Back In Open Session
Did the Democrats' maneuver work?
Here's what Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN) just announced on the Senate floor.
"The Majority Leader and the Democratic Leader will appoint three members from their respective parties to meet and report back to the leadership no later that the close of business on 11/14."
They'll report back on the progress of the phase two review on pre-war intelligence. That portion of the review deals with how policy-makers used intelligence and what they said publicly and privately about it.
Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) defended the probe on the floor of the Senate, saying the phase two report is moving along towards completion. (For a great backgrounder, click here.)
A footnote: several Democratic aides tell us that Sen. Reid and Sen. Jay Rockefeller decided on today's tactic after reading Murray Waas's account on NationalJournal.com of how senior members of Vice President Cheney's staff, including Scooter Libby, may have intentionally withheld crucial documents from the Senate staff. [MARC AMBINDER]
This represents a complete flip-flop by Pat Roberts, who said on 3.13.05...
http://thinkprogress.org/2005/11/01/roberts-blatant-hypocrisy/
damn good work Reid and Rockefeller. close 'em down more often! and great reporting as usual by Waas.