Is it True "the system worked"? Actually, Yes.

Have long since parted in the mainstream media where DHS head Janet Napolitano is being savaged by all manner of bottom dwellers and stenographers pretending to be journalists for allegedly saying “the system worked” after Abdulmutallab’s failed Christmas Day attempt to destroy a transatlantic airliner with a bomb hidden in his underpants. The undie-bomber has ‘conservatives’ wetting their own under pants in fear.

‘Conservatives’ and ‘journalists’ love creating any story they want by piecing together quotes and stories taken out of context. One of the most flagrant was the claim by Mary Matelin that the 9-11 attack on New York was “inherited” by George Bush. History and facts mean nothing to these people, only power matters. The lies about Napolitano are similarly beyond comprehension if we assume any integrity or decency on the part of the speakers.

Here’s what Napolitano actually said.

Once this incident occurred, everything went according to clockwork, not only sharing throughout the air industry, but also sharing with state and local law enforcement. Products were going out on Christmas Day, they went out yesterday, and also to the industry to make sure that the traveling public remains safe. I would leave you with that message. The traveling public is safe. We have instituted some additional screening and security measures, in light of this incident, but, again, everyone reacted as they should. The system, once the incident occurred, the system worked.

David Broder who has long since lost his ability to do much incisive reporting still has what it takes when it involves people he knows being subjected to pervasive lies. He observed

I watched as she made the rounds of the morning interview programs on Sunday, laying out what she knew about the would-be terrorist and carefully refusing to speculate about the many matters that were still being investigated. She is being criticized for saying “the system worked,” but her part of the response system did work.

And of course the ‘conservatives’ who never subjected Republicans to any performance standards at all want her to resign. Lacking competence in governing themselves (in both senses), they abhor it in others.

For background John Cole at Balloon Juice has done a wonderful job observing how the architects of modern ‘conservatism’ have created a scandal out of whole cloth. See especially this post and this one.

Read Previous Post

Real Men, Republicans, and the Sacred Masculine