Strick, I think maybe the problem we are having here is that we are commenting and surmising about an ongoing investigation, which is in the gathering evidence phase. I don't think anyone on the 9/11 commission said this PDB was a smoking gun, that is pure media hype.

As to Bob Kerry's comments, I think he is saying that based upon the evidence so far, it is looking clear to him that going into Iraq got the US seriously off track from the war on terrorism. I don't think that is a particularly partisan comment, but then I heard the Republican head of the commission (whose name escapes me right now) say essentially the same thing on the Lehrer report one night last week.

So maybe the problem is with us trying to interpret events as if the investigation was over, and the commission's final findings and recommendations had already been made. We shouldn't be reading too much into this one piece of evidence, as I said earlier. There are millions of documents being examined as part of this investigation. It gets difficult for us maintain our perspective at this point in the investigation because the big names have been testifying in recent weeks, so the media hype and distortion is in overdrive. That effects all of our thinking, whether we are aware of it or not. I know I'm not always aware of how the media is distorting the picture at the time it is happening. Often, we can't figure that out until after the fact, when we've had time to reflect, and review the evidence and testimony without all the emotional reactions, more dispassionately.

So I think we are both right, but I also think we, like everyone else, is also still pretty confused and conflicted, and that isn't being helped by the media circus. So maybe we just need to chill, and let more things unfold, and allow the commission time to make it's findings and recommendations.