Bloggers latch on to rep’s Bush remarks

The national media paid little attention to Rep. Dana Rohrabacher when he made a speech last month criticizing the Bush administration for numerous instances of what he called stonewalling Congressional investigations. Nor did the administration issue any response.

But Rohrabacher’s speech, which said the executive branch was blocking investigations into everything from negotiations on a long-term U.S. presence in Iraq to possible connections between bombings at the Oklahoma City Federal Building and the World Trade Center, took on a second life among some unexpected champions. Bloggers, many left-leaning or seeking the impeachment of President George W. Bush, found ammunition in the speech for their own arguments.

The speech turned up in full on the anti-Iraq war, pro-impeachment website afterdowningstreet.org March 9; soon after, dozens of bloggers weighed in, many of whom were strongly anti-Bush and surprised to be agreeing with a hawkish Republican such as Rohrabacher.

A member of the liberal blog Daily Kos, posting as “inky99,” linked to the speech, writing, “I kid you not. Right on the floor of the House, Dana Rohrabacher, (R) from California, seems to have finally had it with the Bush administration, accusing them of criminality, obstruction of justice, and lying to Congress.” The item got more than 500 comments.

The author of blog Carbon Paper was similarly incredulous: “Holy Caucus Batman, you mean while everybody was watching the Obama/Clinton contest, a Big Time Republican walked on the floor of Congress on Feb. 28th 2008 and accused the Bush Administration of Impeachable Crimes?”

Rohrabacher said he wasn’t surprised by interest in his speech from the other end of the political spectrum.

“There’s a lot of people who suspect the federal government, particularly this administration, has been withholding evidence,” he said.

“What I did was point out specific examples where information is being kept from them. Congressional investigators are being prevented from getting information. That, of course, is something supported by anybody who thinks the government is stonewalling.”

Rohrabacher said he still hasn’t heard back from President Bush or anyone in his administration — which he said proves his point.

“I’m getting no response from the administration,” he said. “That’s the reason why I gave the speech. It’s the stonewalling and lack of cooperation by this administration which was the heart of my complaint, not one specific example but an arrogant attitude held by this administration.”