WEIRD – AT 6:18 P.M. ET:  There is a certain weirdness to the Obama administration.  Either they think they can fool us all the time, or they actually believe what they're saying. 

Earlier today we reported that Mayor Bloomberg of New York has joined the army of dissenters who believe that it is wrong to try the mastermind of 9-11 right in the heart of Manhattan, in a target-rich (for terrorists) environment.  Senator Dianne Feinstein of California and Charles Schumer of New York also joined that army today.  Feinstein is a senior Democrat regarded as one of the grown-ups of the Senate.

And what is the White House reaction?  From The New York Times:

MacDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – President Obama has not changed his view on whether the self-described mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks should face trial in New York City, a White House spokesman said today, despite fresh criticism from Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg that the proceedings should be moved from Manhattan.

“Khalid Shaikh Mohammed is a murderous thug who has admitted to some of the most heinous crimes ever committed against our country,” Bill Burton, the White House deputy press secretary, told reporters. “The president is committed to seeing that he’s brought to justice.”

Mr. Burton was responding to criticism from Mr. Bloomberg and other New York City officials that holding the terrorism trial at the federal courthouse in Lower Manhattan would be too expensive and disruptive for the city. In addition, Democratic senators like James Webb of Virginia and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas joined with the Republican Senators Lindsey Graham, John McCain and Susan Collins in writing a letter to Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. urging that the trials not be held in New York.

COMMENT:  As I said, weird.  This issue is not whether KSM should be brought to justice.  The issue is the risk to New Yorkers and the vast cost of trying him in Manhattan.  He can be tried at a secured military base.

The arrogance of the White House response is telling.  There is no real acknowledgment of the risks, or of the huge public and Congressional outcry.  The attitude is, "We're right, everyone else is wrong."  And you wonder what is so important about trying KSM in New York?  The symbolism?  We can do without it.  The 9-11 plot also involved the Pentagon, so trying the culprits at a military base would also be symbolic.

We're not conspiracy theorists here, but we wonder there's some hidden motive.  Is it possible that some in the Justice Department want KSM to have a huge media platform, the better to show the "root cause" of terrorism?  Is it possible that some in the administration would like a hung jury, or even an acquittal, based on rejection of Bush administration tactics?

There has to be some explanation here other than the official one.  There are too many thoughtful opponents, and the reasons given for the Justice Department decision are too flimsy.  This requires a Congressional probe, which Democrats will probably block.

January 28, 2010