Yes, there is a Third Way—on the Bin Laden photos. Show them to members of Congress in a special secure room,
something like when members were permitted to view Abu Ghraib pictures. Here are the reasons: Having the members
file through will provide testimony to the President's feat. They will be not only be acknowledging but also enhancing his
power. They will in effect become liegemen bowing before him, but not in any way they will resent or will protest. They will
serve as witnesses to the magnitude of what he has done. Each of them will emerge speaking to the national and local
press on what they have seen. Their words will be descriptive, but they will not be equivalent to graphic images that could
be circulated themselves and have mischievous consequences. Having the whole Congress see the photos would have
these likely impacts as well: The far right wing Tea Party Republicans would by their mere presence admit to the
President's status above them and to his effectiveness. There would also be a salutary effect at the beginning of the
negotiations on the debt ceiling. It would curb the ability of the Republicans to appeal to partisan sentiment and indulge in
partisan rhetoric, giving the administration more edge. Having members of Congress testify to the reality of the photos will
suppress any potential "Deather" movement, that the administration has either fabricated the event or suppressed some
aspect of it. (See below for article on the emergence of the "Deather" movement.) This event should be staged over two or
three days, occupying most of a work week, and continuing to dominate the public and congressional mind. Don't let the
photos serve as trophies; instead take the Congress as trophy using the photos.
UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2014-20439 Doc No. C05781638 Date: 02/29/2016
Perhaps the NSC communications operation could have done more turning an absolute triumph into a PR fiasco. But I
don't quite know how. Kudos to Denis McDonough!
URL: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-s...ew-deather-
conspiracy-theory-/p/
something like when members were permitted to view Abu Ghraib pictures. Here are the reasons: Having the members
file through will provide testimony to the President's feat. They will be not only be acknowledging but also enhancing his
power. They will in effect become liegemen bowing before him, but not in any way they will resent or will protest. They will
serve as witnesses to the magnitude of what he has done. Each of them will emerge speaking to the national and local
press on what they have seen. Their words will be descriptive, but they will not be equivalent to graphic images that could
be circulated themselves and have mischievous consequences. Having the whole Congress see the photos would have
these likely impacts as well: The far right wing Tea Party Republicans would by their mere presence admit to the
President's status above them and to his effectiveness. There would also be a salutary effect at the beginning of the
negotiations on the debt ceiling. It would curb the ability of the Republicans to appeal to partisan sentiment and indulge in
partisan rhetoric, giving the administration more edge. Having members of Congress testify to the reality of the photos will
suppress any potential "Deather" movement, that the administration has either fabricated the event or suppressed some
aspect of it. (See below for article on the emergence of the "Deather" movement.) This event should be staged over two or
three days, occupying most of a work week, and continuing to dominate the public and congressional mind. Don't let the
photos serve as trophies; instead take the Congress as trophy using the photos.
UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2014-20439 Doc No. C05781638 Date: 02/29/2016
Perhaps the NSC communications operation could have done more turning an absolute triumph into a PR fiasco. But I
don't quite know how. Kudos to Denis McDonough!
URL: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-s...ew-deather-
conspiracy-theory-/p/