The PDR is meaningful and important to the investigation of 9/11, because it shows beyond doubt that Bush himself was aware of the threat. It is, IMO, even more damning that Rice attempted to dismiss the PDB as "historical, nothing new" because that means the Bush administration had the information prior to Aug 6th, but hadn't done much about it.

As I said, this is but one piece of the millions of pieces of evidence. But it is a damn significant piece for the Bush administration in an election year.

The fact that the investigation is occurring during an election year is not the 9/11 commission's fault. The fact that the information and evidence emerging will be used politically by both Democrats and Republicans is a given. But I don't think that means that everyone shouldn't be able to put aside partisan politics, and therein lies the difference.

We live by a two/four year political calendar with out elections. There is no way an investigation of 9/11 could have taken place without it falling somewhere in the calendar that made it difficult for sitting politicians. That's just tough. It is part and parcel of the elected politicians' job, to be held accountable for what happens on their watch. Which is, of course, why the Bush administration fought so hard against there being any investigation into 9/11 at all. They knew it would end up being a factor in the 2004 presidential campaign. That's just the way the chips fell. If it had been Gore instead of Bush, no one would be going any easier on a Gore administration than they have the Bush administration.

Sometimes the chips fall your way, sometimes they don't. Bush has gotten way more political mileage out of 9/11 than anyone ever thought was possible. That things are finally coming home to roost that exposes the facts of the 9/11 attacks, rather than the spin, spit, and polish the Bush administration has tried to put on the attacks, was inevitable. Of course there is going to be partisan bickering over it. But I do think the 9/11 commission and the American people are determined to see through that bickering, and get beyond it.

What other choice do we have but to sweep it all under the rug? That won't make the screw-ups go away. Republicans are just pissed because now they have to pay the piper for 9/11 happening on their watch. But it balances out the fact that they have gotten so much partisan political mileage out of the attacks since 9/11, IMO. And I'm speaking as an political independent, who is not happy with either Republicans or Democrats, both of whom share the blame.