Frances Fragos Townsend

A bright star in the Bush world of achievers.

Ms. Frances Fragos Townsend was appointed Homeland Security Advisor by the President on May 28th, 2004. Ms. Townsend chairs the Homeland Security Council and reports to the President on United States Homeland Security policy and Combating Terrorism matters. She previously served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Combating Terrorism.

Ms. Townsend came to the White House from the U. S. Coast Guard, where she had served as Assistant Commandant for Intelligence. Prior to that, Ms. Townsend spent 13 years at the U. S. Department of Justice in a variety of senior positions, her last assignment as Counsel to the Attorney General for Intelligence Policy. Ms. Townsend began her prosecutorial career in 1985, serving as an Assistant District Attorney in Brooklyn, New York.

My my.

Assistant District Attorney in New York.
Counsel to the Attorney General for Intelligence Policy.
U.S. Coast Guard Assistant Commandant for Intelligence.
Deputy National Security Advisor for combating Terrorism.
Deputy Assistant to the President.


And now.....(drum roll)

Homeland Security Advisor! Appointed by the president!

This woman comes with a bag full of background for the job.

So why am I highlighting this intelligence superstar?

She was just on CNN today, being interviewed by Wolf Blitzer. Wolf asked her that - after six years - why the United States, the most powerful nation on earth, hadn't be able to catch Bin Laden and kill him.

She never answered the question. She never answered any of Wolf's questions. Her replies were vacuous, containing inane and worthless comments on how we have plans, are making progress, have formed commitees, have developed a working relationship with the Pakistani government, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Wonder why we haven't nabbed Osama? this career "advisor" may just be part of the problem.

Plans, relationships, committees, think-tanking, ideating, you name it. But action? Forget it.

And besides, without Osama, Bush has no devil to scare us with. Maybe that's why he appointed a champion talker with a great track record of chit-chat, instead of somebody that would actually recommend action... and answer questions.