Total and complete incompetence. So that terra alert non-alert issued by Crisco John yesterday? Well, it turns out that Asscrack was acting without coordinating with other government agencies. Said one administration official, "The whole warning process was usurped by the Attorney General." That's not a good thing, is it? From a CBS News report:

Beyond that, senior counterterrorism officials question the legitimacy of the bulletin, saying there is no new, specific, credible evidence pointing to an imminent attack in the U.S.

Homeland Secretary Tom Ridge, who did not appear with Ashcroft at Wednesday's press conference, seemed to downplay the warning in a series of interviews. "There's not a consensus within the administration that we need to raise the threat level," said Ridge.

This mixed message caused frustration in the heartland. "We cannot live in a 24-hour alert, 7 days a week," said Chicago Mayor Richard Daley.

It also prompted a question at the White House. An administration official told CBS News that at one point, President Bush asked Ashcroft and Ridge: "Are you guys synched on this plan?"

There is a suspicion inside some agencies, reports Orr that the Attorney General may be "hyping" the threat in a turf battle over controlling domestic security. At a minimum, sources say the administration infighting has done nothing to better inform or reassure the American public.

So let me make sure I understand this....these jackasses are hyping terror threats because of an inter-agency pissing match? So, so comforting to know we're in such capable hands. And what type of reprimand can we expect Asscroft to receive for this blunder? Why, nothing less than Shrub publicly expressing his support for Crisco John and his belief that "He's a good guy." And Oily Dick will assure us that Asscrack is the "best Attorney General ever."

Abu Gu-rab-idab. John Mccain explains to Conan O'Brien why he thinks Shrub had such a hard time pronouncing "Abu Ghraib" during this talk Monday night:

I think it’s a way of keeping the attention of the audience. How’s he going to pronounce it next time?