# The system worked **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 29, 2009, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-system-worked/522908 "2009-12-29T15:02:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sinaijon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Sinaijon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaijon)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-system-worked/522908/1 "2009-12-29T15:02:49Z")
[http://newsbusters.org/blogs/mark-finkelstein/2009/12/28/clueless-napolitano-now-concedes-system-failed-miserably](http://newsbusters.org/blogs/mark-finkelstein/2009/12/28/clueless-napolitano-now-concedes-system-failed-miserably) What a fucking dimwit. Can we agree that this dunce is completely over her head in regards to terrorism? As far as I can tell, every time she opens her yap she’s been completely wrong. The only thing she needs is for Obama to issue a statement "Janie, You are doing a great job. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-system-worked/522908/2 "2009-12-29T15:08:53Z")
_Newbusters_, eh? Do you have the quote where they ripped George Bush a new one for not taking enough action after getting a report saying “Osama determined to attack in America”? That would make a nice side by side comparison, sort of establish their strict non-partisan commitment to truth. And yours, as well. ---
**Author:** ![Sinaijon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Sinaijon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaijon)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-system-worked/522908/3 "2009-12-29T15:16:47Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > _Newbusters_, eh? Well, since you are either too stupid to use google, or are walking around with blinders over your eyes and fingers and your ears, here it is from the horse’s mouth: [http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/12/27/napolitano\_on\_failed\_terror\_attempt\_the\_system\_worked.html](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/12/27/napolitano_on_failed_terror_attempt_the_system_worked.html) or maybe here: [http://www.politico.com/blogs/politicolive/1209/Napolitano\_The\_system\_worked.html?showall](http://www.politico.com/blogs/politicolive/1209/Napolitano_The_system_worked.html?showall) 'One thing I would like to point out, is the system worked. Everybody played an important role here. The passengers and the crew of the flight took appropriate action." ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-system-worked/522908/4 "2009-12-29T15:19:16Z")
> [@Sinaijon](#): > > Well, since you are either too stupid to use google, or are walking around with blinders over your eyes and fingers and your ears, here it is from the horse’s mouth: > > [Napolitano On Failed Terror Attempt: "The System Worked"](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/12/27/napolitano_on_failed_terror_attempt_the_system_worked.html) > > or maybe here: > [http://www.politico.com/blogs/politicolive/1209/Napolitano\_The\_system\_worked.html?showall](http://www.politico.com/blogs/politicolive/1209/Napolitano_The_system_worked.html?showall) > 'One thing I would like to point out, is the system worked. Everybody played an important role here. The passengers and the crew of the flight took appropriate action." You know that this was her initial reaction and that she has since pretty firmly stated that the system didn’t work, right? In case you didn’t know, RealClearPolitics has [a video you can watch.](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/12/28/napolitano_corrects_system_did_not_work_in_this_instance.html) ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-system-worked/522908/5 "2009-12-29T15:21:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Well, since you are either too stupid to use google… Not what I asked you. Want me to type slower? ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Smashy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mr\_Smashy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Smashy)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-system-worked/522908/6 "2009-12-29T15:22:40Z")
You want sources from the other side? Here’s Eugene’s piece today in the WaPo; he’s so far left he makes Howard Dean look like Pat Buchanan [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/28/AR2009122801337.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/28/AR2009122801337.html) He hammers Napolatano but absolves the Obama administration, inexplicably. Well, Obama’s his boy, I guess he cannot criticize (the stonewalling, the dodging media… hell, playing golf the next day!) The WaPo editorial board wasn’t as kind, and they are only slightly less lefty than Eugene [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/27/AR2009122701655.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/27/AR2009122701655.html) > [@](#): > > Finally, it is hardly reassuring to argue, as Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano did on ABC’s “This Week,” that “once the incident occurred, the system worked.” The attack was averted because of the luck of a faulty detonator and the quick response of alert passengers. This knucklehead boarded in some dusty low-tech African airport. Then connected in Amsterdam, _ **where they don’t let us put air marshalls on planes** _ coming into the US. How the fuck can that be the case? Why don’t we _ **force those cocksuckers** _ to let us do that?.. else, ban any direct flights from Amsterdam into the US, where all passengers aren’t forced through security again at some real airport. This boggles the mind. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-system-worked/522908/7 "2009-12-29T15:23:02Z")
> **[washington independent game](http://washingtonindependent.com/)** > > home made city upgrade game about boarding houses, telegraph offices, casinos, federal offices, printing presses, docks, land, carriage works, munitions, hotels. > [@](#): > > How hard is it to watch a clip of an interview? Yesterday on ABC’s “This Week,” Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano made the following observation about the aftermath of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s attempted detonation of Northwest Airlines Flight 253: > > > [@](#): > > > > 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 [airline] 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. Yeah, too hard for Newsbusters, but here is another typical hard act for the right: Seeing right wingers acknowledge that they were mislead and then demand an explanation or a retraction from the source that misinformed them. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-system-worked/522908/8 "2009-12-29T15:24:35Z")
When you finish attacking the messenger you might want to watch some video of Secretary Napolitano to see that she wasn’t misquoted. [Link.](http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=9428825) And while I am happy that the original position was reversed, I will point out that President Bush didn’t get forgiven much for his original statements concerning Hurricane Katrina. Whatever your political position, most posters here will see the risk in making a statement that has to be reversed immediately. ---
**Author:** ![Sinaijon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Sinaijon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaijon)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-system-worked/522908/9 "2009-12-29T15:25:03Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > You know that this was her initial reaction and that she has since pretty firmly stated that the system didn’t work, right? Her initial reaction? 2 days later? What ever floats your boat. It wasn’t like they caught her off guard in moment. It was clearly a point that she had wanted to make. She specifically brought it up. She only recanted it after someone with half a brain cell nudged her with an elbow and said, ‘Umm, actually it failed pretty miserably.’ ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-system-worked/522908/10 "2009-12-29T15:28:20Z")
> [@Sinaijon](#): > > The only thing she needs is for Obama to issue a statement "Janie, You are doing a great job. That’d be Bushlike of him, and not appropriate to the magnitude of the event. A city drowned, an airplane _ **did not** _ blow up. See the difference? Let me amplify that a little for you, in case all is not clear: In the one case America lost a major population center along the gulf coast. In the other a man burned his weenie on a jet plane. Those are clearly events of different scales. See? ---
**Author:** ![Sinaijon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Sinaijon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaijon)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-system-worked/522908/11 "2009-12-29T15:29:31Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Not what I asked you. Want me to type slower? You wanted an establishment of non-partisan commitment to the truth. I gave you several other sources, and the means to find others in order to verify for yourself. You know, it might be time to drop the whole ‘play coy and then play dumb’ role that you like so much. Nobody falls for it, and its getting kinda stale. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-system-worked/522908/12 "2009-12-29T15:30:54Z")
So, we demand that US air marshals…_armed_ US air marshals…be on board any plane taking off for America, and that any such airport will follow whatever security protocols we demand? Yeah, that’ll work. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-system-worked/522908/13 "2009-12-29T15:33:10Z")
She shouldn’t have used those words in the first place, **Sinaijon** , but based on **GIGObuster** ’s post it looks like you’re dishonestly quoting Napolitano out of context. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-system-worked/522908/14 "2009-12-29T15:35:19Z")
> [@Sinaijon](#): > > …You know, it might be time to drop the whole ‘play coy and then play dumb’ role that you like so much. Nobody falls for it, and its getting kinda stale. I thank you for your trenchant critique of my posting style. Be assured that I will give it all the consideration it deserves. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Smashy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mr\_Smashy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Smashy)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-system-worked/522908/15 "2009-12-29T15:36:54Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > So, we demand that US air marshals…_armed_ US air marshals…be on board any plane taking off for America, and that any such airport will follow whatever security protocols we demand? > > Yeah, that’ll work. We demand it for any plane that wants the **privelege** of direct-flying into our airports. Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Smashy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mr\_Smashy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Smashy)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-system-worked/522908/16 "2009-12-29T15:41:03Z")
For the non-insane among you, here’s an interesting position piece on whether the TSA is making us any safer > **[President Obama, It's Time To Fire the TSA](https://gizmodo.com/president-obama-its-time-to-fire-the-tsa-5435675)** > > Today, DHS's Napolitano's response to the crotchbomber: "We're looking to make sure that this sort of incident cannot recur." But the TSA's response to From a cost-benefit perspective, you could argue that there should be less intrusive stuff at checkpoints, not more. > [@](#): > > we are spending billions of dollars and man-hours to fight a threat that is less likely to kill a traveler than being struck by lightning. In the last decade, according to statistician Nate Silver, there has been “one terrorist incident per 11,569,297,667 miles flown [the] equivalent to 1,459,664 trips around the diameter of the Earth, 24,218 round trips to the Moon, or two round trips to Neptune.” Now, stats are like a lamp-post to a drunken man; supposedly used for illumination, but often used to lean on. I’d argue that reducing the security profile at airports would increase the number of terrorists incidents, as _evildoers_, as a cowboy once called them, figured they could get away with more. Still, the fact that we don’t have the sniffers at _every_ airport, air marshalls on _every_ plane, is a trave-sham-mockery. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-system-worked/522908/17 "2009-12-29T15:47:41Z")
> [@Mr\_Smashy](#): > > We demand it for any plane that wants the **privelege** of direct-flying into our airports. > > Yes. Uh, no. These things are worked out through the framework of the International Civil Aviation Organization - of which we most definitely are a member. Whatever changes we seek have to be made within the context of this framework. I support going it alone many times, but planes can and do fly between countries, making something like an ICAO a very sensible idea. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-system-worked/522908/18 "2009-12-29T15:48:04Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > When you finish attacking the messenger you might want to watch some video of Secretary Napolitano to see that she wasn’t misquoted. > > [Link.](http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=9428825) > > And while I am happy that the original position was reversed, I will point out that President Bush didn’t get forgiven much for his original statements concerning Hurricane Katrina. Whatever your political position, most posters here will see the risk in making a statement that has to be reversed immediately. Once again the misquote is coming from the ones affirming that she was referring to the system, past and present. What was originally? I can grant that Napolitano tried to make the system look good but she was referring to the system \*\*after \*\*the indecent took place. Napolitano was not being candid enough earlier that the system prior to the incident needs to be changed. The reason the messenger from newsbusters needs to be shot for is for his misleading say so’s like “clueless” or “that she conceded the obvious” a messenger that ignores the march of time and editorializes his message does not deserve any respect. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-system-worked/522908/19 "2009-12-29T15:50:28Z")
> [@Mr\_Smashy](#): > > We demand it for any plane that wants the **privelege** of direct-flying into our airports. > > Yes. After looking around I’m beginning to doubt that Amsterdam was against our security requests. [http://newsroom.blogs.cnn.com/2009/12/26/screening-airline-passengers-in-amsterdam/](http://newsroom.blogs.cnn.com/2009/12/26/screening-airline-passengers-in-amsterdam/) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-system-worked/522908/20 "2009-12-29T15:52:51Z")
> [@Mr\_Smashy](#): > > Still, the fact that we don’t have the sniffers at _every_ airport, air marshalls on _every_ plane, is a trave-sham-mockery. I think it’s appropriate you borrowed a word from a beer commercial while making these ridiculous arguments. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-system-worked/522908.md?page=2)