US Commerce Secretary John Bryson testifies before the Senate Appropriations Committee
On Monday morning, Washington awoke to learn that Commerce Secretary John Bryson had been involved in a series of auto accidents in southern California on Saturday evening, and cited with a felony hit-and-run by responding police. This news was of course shocking.
For several hours, the White House and the Commerce Department declined comment. In this vacuum, the rumors took a life of their own. Some speculated there was alcohol involved, despite initial police accounts that this was not the case. After official statements reported seizures were the cause of the accidents, the ire turned on that initial speculation, blaming the sardonic culture of Twitter.
But the entirety of blame did not lie with those on the social network. Nobody can deny that Twitter is not a forgiving place absent of (sometimes inappropriate) snark and vitriol, but it is also a venue for compassion, which is evidenced any time a notable figure passes away and the timeline becomes a place for remembrance and prayer. Some rightly issued apologies for inappropriate remarks, and the discussion largely fell silent.
Part of the blame surely lay at the feet of an inept White House communications operation, unable to provide the general public with any answers to the health and well-being of a cabinet secretary. This media stonewall continued in Press Secretary Jay Carney’s daily briefing.
In Carney’s first answer, we learned that President Obama had not spoken with Secretary Bryson. This seemed odd. A cabinet secretary is hospitalized following serious traffic incidents and a police citation and the president does not pick up the phone to check on his welfare?
Pressed for details, Carney continually directed questions to the Commerce Department. As if this matter had nothing to do with the White House. On the fifth question, Carney was asked: “So as the matter stands right now, is the Secretary healthy and fit to serve?” Carney referred the question to the Commerce Department.
Later in the briefing, Carney said the White House was alerted on Sunday evening and the president was informed on Monday morning. Again, this strikes even the casual observer as odd. The Commerce Secretary is tenth in the presidential line of succession and there is a government-wide Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) that ensures that the executive branch leadership is accounted for and able to serve.
Did the President of the United States really find out at the same time as the general public that 36 hours beforehand his Commerce Secretary had been hospitalized? And if so, was his first concern the fact that his staff left him in the dark unnecessarily for so many hours?
Later that afternoon, the president did a series of local television interviews, in which he was asked about the situation. The president reiterated that he had still not spoken to Secretary Bryson and that he had “just found out about this today.”
Later that evening, at 10 pm, the White House issued a statement declaring that Secretary Bryson was taking a medical leave of absence and that Deputy Secretary Rebecca Blank would serve as Acting Secretary. While White House statements at 10 pm are not absolutely abnormal, they are rare. This fit the mold of the bizarre events of the day.
Let’s be clear, everyone hopes Secretary Bryson is well, recovering and getting the medical attention he needs. Bryson is in the prayers of countless Americans. But the reaction of the White House to this news has made a strange set of circumstances seem odder than likely necessary.
President Obama certainly has an estranged relationship with his cabinet, preferring to govern mostly out of the White House. But according to White House Visitor Logs, John Bryson actually visited more often than many of his colleagues–a total of 31 times (barring multiple John Brysons). Energy Secretary Steven Chu had visited 17 times and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has only swung by 13 times. To put that in context, Democratic consultant Hilary Rosen has visited the White House 33 times and union boss Richard Trumka has visited 69 times.
The White House has more questions to answer. These questions do not require them to divulge any private or health-related information if Bryson and his family choose to not share that information. But White House officials should explain why the president was left in the dark, why the president is still not in touch with his cabinet secretary and why they had such a hard time gathering facts over two days.
If the position of the Commerce Secretary does not merit that type of attention, then shouldn’t the focus be placed on the necessity of the position in the first place?
**Update** ABC News now reports that President Obama finally called Secretary Bryson Tuesday morning.
democrats sure have a pattern showing little to no value for human life. yet some Americans trust these government people to take care of their livelihoods through obamacare? We pray for Mr. Bryson's recovery and the truth revealed of this President and his administrations.
Why was there no field sobriety test administered at the scene of the first, second, or third accident?
I wonder how many time that question has been asked and not posted here?
This type of seizure is most likely a Petit Mal seizure. He's a little old for it to just now show up but, it can show up in anyone. But, where I live, you lose your license for 5 five, yep, that FIVE years AFTER you're seizure free. That means, till your meds get balanced and THEN add the five years. I've had incidents similar to what they describe and it sounds like my epilepsy condition. But, since I hadn't had a seizure since 1989, the Army deployed me in Iraq in 2004 and 2008 (still seizure free). There are often signs before this happens to someone but, if there is no knowedge among his close associates or family about what the symptoms are then he could have it develop like this and think he had done nothing more than fall asleep. Love to bash the administration and they should have checked on him considering his position but, he'll be OK and he should have no problem finishing his term to November when we get rid of all of these liberal progressives in government. (thought I had "compassion" for a minute there didn't you?)
I'm sure friends of Obama will get a waiver. They already do when it comes to insurance.
Obama pobably had to be reminded he has a cabinet.
If you don't get this guy out of there (Obama) you are sentencing the country to rule bey fiat and a return to the middle ages. Anyone who thinks other wise is in denial.
the White House reaction is "bizarre" only to those who operate from the laughable assumption that Carney and the White House try to tell the truth. Once you accept that they lie –openly and without shame– all the time, the ridiculous statements make perfect sense.
I think I read that Mr. Bryson had a seizure. I know for a fact that in California if this is true his Dr. has to send a report to the DMV and they in turn take his license.
Yep lost mine for 6 months in WA
I worked with seizure patients for years and I NEVER encountered this type of situation:
Seizure…hits parked car..then gets OUT and VISITS with driver/passengers
Back IN car and hits car AGAIN (seizure again???0
Continues on and hits a second car….passes out
give me a BREAK!!!
But you seem to forget, that this Administration have their own set of rules to play by!
Impossible, right? Because YOU said so. Good thing there are so many medical experts here on the internets.
Let’s try this one out on you. Actually HITS a pedestrian. Says he didn’t notice the homeless man on his windshield. Yeah, right!! And drives away. Now — central to the case — to know what to think about this you must know the driver’s political opinions and affiliations. Because if he’s one of ours we keep quiet, and if he’s one of theirs we go batshit. Ready? Robert Novak. Happened then, happening now. Pompous situational experts pronounce their verdicts. With all the smug humans we can tell them to put a sock in it, but you need to bark and point to this post for your owner, it’s time for some long overdue training. Back in the house until you’re ready to be out here again.
I've had 5 'seizures' since 2009 …. I have to say, in my case I didn't regain consciousness for at least a half hour on one …. The others I can only estimate …. but the fact there was dried blood on two of those occasions, tells me I was out for a good period of time …
And, I also live in California … Believe it or not, my doctor didn't refer it to the DMV. It took the fourth and a visit to the ER (second time as well) that SOMEONE got my license suspended…. I have yet to get it back …
I do find it strange he was able to get out of his car, speak to people. If he was coherent, NO SEIZURE in my non-professional anecdotal experience AND some of the reading I have done on this ….
Believe the same is true in Virginia. Believe there is a requirement to be seizure free for one (1) full year prior to getting the license back.
6 months
No problam Penatta can fly by and pick him up.
If he were prone to seizures there is no way he would nor should be driving a car. This is a cover up pure and simple and I'm not given to jumping to conclusions but this is s no brainer. We are dealing with an administration that cares little for the law but only for re election and survival. GOD HELP THE U.S.A.
If he was prone to uncontrolled seizures, yes. There are many people with epilepsy whose seizures are controlled 100% with medication. They, at the discretion of the physician and the respective state authority, are allowed to operate a vehicle.
You read that someone said he had a seizure…… groundwork for a good hit/run and or DUI defense. I was a Police Officer for 30 years and saw seizures involved in just a few crashes. None of them got out of their car talked with others, got back in and drove away to get into another crash. They ALL stayed at the crash scene and waited for Police and Paramedics. Only DUI's, people w/out a valid drivers license/auto insurance or warrants want to leave. We can safely rule out the latter in this case.
Of course they have alot to explain. But they don't have to explain themselves to anybody, do they? Nope. Not to Congress. Not to the Supreme Court. They are not accountable to anyone. Why is that so hard to grasp?
Actually they are accoutable to us, the public. Period. How? We ha ve the right and ability to hold them accountable through many avenues and means. From open elections or recalls, impeachment to open revolution (and if you don't think that's legal then our whole nation has a thing or two to answer for). Executive privelage is a publicly granted privelage just like all the others in this nation. Whether or not Americans will stand on these realities is another story, but…
""They are not accountable to anyone. Why is that so hard to grasp?""
quote from dufus above0
"Going forward, anytime the American people want to know something that I or a former president wants to withhold, we will have to consult with the Attorney General and the white house counsel, whose business it is to ensure compliance with the rule of law. Information will not be withheld just because I say so; it will be withheld because a separate authority believes my request is well-grounded in the Constitution. Let me say it as simply as I can: transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this presidency,"
quote from dufus below-
obama
How about "they are accountable to the American People that they serve?"
The duo of Holder and Obama don't have to follow the law! They believe themselves to BE the law. The common decency of a phone call to a member of his Cabinet, at a time of crisis, is beyond the understanding of such as a "community organizer". Holder doesn't know the subleties of law inforcement. It is beneath his lofty position. (ie. the procedure of a policeman in a "hit and run" charge.) did anyone contact the White House….or did the WH contact the police? This is more than bizarre, it is deriliction of duty eitther by Bryson or Obama as head of the Cabinet not to notify appropriate persons. How did the next in line know to take over the duties of Bryson…Did Obam know???
It is not hard to grasp and, since I don't have all the details, I can't judge the man or what, if any action, should be taken. I do know, though, if he were a Republican the MSM would be calling for every detail immediately and probably that he step down or be removed – even if they had no details. He would be given no benefit of the doubt and a Republican White House would be raked over the coals for not knowing even the tiniest detail of what happened.
Have you ever heard of the separation of powers? The Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches of the
U. S. Government act independently of one another. However, all three are liable to be impeached if
convicted on "high crimes and misdemeanors". Any of this sound familiar?
Where did you get the idea they are not accountable to anyone.
It is obvious that a cover-up is in progress. Had this been a Republican S of S, all hell would have broken lose by now calling for his resignation. But this is the hubris of he Obama group of thieves.
It's all because of Bush.
Yes, you are quite right.
If Bush had signed Kyoto treaty gasoline would be $20 per gallon and the good Secretary would have been using public transportation and this senseless tragedy could have been avoided.
The Kyoto Protocol was adopted by the UN in 1997.
William Clinton (President 1992-2001) never submitted it to the Senate for ratification.
George W. Bush was Governor of Texas 1995-2000, and thus had no involvement with international treaties during that time.
That saying is no longer funny or meaningful, it has been used to death.
If that's the case (and I agree with you) someone ought to tell Obama, as it seems to be the campaign mantra again this year.
The President is focused like a laser on the economy* & can't be bothered with anything else!
*( campaign money grabs, golf outings, basketball and hobnobing aside)
obama has already had almost twice as many re-election fundraisers as the last five presidents COMBINED. The poor man barely has time for golf!
Well, the kooks are running the country for now…..what's so strange about that?
If only, GP, they were kooks. But that's way too simple and, respectfully, off the mark.
They're lawless, intellectually inbred, arrogant cowards that continue to push their position because the rest of us haven't risen up and smacked them down.
Their time comes, though, at November's ballot boxes and through the ascent of the new news media which supplants the morally and intellectually bankrupt so-called mainstream news media.
The self proclaimed constitutional law professor probably is not aware of that whole "tenth in line" thingy. Can I get a shout out to Sara Jessica Parker!!?? Amen!
good one!
Yeah and he's not even aware there are 50 states, not 52!
It was totally the "seizures".
This administration of i d i o t s would be confused over a bee sting!!
Correction, "White House officials should explain why the president is in the dark, why the president is still not in touch, and why he has such a hard time understanding reality over three years." in place of "White House officials should explain why the president was left in the dark, why the president is still not in touch with his cabinet secretary and why they had such a hard time gathering facts over two days."
It's just another in a series of bizarre incidents that occur almost daily in this administration and in the Democratic Party including:
* Geithner is found to be a tax cheat
* Foul mouthed Biden – too many gaffes to mention
* Screaming Weiner tweets pictures of him in his underwear; denies it claiming he was hacked; finally resigns.
* Clinton says Romney had a sterling record at Bain.
* Barney Frank had a gay lover at Fannie Mae and eventually marries him
* Connecticut Governor claims he served in Viet Nam
* Pelosi says "pass the bill to see what's in it". Huh?
* Sheila Jackson lee wants to see a picture of the flag on Mars that Neil Armstrong put there.
* Hank Johnson worries that Guam may capsize if too many Marines land there.
You just can't make this S### up!!
You can add the following to the list:
*Sheila Jackson Lee thinks Vietnam is two countries living side-by-side.
*Obama mispronounces "the Corps" as "the corpse."
Let's also add…
* Attorney General Eric the withHolder (heading for contempt of Congress as we type)
* The AG had no knowledge of a program involving potential violations of another nation's sovereignty?
* And certainly no knowledge of this program spreading around to other Latin American states.
* A birth certificate flap that could have been solved by a minor fee and a $25 Fed-Ex Envelope, not tens of thousands in lawyer's fees.
* Sheila Jackson Lee's scripted praise (PR piece) for Fannie Mae's Franklin Raines before the financial collapse.
* Barney Frank declaring there was "no fire, not even smoke" behind the Bush's GAO concerns about Fannie Mae's practices
* Solyndra, Fisker Automotive, et al burned up over $1.5 Billion and returned ZERO to the U.S. treasury.
I figure the stories of the account are already pulled. Something went seriously wrong that day normal people don't hit a car do it again to hit yet another car after leaving the scene.
How can you forget the 57 states?
This is a great post. Right on target. Obama only gives a damn about himself, like most federal managers. His actions are the norm in the fed workplace
If they had an min. IQ of at least 70 to serve in congress or WH …..then we would not have these problems……….with dems showing their stupidity……………
Don't forget the great -under my policy of cap and trade, energy prices would necessarily increase. They can build a coal fire plant but it would bankrupt them. It's not that 4 dollar a gallon gas is too high, it's that it got there too fast. Barack Obama. And I believe that his administration is still ignoring a federal judge's ruling that they have to lift the off shore drilling moratoreum.
It weasd known that geithner was a tx chast before he was even hired. So, of course, they make him firector of the IRS>
"Bryson is in the prayers of countless Americans". Doubtful. Some Americans? Most definitely. Scores of Americans? Probably. Hundreds of Americans? Maybe. But "countless", as in "too many to count"? Highly unlikely. If countless Americans are even thinking about him, it's in the vein of wondering what really happened, since the WH stonewalling is a solid sign that things were not as was reported.
I'm fairly certain there aren't even "countless" Americans who pray over strangers in the news to begin with…
Because the communication wing of the WH only exists to spin spin spin. When a straight forward answer is required they cannot provide it. The guy had a medical issue and ran into a few cars.
I am not a doctor or pretend to be one in real life and may not fully understand the definition of a seizure, but from my limited understanding you would pretty much be incapacitated. How did he have a wreck, talk to the victims, drive off and have another wreck? Sounds more like a stroke, inner ear issue or other medical condition.
Actually one can suffer from seizures that appear to be nothing more than the eyes moving side to side. You are thinking of Grand Mal Seizures. This guy could be suffering from almost anything including cardiac. A few skipped or badly timed beats could do the same.
Well said EMS. BTW, besides Pettit Mal seizures ( little sickness ) there are TIA's (Transient Ischemic Attacks) which simply are little strokes. Sometimes people can have them intermittantly between normal activity, making them seem a bit strange, but still coherent. ( Retired Nurse )
Yup, a seizure mi8ght have caused the accident -but driving away?
Sounds like drugs, alcohol or an amnesia rerun episode … but hey, in an infinite universe(s) anything is possible if you're an attorney or dem.
Forget the "odd response" –
Can it possibly be that – in a time of war, global recession and factoring in the recent spike in energy prices (now moderating) that a Union Boss has visited the White House more often than the Secretaries of Defense, Commerce and Energy – COMBINED?
No wonder we are lost . . .
Superb point, Ed!
Bingo, Ed! Clarifies the priorities real fast. Here is what I care about, here is where, Commerce, Defense, Energy, I don't give a darn.
Why is it that Ed's comment concerning the amount of visits by a union boss out numbering visits from many in his cabinet is the first comment on this issue? What's wrong with this blog thread people? Are you not concerned with this? Why so much rambling about nothing, and no mention of this union bs? Ed, the reason that we are lost is for this very reason. The masses are distracted with whatever the media places in front of them. Nothing to see here. Pay no attention to the man (idiot) behind the curtain.
Thank you! I was beginning to think that I was the only one who noticed this. What the hell is Trumka doing visiting the WH 69 times? That is about once every three weeks since Obama took office! This Obama is up to some no-good backroom deals that the media just will not focus on.
Bizzle to the ingizzle o.
The sooner the Kenyan sambo is gone, the better– that's the long and short of all the taurine excrement that is evacuated daily from his bowwels.
I wish Secretary Bryson well, whatever the cause of this problem. It is also very fortunate that no one was apparently hurt in this strange incident. The flat footed response of the White House in what has turned out to be a very minor incident in the scheme of thigs is disturbing. what is going on that leaves what should be a very well tuned organization so unable to appropriately respond to a relatively minor occurance. Where was the effective communication? Where was a white House staff prepared to handle the inevitable aciednts and illnesses and sudden deaths that happen in life?
What happens in a real crisis? Will the WH freeze up even worse?
The common theme underlying this Presidency is immaturity. The weak response to Sec. Bryson's accident grew out of a pervasive immaturity that likely starts from the top.
This is just a third rate accident.
I could not have said it better, very good insite on your part.
Insight, not insite
yep, the little things will add up & get you. there's a lot that doesn't add up w/this administration. real caring guy, this president, your sec. of commerce is in some accident & you don't even try to find out how he's doing? this pretty much says it all about this guy. if you don't know what a narcissist is, then think about this. that's sad. shouldn't the sec. of commerce have a chauffeur or something?
"The common theme underlying this Presidency is immaturity."
NOPE!
The common theme is, the democrat machine is running the "show'" and there is discord as well as disconnect amongst all the various power players involved . . . . . and there are hundreds of these players in addition to the CZARS.
There is NO practical way to maintain communication and control of a sloppy, sleazy, and stupid busload of miscreants temporarily occupying OUR White House.
The White House "Visitors List" is a better indicator of who is running our country than the empty chair whose supposed occupant can be found more often on the 10th green.
Never ever forget the royals only care about themselves. If need be, Bryson will be thrown under the bus.
Consider the source. This whole administration is bizarre. When you don't know what is going on in any area, domestic, foreign, protocol, or whatever, you get bizarre!!!!
He knows what is going on he chooses to lie and cover it up. Just like holder lie like a rug.
If the news reports can be taken seriously, Secretary Bryson's behavior is not consistent with alcohol or drug abuse, or seizures. It is reasonably consistent with a series of mini-strokes, common enough in people his age. For the white house to not say anything for 36 hours and then behave like there is something to hide when any reasonable person would assume there is not is just downright weird.
now that i can buy, i have heard of these things happening with mini stroke.
Union boss visited White House 69 times- 69 times????Secretary of Defense-13??????? No surprise about BO's priorities.
Come on now. It's just the commerce secretary.
Now, if it was Richard Trumpka, Obama would have called a press conference and provided hourly updates.
Lanny Davis said it first: The Obama Administration has hired a lot of very cruel and angry and petty people!!!!
I think an Obama operative might be behind Bryson's strange behavior.
The Obama Admin has hired a lot very strange, very incompetent and very arrogant people.
I think your sarcasm detector malfunctioned.
Hey Jim. The government serves us – not the other way around! We PAY their salaries!
Just another example of how difficult it is for the Obama administration to make a truthful statement.
Remember when Bin Laden was killed? – There were at least 20 high-ranking members of the administration photographed in the Situation Room allegedly watching the raid on Bin Laden's compound live. When it was all over with there were half a dozen statements from various witnesses describing the action in different ways. Then those statements started changing every few hours. It takes that bunch a long time, if ever, to tell the truth about anything.
Why would this President be concerned about one his direct reports?
He's a sociopath.
That's just one DSM category fitting him. How about an exhibitionism, like Madonna? He always has to be in the limelight and onstage, so to speak, when he should be doing the people's work.
Did you see the person they are replacing him with? The person has had no experience in the private sector yet is being given the position of "Commerce Secretary", what could go wrong?
Nothing but every thing.
And the Liberal Socialist Dems, Moderate Dems, Blue Dog Dems, are all supporting this poor excuse of an administration.
Administration?
Def.1; Management, the act of directing people towards accomplishing a goal. Well we all know there is no management, this guy (Barry O) couldn't manage a good bowel movement.
Def.2; Central Administration, the highest administrative department of an organization. Again we all know this guy (Barry O) has no clue what being a LEADER is supposed to do, his only work as a leader was for Acorn and we all know how corrupt that Org. is/was.
#3 Administration (government) Executive (government) Well he (Barry O) may have the title but he sure has no clue what to do with it after all see Above "Acorn"
Obummer can't be bother right now, he's trying to get re-elected so he has more flexibility to deal with Vladimir Putin, the KGB head of the new Russia.
Does anyone really believe that the local police would have told us the truth if Bryson had tested positive for alcohol or other drugs?
It really would not be at all uncommon for the law enforcement hierarchy and city or county administration to protect a governmental official. Even when charges are filed, the pressure on prosecutors and judges to dismiss a case or seal the results can be quite intense. I have personally experienced that as a prosecutor and pro tem judge with cases that involved local officials and the children of state supreme court justices.
I would certainly expect that to happen for a cabinet level official in a Democrat administration, especially during an election year.
This administration can be likened to the movie The Ghost and the Darkness pretty easily. Check where those two lions are now……hehe…
This administration can be likened to the movie The Ghost and the Darkness pretty easily. Check where those two lions are now……hehe…
More proof that this is the most bizarre president ever to temporarily occupy the white house.
I think he got off a lot easier than Ron Brown.
The president reiterated that he had still not spoken to Secretary Bryson and that he had “just found out about this today.”
BO should probably check Drusge more often to keep on top of things…
between Holder, Bryson and the others that have gone down or on the way this is not looking good. I smell a rat better yet a sewer full.
This is interesting. I am a political junky. I can name Bill Clinton & George Bush cabinet memebers by memory and likely most of Reagans and halft of Carters.
When this story broke about Bryson, I must admit I had never heard his name; when I saw his picture…the same, I had never seen his face. So I thought further, and could only same 4 of the current cabinet members.
Not sure what to make of that? Doesn't say much for he current admisistration.
This is interesting. I am a political junky. I can name Bill Clinton & George Bush cabinet memebers by memory and likely most of Reagans and halft of Carters.
When this story broke about Bryson, I must admit I had never heard his name; when I saw his picture…the same, I had never seen his face. So I thought further, and could only same 4 of the current cabinet members.
Not sure what to make of that? Doesn't say much for he current admisistration.
What it says is that the media has largely ignored the actions of his cabinet. Best not report on what it is that these 15 Secretaries are up to. That way, Obama and his crew can quietly hope that no one notices the change.
One of the more disturbing comments in this article is that Democratic consultant Hilary Rosen has visited the White House 33 times and union boss Richard Trumka has visited 69 times. Both more times than any other Cabinet member mentioned. Clearly tells you what Obama's priorities are…and it's certainly not the health and welfare of anyone but himself.
The WH not being ready with a response is not surprising if you take into account that ever since O took office everything that comes out of the WH has a standard explain it with lies and cover ups. The fact that something purely on the up and up may have happened to a member of this cabinet that doesn't require a cover story may seem very foreign to these people, therefore they don't know how to respond. This silence makes perfect sense. They had to find out what the cover story was before they answered any questions. Imagine their shock if the cover story turned out to be "hey, that's what really happened!"
The big question is WHY are there no pictures of the victims, no interview with the victims, no police report describing the victims, and why the very unusual circumstance of not releasing the audio from the 911 call?
Well what if…the victims were black?
Imagine W is still President. His Scrty of Commerce (whomever that was) hits a car. Gets out to check on the folks to see how they are doing and sees three young black guys, perhaps yelling expletives at him. In a panic he jumps in his car and takes off, hitting them again as he's leaving.
In less than three hours the whole country would know that a racist rich white guy in the W administration got out of his car to help and took off the moment he saw three young black guys. "Isn't that typical of the systemic racism of this administration?" Maureen Dowd would write. So too the Wash Post, LA Times, Tribune, and every liberal op-ed page in the country. The moment the guy blamed it on a "seizure" it would be the butt of every late night joke, and it would become not only metaphor for racism but also an explanation for a stalled economy. And so on…
I wish I could take bets on the race of the guys in the car. I'd win a million.
Actually, it was a Conn. Senator (candidate at the time).
The Obama administration has a Commerce Secretary? Wow, news to me! Is it a "no-show" job… just asking'?
Obama has probably given his staff orders to only tell him if there is a problem with one of his czars, not with mere lowly Cabinet officers.
LIES, LIES, LIES, from a LIAR.
Lies come in thousands of flavors… the truth comes in ONE.
I think we're seeing the truth is not in this administration. They do NOT know what the truth is, so how can they tell us.
More lying, lies and deceptive behavior… when are we going to stand up and say THAT IS ENOUGH!
Lies come in thousands of flavors… the truth comes in ONE.
I think we're seeing the truth is not in this administration. They do NOT know what the truth is, so how can they tell us.
More lying, lies and deceptive behavior… when are we going to stand up and say That is quite ENOUGH!
Can you validate what you heard?
No, having an extremely weak candidate with McCain is what set this up
I'm confused. Initial reports stated that he hit a car, backed up and hit it again, and then proceeded to hit another car. I'm not a doctor, but I have seen people having seizures, and, while I can certainly understand how the seizure could cause them to have an accident, they aren't in any condition to back up a car and hit it again, nor are they able to maneuver the car away from the first 2 crashes and on to another one.
…. it is a waste of time asking Carney to comment on this matter, the press needs to direct its questions to the appointed Seizure Czar. jus sayin.
This is beyond bizarre… This is totaly disfunctional.
totally disfunctional!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You'd have to go back to Ronald Reagan to find a president who put policy above politics in the day-to-day operation of the White House. Obama is a run-of-the-mill, narcissistic politician who came out of Daley's Chicago machine. Aside from his personal attractiveness, there is nothing to differentiate him from any other machine politician. Yet the indifference he has shown towards Bryson still takes the breath away.
If y'all thought the 2000 elections were a fiasco, just wait 'til this year's elections! Should be a hoot! At least Obama doesn't already have that sulking kid look like Gore, but he'll learn the stance real quick no doubt.
My guess is that the White House calls to Bryson were passed on to Bryson's attorney. Remember, the first question the WH would ask would be "What happened?" and if Bryson told them, the person on the other end of the line might have been subpoenaed to testify at any future trial. Bryson would be crazy to answer phone calls without his lawyer present. Thus I don't think it's entirely unreasonable for it to take a day for the White House to have everything clarified enough that they can start answering questions.
What Heritage should criticize the President for, however, is not firing Bryson the moment the words "felony charges" were spoken, rather than letting him continue to hold office on medical leave. If, G-d forbid, a meteor hit Washington and rendered the first 9 people in the line of succession incapable of taking the reins of power, Bryson shouldn't be left next in line.
Wierd!
I am not at all surprised that he didn't get on the phone to inquire after his commerce secretary's health. Obama has been, is, and will always be an oddball. Which is why I continue to be amazed when pollsters tell us he is "likable." He is a strange man. This, in addition to being an incompetent, a liar and a conman.
Actually, we have to go all the way back to Reagan. If he didn't ask the Soviet to "break down that wall", once the wall came down, the commies spill over to the West, especially into the Democratic party.
The Dems have been going communist since long before the Berlin Wall even went up.
Let me translate this for you – "The news of the secretary's accident hasn't appeared on my teleprompter so I am not aware of it yet Anyone for golf?" Thank you very much. That is all.
Seizure? Why is there 3 accidents? Does seizure cause you to loose your common sense? Why would you drive away after the first accident when you have a seizure. I would think the common sense thing to do is ask the other people in the other vehicle to call an ambulance for me. So, maybe the first one wasn't that serious, but don't you think, as Sec of Commerce, you should stick around, especially when you hit the vehicle a second time? No wonder our economy is in such a mess.
George Bush did it!! He was in the trunk of the car and took over the controls by a remote processor. After the crash, he escaped through a hatch in the floor board and was last seen running down the road laughing hysterically while tearing off bits of clothing.
Well I'm sure this will come down to …Bush's fault, he can't blame anyone on his staff it would not be PC.
Whatever credibility Carney had in his former job, it has COMPLETELY disintegrated as WH press secretary. Has he NO shame?? Resign immediately.
Never mind Bryson… Richard Trumka of the AFL-CIO has visited the Obama White House 69 times!!!
Wow, the labor unions are making Obama dance like a puppet.
Today's "Bizarre White House Reaction" is no different from yesterday's "Bizarre White House Reaction" or the one before that or the one before that …
The nonsense will continue as long as the reign of Barack Hussein Kardashian is allowed to continue. Dump the Chump in November.
I don't know but I'm sure George W Bush is involved, I just know it.
transparency democrat style lol
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Move on. Nothing to see here. These aren't the droids you're looking for.
If a person is known to suffer seizures they have a responsibility to avoid operating a vehicle. Loss of control can result in accidents which may cause death. Any condition which can cause a person to withdraw from reality and/or consciousness, drugs and alcohol included, should exclude a person from driving.
Is Obama so busy giving campaign speeches that he isn't aware of what's happening with his Cabinet members? Has he turned it all over to David Axelrod who it turns out, sits in on cabinet meetings?
Heaven help us.
If this had been a GOP cabinet member, the media would be swarming all over his front lawn, following his wife and kids to school, work, the hospital and found every high school record on the person showing that he smoked pot in college and this is why he can't drive now. Wait until Romney is elected and the media returns to investigating and lying in their usual manner.
When Cheney accidentally shot his friend in a hunting accident, the media hounded the WH because they, the media, were not told immediately what had happened. Why are the media not showing the same level of ire at the Obama WH for this clear case of incompetence in communication?
Just one more body under the bus.
We really ought not blame Carney for the sins of his boss; after all, 'we' elected Barack Obama to be a President and by extension, leader of the free world. It is Barack Obama that we expect to be a leader, and has failed any test of leadership thrown at him. It is not Carney that is supposed to check on his troops when they've been hurt.
Oh Lordy, give Obama the strength and skill to lead his family to Chicago on January 20th.
Carney is so out of his league….just like Obama…I cry at how pathetic our government has become.
It seems to me that it is a simple matter of competence. This is not the first time that the White House staff has been in disarray when the unexpected happens.
Can someone help me out here? So this fellow had a seizure, got in one accident. Ok. Then he decided to drive away, had a seizure and got in another accident. Ok. THEN he drives off again, has a third seizure and another accident?? Really? Or are they saying it was one long seizure? So you're conscious enough to steer and accelerate, but your seizure is preventing you from stopping? Why do I find this confusing?
The new Book "Amateur" says it all!
"This news was of course shocking."
A crony of Barry0 involved in a felony? A hit and run? Why is this shocking? It's par for the course.
What do you expect of a President who attended not ONE, but TWO Beach Boys concerts in his youth? To which thinking Americans must ask…..WHY?? WHY indeed?
But, who the heck is supposed to know that the Secretary of Commerce is the tenth in line to the US President?
Yes, the union thug visits 69 times and Hillary "DNC war on moms Chairspokeshole" Rosen 40 times and the cabinet secretaries a dozen. WoW. Obama is out of touch. He hasnt even visited congress more than a handful. No wonder nothing gets done in DC.
what is so shoking here? nothing. this president would probably not call to see how his wife was doing had she been in an accident. he only cares about himself for gods sake. as far as what has happened in other administrations through our history you can throw that out the window. this is the new usa. the obama usa that he is fundamentally transforming. get used to it. no obamarx 2012.
BO, ( the 2 legged one): looking puzzled & rubbing his chin: Cabinet… cabinet…a file cabinet? OK, I give, which room is it in and why should I care?
This is owebama: We will never know the truth.
I'm sorry, but I have partial complex seizures. I have up to 100 seizures in a day, that i take medicine for, of which masks my episodes. It is not 100% effective. Before meds and when I experience the seizures now, I am nauseous, i am convulsing, in pain, and I can recognize a person talking ("Are you ok?") but I cannot answer, no, I am not. I can't voluntarily move, if I could, I'd make the seizures stop! I can't walk, and having any type of conversation with a person afterwards is EXTREMELY tasking. I am exhausted after experiencing one seizure.
I also am not allowed a driver's license without a doctor's consent for the State. If I have a seizure/change my meds, it can be revoked. I have barely driven, so don't worry! Emergency purposes only.
If he could walk and talk, get back in the car and be coherent through that, I am absolutely amazed at what kind of seizure he could have suffered.
Seizures are no joke, but the also have fairly obvious signs. I have a .001% chance at my (proper) diagnosis.
Rory, often in your article you referred to the “Democratic Party.” First of all, there’s not such Party as the Democratic Party. Secondly, the Obama’s Socialist regime would be considered the most distant to a Democratic Party. Get it right, and not offend we the people by calling Obama’s regime democratic!
I m just wondering what will happen to Barry tomorrow! Poor guy needs a break or even with that HUGE ego of his, this guy could suffer a stroke. Pray for the powers that be… Because as much as I can't stomach his crazy
leftist bungling of the economy, I do not want him crashing head long into other countries instead of cars! God
help him. Least till Romney takes over. Can I have an Amen!?
Most modern national governments are a sham. They are satanic deceptions working to bring about the New World Order governed by the Antichrist. This story is just one more example.
Why has Obama only met with his Defense Secretary once every few months when we are fighting 3 wars?
Television is the opiate of the masses. Jesus died for our sins, was buried and rose again 3 days later. Accept Him as your savior before it's too late! Time is quickly running out. Jesus is the only truth there is.
You are now linked to Drudge! Wonderful!
Bush made him do it! The Oboumble WH has no idea what happened or cares.
I know it was Bush,haliburton and Cheney. Uh the "good old days". Job growth was slandered when it was 165,000. Unemploment was 5% and not good enough. What happened?
Why should Bryson resign? He has medical difficulties. They may be so serious he can't continue to do his job. But more likely, they aren't that serious. At least wait and see.
And how is Bryson a thief? Even if some of the Obama team have participated in routing federal funds to likely supporters, and even if you count that as theft, where does Bryson come into any of that?
It's obvious you are in a mental institution with severe problems.
It took him less time to call Sandra Fluke. Interesting priorities.
Since when has The LIAR in Chief EVER accepted responsibility for ANYTHING !!!
Hey Rory! In California you are invovled in a "hit and run" and leave the accident… Yes he did talk to those in the car and hit them a second time while leaving…. And then crash again trying to get away and are injured… Yes you go to the hospital with THE POLICE and are arrested and charged after your release. DO YOUR RESEARCH BUDDY OR YOU WON'T BE WORKING FOR HERITAGE MUCH LONGER!
This WH seems to have a habit of mishandling what would seem to be normal functions. Something unexpected happens and they all run around in circles and scream "Bush did it!." Though in this case they have not found the "Bush" hook yet.
It would seem normal to me for President Obama to be advised as soon as possible and for him to call to check on the Secretary. He should then have direct the Press Secretary to prepare a statement for the press. What is difficult about any of that?
This just adds to my impression that Obama is like a dog that finally caught the car.
He had his pud in his hand. That's why he hit the car twice. Thought it was the brake, psst. Not that I never did anything like that "What mom? I'm polishing the furniture." It takes ten lies to cover up one lie.
Spooky !
Incidentally, the US Commerce Secretary was driving his own car, a LEXUS! Is it too much to ask that the US Commerce Secretary drive a Detroit car made in the USA? It seems a tad disrespectful, clueless, and insensitive not to. What's wrong with Ford or GM cars? BTW The LA Times confirmed that Mr. Bryson's Lexus was indeed his own private vehicle, i.e. not a rental.
In this administration a Dept of Commerce is certainly not a critical position. I doubt Obama even knows the definition of commerce. Commune, yes, commerce, no.
Surprised Pres. Bush wasn't blamed.
that's because he added all those unconstitutional czars. strange days indeed.
the constitutional scholar that he is?
If Bryson had been killed, the Sec. of Commerce cabinet seat would have never been replaced. It would have been an easy sell. Seems all Sec of Commerce's know too much. RE: Ron Brown. Also murdered. Perhaps all this…planned…Lanny Davis should know….
Your ignorance proceeds you Joe. I strongly believe they do have an obligation to let us know what is going on.
jdean, listen honey. We understand perfectly well. YOU are the one that needs to wake up.
Give it a rest. "The One" is pouting because us "little people" would ridicule him for taking a vacation right now. Commerce Secretary? Seizures? Who gives a damn? He wants to barbecue Bo and play golf. His demand? Where is my flock of sycophants? I need some adulation right now. Welcome to the world of B. Hussein.
Sad but not surprising that a Communist (Trumka) has greater access than his Secretary of Commerce. Obama is more concerned with getting union support for his reelection than our country's commerce or it's Secretary.
Commerce Secretaries sure have a hard time in DemoRAT administrations. Bubba's was killed in a suspicious airplane crash in the Bosnia region just before he was to testify before Congress!
It seems to me, that the cabinet should be meeting at least once a month, yet marxists like Rosen and Trumka seem to be there on a monthly basis!
There is a Commerce Secretary? Who knew?
Is WH Potted or Hashed? Maybe they are just wasted, like our taxes? WH reality is hallucination. Or How to lose your nation.
With Obama doing 6000 fundraisers each week, it is perfectly reasonable for him not to know what's going on with his Cabinet.
The King hasn't time to look after his ministers, it is after all their job to look after His every whim.
Now run along.
Narcissists lack empathy and don't care about the welfare of others. No surprise Obama makes no inquiry.
So are you saying you're surprised by the lack of executive mgmt principals, the aloofness of the administration and it's spokespeople or just the continued lack of competense?
"A cabinet secretary is hospitalized following serious traffic incidents and a police citation and the president does not pick up the phone to check on his welfare?"
Obama had to check with his advisers first to determine the most politically beneficial path!
what does Commerce Secretary do,
besides kissing some butts and taking a huge salary consisting of taxpayers money?
I believe the Secretary suffered from a case of the Vapors.
Bry-who?
If they stonewall and lie on the small things, they will lie and stonewall on the big things.
The smartest President doesn't have time for the little people.
SO much for that 'transparent' government Obama campaigned on. HIs broken promisses are losing more followers each day.
What does the toxicology report say?
Yeah, it's strange how the White House didn't use it's psychic powers in tr moments following the accident. I hope the writer of this can think a little more in the future before declaring sky-is-falling conspiracy theories. I mean what would be te motive even if they did know? Wanting to keep a medical condition private? Jeez. Find a real story.
I would not be surprised if no one in the White House knew his position put him 10th in line for the Oval office until they read this article or one like it stating such..
Place if full of clowns from the top on down.
One has to understand that everything this White House does is political. Every situation is looked at and replied to politically and damn the truth.
There is another set of weird circumstances about what I'll call the "seizure theory" that I didn't see mentioned as I scanned the prior posts.
There were news reports that after Secy. Bryson completed his seizure-induced dodgem car ride of mayhem in California, he was hospitalized for observation. After he was released from the hospital, he hopped on a plane and flew from California to Washington, D.C. the next day (exact timeline wasn't reported).
That little detail is the most curious of all to me. If I had just experienced seizures which left me too incapacitated to maintain proper control of my automobile and which resulted in me being admitted to a hospital, I don't think my first action after being discharged from the hospital would be to hop on a plane for a 6-hour, cross-country flight. Something smells fishy here.
The "inability" of the media to flesh out some basic and seemingly readily available information – such as interviews with Secy. Bryson's vehicular "contacts" – is also odd.
The visitor logs show who is influencing the President, if not running the country by proxy. It is abhorrent that at a time of 2 wars and multiple events economically and socially around the world and country are spinning out of control, the President is spending a inordinate amount of time with a union boss. One would "hope" that with the price of oil so unstable and the economy being what it is, the President would spend most of his time talking to the Secretary of Energy and other cabinet members. Instead of running the country Obama is talking with people who are only concerned with the outcome of only 2 items. A Dem,consultant is only to advance the Dems. Which is fine but the country as a whole is his job. As for the union boss this to is ok but unions do not create jobs, and it sends a bad message to business, which is not needed at a time when the economy is falling apart.
The title of this article should be "Bizarre White House," period.
Check your grammar in the last sentence, Rory. It should be "if, then", not "if, than".
This is a clear example of how Obama and essentially all members of his administration have complete egocentric mentalities. Their response was not "I hope he's ok! Let's see what we can do for him!" It was "how is this going to make me look? What can we do to minimize this??" I can only imagine Michelle Obama's reaction: "does this mean we have to postpone the next vacation for a week?!"
Essentially, the country elected a 4th grader to the highest position.
The real story in this isn't the fact that he doesn't have much contact with this cabinet member but who he is meeting with most often. I would be interested in seeing the full list. A full list of who he is meeting with would likely shed light on some of his nonsensicle decision making.
"Let's be clear" always precedes a lie from Obama or his administration. There is more to this story than what is being told. If you are a common subject in Cali and caught for hit and run, siezure or no siezure, you will be arrested with charges filed.
Why does the commerce secretary drive a foreign car?
The unions, czars and radical groups like Acorn are calling the shots in DC. Obongo can’t take a leak without a when, where and how tutorial.
It's been said that Obummer spends the majority of his time in his study watching TV. His staff didn't want to interrupt him for fear of being put on his "kill" list.
Teflon B.O. BS master.
Makes me kinda wonder if an Obama operative wasn't behind Bryson's strange behavior.
Makes me kinda wonder if an Obama oper.ative wasn't behind Bryson weird behavior.
Public employees who can injure mere citizens with impunity, yet another violation of our rights. The gov’t constantly violates our rights.
They violate the 1st Amendment by caging protesters and banning books like "America Deceived II".
They violate the 4th and 5th Amendment by allowing TSA to grope you.
They violate the entire Constitution by starting undeclared wars.
Impeach Obama, support Ron Paul.
Last link of "America Deceived II" before it is completely banned:
http://www.amazon.com/America-Deceived-II-Possess…
So this happened Saturday night and the Whitehouse was unable to provide ANY information on Monday … and President Obama "just heard about it" Monday afternoon? … is this really the group of keystone cops we want receiving the proverbial "3:00 am call"?
The article doesn't mention that the Koran was in the back seat. Also in the back seat was the
Holy Bible—-ripped to pieces. Strange this fact was not mentioned.
The 'rookie' fails at the most simple of tasks…..the welfare of his people. Obama was 'too busy' again to pick up the phone and call Bryson or his family ?
Where in the world could you find a more incompetent group of thugs? Can't wait for November.
what are Democrats taking? there was a similar case in Lakewood Colorado where a husband of a well known democrat hispanic activist ran over a jogger and slammed into a home in an SUV. A "Seizure" was ruled the cause while at the same time the driver apparently was reported to require an interlock device to stop drunk driving. Like the Secretary this drive once the accident occured acted normally and was walking around and talking. there either is a non detectable drug being used or these people are possibly having alcahol withdrawl seizures. either way they should be responsible for their actions and not given a pass due to a misterious medical ailment that was never present before a crash.
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_2035602…
Why would anyone want Obama to have another 4 years when he doesn't seem to be doing his job now? I don't understand why ANYONE would vote for this man!
my god! i just realized if something happens to obama, biden is president, omg
Hyperventilating about being 10th in line for presidential succession and pronouncing ineptitude when the gentleman’s medical condition wasn’t known might be fun, but it ain’t journalism. Subtract the pomposity and tortured language (any editors there?) and you get something closer to giggling fifth grade girls passing a note around the class. C-
I'm sure that Dear Leader is not aware of the COOP as he believes that no one can come after him; he is The One.
Hey come on, it's not like it was one of his Czars. It was only a lowly Cabinet Secretary that he never listens to anyway. Now the story would be different if it was one of his Czars that is actually running things.
Typically, a seizure will not allow the person to get out of the car, talk to the first accident victims, then let you get back in the car and continue onward. As Eric Holder says, I'm "sticking to my guns" and saying this was alcohol related.
Glad to–GWBush said that he would protect America and Americans from another terrorist attack. Said he would pass policies to pull us out of two recessions. Support our allies and work to destroy our enemies. Reduce the deficit by half before he left office ($400 billion to $160 billion–until the Democrats got to town in 2006). He didn't arm drug cartels in Mexico. He didn't have any tax cheats. You see–Republicans are held to a different standard than Democrats. We know ALL the dirt on Republicans–the only dirt we get on Dems is that which is so egregious, so outrageous, that even their friends in the press are too embarrassed to cover up. Pretend that the Bush Administration was just as corrupt as this one if that fantasy makes you feel better. But it wasn't–by any stretch.
Mr Carney's response to queries:
"uhhh, well, that is, I think that, if you'll review the record it's another example of the Bush administration's failures. And FOX News will just make this out as if it's our fault. And, in closing: Global Warming and bitter Tea Party extremists. Thank you."
Best of luck to Mr Bryson. Don't bet on the Administration lending him a hand, unless they can make some political mileage out of the process.
Why are the Repelicans silent? They got impeachable dirt on all 500+ DEMs on Capitol Hill. Many should be tried for treason and face the executioner.
Where are the war protesters?
Ban him from baseball.
Why is a union boss (brown shirt) visiting the white house more the Secratary of Defense?
Who runs the Country?
What can one expect from an administration headed by a man with the emotional and intellectual capacity of a 12-year-old? ____
But that's not racism is it? Or is it?
I was watching ABC news at 3 am Wednesday and they had a reenactment of Brysons car accident when ABC suddenly blacked out. What was shown was Bryson hitting a car stopped at a rail crossing, getting out talking to 3 people getting back into his car pulling in front of the other car and backing into the car and taking off before the screen went blank. The news came back on 10 minutes later and continued repeating the same stories all night except the Bryson crash. I looked online at their website and it seems to be scrubbed from their site.
Is this proof that ABC news is killing stories that are negative to Obama?
What are the Russian's and Chinese waiting for? The time to strike is nigh!
O.K. It is now Thrusday, June 14, 2012…does anyone know anything about this guy? Was it a seizure..convenient…or? What was the alcohol count from the breathalyzer? What is the condition of the
people involved in the other two cars…he hit the first one twice. What is new?
If this same thing ever happened to you or I we would be still sitting in jail……….this is exactly why the people in this country hate the US Government they live by a different set of rules and laws
It could have been seizures. You don't know
In a different article related to this incident, I read that Commerce Secretary Bryson had exchanged insurance information at the scene of the first accident, then went on to be involved in another accident. What I find odd is this – if he was able to speak after the seizure, well enough to even exchange insurance information, why did he not tell them that he had experienced a seizure and needed medical attention. Why was he able to talk coherently enough to exchange insurance info, but failed to address the crisis at hand – that he was having a seizure!!! Doesn't make sense to me.
Regardless of what really happened (and it could be of little consequence), do not expect a full disclosure of anything by the "Transparent President".