« previous | MUCK HOME | next »

Harman Hires Lanny Davis As Spin-Meister
Jane Harman has hired Lanny Davis as a "media adviser" to help her deal with the fallout from the AIPAC story, reports Laura Rozen at Foreign Policy.
Hiring Davis suggests Harman -- who embarked on a media blitz last week, without perfect success, in response to the affair -- isn't so worried about the perception that she's too close to the Israel lobby. Davis -- who was special counsel to President Clinton during the Lewinsky saga, and an indefatigable spinner for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign -- has long been a supporter of AIPAC, and serves as an adviser and spokesman for the Israel Project, a hawkish, pro-Israel group. He also, for good measure, appears regularly on Fox News.
We've put a call in to Davis to get his take on the story.
In addition to that scoop, Laura also advances the notion, floated by JTA's Ron Kampeas earlier this week, that it was then-CIA director Porter Goss who, upon seeing the transcript of Harman's conversation with the Israeli agent, drove the effort to get a wiretap up on Harman herself.
Laura writes:
As the top Republican and Democrat on the House intelligence committee from 2002-2004, Goss and Harman were among the few lawmakers privy to controversial covert programs such as NSA warrantless domestic surveillance and waterboarding undertaken by the Bush administration in its war on terror. Although the two representatives were not openly hostile, their staffs are said by many sources to have fiercely disliked each other.When Goss went on in late 2004 to head the CIA, he took many of his House staff with him, where they became known, not affectionately, as the "Gosslings" by some CIA operations veterans who found them highly partisan.
Laura also wonders why FBI director Bob Mueller was unavailable to sign off on the wiretap, apparently allowing Goss to authorize it until Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, and Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte reportedly quashed the idea.
Looks like the wrinkles are only increasing...

















Wiretaps are for spying on political opponents. Amen.
The 'National Security' excuse for wiretaps is, was and ever shall be a distraction to fake out the public.
April 29, 2009 11:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Harmon's worried that she's perceived as too close to AIPAC so she hires Lannie Davis, AIPAC's best friend, to be her media advisor. Because Avigdor Lieberman wasn't available?
April 29, 2009 11:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Lanny Davis creeps me out seriously. I am not sure he is the right "face" to garner support with.
April 29, 2009 11:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
We don't need no stinking Jane Harman. If we want an AIPAC supporting moderate in the party, we'll get one from the Republicans. Say, some one like a Arlen Spect...Oh!
April 29, 2009 12:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
What a pair of beauts. Harman and Davis deserve one another--I wouldn't believe a word out of either of them.
The way it works, is AMERICA first not Israel.
April 29, 2009 2:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Specter was 'left behind' by a party that became marginalized by its own litmus tests and ideological rigidity to those test results.
While I think what Harman did was stupid, and may end up being considered a crime, the idea that the Democratic party should run her and all her middle-roaders out of the party because they're not adhering to some magical 'Progressive Agenda'(and I'm talkin' to YOU, Orzsag!) is a great way to follow the GOP down the toilet, or worse yet, facilitate their resurgence.
April 29, 2009 2:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
I believe that most progressives are targeting Dems like Harman due to her support of special interests rather than she is a "middle-roader". Of course I can only speak for myself, but I'd like to see the party working for what is best for the country and it's people over corporate (or in Harman's case foreign) interest.
April 30, 2009 8:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Why is it that when either party gets into power, they forget who put them there (the voters), and who they are serving (the voters), and who has the power to remove them from office (the voters).
The Republicans under Bush forgot this and now the Democrats seem to be forgetting it also.
Is it so difficult for politicians to remember that they are voted into office to serve the needs and interests of the American people? Not the interests of any particular political party or even themselves?
.
April 30, 2009 10:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
Jane Harman has hired Lanny Davis...
Say no more.
May 2, 2009 9:01 PM | Reply | Permalink