Rick Klein is ABC News' Senior Political Reporter and author of The Note's morning look at the upcoming day in politics. Throughout the day, ABC News' political team contributes to The Note with the very latest news and analysis from the nation's capital.
To email Rick Klein, click here.
RECENT POSTS
- RNC's Communications Chief Resigns
- A Better Palin Than Tina Fey?
- ‘Top Line’ -- ‘America’s Next Great Pundit’
- ‘Top Line’ at the Movies: ‘Outside the Law: Stories from Guantanamo’
- Mass. GOP Gov’s Candidate Chooses Openly Gay Running Mate
- Workplace Diversity: Lines in Sand Make Mess for Dems
- The Note's Must-Reads for Monday, November 23, 2009
- AARP Endorses Cloture Vote, Not Yet Reid's Bill
- McCain Targets Ben Nelson on Health Care Vote
- 'Top Line' -- Ambassador Oprah? Senator Oprah?
THE NOTE CATEGORIES
- 2010
- Afghanistan
- Bill Clinton
- CIA
- Congress
- Democratic party
- Environment
- Financial Reform
- GOP
- Gov. Mark Sanford
- Gov. Sarah Palin
- Guantanamo
- Health Care
- Hillary Clinton
- Immigration
- Iran
- Iraq
- John McCain
- Mitt Romney
- North Korea
- Obama Agenda
- Politics Live
- President Obama
- Republican Party
- Ronald Reagan
- Sen. John Ensign
- Senate
- Sonia Sotomayor
- Stimulus
- Sunday Shows
- Supreme Court
- Ted Kennedy
- The Note
- The Note Must-Reads
- Top Line
- Vice President Biden
- Virginia
MONTHLY ARCHIVES
« Previous | Main | Next »
Lieberman: Fort Hood Shooting Could Be 'Most Destructive Terrorist Act' Committed on U.S. Soil Since 9/11
November 08, 2009 1:45 PM
ABC News' Kristina Wong reports: Today Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee Sen. Joe Lieberman, ID-Conn., said he would begin a congressional investigation into whether the Army missed warning signs regarding the Nov. 5th Fort Hood shooter, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, that should have led to his being discharged earlier.
“Really, in the U.S. Army, this is not a matter of constitutional freedom of speech. If Hasan was showing signs, saying to people that he had become an Islamic extremist, the U.S. Army has to have zero tolerance. He should have been gone,” Lieberman said on “FOX News Sunday.”
Lieberman said it was clear Hasan was under personal stress, and that if third party reports of statements and acts he made are valid, Hasan had turned to Islamic extremism. Lieberman said those reports included Hasan making a series of statements justifying suicide bombing and comparing it to the bravery of an American soldier throwing himself on a grenade to save his colleagues; and supporting the June shooting in Little Rock, Arkansas, where a 24-year-old American-born convert to Islam fired on soldiers at a recruiting station, killing one and wounding another. Lieberman also said testimony of Hasan yelling “Allah Akbar” before firing raised genuine concerns that this was a terrorist act.
“If that is true, the murder of these 13 people was a terrorist act and, in fact, it was the most destructive terrorist act to be committed on American soil since 9/11,” Lieberman said. “There are very, very strong warning signs here that Dr. Hasan had become an Islamist extremist.”
Lieberman said although there were ongoing criminal investigations into what exactly happened, his investigation would specifically look into whether Hasan is a self-radicalized, home-grown terrorist – the type his committee said would be the “new face of terrorism in America” in a report last May.
November 8, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (17)
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
This will further enrage the Left, who, in the face of obvious evidence, refuse to believe that (their favorite) religion didn't play a role.
Imagine if the shooter was a Baptist who invited his neighbor to Sunday School?
Posted by: spoutinghorn | Nov 8, 2009 2:00:51 PM
Why is everything being called a terrorist act now? Has our entire country been taken over by terrorist in the last year? Should we be in a panic?
Posted by: yeager12 | Nov 8, 2009 4:24:12 PM
There may well be a need for hearings but not in Joe's committee. The Sen. Democratic caucus should strip Sen. L of his chairmanship and seniority. Of course, that won't happen. No spine, no convictions, no courage. Just a bunch of old-pols, taking corporate money and working three days a week.
Posted by: B. Bear | Nov 8, 2009 5:10:57 PM
Yes spoutinghorn, our country has been taken over by a terrorist. He sits in the Oval Office.
Posted by: Luke | Nov 8, 2009 6:40:37 PM
Leiberman should shut his trap, fueling
the fire with his biased rhetoric only enhances
his evil traits
Posted by: spacerook1 | Nov 8, 2009 6:49:07 PM
According to first-hand eyewitnesses, the 'shooter' shouted the battlecry of every islamic fanatic before committing an act of violence- 'Allah Akhbar'.
Regardless what the media or our govt says, the man is a terrorist.
He does not need to be a card-carrying member, nor have a co-conspirator, to be a terrorist.
More proof that this country has gone so P.C. we are heading for another major disaster.
Our President should call it what it is...islamic terrorism within our military ranks.
Posted by: J House | Nov 8, 2009 8:30:00 PM
Lieberman should not be taken seriously. He is a real traitor. He betrayed his party for his agenda. His pro-war attitude betrays American youth as isn't going anywhere, but young Americans will die in a questionable war. He is totally unreliable and selfish. He ran for his senate seat during his bid for VP. Who else has ever demonstrated so much self interest? His agenda is not American. His words demonstrate he wants Americans to hate each other, so he can promote his anti-Arabic agenda. He is very disguting and brings new new depths to the meaning of low-life.
Posted by: American Muslim | Nov 8, 2009 8:38:12 PM
Joe Lieberman is the biggest terrorist and traitor. It is shame that has chairmanship for the homeland committee. Democrats should strip his chairmanship and send him packing to the GOP (Gutter of Politicians), where he belongs. He is the most corrupt senator in the U.S. history.
Posted by: vpcam50 | Nov 8, 2009 9:04:04 PM
TRAITOR LIEMBEMAN, TAKE WHAT MR. CAHILL DAUGHTER SAID AND USE IT FOR THE 'RE-EDUCATION' OF YOURSELF....YOU NEED TO BE ASHAMED....BEFORE YOU 'JUMP' TO CONCLUSIONS ABOUT ONE'S RELIGION AND ASSOCIATE THAT TO WHAT THEY DID IS SCANDELOUS. WHY WAS THIS AN 'TERRORIST'
ACT, SIR? BECAUSE HE WAS A MUSLIM? WELL HE SURE IN THE HECK WAS BORN AND RAISED RIGHT HERE IN AMERICA...IT IS IRRESPONSIBLE TO CALL THIS TERRORIST BEFORE ANY INVESTIGATIONS ARE COMPLETED.......
Posted by: sara | Nov 8, 2009 10:21:27 PM
he had been in the Army how long?....long enough to earn a M.D. 8 years at least.....go figure.
Posted by: sara | Nov 8, 2009 10:27:42 PM
Why not wait until the complete picture emerges before passing judgement? The army has an obligation to follow up and protect its men and women from further similar acts of terror and murder.
Posted by: rogerian | Nov 8, 2009 11:53:25 PM
giving the koran before his bloodbath, and shouting what he did as he began shooting proves what he is.
Posted by: richard | Nov 9, 2009 12:39:21 AM
definition:
The unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or an organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons.
stop being PC and look at the facts, he shouted an Islamic phrase for god is great as he did this.
Posted by: dave | Nov 9, 2009 1:20:11 AM
Joe Liberman......... chuckle
Posted by: zane | Nov 9, 2009 8:33:52 AM
Joe Liberman is a thoughtful patriot, unlike others who will sell their country and soul for power and money.
Posted by: Downwithsocialism | Nov 9, 2009 11:47:45 AM
Walks like a duck, talks like a duck and looks like a Duck or in these case a Terrorist!!
Posted by: Claire | Nov 9, 2009 9:22:08 PM
The left keeps crying like a baby saying 'don't judge him because his religion'. Nobody's saying he's a terrorist because he was into radical Islam. What people including Lieberaman are saying is that Hasan is a terrorist because he murdered unarmed Americans in cold blood out of political motivation. That's what makes him a terrorist, not his religion.
What he cried out just before his murderous rampage - now that just makes him a terrorist of a different stripe: a radical Islamic terrorist. There are terrorists and there are radical Islamic terrorists. Hasan has proved himself to be both.
Posted by: Go Lieberman | Nov 21, 2009 7:43:26 PM
Post a comment
POLITICAL VIDEOS
THE NOTE BLOG ROLL
- ABC News -- George Stephanopoulos
- ABC News -- Jake Tapper
- ABC News Politics
- ABC News -- The Numbers
- ABC News -- The Blotter
- The American Prospect -- TAPPED
- The Atlantic -- Politics Channel
- The Boston Globe -- Political Intelligence
- Center for American Progress -- Think Progress
- Center for Responsive Politics
- The Chicago Sun-Times -- Lynn Sweet
- The Chicago Tribune -- The Swamp
- Drudge Report
- FactCheck.org
- FiveThirtyEight
- Heritage Foundation -- The Foundry
- The Hill -- Briefing Room
- The Hotline
- The Huffington Post
- The Los Angeles Times -- Top of the Ticket
- NPR -- Political Junkie
- National Review -- The Corner
- The New Republic -- The Plank
- The New York Times -- The Caucus
- Newsweek -- The Gaggle
- Political Wire -- Taegan Goddard
- Politico -- Ben Smith
- Politico -- Mike Allen’s Playbook
- PolitiFact
- Real Clear Politics
- Talking Points Memo
- Time -- The Page
- USA Today -- On Politics
- Variety -- Wilshire & Washington
- The Wall Street Journal -- Capital Journal
- The Washington Post -- The Fix
- The Washington Post -- 44

