In Reality, Condi Gives Herself The Finger

If Stepanopoulos looks accusatory, we’re actually way beyond that now.

All that is taking place in this instant — after GS references the famous 16 words in the State of the Union about Iraq trying to obtain uranium from Africa — is an invitation for Condi to view a videoclip.  His exact words in the moment, not in any particular tone, are “Here’s what you said.”

What follows on tape — from an appearance on the Stephanopoulos show in June 2003 — is Rice claiming she had no idea the intelligence about the uranium was false.

Back in real time, Stephanopoulos points out that Rice was informed three months before the State of the Union that the information was false.  From there, Rice claims she forgot she knew it, and that her deputy Stephen Hadley — who had been informed twice by memo and once orally, by George Tenet — also forgot he knew it.

If other blogs give a far deeper summary and analysis of the politics, the focus of The BAG  is the scene of comeuppance, as well as the visual milestone.  That frame of Rice facing the video, and her own words, marks a new turn in the disintegration of this Administration.  Of course, the Congress and the press need play a key role in bringing these people to judgement (and reality).

The pathetic, if unique opportunity here is that, after years of lying to our faces, we get to witness them observing it as well.

Transcript here.



(screen shot: ABC News via Raw Story)