Bill Clinton Strikes Back

The Nation: Former President Shoots Back At The 'Drive-By' Media

(The Nation)  "I authorized the CIA to get groups together to try to kill (bin Laden)," the former president explained. "The CIA was run by George Tenet, who President Bush gave the Medal of Freedom to and said he did a good job. The country never had a comprehensive anti-terror operation until I came to office. If you can criticize me for one thing, you can criticize me for this: After the Cole, I had battle plans drawn to go into Afghanistan, overthrow the Taliban, and launch a full scale attack/search for Bin Laden. But we needed basing rights in Uzbekistan, which we got (only) after 9/11. The CIA and the FBI refused to certify that Bin Laden was responsible while I was there. They refused to certify. So that meant I would have had to send a few hundred Special Forces in helicopters and refuel at night. Even the 9/11 Commission didn't (think we should have done) that. Now the 9/11 Commission was a political document, too? All I'm asking is if anybody wants to say I didn't do enough, you read (former National Security Advisor) Richard Clarke's book."

Wallace finally asked: "Do you think you did enough, sir?"

Clinton replied: "No, because I didn't get him."

Wallace chirped, "Right."

Clinton countered, "But at least I tried. That's the difference in me and some, including all the right-wingers who are attacking me now. They ridiculed me for trying. They had eight months to try and they didn't. I tried. So I tried and failed. When I failed, I left a comprehensive anti-terror strategy and the best guy in the country: Dick Clarke. So you did Fox's bidding on this show. You did your nice little conservative hit job on me. But what I want to know…

Stung, Wallace was again interrupting. But Clinton held firm. "I want to know how many people in the Bush administration you've asked this question of. I want to know how many people in the Bush administration you asked ‘Why didn't you do anything about the Cole?' I want to know how many you asked ‘Why did you fire Dick Clarke?' I want to know…"

"We ask plenty of questions of…" sputtered Wallace.

"Tell the truth…" Clinton shot back, before revealing that he had Wallace's number.

"You set this meeting up because you were going to get a lot of criticism from your viewers because (Fox owner) Rupert Murdoch is going to get a lot of criticism from your viewers for supporting my work on Climate Change. And you came here under false pretenses and said that you'd spend half the time talking about (climate change). You said you'd spend half the time talking about what we did out there to raise $7 billion plus over three days from 215 different commitments. And you don't care."

Truer words have rarely been spoken on a nationally-televised "news" program.

When a beaten Wallace tried to cover for himself "... all I can say is, I'm asking you in good faith because it's on people's minds, sir. And I wasn't..." – Clinton nailed him: "There's a reason it's on people's minds. That's the point I'm trying to make. There's a reason it's on people's minds because they've done a serious disinformation campaign to create that impression."

Love Bill Clinton or hate him, but understand that his appearance on Fox New Sunday was one of those rare moments in recent American history when a target of our drive-by media shot back.

[ausmatt-2009]

Yes he stood up for himself, but what he said were complete lies. Clinton did not have a comprehensive strategy for Al-Qaeda and Rice is completely justified in saying "We were not left a comprehensive strategy to fight al Qaeda,". Refer to this interview with Richard Clarke in 2002, the person that Clinton on numerous occassions refers to throughout the interview. It completely contradicts every Clinton says http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,115085,00.html

[jakovo-2009]

I don't think it was a calculated reaction to Wallace. I think he (Clinton) knew he was going into hostile territory. I just think about the role of news, thier objectivity, how the 'Nation' can even be a part of the 'News opinion' team of CBS. How Fox is all about an 'agenda orientated ' spin of news. Not news. Why is there an 'opinion forum' in a straight news org? Where do we go not to hear 'spin'? Where is the news? Just the facts?

[energyecon]

What the Clinton administration left for Bushco, which they spurned...

snip

The January 25, 2001, memo, recently released to the National Security Archive by the National Security Council, bears a declassification stamp of April 7, 2004, one day prior to Rice's testimony before the 9/11 Commission on April 8, 2004. Responding to claims that she ignored the al-Qaeda threat before September 11, Rice stated in a March 22, 2004 Washington Post op-ed, "No al Qaeda plan was turned over to the new administration."

Two days after Rice's March 22 op-ed, Clarke told the 9/11 Commission, "there's a lot of debate about whether it's a plan or a strategy or a series of options -- but all of the things we recommended back in January were those things on the table in September. They were done. They were done after September 11th. They were all done. I didn't really understand why they couldn't have been done in February."

snip

Clarke asked on several occasions for early principals meetings on these issues, and was frustrated that no early meeting was scheduled. No principals committee meetings on Al Qaida were held until September 4th, 2001.

snip

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB147/index.htm

[energyecon]

BEN-VENISTE: Isn't it a fact, Dr. Rice, that the August 6 PDB warned against possible attacks in this country? And I ask you whether you recall the title of that PDB?

RICE: I believe the title was, "Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States."

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/04/08/rice.transcript/

[mjv2944]

Dubya is a definite zero and Clinton did not get the name "slick willie" for nothing. Clinton could talk a penguin into buying a refrigerator. But remember he is the ultimate politician, he know what to say, when to say it, and when to shut up. I think he ended up not being the liberals champion because of his fiscal conservatism, but at least he left a surplus which the so called conservatives pi--ed away in a hurry.

[gina32203]

Wow! Congratulations President Clinton! I so happy that you didn't allow that little WEASEL to unload on you!!

[beacheshuman]

How naive to think that any administration could do anything to halt the spread of insanity in this current world. Powers greater than any man or nation controls will prove that we are all just observers as the universal stage plays out. Relax, get through it, its going to get better and there's not a thing anyone can do about it.

[mrcodpiece]

Six years after leaving office - Conservatives continue to obsess more over Clinton's *** than they do over finding Bin Ladin.
There's something mighty Freudian about that...

[jtkeefe]

Hooray Bill! We need a lot more of the same. We cannot let the opposition say anything they want and go unchallenged.

[walt1944]

Recently, me and the wife were eating at a resturant when this elder ditz came in and sat down, striking up a conversation with the people in the booth next to her. She claimed that George Bush was able to walk on water (what else would you expect from someone who talks to God in the White House Rose Garden and gets answers!) and his mother was the sweetest thing that walked the planet. Howard Dean, on the other hand, has totally screwed things up along with all the Democrats, Liberals, and Progressives who ever walked this planet. I suppose you could throw Jesus Christ, Buddha, and Ghandi into that crowd too! I came very close to walking up to this total airhead and asking her after 5 years, why don't we have Osama Bin Laden? Why are we in Iraq? Why is the entire world ticked off at us? Now that king George has us in a big mess, can't he and Rice do something more constructive than point fingers?

[mauidave]

Mr. Clinton had disappointed many "boomers" with the Lewinski mess that tarnished his tenure. The past week has, once again, shown that he is a brilliant, persuasive man with a solid grasp of what is happening in the world.
And we still have two more years of Moe Howard in the Oval Office. God, help us!

[yankeegal2]

I bet that Chris Wallace was grateful that Slick Willy was just wagging his finger at him. Oh yeah-Chris is not a 20 year old intern, or hooker, or old lady-is there anyone Bill wouldn't nail besides Hillary? I can't even look at him without thinking of him walking around the White House with his pants around his ankles looking for his next victim. Sure he was trying to fight the war on terror-wink, wink... Although, Bin Laden does wear a dress..

[frenchie777]

John Nichols has shown his irrelevance as a journalist and CBS (Couric's Big Show) should take his salary and invest in a fact checker and get a journalist who isn't so biased. Statements like "The amen corner" and "Clinton actually worried about threats to the United States, while Bush dismissed warnings" expose Nichols as silly & uninformed. No one but John Nichols and the rest of the progressive/liberal koolaid drinkers actually believes that Clinton cared more about killing Bin Ladin especially when he never responded militarily. The Democrats (Doves) would have had heart failure and Clinton was a pacifist apeaser. If Clinton would have responded the way a real leader should have, he would have not been re-elected. As far as "Bush and the gang that couldn't shoot straight", the only people Clinton ever shot back at was Monica Lewinski & Chris Wallace

[nynative1340]

George's list:

1. Start fight with father over hitting trash can while drunk;
2. Get drunk;
3. Stay drunk for 20 years;
4. Join Texas National Guard to avoid Vietnam duty;
5. Leave Texas National Guard early to avoid completion of obligation;
6. Get drunk;
7. Start failing businesses using Daddy's friend's money;
8. Sell stocks early (Harkin business failing) and get slap on wrist from SEC for insider trading (sound familiar);
9. Get drunk;
10. Successfully run for gov of Texas so he can screw up Texas;
11. Unsuccessfully run for US President so he can screw up the US;
12. Get bailed out by brother Neal's state and right-wing supreme court and be appointed as president;
13. Plan a war with Iraq to avenge father's failings;
14. Act like a moron who can't read or speak proper English;
15. Ignore warnings that allow al Qaeda to attack US;
16. yada yada yada...

[alanrobisch]

Gee Bill clinton the honest. get real. also note he was out to defend himself and I have heard people say that nothing he said was true and I have heard that everything he said was true. Knowing bill clinton he probably shaded the truth to spin it his way very simply. this is often called lying and sometimes get advertisers in trouble but this doesn't seem to bother this disbarred president.

[rsm512]

I am so sick and tired of watching the GOP wipe the ground with the democrats and get away with it. George W Bush did not win the presidency in 2000. He Stole it. Does any body remember that his brother Jeb is the Gov of Fla. They threw out the votes of thousands. In 2004 the GOP used scare tactics to stay in office. What did Bill Clinton do while in office? He flipped the national debt into a surplus. Where is it now? Education standards were on the rise. Where are they now? How many High School Students don't graduate? The envirnoment was on the forefront and not just talk. They have been taught to lie and deceive. They are following the footsteps of 'W'. So what if he couldn't keep it in his pants. That was all the GOP had on him. The reports on the USS Cole,the US Embassey in Lebonon, and 1st Twin Towers hit all verifying Al-Quida and Bin Ladin were after Clinton left office. If it were before I believe that 9/11 would not have happened. But besides - if Clinton was president when 9/11 happened would he have waited 7 minutes to respond. If Clinton was president when Katrina happened, would it have taken 4 days for federal supplies. This nation is being ruled by self indulgent quacks that couldn't even run a major league baseball franchise! Get out and vote. Change is a must if we are to survive as a nation!

[observertrue]

Bill's List:

1. Confabulate with Monica
2. Confound Congress
3. Cuckold Hillary
4. Conspire Cover-up
5. Contrive Plausibilty
6. Contraindicate Culpability
7. Collect Contributions
8. Cancel Capitolism
9. Concoct Contrition
10. Capture Bin Laden

[drgoodwin12]

If you had read Against All Enemies then you would know Clinton considered Bin Laden and Al Queda the major priority of the U.S. in fighting the next war. He tried to take him out and got siderailed by the Republican Party for obsessing with Bin Laden and For the Lewisky affair. Now do 2 things,get out and vote and For everyone that is against Bush because he deliberately mislead us into war in Iraq,go online and contribute $10,25 or any amount of money you can afford to the Democratic Party and do so before the elections.There are good republican senators like Specter and Warner however in order for this country to change course we have to change it's leadership first.It's crunch time for the elections and in order to restore this country we need new leadership in the house and senate.

[tejasdemo]

I was completely inspired too ! It was beautiful to watch.

[tejasdemo]

Bill Clinton is the man ! He is the main man. Republicans are just a bunch of crooks and liars. They have nothing at all to say except to constantly try to pin the crime on somebody else. It is time the news media in this country got their balls back.