Political Hotsheet
By

Mark Knoller /

CBS News/ May 3, 2011, 9:12 PM

Biden amazed bin Laden raid plans kept secret

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden delivers keynote speech to the Atlantic Council's 50th Anniversary Dinner at the Ritz Carlton in Washington, D.C. on May 3, 2011.

/ CBS

At the beginning of remarks this evening to the Atlantic Council, an international policy group, Vice President Joe Biden voiced amazement that the plans for the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound remained secret.

"There was such an absolute overwhelming desire to accomplish this mission that although for over several months we were in the process of planning it and there were as many as 16 members of Congress who were briefed on it - not a single solitary thing leaked."

"I find that absolutely amazing," said Biden to applause from his audience.

Special Report: The killing of Osama bin Laden

Biden also described himself in "absolute awe" of the "capacity and dedication of the entire team - both the intelligence community, the CIA, the SEALs. It was extraordinary."

He said the enactment of the mission was "breathtaking" and "staggering." He said no one but Americans could do something like this.

He said the world is now a safer place not only for Americans but for all people.

He referred to bin Laden as "a butcher."

And he said "one clear message" from the raid - "there's no place to hide."

© 2011 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
19 Comments Add a Comment
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bullsballs says:
didn't happen...
obl paid to be relocated, the potus took the money and let obl change identity.
no body, no proof, no explanations...
if it had truly happened, the body would be on display for the world to see, not "buried at sea" as claimed...
now obama is worried the truth will come out and he will be "out"...
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Lindag10 replies:
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BS
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meboard says:
Well, it truly was a big f-en deal!
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simpleconservative says:
I can understand how "Leaky Joe" is amazed by this. His friends and political allies seldom keep a secret, secret!
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pasha128 replies:
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"Twitter Pete" Peter Hokstra (Republican) EX-ranking member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence has at least two documented cases of security breaches to his credit.

Scooter Libby, VP Cheney's right hand man was convicted of Perjury a charge still on his record for lying about leaking the identity of a CIA Agent. This Leak was allegedly at the direction of VP Cheney himself.

The Bush Administration was nothing but a series of national security leaks as the 2004 elections approached. (Who cared about the damage to military missions and the threats to the lives of citizens and military members as long a Bush won the election)
pasha128 replies:
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PS Libby's sentence was commuted he was not pardoned -- the conviction remained on his record.
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rationall7 says:
As Bill Clinton learned when going after OBL don't tell Pakistan you're comming after him.
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Canuck42 says:
Massad could have done a better job...they wouldn't have lost a helicopter. Just look at their past feats.
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Smurfeater replies:
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Did they?
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LVwidow says:
smirk5: my comment was to emphasize to jgg000101 that Biden had been there long enough to know what he's talking about and it was NOT a stupid comment. Apparently from comments made here everyone does not know that the more people involved, the more likely it will leak.
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pasha128 says:
by jgg000101 May 3, 2011 9:32 PM EDT
what a dumb statement. I'm sure this plan was Top Secret, and I would be truly amazed if anyone who leaked the info wasn't charged with treason.

-------

Wasn't Rep Peter Hokestra (Republican) thankfully not longer in Congress the source of the problems sich as the one Biden mentioned.

http://althouse.blogspot.com/2009/02/congressman-peter-hoekstra-tweets.html

February 6, 2009
Congressman Peter Hoekstra tweets a security breach!
"Moved into green zone by helicopter Iraqi flag now over palace. Headed to new US embassy Appears calmer less chaotic than previous here."


http://liberalmedianot.blogspot.com/2009/11/twitter-pete-commits-another-security.html

'Twitter' Pete commits another security breach
There's one thing for certain: if you want to keep a secret, don't tell it to Pete Hoekstra.

Hoekstra, the ranking Republican on the U.S. House Intelligence Committee, has a history of loose lips. Last February "Twitter" Pete revealed a secret congressional trip to Iraq on Twitter, and the breach of security put the aircraft and the people on it in danger. Putting the words intelligence and Hoekstra together in the same sentence is an oxymoron. But the latest breach of security by "Beadwindow" Pete was a major one. He compromised a sensitive National Security Agency collection program when he blabbed to the Washington Post that Ft. Hood shooting suspect Nidal Malik Hasan had been in e-mail contact with radical Islamic cleric Anwar al-Awlaki.

MSNBC host and Rhodes Scholar Rachel Maddow really did a great job calling out Twitter Pete. She has been all over his miscues. I don't know if this guy is just stupid, he's trying to make a name for himself to win the Michigan GOP primary for governor or his ego is so large he revels in the knowledge he knows something we don't.

What's amazing it that this guy still has a security clearance.
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pasha128 replies:
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Should good old Twitter Pete have been charged with treason?
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reluctantzealot says:
zzzzzzzzzzzz
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retm-w replies:
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Same way I feel every time a republican talks.
reluctantzealot replies:
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Went over your head didn't it?
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