It is being referenced as a neo-classic “they said/she said.” That is, the CIA briefing to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi that did or did not reference waterboarding back in 2002. Who to believe when both have ample motivations to be less than candid? Who to believe when both are less than citadels of veracity? Who to believe when winks, nods and arched brows can communicate what note-taking doesn’t record?
So, best to ask former Florida Sen. Bob Graham, who, as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee back then, received a CIA detainee briefing in the same time frame. He says there was no mention of waterboarding – and given that there was (typically) staff present, it was, indeed, no surprise that something as sensitive as waterboarding wasn’t on the agenda, official or otherwise.
Frankly, Bob “Anal Retentive Note Taker” Graham is the most credible source on this subject. Chances are, waterboarding, per se, was never part of Pelosi’s briefing.