> Well it's common knowledge that the person he's talking about was a senior member of Bush's cabinet when the war on Iraq in 2003 was launched
Can something be "common knowledge" and still be false?
While the person involved later became a senior cabinet member as Secretary of State, at the time the war in Iraq was launched, Rice was not only not a "senior member of Bush's cabinet", but she wasn't a member of the cabinet at all.
At that time, she was Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (popularly, "National Security Advisor"), a position that is a member of the National Security Council, but not the cabinet.
Can something be "common knowledge" and still be false?
While the person involved later became a senior cabinet member as Secretary of State, at the time the war in Iraq was launched, Rice was not only not a "senior member of Bush's cabinet", but she wasn't a member of the cabinet at all.
At that time, she was Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (popularly, "National Security Advisor"), a position that is a member of the National Security Council, but not the cabinet.