Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

đŸŽ¶ Those boots were made for mockin’ đŸŽ”

Quote tweet friends, screenshot enemies.

Too often we hand the biggest microphones to the cynics and the critics who delight in declaring failure.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

The republican caucus is covering themselves with something, and it is not glory.

We still have time to mess this up!

You know it’s bad when the Project 2025 people have to create training videos on “How To Be Normal”.

We will not go quietly into the night; we will not vanish without a fight.

Every decision we make has lots of baggage with it, known or unknown.

Putting aside our relentless self-interest because the moral imperative is crystal clear.

They punch you in the face and then start crying because their fist hurts.

Republicans: The threats are dire, but my tickets are non-refundable!

Yeah, with this crowd one never knows.

Reality always lies in wait for 
 Democrats.

Boeing: repeatedly making the case for high speed rail.

Not rolling over. fuck you, make me.

Humiliatingly small and eclipsed by the derision of millions.

Every one of the “Roberts Six” lied to get on the court.

In my day, never was longer.

The Supreme Court cannot be allowed to become the ultimate, unaccountable arbiter of everything.

If you don’t believe freedom is for everybody, then the thing you love isn’t freedom, it is privilege.

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

You are here: Home / Politics / Domestic Politics / Goss Out

Goss Out

by | 161 Comments

This post is in: 

Yikes – From Christy Smith at Firedoglake, MSNBC reports that Porter Goss has resigned as CIA director. I have no idea what that means or whether it connects with the Watergate hooker story, but this sort of sudden resignation usually comes just before some variety of bad news.

Whether Dusty Foggo follows Goss out the door will give some clue what this is all about.

***Update***

The AP puts Goss’s resignation in the context of recent White House staff turnover, but I don’t think that anybody saw Porter Goss as one of the officials likely to get the axe. If there was any warning that Joshua Bolten had a new CIA director in mind I did not hear about it.

***Update 2***

Contest time! Who will Bush nominate to replace Porter Goss? Post your guesses; the first correct guess wins a locally-available six pack of beer. Rules are as follows: The first guess wins, you can guess as many times as you like but each guess supercedes the last one (so a correct guess will not count if your next guess is incorrect), contest not valid in countries where I have to go through ridiculous currency exchanges to get you your beer. I will end the contest as soon as “official” leaks start coming out about likely picks.

Since I’m never shy about buying myself a sixpack of beer, I will guess Tommy Franks. I know it sounds ridiculous but I figure that the nominee has to be ideologically safe but not nakedly partisan, minimally competent and won’t have any Kerik-style surprises in the confirmation process. Once you apply those filters there aren’t that many choices.

Have at it.

***Update 3***

I pity the server at WaPo. Yes, that means I will probably refresh it a few times tonight just like everybody else.

***Update 4***

Voting is now closed. Assuming that the leaks are accurate Brian can email me for his sixpack.

***Update 5***

Larry Johnson has the most informed scuttlebutt about what’s going on, at least for now.

Reader Interactions

161Comments

  2. 2.

    The Other Steve

    TPM has been reporting that the Watergate had been recently subpoeanaed for records. Just this past week. And the limo company has dissappeared. That investigation is heating up.

    No way is this a staff turnover. Too much of a coincidence that Goss’ number 2 guy is directly connected to Hookergate.

    Now the question is. Will the media takes this scandal on with the zeal that they went after Clinton?

  3. 3.

    stickler

    I believe he’s ensnared in the scandal that involves both hookers AND the Watergate Hotel.

    It’s like a perfect confluence of ready-made scandal ingredients: espionage, spymasters, hookers, limos, defense contractors … and the freaking Watergate itself.

    What will this end up getting called? “Limogate?” “Hookergate?” “Watergategate?”

    History, as Karl Marx once observed, always repeats itself. The first time as tragedy, the second time as farce.

  7. 7.

    Tim F.

    I like Watergategate. It has the perfect blend of appropriateness and ridiculousness on both conceptual and pronunciation levels.

  8. 8.

    Steve

    I guess I can put aside my pet peeve against labelling every scandal “This-gate” and “That-gate,” when it comes to a scandal that actually involves the Watergate.

    Let us assume, for the sake of argument, that Porter Goss actually wanted to resign to spend more time with his family or whatever. There is absolutely no chance that they would decide to pull the trigger just as reports are implicating him in the hooker scandal, even if he was completely innocent. They know how it would look and they’d postpone the retirement until later.

    Coincidences do happen but I’d be pretty shocked if there was an innocuous explanation for this.

  9. 9.

    Caseyl

    Hookergate for sure; but I wonder if the disclosures about why Plame was outed also played a part?

    Yes, I know Goss wasn’t in charge during that particular fiasco.

    But he was *put* in charge in order to complete the job of turning it into a neocon branch office, which burning Plame was one part of.

  10. 10.

    GossIng

    Clinton was taken care of nicely. Real nice.

    Goss can’t control the retirees. They are getting people killed.

  11. 11.

    LITBMueller

    No WAY was this a planned Bolten shakeup. Several reasons: (1) no previous indication; (2) no live press conference; (3) no named successor. That’s how you do a staff shakeup: give the impression you are completely in control and everything is going to plan.

    The Watergate subpeonas absolutely had something to do with Goss leaving. If investogators know on what nights the “Hookers n’ Poker” parties were being held, they just have to check hotel records, view security cameras, interview staff, etc. Piece of cake.

    Foggo is done for, too. But, it will be done really really quietly – perhaps a change in position without a public announcement.

    How about “Bootiegate”?????

  13. 13.

    The Other Steve

    Remember. Porter Goss was a Florida congressman until he was appointed to this post. The Watergategate thing was linked to several former congressmen, they said.

    Wait, I think I see Mike Tyson eating a dog.

  14. 14.

    Caseyl

    The wheels are coming off the bus, cha cha

    The wheels are coming off the bus, huzzah…

    I’m sorry, but my glee simply cannot be contained.

  16. 16.

    jg

    Armageddon is upon us……….the Arizona Cardinals have sold out every game.

  17. 17.

    Caseyl

    Oh, damn, if only I was paid today and not next Friday.

    I’m everlastingly sorry, but am totally broke this week :(

  18. 18.

    Paddy O'Shea

    Oooohhh. The first Bush biggy falls to the scandal known as Hookergate.

    Neat!

    Interesting little article on MSNBC:

    “Republican Right Abandoning Bush” Detailed polling information that not only shows Bush and the GOP Congress hitting historic lows, but also the reason why this is happening. Apparently conservatives are now bailing on this disgraceful administration.

    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12643666/

  19. 19.

    VidaLoca

    Will the media takes this scandal on with the zeal that they went after Clinton

    Yes, and for the same reason: sex sells. The interesting thing will be who tries to cover it aggressively, and who tries to cover for it aggressively.

    Bootiegate, bitches!

  20. 20.

    fwiffo

    The rumor going around that one of the, um, beneficiaries of Limogate/Hookergate/Watergategate was a high-ranking former congressman in the CIA. Goss certainly qualifies.

    I really appreciate this particular hookergate quote.

    …Baker’s lawyer told the San Diego Union-Tribune that [Shirlington limo owner Chris Baker] was “never in attendance in any party where any women were being used for prostitution purposes.”…

    (Bold emphasis mine) That seems an excessively specific denial. Can anyone say Jeff Gannon? I suppose that would just be a little to much to ask for.

  21. 21.

    LITBMueller

    fwiffo: great pickup! Could be Hairybootiegate, but who knows?

    Sorry…. :(

  22. 22.

    Par R

    If Goss is entangled in the Cunningham/hooker scandal, then he had to go, and the sooner the better. An alternative theory for his resignation appears in a Time post today, and here’s an excerpt:

    “…Ever since John Negroponte was appointed Director of National Intelligence a year ago and given the task of coordinating the nation’s myriad spy agencies, he has been diluting the power and prestige of the best known of them all, the Central Intelligence Agency. From day one, he supplanted the CIA Director as the President’s principal intelligence adviser, in charge of George W. Bush’s daily briefing. Other changes followed, all originating in the law that created the DNI — and all traumatic for CIA fans. But now, in a little noticed move, Negroponte is signaling that he is moving still more responsibility from the CIA to his own office, including control over the analysis of terrorist groups and threats….”

  23. 23.

    Steve

    One of my colleagues just walked in my office and I pointed him to the CNN headline reading “Porter Goss Resigns.” He shrugged.

    “I bet you have no idea about any of this,” I said. “You have no idea that there’s a major scandal being investigated that involves Republican lobbyists and parties with hookers at the Watergate Hotel.”

    His response: “Are these parties going on right now?”

  26. 26.

    LITBMueller

    Par R: Personally, I don’t buy it. The Time post just doesn’t explain the surprise nature of this resignation.

    Also, it assumes that Goss was appointed so he could be the intelligence top dog. From looking at Goss’s actions during his (brief) tenure, it seemed more like he was sent there to weed out the “disloyal” employees and make sure the CIA never ever crosses the Decider again.

    To further eviscerate the CIA, more and more intelligence funding has gone to the Dept. of Defense.

  27. 27.

    srv

    Goss hasn’t been effective enough of embedding enough political appointees into sensitive security positions to facilitate the Iran wardrumming. Look for Cheney favorite, (maybe Hadley) to get the nomination.

  28. 28.

    Caseyl

    Sure, Par R. This was all planned, an orderly transition, etc. etc. etc.

    That’s why it wasn’t announced in advance, and why it’s “effective immediately.”

    Personnel changes are always like that, right?

    No they are not always like that.

    Jeebus Creepers, a secretary is supposed to give a week or two of notice. You think the freaking Head of the freaking CIA doesn’t have to let anyone know he’s stepping down?

    Good try, guy. But you might be better off waiting for the Official Talking Points.

  29. 29.

    VidaLoca

    The wheels are coming off the bus, cha cha
    The wheels are coming off the bus, huzzah


    dang, I think that was the transmission that just dropped out…

  31. 31.

    Paddy O'Shea

    Here’s my question: If you’re going to become the head of the CIA, the administration would be expected to do a little bit of backround checking, right? And wouldn’t the CIA as well? Maybe the FBI?

    And they couldn’t uncover his rather problematic activities at the Watergate?

    So who did the vetting? Jeff Gannon?

  32. 32.

    The Other Steve

    “I bet you have no idea about any of this,” I said. “You have no idea that there’s a major scandal being investigated that involves Republican lobbyists and parties with hookers at the Watergate Hotel.”

    His response: “Are these parties going on right now?”

    Maybe he was looking for a good time?

  33. 33.

    ppGaz

    Former Republican lawmaker and current CIA Director Porter Goss’s name has surfaced time and time again in the Republican bribe scheme, which began with a focus on disgraced Republican Congressman Duke Cunningham and his Republican lobbyists (hmm, do I think I mentioned “Republican” enough in that sentence?).

    It is Goss’s hand-picked #3 man at the CIA, Kyle “Dusty” Foggo who is under serious investigation in connection with a massive bribery scheme that touches on sweetheart deals, million dollar contracts, and yes, even hookers.

    You will recall that Ken Silverstein, based on a source, noted that the prostitution scandal could touch a former lawmaker “who now holds a powerful intelligence post.” Speculation abounded that Porter Goss fit that description perfectly.

    That’s the current DKos take on it, and I have to say, it seems much more plausible than the “Heckuva job, Porter” song coming out of the White Noise House today.

  34. 34.

    The Other Steve

    Here’s my question: If you’re going to become the head of the CIA, the administration would be expected to do a little bit of backround checking, right? And wouldn’t the CIA as well? Maybe the FBI?

    And they couldn’t uncover his rather problematic activities at the Watergate?

    You’d think. I remember when a collegemate joined the NSA. They came out and talked to all sorts of people who knew him.

    But that doesn’t mean they spoke to the right people. If Goss was in on hooker parties, chances are his regular friends and family didn’t know about this.

    And the people who did know probably didn’t think there was anything wrong with it.

  36. 36.

    Steve

    Maybe he was looking for a good time?

    That was, indeed, the point of the joke.

  37. 37.

    JoeTx

    “I bet you have no idea about any of this,” I said. “You have no idea that there’s a major scandal being investigated that involves Republican lobbyists and parties with hookers at the Watergate Hotel.”

    Internal poll of my 3 nearest co-workers, one was in the Navy and another was a Marine, nether one had even heard Duke Cunninghams was in jail!!! These people aren’t dumb, they just aren’t getting the information from the corporate media. No wonder Bush STILL has approval ratings in the low 30’s. NOBODY is telling them whats truly going on!!

    Foggo’s next, Foggo’s next!

  38. 38.

    Pb

    Caleb,

    Fornigate

    PotD! :)

    And really… Watergate? Sounds more like Vaselinegate.

    Maybe we should have some sort of dumbest prospective scandal name contest:

    CIA watchers may remember that Goss’ first pick for CIA executive director (or ExDir), his House subcommittee staff director Mike Kostiw, never officially made it to the job after the Washington Post exposed his 1981 bacon shoplifting arrest.

    Bacongate!

    There’s probably more that can be done—but if the committees don’t fully and responsibly exercise their oversight powers to hold hearings and zealously investigate these matters, what’s the point?

    Aha, the real scandal–Shirkgate.

  40. 40.

    SeesThroughIt

    I guess I can put aside my pet peeve against labelling every scandal “This-gate” and “That-gate,”

    What about Shootingaguyinthefacegate? That one had a nice feel to it.

  41. 41.

    jaime

    The Watergate Strikes Back?

    Watergate vs Predator?

    I like Watergate II: On the Rocks

    or

    Watergate II: Electric Boogaloo

    or maybe

    Watergate II: The Search for Goss

  42. 42.

    Pb

    LITBMueller,

    It sounds crazy, I know. I smell bacon:

    Michael V. Kostiw withdrew from consideration yesterday as CIA executive director, the third-ranking position at the agency, after it was publicly disclosed that he had resigned from the agency under pressure more than 20 years ago.
    […]
    The change came after The Washington Post reported Sunday that, in late 1981, Kostiw was caught shoplifting a $2.13 package of bacon from a supermarket in Langley, according to two former CIA officials familiar with the incident. At the time, Kostiw had been a CIA case officer for 10 years.

    In a CIA polygraph test, Kostiw’s responses to questions about the incident and his past tours abroad led agency officials to place him on administrative leave for several weeks, according to four sources familiar with the events. Kostiw has told friends he decided to resign during the leave. Agency officials arranged for the misdemeanor shoplifting charge to be dropped and the police record expunged in return for his resignation and agreement to seek counseling, a former official said.

    Now really, that doesn’t sound like that big a deal. What was this guy doing before Bacongate struck?

    Kostiw, a colonel in an Army Reserve military intelligence unit at the Pentagon, has worked as a lobbyist for ChevronTexaco Corp. and more recently was staff director of the terrorism subcommittee of the House intelligence committee, which Goss chaired.

    Ok, so why bring it up and force him out then?

    according to two former CIA officials familiar with the incident

    Aha, a leak! I wonder what their reasons were…

  44. 44.

    Blue Neponset

    Update No. 3:

    My guess – someone I have never heard of who had nothing to do with Iraq. I don’t think the Bushies will nominate anyone who will have to answer for his/her part in Operation Dumbo Drop Iraqi Freedom.

  47. 47.

    ET

    I don’t think Goss was part of the shake up. He was either falling on his sword or trying to head trouble off at the pass. It will be interesting to see if Goss ends up more connected than previously thought.

  48. 48.

    Pb

    Blue Neponset,

    My guess – someone I have never heard of who had nothing to do with Iraq.

    My guess – someone who had something to do with (a) Iran/Contra and/or (b) Election shenanigans.

  51. 51.

    jaime

    You gotta hand it to Drudge.

    He’s got 9, count ’em 9 stories about the Kennedy accident and 1 story about Goss buried in the middle of the page. You’d think the Hooker angle would be enough to overcome his stoogy-ness

  53. 53.

    Krista

    contest not valid in countries where I have to go through ridiculous currency exchanges to get you your beer.

    Boo!

    Well, I think Fornigate is pretty good. Of course, there’s my boyfriend’s rule of sequels, being that when stuck for a sequel name, you can just add “The Quickening” to the end of it, and it sounds fun.

    Watergate II: The Quickening
    The Full Monty II: The Quickening
    Throw Momma Off The Train II: The Quickening

    Try it with any movie, it somehow works.

    Oh. I just thought of a good one, but it’s rather vulgar, so I probably shouldn’t share.

  54. 54.

    jaime

    Oops just noticed the banner ad as well.

    Who will Bush nominate to replace Porter Goss?

    Porter Goss.

  55. 55.

    Vladi G

    Watergate II: The New Batch?

    Watergate: The Next Generation?

    The Watergate Strikes Back?

    Watergate vs Predator?

    This is the computer age. Watergate 2.0

  56. 56.

    VidaLoca

    I probably shouldn’t share

    Oh yes you should! I was only kidding that last time, I wasn’t really shocked. Honest.

  60. 60.

    LITBMueller

    OK, Tim, here’s my guess: It may be Pat Roberts, but I’m not gonna pick him. He’s doing a “heckuva job” blocking any kind of serious investigating by his committee, so why would Bush move him?

    Hadley is out because any confirmation hearing would lead to questions to his potential in Plamegate.

    My bet? John Lehman – former Sec. of the Navy under Reagan, sat on the 9/11 Commission, member PNAC, and the Heritage Foundation, his name came up as a possible replacement for Tenet (along with Goss and Armitage), was also considered for DNI, eyed as a potential replacement for Rummy.

    He’s outside the bubble, but inside the club. He indirectly helped out the Swift Boaters in the Kerry medal controversy, so that should piss off the Dems and endear him to the GOP. A perfect choice!

    FYI: best summary of Bootiegate I’ve seen is at AlterNet.

  61. 61.

    fwiffo

    Dude. Who the hell steals bacon?

    Are you serious? Who wouldn’t steal bacon?

    …I figure that the nominee has to be ideologically safe but not nakedly partisan…

    Have you totally forgotten Bush’s ability to completely screw things up and his compulsive need to surround himself with cronies? My bet is that he’ll first appoint somebody of Harriet Miers caliber (not sure who yet), then there will be a period of laughing, then he’ll try again and make that Tommy Franks style pick so he can just get somebody through confirmation.

  64. 64.

    Perry Como

    btw, does Sam Adams Millennium come in 6ers? Because that’s my request when Ms. Fleiss is announced.

  69. 69.

    DougJ

    Hookers, bribes, bogus contracts with the Department of Homeland security — all inside-the-beltway stuff. You think the American people care about any of that? While there’s a freaking war on Christmas going on? Guess again, moonbats.

  71. 71.

    VidaLoca

    Uh, Krista, I just had this terrible thought.

    While I really think you’ve got a great idea for a tag line there, we haven’t yet established that all this professional companionship was of the female persuasion…

  72. 72.

    LITBMueller

    VidaLoca: Maybe Krista wasn’t referreing to the hookers, but to Goss. ;)

  74. 74.

    akaoni

    Contest time! Who will Bush nominate to replace Porter Goss?

    I think that we know where Bush gets his nominations. Either in-house or from Fox. Thus my guess: Brit Hume

  75. 75.

    The Other Steve

    Steve,

    That was, indeed, the point of the joke.

    I took it another way. Sorry, just used to dealing with wingnuts. But I saw the dialogue as if they aren’t still going on, then it’s no big deal.

  76. 76.

    VidaLoca

    Maybe Krista wasn’t referreing to the hookers

    Or to be perfectly fair to everyone, maybe there’s female congress critters involved.

    The mind reels.

  77. 77.

    capelza

    Krista Says:

    (mumbles)…Twatergate
.

    I’m so, so sorry
.

    Hahahahaaaaa….best yet! On so many levels.

  78. 78.

    Punchy

    Anything better than Krista’s suggestion?

    White Sauce Goss-Gate (if flows….)
    Whores, Smores, and a Straight…
    The Ken “Wrinkled” Starr Investigation
    Porter Foggo’d Duke: The Stupid Names version

    Now, when I hear “Duke sex scandal”, I have to wait and see if it’s the lacrosse team version or not…

  79. 79.

    Ozymandias

    Katherine Harris for Director of the CIA.

    That way Porter Goss can run for that Senate seat.

  80. 80.

    Pb

    The Other Steve,

    I simply do not remember getting out of bed, being pulled over by the police, or being cited for three driving infractions

    Ambien will do that…

    Will be checking himself into the hospital for treatment of addiction to pain killers.

    I don’t know that that’s quite what he said, though. It sounds like that’s what he already did this past Christmas, but not necessarily what he’s doing now.

  81. 81.

    Faux News

    Dude. Who the hell steals bacon?

    Dude, speaking of bacon, we were not allowed to post the word “maplebacon” on F-edcompany.com

    Yes, it’s a long story…

  83. 83.

    The Other Steve

    I don’t know that that’s quite what he said, though. It sounds like that’s what he already did this past Christmas, but not necessarily what he’s doing now.

    Can you become addicted to Ambien? It may be that he’s got a problem taking many different pills. Certainly taking a combination of pills is more likely to screw up the system.

  84. 84.

    canuckistani

    Watergate II: The Quickening
    The Full Monty II: The Quickening
    Throw Momma Off The Train II: The Quickening

    Krista-
    My suggestion is Watergate II – The Hookening, and you almost beat me there. I too use “The Quickening” for stupid sequelitis. Is it a Canadian thing?

  86. 86.

    Perry Como

    Hat tip to Krista.

    VidaLoca Says:

    we haven’t yet established that all this professional companionship was of the female persuasion


    Manginagate?

  87. 87.

    Pb

    The Other Steve,

    Can you become addicted to Ambien?

    Yes, I believe so.

    It may be that he’s got a problem taking many different pills.

    Well at the least, he has had problems with addiction in the very recent past, and this episode concerns him. It sounds to me like he’s being very cautious about this, and taking it very seriously, because of that history. Past that, who knows.

  88. 88.

    canuckistani

    I’ll pick Karl Rove for my sixpack entry. I think it’ll be a blatantly partisan pick, to rally the base or some such foolishness. Pat Robertson is out there too, a world authority on assassination, but I think he’s being held in reserve in case the Whittington gang comes gunning for revenge and Bush needs a new VP.

  89. 89.

    VidaLoca

    Manginagate?

    My thoughts exactly. Before we can go there though (or maybe even as we do…) we have to consider whether this is all the kind of been-there-done-that behavior that we all know and love, or whether there are whips and chains involved. In which case I think it’s fair to tag it —

    Dominate-a-gate

  90. 90.

    LITBMueller

    Pass the bacon, cuz this may not be over: courtesy of Laura Rozen, the Huffington Post has put up this little brief cap:

    We’re Hearing… Resignation Of A Pentagon Under-Secretary Also Imminent…

    Ok, OK…before you say, “C’mon, dude, the HuffPo? Please…”, Laura also links to this WaPo story:

    Federal investigators are looking into contracts awarded by the Pentagon’s newest and fastest-growing intelligence agency, the Counterintelligence Field Activity, which has spent more than $1 billion, mostly for outsourced services, since its establishment in late 2002, according to administration and congressional sources.

    The review is an outgrowth of the continuing investigation that resulted in charges against Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-Calif.), who resigned from Congress in November and is scheduled to be sentenced today after pleading guilty to tax evasion and conspiracy to take $2.4 million in bribes.

    The story doesn’t mention an Undersecretary, but does note:

    Also this week, prosecutors released a letter dated Feb. 24, 2004, from Cunningham to CIFA Director David A. Burtt II, in which the former member of the House defense appropriations subcommittee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence thanked the CIFA staff for supporting another multimillion-dollar program that involved MZM.

    My bet is that its Burtt who goes next. Quite a nice collection of Congressional and lobbyist piggies we have feeding at the trough while we’re supposedly fighting the GWOT, eh?

    Why do they hate America?

  92. 92.

    fwiffo

    Can you become addicted to Ambien?

    One of the big reasons why Ambien is a popular prescription sleep aid is that it has a relatively low risk of addiction. It’s possible to become dependant on any sleeping pill though. Sleepwalking really is a known side effect (google sleepwalking and ambien), and people have been known to black out, engage in strange behavior, eat things, wreck their cars, etc. while on the drug.

  93. 93.

    Bob In Pacifica

    I like Watergategate myself.

    A thought, though. CIA agent, Florida. Why do I think the 1980s and cocaine?

    Any hookers named Jeff in this scandal?

  98. 98.

    Brian

    Tom Delay! heh, he IS looking for a new job!

    Go fluff your donkey, would you?

    Mike Hayden will replace Goss, and go after change there much more furiously than Goss did. There’s more deadwood (a.k.a. Mary McCarthys) there to be rid of.

  101. 101.

    Keith

    Fred Thompson…BushCo saw how the press fawned over the easily-recognizable Tony Snow, so he’ll grab another celeb.

  102. 102.

    Perry Como

    I bet if there are any hookers involved, those hookers are all Democrats. It was probably all coordinated through the DNC. In fact, how do we know one of the wasn’t acutally Howard Dean in drag? With a wig and a tuck, who would know the difference?

  105. 105.

    map

    I’m looking forward to Jonah Goldberg’s next column in which he explains that Porter Goss was never really a conservative.

  106. 106.

    Pooh

    Pat Roberts

    F**K. Ugh. Tim, need beer now.

    Tell me that doesn’t make perfect sense? (Though Arlen Spectre maybe makes more sense, as he’s starting to get frisky again.)

  107. 107.

    LITBMueller

    Wasn’t this Scottie McC’s last day? Boy, Tony Snow is gonna have a BLAST on his first day!!! Best of luck, buddy! :)

  108. 108.

    stickler

    Oh, and let’s not forget that since this story first burbled up to the surface a few weeks ago, there was rumor that the FBI had obtained pictures of the parties and their attendees…

    So far it beats the crap out of the original Watergate. That one just had Nixon’s overuse of “expletive deleted.” This one has pictures of prostitutes (male or female, yet to be determined). Hoo boy.

    I’m going to bet that Bush nominates an ex-military guy. Are any of the retired generals not on record condemning Bush?

  109. 109.

    Par R

    Goss will probably be replaced by a senior military figure. Tim’s suggestion of Tommy Franks is as good a guess as any.

  110. 110.

    The Other Steve

    The new spin will be:

    Porter Goss never worked for the CIA. The real Director is super secret, and Goss was just a figurehead to confuse our enemies.

  111. 111.

    Perry Como

    CIA Director Jeff Goldstein testifying in the Senate Intellignece comittee:

    JG: If I may, I’ll answer that in Haiku

    “Arabs are evil
    They hate us for our freedom
    Did you fuck my dog?”

  112. 112.

    Richard Bottoms

    I am so happy. This administration is going down in the brightest ball of flame in history. Can’t we please vote now?? I’m not sure I can contain myself until November.

  113. 113.

    Par R

    Here’s a Link to the WaPo website and a video of reporter Dana Priest talking about the Goss resignation. As Tim noted, she defers to tomorrow’s edition of the Post for the full story, but then goes on at some length to talk about the fact that the CIA was not functioning well as Goss had said today….that there were enormous personnel problems at Langley…that the people Goss brought into the Agency did not get along with veterans…and so forth. She in no way, shape or form alluded to the so-called hookergate issue as a reason for the resignation. But who the Hell knows?

  114. 114.

    demimondian

    The real Director is super secret, and Goss was just a figurehead to confuse our enemies.

    Of course! That’s why they outed Valerie Plame!

    You see, while she was still covertly covert, there was the risk she couldn’t be double super secret probably covert. So they outed her, so that she could be doubly double crossed super stupor secret, and could really be the directory.

    Now it all makes sense!

  116. 116.

    Par R

    ABC is reporting that the White House was planning to push Goss out of the CIA late last summer, but along came Katrina and they abandoned the plan at that time. Here’s some excerpts from their piece and the whole story is at their website, ABC.com:

    Insiders at the CIA and other western intelligence agencies had been expecting the resignation of CIA Director Porter Goss for months.

    Several of Goss’ deputies had reportedly been looking for new positions in the last few weeks.

    ABC News’ Chris Isham reports the White House had sought to push Goss out late last summer, but the plans were delayed because of the administration’s failure in handling Hurricane Katrina.

    From the day he arrived at CIA headquarters 18 months ago, he met enormous resistance from the agency’s top officials, many of whom resigned, virtually en masse.

    White House officials continued to hear reports of poor morale at CIA, and concerns were raised last year about Goss’s overseas travel with his wife to Europe.

  117. 117.

    Punchy

    that the people Goss brought into the Agency did not get along with veterans
and so forth.

    I see no real diff, other than GooGate is a better media sell. The point is, Porty brought in a bunch of cronies just like himself. He tried to make a very, very serious and important intelligence division into another FEMA. He hired some clown named Foggo, which sounds suspiciously like someone out of Lord of the Rings. Goss was a partisan hack, by every definition, and whether he goes because he sucks, or she sucked (rim shot!), makes no diff to me.

  118. 118.

    DougJ

    Should we even be talking about who the next director will be? What if the president wants to surprise the terrorists?

  119. 119.

    Pb

    fwiffo,

    Thanks for the WaPo link!

    Makinen, identified via an Internet message board where people share Ambien stories, was interviewed late last year. She has since become a plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit against Sanofi-Aventis filed in federal court on March 6.

    Others involved in the lawsuit face criminal charges for things they have done while they say they were sleepwalking on Ambien, including driving and shoplifting. One alleges she was twice sexually assaulted after taking
    Ambien, and has only partial memories of the incidents.

    Susan Chana Lask, a New York lawyer who represents the plaintiffs, says that besides seeking damages, they hope to force the drug company to provide stronger cautions about sleepwalking. “People need to know about the risks of serious problems associated with this drug,” she said.

    Yowza. That would make quite the drug commerical. “Risks include sleep-walking, sleep-eating, sleep-driving, and sleep-shoplifting. There is a small risk of sexual side-effects, including sexual assault.”

  120. 120.

    Steve

    This takes the cake as far as wingnut speculation, at least so far.

    It may have become clear to Goss that the W.H. will not allow the DOJ to pursue subpoenas or indictments in the WaPo/Mary McCarthy matter. If so, Goss may have reached the (reasonable) conclusion that he cannot succeed in rooting out leakers in the CIA if there’s not going to be a serious effort at prosecution.

    It’s certainly more creative than Par’s suggestion that this was all just the culmination of something that was supposed to go down last summer, which explains, of course, why it happened suddenly on a Friday afternoon with no successor in place. They’ve wanted to push him out for a year, the story goes, but they never bothered to find a replacement! I like mine better.

  121. 121.

    Par R

    Steve, are you incapable of reading and comprehending English? I was not the one suggesting that Goss was supposed to be fired last summer; that was ABC News late this afternoon. And here’s the Link to their full story available on their website.

  122. 122.

    Vlad

    Dammit, someone already took Lieberman. Guess I’ll just have to get in line…

  123. 123.

    Steve

    Ok, Par, I thought you were suggesting that you actually believe that story. I understand now that you were just passing it on even though it obviously seems silly.

  124. 124.

    The Other Steve

    Ok, other speculation.

    It is possible that Goss had nothing to do with ForniGate. Instead the Whitehouse realized that Goss has been politicizing the CIA, as evidenced by some of the recent articles by Steve Clemons, etc.

    In light of all of this, the Bush Administration realized that Porter Goss was bad for their image, bad for the CIA, and bad for America. So they shitcanned him.

    Granted, this is a pretty far out moonbat fantasy of mine, but it is a possibility. The problem with this theory is it assumes that Bush cares about America, and I see no evidence of that.

    Regardless, Goss out at the CIA is an incredibly good thing.

  126. 126.

    Steve

    Instead the Whitehouse realized that Goss has been politicizing the CIA

    Hahahaha! That’s some great snark. Yeah, who could have foreseen that a well-qualified guy like Goss would take the reins and then suddenly start purging all the anti-administration elements?

    It’s good for America, though. Consider how we’re still bogged down debating that moonbat claim that Bush ignored dissenting views regarding Iraqi WMD. We won’t have to deal with that tiresome debate again.

  127. 127.

    Tulkinghorn

    Who will Bush nominate to replace Porter Goss?

    Elliott Abrams.

    This will leave the Dems so gobsmacked they won’t know how to respond.
    When they do finally get to their feet and protest, accuse them of anti-semitism.

  128. 128.

    skip

    Goss needn’t be personally involved. He may have hired bad apples for high posts. That is reason enought to can him.

  129. 129.

    ImJohnGalt

    contest not valid in countries where I have to go through ridiculous currency exchanges to get you your beer.

    Krista:Boo!

    Krista, the Canadian Dollar is now pretty much worth a Washington now anyway, so no exchange is necessary. There may be a free Unibroue in your future.

  130. 130.

    Keith

    Oh, wow. Fred Barnes hypothesized that Porter Goss just retired because he’s ready to retire to Florida. “Sometimes people just retire”

  131. 131.

    PotVsKtl

    I’m partial to something I saw over in the Fark thread regarding this:

    Watergate II: THE GATENING

  132. 132.

    Sstarr

    So, I’ve been wondering about the lack of major press interest in the hookers and defence contractors story. I think the minstream press’s reluctance to run with the story is the result of the Dan Rather’s National Guard letter fiasco.

    The press knows that if they’re even slightly wrong on the charges, or any of the particulars, the wingnuts will crucify them.

    It’s great when a long term project (discrediting the media) bears fruit!

  133. 133.

    Krista

    Krista, the Canadian Dollar is now pretty much worth a Washington now anyway, so no exchange is necessary. There may be a free Unibroue in your future.

    Excellent…

    Glad you all liked my contribution, by the way. It’s a good thing I was alone at work, because it popped into my head, and all I could do was clap my hands over my mouth while giggling and thinking, “Oh nooooo….that’s just so wrong!”

  134. 134.

    ppGaz

    happened suddenly on a Friday afternoon with no successor in place.

    On a Friday when CNN feature three — three! — “Breaking News” alerts about Pat Kennedy. One when he made a statement, one when charges were brought, one when he announced rehab.

    Three alerts in one day, about one guy …. whose picture wouldn’t be recognized by one half of one percent of the American population.

    Meanwhile, Goss is third page news.

    What a country!

  136. 136.

    Damned at Random

    Next nominee for DCI contest-
    Has anybody taken Ollie North yet?

  138. 138.

    Par R

    Apparently there are at least six or seven senior CIA staff that have been fired tonight and will be leaving over the next several weeks. A long overdue bloodbath.

  139. 139.

    Zifnab

    That’s assuming they even got the right guys, or that said guys will be replaced with anyone remotely more competent.

    Feel good knowing that no matter how much crap you shovel out, there will always be plenty of it.

  140. 140.

    Steve

    It would be nice to see the people who made the mistake of being right finally get held accountable. Unfortunately for them, you have to be wrong to get a medal.

  141. 141.

    Pb

    Way to go, Brian! I was wrong about a potential Iran-Contra connection, but with Goss out of the way and Michael “4th AmendmentWarrantless Wiretapping” Hayden in place, it sounds like Negroponte won a turf war–so I’ll have to settle for Iran-Contra by proxy.

  142. 142.

    Perry Como

    Oh, come on Tim F. Larry Johnson is just another liberal nay sayer that has BDS and…oh wait…mind asplodes.

  145. 145.

    skip

    “Elliot Abrams. This will leave the Dems so gobsmacked they won’t know how to respond. When they do finally get to their feet and protest, accuse them of anti-semitism.”

    Ah but why not go the whole nine cubits. Choose Charles Krauthammer!
    And anyone who doesn’t agree with everything Mr. Eretz Israel demands is Waffen SS, Al Qaeda and Blame America First.

  146. 146.

    The Other Steve

    So, I’ve been wondering about the lack of major press interest in the hookers and defence contractors story. I think the minstream press’s reluctance to run with the story is the result of the Dan Rather’s National Guard letter fiasco.

    The press knows that if they’re even slightly wrong on the charges, or any of the particulars, the wingnuts will crucify them.

    It’s great when a long term project (discrediting the media) bears fruit!

    But yet they reported on every little stupid fabricated Clinton scandal they could.

    Why?

    Because the fruitloops crucified them if they did not.

    The non-wingnuts need to start exerting some force on them to report actual news.

  150. 150.

    Pb

    The Other Steve,

    But yet they reported on every little stupid fabricated Clinton scandal they could.
    Why?
    Because the fruitloops crucified them if they did not.

    In part, but also, it was already being reported (thanks to a certain right-wing billionaire), it was sensational, and they were lazy.

  151. 151.

    Zifnab

    Doesn’t the President realize that letting go of our head officer in the CIA in the midst of wartime is both dangerous and detrimental to the World War on Terror? My god man, we’re in WWIII. Nukes may start flying at any instant… within the next five years… We’re at Terror Level: Yellow! That implies a Significant Risk of a Terrorist Attack. And now is the moment that you’re kowtowing to the Liberal Media and their party of Criminalizing Politics? For shame mister President. I expected more from you.

  152. 152.

    ppGaz

    We’re at Terror Level: Yellow!

    I’ve gone ahead and painted a permanent Yellow: Significant Risk of Terror Attack warning on my toilet seat, my steering wheel, and my pillow. That way I can see it and be mindful of it just about 24 hours a day.

    Heckuva job, Chertoffie!

    I think that history will look admiringly on the great job that DHS is doing. The four-year yellow alert, and the complete lack of any meaningful protection at our ports, I think, are the greatest achievements.

  154. 154.

    Brian

    Brian can email me for his sixpack.

    Thank you, Tim, but I don’t drink (although I’m sure some here think that I should). I drank a lifetime’s worth in my teens and twenties.

    I will donate my sixpack to the first taker. Any takers out there?

    Thanks again.

  156. 156.

    srv

    Damn, but Rocheforte and Westmalle don’t come in sixpacks…

    Arrrggghhhh! Damn you Tim for improving my taste!

  157. 157.

    Tim F.

    That works for me. srv, if I knew your general geographic vicinity I could recommend some good hooch that you won’t get laughed at for requesting, price-wise. Assuming that you’re not in the southeast where I know less than diddly.

  158. 158.

    Krista

    I will donate my sixpack to the first taker. Any takers out there?

    Damn — just when you think a thread is over, it suddenly gets really good again. Oh well. That was very generous and nice of you, Brian.

  159. 159.

    srv

    OK, thanks Brian, I offer 6 slap downs of ppGaz in return.

    Tim, I’m 4 blocks from the Toronado. Is that new Unibroue out yet?

Comments are closed.

Trackbacks