CNN Transcript about Phase 2

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http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0407/09/ldt.00.html

July 9, 2004

ENSOR: Senator Rockefeller also complained that the Republicans refused to include in this report anything on the alleged misuse of intelligence by President Bush and his team. That part of the report will have to wait for a second phase, which is unlikely to be completed before the presidential election -- John.

BASH: But Democrats on the Intelligence Committee said that their 511-page report that they put out today is really only half complete because it doesn't look at what the administration did with the intelligence that they had, whether or not it was exaggerated or misused in order to make the case for war, and Democrats say they also want to know really whether or not there was any pressure on intelligence agencies to exactly change their data.

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SEN. RON WIDEN (D), OREGON: Again and again, whether it was by linking 9/11 and Saddam and the war on Iraq, again and again, what you saw was the intelligence was essentially used as a rationale, as a kind of trampoline to go to war despite the factual evidence indicating that the threat was not imminent.
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BASH: And, John, the White House,, of course, says that any suggestion that they misused or even twisted data in order to make the case for war is nonsense, and Republicans on the committee are pointing out that there is a second phase and they are going to look at whether or not the White House did misuse intelligence. But the Democrats say that's not going to come out until after the election and it's simply unfair to voters -- John.

KING: After the election for phase two, Dana, but Iraq, of course, already a major issue in the campaign