3:50pm UTC

I thought the idea of the "colored" alert system was peurile in it's inception. Oh look boys and girls, todays alert color is yellow. What does it mean? Nobody really knows, but aren't the colors pretty?

Good Lord, it was like having a retarded Mr. Rogers in charge.

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Devin Barber Aug 31, 2009, 3:53pm UTC

One of the most basic flaws with the Republican Party is that their sense of self righteousness is so complete, they actually believe any means can justify the ends they desire.

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Alan West Aug 31, 2009, 7:10pm UTC

No surprise there. Politicians love using scare tactics in order to get their way and that is just evil and shameful.

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Annmarie B. Sep 1, 2009, 9:32am UTC

All politicians lie anyway. I don't know who to believe anymore

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Trish A. Sep 1, 2009, 12:44pm UTC

It's funny when we were in the airport over the weekend and it was code orange. I was surprised to see three armed police officers patroling the halls.

I'm not a bit surprised by the things that are coming out.

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lynn a. Sep 1, 2009, 1:17pm UTC

It just goes on and on, doesn't it. Politics is a career. We shouldn't forget that, then it makes sense that politicians aren't looking out for the country's best interests, but their own. Still disappointing though.

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Tom Ridge flip-flops about raising terror alerts to help Bush win re-election in 2004

Comments: 10

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