Lies, Lies, Lies, Yeah

Just a little more on the Nathan Thurm school of defending the President (We're not being defensive! You're the ones who are being defensive!).

ReddHedd made a good entry today quoting a Washington Post analysis. The Post seems to have jumped onto this "competence" fad that's all the rage in the press these days. I'd feel better about this fad if I weren't sure with an almost sickening certainty that if Bush's popularity ever again noses above 50%, we'll see it ("competence") fade. But for now, they're doing a fine job.

Senators on both sides of the aisle failed to do their jobs adequately, and allowed short term political considerations for upcoming elections to trump responsibilities for oversight through advice and consent.

The lawmakers are partly to blame for their ignorance. Congress was entitled to view the 92-page National Intelligence Estimate about Iraq before the October 2002 vote. But, as The Washington Post reported last year, no more than six senators and a handful of House members read beyond the five-page executive summary.

But that in no way excuses the Administration from failing to provide the fullest possible picture of the pros and the cons of the intelligence information.

ETA: Sadly, No! on one of the odder responses by a Republican blogger to the Washington Post article, another little lesson in misrepresentative linking.