February 05, 2008

Torturegate: McConnell, When I said ...

McConnell: When I Said Waterboarding Is ‘Torture,’ I Meant I Personally Don’t Like ‘Water Up My Nose’

In an interview with the New Yorker last month, Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell admitted that if it were done to him, waterboarding “would be torture.” “If I had water draining into my nose, oh God, I just can’t imagine how painful,” said McConnell. “Whether it’s torture by anybody else’s definition, for me it would be torture.”

During a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing today, McConnell backed away from his previous statement, claiming that he had been taken “out of context.” McConnell said that he made his comment during a discussion about “being a water safety instructor” and how “some people” — like himself — “have difficulty putting their head under water”:

MCCONNELL: The discussion was about something entirely different. It was a personal discussion about when I grew up and what I was doing as a youngster. And the discussion was framed around being a water-safety instructor. Some people, and I’m one of them, have difficulty putting their head under water. If your head goes under water, I ingest water in my nose.

So what I was having a discussion with a journalist it was about being a water safety instructor and teaching people to swim. He said, “what about when water goes up your nose?” I said, “that’d be torturous. It’d be very painful for me.” Then it turned into a discussion of waterboarding. Maam, I made no statement or judgment regarding the legality of waterboarding.

Watch it:

McConnell said that after his interview for the New Yorker, he spoke to the journalist who wrote the article, Lawrence Wright, and asked him “not to put that in the article.” McConnell said he argued with Wright for ninety minutes in his effort to have the “torture” quote removed.

Last week, Attorney General Michael Mukasey admitted that he “would feel that” waterboarding “was” torture “if it were done to” him.

UPDATE: McConnell confirmed that waterboarding has been used on “only three detainees.”

UPDATE: TPMmuckraker has the entire New Yorker passage about waterboarding and water-safety instruction.

Filed under: ,

Posted by Matt at 3:37 pm

62 Comments »


Sort Comments By: Top Rated | Date

  1. “I know I said it. But I didn’t mean it.”

    Comment by bobcat_grad — February 5, 2008 @ 3:39 pm


  2. Hmmmm, somebody got called on the carpet. And peed on it…

    Comment by RUCerious — February 5, 2008 @ 3:39 pm


  3. …In a debate last September, (Hillary) Clinton was asked if she would support torture if she knew a prisoner in U.S. custody had intelligence that could stop an imminent terrorist attack on the United States.

    “There is very little evidence that it works,” Clinton said.

    “These hypotheticals are very dangerous,” she added, “because they open up a great big hole in what should be an attitude that our country and our president take toward the appropriate treatment of everyone and I think it’s dangerous to go down this path.”

    ** Is that a NO ???

    http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/02/05/6851/

    Comment by 2MillionLightYearsToAndromeda — February 5, 2008 @ 3:41 pm


  4. McConnell confirmed that waterboarding has been used on “only three detainees.”


    Oh , I guess that makes it okay then…………..You moron

    1st off , I don’t believe 1 goddamn word that emerges from the lying mouths of anyone in this totally dishonest administration .

    2nd How about if the “only 3 detainees” the US people wanted waterboarded , were you , your wife and one of your children , to get you to talk about all the criminal activities of this garbage administration ; does that justify it ?

    What a jerkoff……………..

    Comment by MCMetal — February 5, 2008 @ 3:41 pm


  5. McConnell confirmed that waterboarding has been used on “only three detainees.”

    Ok, if he has confirmed that waterboarding has been used on detainees, it is time for Bush to be arrested. Waterboarding is torture and against the law. Our own government has prosecuted people for torturing prisoners using waterboarding. How did it magically become legal under Bush?

    Comment by bilbobaggins — February 5, 2008 @ 3:42 pm


  6. lol this is more and more hilarious jeesh~

    Comment by Guido OBGYN Lover — February 5, 2008 @ 3:44 pm


  7. May I suggest the next three be McConnel, Darth and chympie?

    Comment by RUCerious — February 5, 2008 @ 3:44 pm


  8. What a bunch of cowardly morons! Are these idiots really so afraid of Dick Cheney and David Addington that they would rather ruin their reputations rather than acknowledge simple common sense?

    It reminds me of when the tobacco company CEOs all lied to Congress, but at least they were getting paid big money. These pathetic idiots are whoring themselves out for scraps.

    Comment by BillinChicago — February 5, 2008 @ 3:45 pm


  9. Are Mike & Mitch related, perhaps?

    Maybe they just rode the short bus together, but why do we have professional liars being paid to lie daily to America?

    If Americans were paid a nickel a lie by Bushlickers, we’d have no debt.

    Comment by Zimzone — February 5, 2008 @ 3:45 pm


  10. “If it ain’t me, it ain’t torture!”

    - Devoted Bush trimmer

    Comment by McWars — February 5, 2008 @ 3:45 pm


  11. McConnell: When I Said Waterboarding Is ‘Torture,’ I Meant I Personally Don’t Like ‘Water Up My Nose’

    Well, I don’t like milk through my nose, either, but that’s exactly what happened just now as I read your ridiculous rebuttal!

    Listen, MCMetal hit the head of the nail square on. If water boarding is just “water up the nose”, then I assume it’s proper to use in day care for misbehaving children? thumb suckers? bed wetters? pathological liars (you’re friends)?

    Comment by DRxJ — February 5, 2008 @ 3:47 pm


  12. UPDATE: McConnell confirmed that waterboarding has been used on “only three detainees.”

    fuc*king liar.

    Comment by Fan of Man — February 5, 2008 @ 3:48 pm


  13. Guess what, I don’t like water up my nose either. Who does? That should be the question to ask this Bush criminal enabler.

    Comment by Cats r Flyfishn — February 5, 2008 @ 3:52 pm


  14. McMetal - would you mind turning off the “bold” in your comments? It makes it difficult to read and I’m really interested in reading your comments. Thanks.

    Comment by Cats r Flyfishn — February 5, 2008 @ 3:55 pm


  15. McConnell: When I Said Waterboarding Is ‘Torture,’ I Meant I Personally Don’t Like ‘Water Up My Nose’

    Great , now the idiot McConnell is channeling Kit Bond’s genius in equating waterboarding to swimming ; next they’ll claim that sleep deprivation is just like insomnia…………

    Comment by MCMetal — February 5, 2008 @ 3:56 pm


  16. Okay, imagine if you will, during the start of this gawd forsaken occupation (2003), if there had been video of the Iraqi National Guard, “water boarding” three of our soldiers. Do you think this administration would consider it “a little water up their noses”?
    HELL NO!!!
    They would be screaming (and justifiably) bloody murder!

    When they do it: Barbaric torture!
    When we do it: Acceptable interrogation!
    BULL$HIT!!!!!

    I have never, been so ashamed, of any administration, as this current one.
    You on the right, have your “Clinton got a blow job, he’s got to go”, but remain silent during Bush’s “We break the law and torture”

    SHAME ON YOU! EACH AND EVERY ONE WHO CONTINUES TO SUPPORT SUCH ACTIONS!

    Comment by DRxJ — February 5, 2008 @ 3:56 pm


  17. If this slime admits to three incidents, you can bet the real number is more like thirty. In any case, he has admitted that torture has been employed at least three times, and that is at least three criminal acts for everyone involved.

    It won’t be long before some troll says something about breaking eggs to make an omelette, or the price of freedom, or our women wearing burkas, or something else equally ludicrous.

    Comment by VerbalKint — February 5, 2008 @ 4:00 pm


  18. Comment by VerbalKint — February 5, 2008 @ 4:00 pm

    Freedom isn’t free!

    $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

    $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

    $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

    Love,

    Blackwater

    Comment by McWars — February 5, 2008 @ 4:03 pm


  19. It’s interesting that TP posts about 5 stories per week about the waterboarding of 3 scumbag terrorists, but never says a word about the terrorists barborous be-headings of their innocent victims.

    Comment by good_golly — February 5, 2008 @ 4:04 pm


  20. McConnell confirmed that waterboarding has been used on “only three detainees.”

    The rest were just captives, insurgents, and dissenters.

    Comment by Lupeyg2 — February 5, 2008 @ 4:06 pm


  21. SHAME ON YOU! EACH AND EVERY ONE WHO CONTINUES TO SUPPORT SUCH ACTIONS!

    Comment by DRxJ

    DR, they have no shame…..this is newt, wolfie, rummy, powell, ari, lieberman, et al……they could care less what we want. They have inadvertantly been given great power and by god they intend to use it.

    Comment by Fred — February 5, 2008 @ 4:06 pm


  22. I`ts legal as long as KING GEORGE is in charge.I keep thinking he was supposed to uphold the constitution,but i keep forgetting who is in the white house.Please remember the three C`s of BUSHCO crime inc, cronyism,coruption and contradiction!!!!!!

    Comment by christopher wiwi — February 5, 2008 @ 4:06 pm


  23. It’s interesting that TP posts about 5 stories per week about the waterboarding of 3 scumbag terrorists, but never says a word about the terrorists barborous be-headings of their innocent victims.

    Comment by good_golly — February 5, 2008 @ 4:04 pm


    In case you hadn’t noticed , and judging by your ignorance and stupidity in continuing to back this garbage administration and the moronic GOP , you sure as hell haven’t , torture is ILLEGAL ………..

    Comment by MCMetal — February 5, 2008 @ 4:06 pm


  24. goon_golly, is their barbarism justification for our nation to torture?

    Comment by Lupeyg2 — February 5, 2008 @ 4:07 pm


  25. It’s interesting that TP posts about 5 stories per week about the waterboarding of 3 scumbag terrorists, but never says a word about the terrorists barborous be-headings of their innocent victims.

    Comment by good_golly

    This is the same argument that we have used for the last 50 years to execute innocent people in the US.

    Comment by Fred — February 5, 2008 @ 4:08 pm


  26. Personally Don’t Like ‘Water Up My Nose’

    Yeah, well I don’t like Smoke Blowing Up My Arse Either, and you Rat Bastards have been doing this since Jan 2001

    Comment by Brain From Planet Arous — February 5, 2008 @ 4:09 pm


  27. you know gg, I call you a scumbag but at least I have some evidence that it is true…..

    Comment by Fred — February 5, 2008 @ 4:09 pm


  28. I SMELL fall guy.

    Pardon forthcoming?

    Comment by CitiDC — February 5, 2008 @ 4:09 pm


  29. Good golly, Good_golly. So now we’re suppose to care more about the terrorists than what our own country is doing in our name. Amazing. And I thought you loved America. Instead, it appears all you want us to do is wallow in the mud with the “evil” ones and become just like them.

    Since my government (that democracy W keeps shilling about, but keeps trying to overthrow) is one of the People, by the People, and for the People, I care more about what it’s doing that

    Comment by po — February 5, 2008 @ 4:14 pm


  30. It’s interesting that TP posts about 5 stories per week about the waterboarding of 3 scumbag terrorists, but never says a word about the terrorists barborous be-headings of their innocent victims.

    Comment by good_golly — February 5, 2008 @ 4:04 pm

    Both are Evil, Hideous Acts of Depraved Minds.

    The Medieval Inquisitors thought that all witches were in league with the devil, and tortured them to death. How many were simply innocent of just being ergot eaters, herbalists, midwives, nudists, and psychic?

    Comment by Brain From Planet Arous — February 5, 2008 @ 4:14 pm


  31. It’s interesting that TP posts about 5 stories per week about the waterboarding of 3 scumbag terrorists, but never says a word about the terrorists barborous be-headings of their innocent victims.

    Comment by good_golly — February 5, 2008 @ 4:04 pm

    Shorter good_golly: Two wrongs make a right

    Comment by VerbalKint — February 5, 2008 @ 4:15 pm


  32. Waterboarding isn’t torture to these guys, it’s porn.

    Comment by Bobwurst — February 5, 2008 @ 4:15 pm


  33. but never says a word about the terrorists barborous be-headings of their innocent victims.

    Comment by good_googly moogly — February 5, 2008 @ 4:04 pm

    Ahhh, it didn’t take long for a troll to rear it’s ugly head to derail this thread.
    Listen, junior, beheading is not a form of torture to gain information. It’s a terrorist act, plain and simple. Dead bodies don’t talk.
    But this thread is about torture. We now know (snark) that we do it. What was once forbidden (ie WWII) is now condoned. And yet, you see nothing wrong.
    SHAME ON YOU!

    Comment by DRxJ — February 5, 2008 @ 4:15 pm


  34. good golly = diversion.

    Comment by Juan C. — February 5, 2008 @ 4:21 pm


  35. none of these people were accused of beheading anyone……they were never accused of a god damned thing….that is the point.

    Comment by Fred — February 5, 2008 @ 4:22 pm


  36. It’s interesting that TP posts about 5 stories per week about the waterboarding of 3 scumbag terrorists, but never says a word about the terrorists barborous be-headings of their innocent victims.

    Comment by good_golly

    Maybe it’s because everyone agrees that beheading someone is wrong. If I’m mistaken, and you support beheading people, then by all means, lay out the neocon position that supports beheading. If not, then shut up, or defend torturing people. And there is no evidence that those who were tortured were “scumbag terrorists. idiot.

    Comment by Bobwurst — February 5, 2008 @ 4:22 pm


  37. It’s interesting that TP posts about 5 stories per week about the waterboarding of 3 scumbag terrorists
    Comment by good_goony — February 5, 2008 @ 4:04 pm

    Interesting choice of words there! How do you know that they were terrorists? and scumbags, to boot? Could they have just been normal Afghans, being in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and have nothing to do with the Taliban or Al Qaeda?
    Lawd, I hope you children are never “water boarded”!
    But, at least you’ll sleep well at night knowing that they weren’t “tortured”

    Comment by DRxJ — February 5, 2008 @ 4:22 pm


  38. but never says a word about the terrorists barborous be-headings of their innocent victims.

    Comment by good_golly — February 5, 2008 @ 4:04 pm

    Oddly enough, I don’t approve of beheadings either.

    One subject, if he is saying only 3 detainees have been waterboardeded, multiple the number by at least 10.

    Comment by Krazny — February 5, 2008 @ 4:23 pm


  39. no one believes that bush or his torturers…….I wonder who they are. know anything for sure about the people they are toruring…..we have no reason whatsoever to believe anything they say about anything.

    Comment by Fred — February 5, 2008 @ 4:24 pm


  40. Drxj

    in gigi’s world they’re guilty because they were tortured. If they were’nt guilty then they would not have been tortured. And, everyone iraqi that dies at the hands, or guns, or bombs, of the USA is a high level Al Queda operative, most likely the no 2 man in Iraq. Otherwise he or she would not have died. Life is much simpler when you don’t have to think.

    Comment by Bobwurst — February 5, 2008 @ 4:25 pm


  41. Excellent point DRxJ!

    I wanna be on your team.

    I think Mr. Moogly has left the scene.

    Comment by natisman — February 5, 2008 @ 4:26 pm


  42. Comment by Bobwurst — February 5, 2008 @ 4:25 pm

    Sounds similar to checking to see if someone is a witch. Chuck em in a lake if they drown then they weren’t a witch. If they swim then they are a witch.

    Comment by Krazny — February 5, 2008 @ 4:27 pm


  43. Please allow me to clarify.

    I personally am against waterboarding, except in the most extreme of circumstances, the likes of which we probably haven’t seen and hopefully will never see (e.g. a 24 Hours scenario).

    TP on the other hand only writes about the torture of 3 scumbag terrorists, and doesn’t appear to give a damn about what the terrorists do to their innocent victims. If you are going to report over and over and over and over again, beating a dead horse about 3 isolated incidents of waterboarding, at least occasionally mention the hundreds of barbarous acts of the enemy, including acts of torture, amputations and beheadings. Unless, of course, you share the view that the terrorists are the good guys and America is the enemy.

    Comment by good_golly — February 5, 2008 @ 4:27 pm


  44. It’s interesting that TP posts about 5 stories per week about the waterboarding of 3 scumbag terrorists, but never says a word about the terrorists barborous be-headings of their innocent victims.

    Comment by good_golly

    I haven’t kept up. Is there conclusive evidence that any of these three fellows actually beheaded anyone? Just asking as like I said I haven’t kept up. If they have aren’t their legal mechanisms for dealing with this or are you just trying to link these folks with a bigger scary terrorist scumbag alliance?

    Comment by dbadass — February 5, 2008 @ 4:29 pm


  45. yea, that’s it:
    “the terrorists are the good guys and America is the enemy.”

    idiot.

    Comment by katy — February 5, 2008 @ 4:32 pm


  46. gg thinks the terrerists are coming here to behead us……..she doen’t understand the land mass thing and the large body of water we have crossed to be where we should not be.

    that’s ok gg…..mental health care is coming soon, even for you

    Comment by Fred — February 5, 2008 @ 4:33 pm


  47. TP on the other hand only writes about the torture of 3 scumbag terrorists, and doesn’t appear to give a damn about what the terrorists do to their innocent victims. If you are going to report over and over and over and over again, beating a dead horse about 3 isolated incidents of waterboarding, at least occasionally mention the hundreds of barbarous acts of the enemy, including acts of torture, amputations and beheadings. Unless, of course, you share the view that the terrorists are the good guys and America is the enemy.

    Comment by goon_golly — February 5, 2008 @ 4:27 pm

    TP reports on behavior being done in our name. Unless you happen to be a member of a terrorist cell, the beheadings you refer to are not done in your name and you are not in a position to stop them.

    As far as I know, no one in our government is recommending or approving beheading. Maybe you know something about that that the rest of us have missed.

    Comment by gummitch — February 5, 2008 @ 4:34 pm


  48. Please define “the terrorists”

    Comment by dbadass — February 5, 2008 @ 4:34 pm


  49. For an administration that derides Democrats for flip-flopping, they sure to flip flop a heckuva lot, don’t they?

    Isn’t there a word for that… oh yeah.. hypocrisy

    Comment by raynman — February 5, 2008 @ 4:34 pm


  50. dumb troll also doesn’t seem to get that we don’t care what she thinks……I’m pretty sure TP doesn’t either….

    gg should go find some of those many right leaning vets she knows…..bet they would agree with her.

    Comment by Fred — February 5, 2008 @ 4:35 pm


  51. Unless, of course, you share the view that the terrorists are the good guys and America is the enemy.
    Comment by good_golly

    See? Life is really easy when you are a complete a-hole.

    Comment by Juan C. — February 5, 2008 @ 4:35 pm


  52. If you are going to report over and over and over and over again, beating a dead horse about 3 isolated incidents of waterboarding
    Comment by good_goofy — February 5, 2008 @ 4:27 pm

    Oddly enough, it’s only just been confirmed…TODAY!

    How do you beat a dead horse over and over and over and over again, when it’s only been just confirmed?

    Oh yeah… WHEN IT’S ILLEGAL!!!

    What the hell is wrong with you???

    Comment by DRxJ — February 5, 2008 @ 4:36 pm


  53. eating a dead horse about 3 isolated incidents of waterboarding (sic)

    Comment by good_golly — February 5, 2008 @ 4:27 pm

    I have sincere doubts that this was 3 isolated events. Given the overall track record of the Bush administration, they tend to lie easier then a con man greasing a mark.

    Comment by Krazny — February 5, 2008 @ 4:41 pm


  54. What the hell is wrong with you???
    Comment by DRxJ

    There were no books around him when he was a child…only Reader’s Digest.

    Comment by Juan C. — February 5, 2008 @ 4:42 pm


  55. Unless, of course, you share the view that the terrorists are the good guys and America is the enemy.

    Comment by good_golly — February 5, 2008 @ 4:27 pm

    Now you’re talking! We are the invaders, the murderers, the war criminals. We had no right or reason to go into Iraq, and the millions that we have killed, injured and made homeless are quite clear on who the “bad guys” are: the USA. Adding torture to the mix just proves how low we have sunk into the Republican shit.

    I’m glad you share that view, gg.

    Comment by Lefty Patriot — February 5, 2008 @ 4:43 pm


  56. I don’t like lame excuses shoved up my ass.

    Comment by Clumberfeet — February 5, 2008 @ 4:49 pm


  57. Good_golly is nothing but scum and proves that the rule of law no longer exists in this country. It is time that people like good_golly are treated as Nazi war criminals, taken out and hung.

    Comment by JMOHR — February 5, 2008 @ 4:49 pm


  58. Sweet snapping ass cheeks, this g_g troll is obnoxious.

    This isn’t about 3 water boardings, or terrorist beheadings.

    It’s about the moral underpinnings of the country, how OUR behavior defines the US to ourselves and the rest of the world, and the cowardice of our leaders when it comes time to stand up and declare their positions.

    Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — February 5, 2008 @ 4:50 pm


  59. It’s about the moral underpinnings of the country, how OUR behavior defines the US to ourselves and the rest of the world, and the cowardice of our leaders when it comes time to stand up and declare their positions.

    Comment by The Republic of Stupidity

    Gigi’s problem is that it doesn’t have any moral underpinning. It is capable only of thinking “bush good! liberal bad!” It doesn’t care if brown smelly people get hurt. Even it it’s attempt at reasonableness

    “I personally am against waterboarding, except in the most extreme of circumstances, the likes of which we probably haven’t seen and hopefully will never see (e.g. a 24 Hours scenario).”

    gigi misses the point that 1-torture doesn’t work so using it like they do in the right-wing porn show 24 won’t give us anything we can use, and 2-It’s WRONG. These people are supposed to be morally superior, so christian, and yet they take a perverse glee in harming other people.

    Comment by Bobwurst — February 5, 2008 @ 4:57 pm


  60. Ah, didn’t we put a Japanese officer in prison for 15 yrs after WW II for waterboarding?

    Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — February 5, 2008 @ 5:01 pm


  61. gg - weird thinking my friend - how would we know if we have a “24 Hour” scenario? Should we torture ALL just in case . . . ?

    And didn’t Nuremberg settle “torture is a crime as a national policy” awhile back? Following illegal orders is not a defense in ANY court . . . . yea, I know, Clinton got a . . .

    Comment by Jess Wonderin — February 5, 2008 @ 5:02 pm


  62. McConnell confirmed that waterboarding has been used on “only three detainees.”

    Doesn’t this confirm that this administration are WAR CRIMINALS?

    Just the fact that congress is going to do nothing about this makes them also accomplices to the crime, does it not?

    I hate Bush and his administration with all my heart, if there were actually a hell I surely wish that they would burn there for eternity, but since there isn’t life in prison will do. Sorry, I don’t believe in the death penalty, two wrongs don’t make a right.

    Buck Fush

    Comment by Buckie Boy — February 5, 2008 @ 5:15 pm

No comments:

ShareThis