Daschle concerned about 'sobering' terror briefing
[KLP Note: Is Daschle really concerned, or is he really afraid he will loose his Senate seat? I'd like to believe it was the former, but he surely hasn't evidenced too much concern nor helpfulness in the last year or two .....]
BY DONNA SMITH, Black Hills Pioneer July 09, 2004
zwire.com
SPEARFISH -- Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D., said Thursday that he was very concerned about homeland security issues in the face of what he called the most sobering terror report he had heard recently.
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The United States is tightening security in the face of a steady stream of intelligence indicating an attack aimed at disrupting elections, the White House said Thursday.
The Department of Homeland Security is addressing the threat and has efforts underway to ''ramp up security,'' White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Thursday.
"It is absolutely essential for the U.S. Senate to turn its attention to what we can do to make America safe," Daschle said.
Of particular concern are the nation's borders and ports, Daschle said, and there are security issues unresolved as the homeland security appropriations are "hung up" in the Senate.
Asked if the timing of the terror concerns might be aimed at stealing political thunder from the announcement of John Edwards as the democratic vice presidential candidate, Daschle replied, "The report is so sobering and so serious that I cannot bring myself to believe anyone in this administration would use this for political purposes."
Daschle said the most recent terror briefing was the second this week and contained information that there is a higher threat than there has been at any time since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
©The Black Hills Pioneer, Newspapers, South Dakota, SD 2004 |
