Strick, I think if the PDB is taken alone, there doesn't seem to be much there. But when taken in the context of what we know based upon the investigative record and testimony of others, it adds up to the Bush administration being asleep at the wheel for their part. The Clinton administration and the Congress under both Clinton and Bush also bear a lot of responsibility. The problem for Bush is, he is the sitting president, is up for re-election, and planned to use his 9/11 political cache to get re-elected. Don't forget, the Republican convention is taking place in NYC on the 9/11 anniversary this year.

There has been some politically damaging testimony for the White House, and not just from Clarke. I can't figure out why Bush hasn't fired George Tenet's ass, for instance. Those 70 FBI investigations were a joke, because the 2 FBI agents who had actually cracked the investigation of 9/11 open before it happened, will be testifying next week. They and their investigations were ignored. So there will likely be some fireworks there.

Then, in today's NY Times, 9/11 commission member Sen Bob Kerrey had this to say:

"Two things about that failure are clear to me at this point in our investigation. The first is that 9/11 could have been prevented, and the second is that our current strategy against terrorism is deeply flawed. In particular, our military and political tactics in Iraq are creating the conditions for civil war there and giving Al Qaeda a powerful rationale to recruit young people to declare jihad on the United States."

That is really the big danger for the Shrub Co. The linking of failures leading up to 9/11 to the failure in Iraq to get at the real enemy, and making us less safe than we were prior to 9/11. Because that is likely what the essence of the debate will be about come the fall election period.