WASHINGTON, March 24, 2008

CBS News Video Contradicts Clinton's Story

CBS' Sharyl Attkisson Was On Bosnia Trip - And Got A Warm, Sniper-Free Welcome; Clinton Says She "Misspoke"

  • Play CBS Video Video Clinton Embellishes Past

    Hillary Clinton greatly misstated an experience in Bosnia that has opened the door for her foreign policy experience to be scrutinized. Sharyl Attkisson reports.

  • Video Clinton Does Damage Control

    Hillary Clinton is back on the campaign trail hoping to do a little damage control. She says some of her recollections about a trip to Bosnia were "misstatements." Susan Roberts reports.

  • CBS News' Sharyl Attkisson speaks to then-First Lady Hillary Clinton on a military flight to Bosnia in 1996. Photo

    CBS News' Sharyl Attkisson speaks to then-First Lady Hillary Clinton on a military flight to Bosnia in 1996.  (White House Photo)

  • Photo Essay Hillary Clinton

    A look at a life and career full of firsts.

  • Interactive The Money Race

    See the latest campaign finance tallies from Obama and McCain.

(CBS/AP)  It was supposed to be an example of Hillary Rodham Clinton's battle-tested experience:

"I remember landing under sniper fire," Clinton said at a recent campaign event.

It started when, in a recent speech, Clinton spoke of her visit to Tuzla, Bosnia, in 1996 as first lady.

The brutal war was over, but hostilities continued. And though the trip was exactly 12 years ago Tuesday, the memories seemed etched in Clinton's mind.

"There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base," she said.

Watch Clinton's Remarks
Problem is: that's not how it happened at all. And we should know: CBS News investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson and a CBS News crew accompanied the First Lady on that Bosnia trip.

A photograph shows Clinton talking to Attkisson on the military flight into Tuzla.

And pictures CBS News recorded show the greeting ceremony when the plane landed.

Couric & Co.: Read Attkisson's Full Account Of The Clinton Bosnia Trip
Watch Attkisson's Original Report
Compare that to Clinton's account...

"I remember landing under sniper fire," she said. "There was no greeting ceremony and we were basically told to run to our cars. That is what happened."

But there was no sniper fire either when Clinton visited two army outposts, where she posed for photos. And no sniper fire back at the base, where she sang in a USO show starring Sinbad and Sheryl Crowe.

Asked about the issue during a meeting with the Philadelphia Daily News' editorial board on Monday, Clinton said she "misspoke."

"I went to 80 countries, you know. I gave contemporaneous accounts, I wrote about a lot of this in my book. You know, I think that, a minor blip, you know, if I said something that, you know, I say a lot of things - millions of words a day - so if I misspoke, that was just a misstatement," she said.

A spokesman for rival Barack Obama's campaign questioned whether Clinton misspoke, saying her comments came in what appeared to be prepared remarks for the Iraq speech. His campaign's statement included a link to the speech on Clinton's campaign Web site with her account of running to the cars.

Quote

I say a lot of things - millions of words a day - so if I misspoke, that was just a misstatement.

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Clinton's campaign said what is on the Web site is not the prepared text, but a transcript of her remarks, including comments before the speech in which she talked about the trip to Bosnia.

Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor said in a written statement that Clinton's Bosnia story "joins a growing list of instances in which Senator Clinton has exaggerated her role in foreign and domestic policymaking."

Referring to the CBS News video, Clinton aides said Monday, it "was not quite as dramatic as Clinton put it."

"She meant that there was fire on the hillside around the area when we landed, which was the case," said Clinton campaign aide Lissa Muscatine.

Mike Allen of Politico.com said: "Who knows if she misremembered, misspoke, exaggerated, whatever. It makes the case for Sen. Obama that all this experience that she's been talking about is at least partly in her imagination."

Hundreds of thousands have viewed the video online in just the past few days.

There's a saying: Never let your memories be greater than your dreams.

When you're running for president, maybe it should be: never let your memories be greater than the video.

© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Add a Comment See all 1043 Comments
by mabs0 March 24, 2008 7:06 PM PDT
Glad to see the mainstream media finally catching up with the rest of the Internet community. We''ve been discussing this video for days now on blogs and YouTube but, hey, better late than never, right?
Reply to this comment
by xlib March 24, 2008 7:10 PM PDT
Ole hill lied?? The hill who said she was named for Sir Edmund Hillary BEFORE he climbed the mountain. The hill who brought peace to Ireland. The hill who babysat migrant workers children so they could work in the fields. Wow, I am soooooo shocked. Good grief people all this does is how that cbs has switched gears and is backing obama. Guess that''s what george soros wants them to do;.
Reply to this comment
by hypnotoad72 March 24, 2008 7:16 PM PDT
mbuliga - same can be said for all sorts of politicians, these days...
Reply to this comment
by mabs0 March 24, 2008 7:23 PM PDT
The thing that annoys me the most is that she claims to have ''misspoke'' on the issue. Misspoke?! Frankly, this excuse is an insult to my intelligence. Is this what people call lying these days or is it just the Clintons being out of touch with reality? They must have gotten so used to distorting facts that lying and misspeaking is same thing to them.

=====
hypnotoad72 - true
Reply to this comment
by kmccliment March 24, 2008 7:25 PM PDT
Obama is a racially bigoted lying pos.
Reply to this comment
by jesterbelle March 24, 2008 7:25 PM PDT
I''ll hide behind a smile
and understanding eyes
and I''ll tell you things that you already know
so you can say
I really identify with you, so much
and all the time that you''re needing me
is just the time that I''m bleeding you
don''t you get it yet?
I''ll come to you like an affliction
and I''ll leave you like an addiction
you''ll never forget me
you wanna know why?
cause I''m a liar
yeah I''m a liar
I''ll rip your mind out
I''ll burn your soul
I''ll turn you into me
I''ll turn you into me
cause I''m a liar, a liar
liar, liar, liar, liar


Hills'' new campaign theme song:Liar,by Rollinsband.
Reply to this comment
by bobnjersey March 24, 2008 7:29 PM PDT
well ... the sniper version is much better than the ''uneventful landing'' w/ welcoming party version.

i vote for the sniper version ... so who gets voted off this week?
Reply to this comment
by sueb451 March 24, 2008 7:29 PM PDT
So Hillary either lied or she''s delusional. What else is new?
Reply to this comment
by mrvolleyba11 March 24, 2008 7:31 PM PDT
Hillary calls it "Miss Spoke", Bill calls it Miss Lewinski (or not ***)!
Reply to this comment
by jesterbelle March 24, 2008 7:32 PM PDT
Obama is a racially bigoted lying pos.


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Posted by KMCCLIMENT at 07:25 PM : Mar 24, 2008

Awww!Did da bad ol'' puddytats make the lying fratricidal maniac look bad?Couldn''t be the truth.Must be a neocon conspiracy.That''s it!Bad ol'' neocon puddytats!
Reply to this comment
by rowdytexan2 March 24, 2008 7:33 PM PDT
Hillary is a lying pos. She always has been and always will be. Hillary cares about the status of being president and nothing more.
It amazes me that so many people are willing to stand behind such a lier. She will try anything to get the nomination. When her campaign isn''''t busy slinging mud at Obama, it is looking for ways to accuse Obamas campaign of sliinging back.
She disgusts me. I have said that if Obama doesn''''t get the nomination, I won''''t vote at all. However, I think I will vote for McCain just to help keep that lying, conniving, evil, corrupt, piece of garbage Clinton out of the White House.



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Posted by mortal3 at 07:15 PM : Mar 24, 2008


Well, there was sniper fire in the hills, and they had to run for their vehicles for SOME reason. Certainly seems like a security issue to me because of sniper fire. So I don''t see a lie here.

But of course those that hate Hillary and weren''t going to vote for her in the first place, but who claim they will vote for Obama the shill racist, I guess it doesn''t make a krap anyway! Go vote for McCain, and may your relative be the first one drafted to go fight in Iran or Tibet!
Reply to this comment
by bozworth4 March 24, 2008 7:33 PM PDT
Point proven, no democrats or republicans, only politicians that would pimp their mothers for a euro!
Reply to this comment
by rohink-2009 March 24, 2008 7:33 PM PDT
Xlib

I see it the same way.
Reply to this comment
by Syndicate March 24, 2008 7:36 PM PDT
Where are the articles debunking Obama? Can we say bias? Its a good thing for FOX news or we would never have heard about Obama''s racist pastor. Or the highly offensive typical white person comment.
Reply to this comment
by jamiesmith8 March 24, 2008 7:37 PM PDT
I think it goes along with the 60 Mins special on sleep deprivation. This is so not a big deal I think. The scarier thing are theswe hillary haters -- you all need a life.
Reply to this comment
by shockinac March 24, 2008 7:39 PM PDT
Obama and Clinton supporters, let''s not be so mean to each other.
Reply to this comment
by mrvolleyba11 March 24, 2008 7:40 PM PDT
I think maybe she was thinking of what Bill was hoping for when she landed (sniper fire)! probably why he sent her there so he would''t of had to make the deal with her over Monica Lewinski! ...she supported him and now he HAS to support her!!!
Reply to this comment
by jesterbelle March 24, 2008 7:40 PM PDT
I''''ll hide behind a smile
and understanding eyes
and I''''ll tell you things that you already know
so you can say
I really identify with you, so much
and all the time that you''''re needing me
is just the time that I''''m bleeding you
don''''t you get it yet?
I''''ll come to you like an affliction
and I''''ll leave you like an addiction
you''''ll never forget me
you wanna know why?
cause I''''m a liar
yeah I''''m a liar
I''''ll rip your mind out
I''''ll burn your soul
I''''ll turn you into me
I''''ll turn you into me
cause I''''m a liar, a liar
liar, liar, liar, liar


Hills'''' new campaign theme song:Liar,by Rollinsband.
Reply to this comment
by alee25 March 24, 2008 7:42 PM PDT
So how much does each of us remember a specific day 11 years ago in excruciating detail?

So maybe she forgot the details and thought that things were worse than they actually were. Or may be she thought it was another trip.

How does that even come close to comparing Obama%u2019s

1) complete lack of foreign policy experience
2) complete denial (until forced to) of knowledge of Wright''s inflammatory and anti-American remarks and having to retract later

C''mon people, media included.

For once, put things in perspective.

Why don''t you look at Hillary''s website about the evidence pointing to her very strong and dedicated involvement in Northern Ireland?

I guess nobody is talking about that anymore because people have been standing up for Hillary and the topic is irrefutable. So now the Obamaites and media are trying to drum up some other %u201Cgotcha%u201D non-issue to write about.

What did someone say? Never underestimate the stupidity of the American public (media included).
Reply to this comment
by cbcbcbcbcb-2009 March 24, 2008 7:43 PM PDT
Writing about Hillary''s lies isn''t easy. Every time I''ve tried to finish, more articles appear.

She has lied about NAFTA, N. Ireland, Bosnia, and her plans for Iraq. These have been "vetted" - as she likes to say - by respected news media.

How long till more is made of this?

Would you buy a used car from this person? they asked that about Nixon

As Americans away from home watch this unfold, people around the world are laughing at Hillary.

Please give me another 10 minutes to finish writing the story if I can get it done without finding still more lies to write about!

Carole
www.Americans-Away-From-Home.com
Reply to this comment
by shanev137 March 24, 2008 7:44 PM PDT
She''s a legend in her own mind.
Reply to this comment
by ronenglish2 March 24, 2008 7:44 PM PDT
I personally served in Bosnia Herzegovina as a Military Intelligent Agent who was responsible for the safety and intelligence of her trip to Tuzla Airbase along with my team members.

So here is the facts, my team was monitoring all of the airspace and ground activity and there was no sniper fire during, before or after her visit to Tuzla Airbase. If so, her plane would not have been permitted to land.

She came to our base and meets with officials, then took a Helicopter ride to another base to meet soldiers not located at Tuzla Airbase. She then returned to Tuzla where I had the honor to personally meet with Hillary and Chelsea and introduce her to my team, before they left to head back to other parts of Europe.

My team was responsible to monitor the security of all governmental officials and their guest during their visit within the Tuzla region. During the year my team and I briefed the President of the United States, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and the Secretary of Commerce during the year of 1996 (and supported all efforts related to the loss of our Secretary of Commerce and his plane crash).

The truth, Senator Clinton and her daughter flew into the region and meet with Senior Members of the Military, military soldiers and the Bosnian Government. As I stated before, there was no sniper fire during her visit.
Reply to this comment
by cbcbcbcbcb-2009 March 24, 2008 7:44 PM PDT
Writing about Hillary''s lies isn''t easy. Every time I''ve tried to finish, more articles appear.

She has lied about NAFTA, N. Ireland, Bosnia, and her plans for Iraq. These have been "vetted" - as she likes to say - by respected news media.

How long till more is made of this?

Would you buy a used car from this person? they asked that about Nixon

As Americans away from home watch this unfold, people around the world are laughing at Hillary.

Please give me another 10 minutes to finish writing the story if I can get it done without finding still more lies to write about!

Carole
www.Americans-Away-From-Home.com
Reply to this comment
by Marie Zarankevich March 24, 2008 7:48 PM PDT
Perhaps she was remembering what she felt about the gunfire she could hear happening. People do that, you know.
Reply to this comment
by forthepeopl1 March 24, 2008 7:51 PM PDT
THIS LIEING PIGLIT, PLEASE AMERICA GET A BRAIN..
Reply to this comment
by rowdytexan2 March 24, 2008 7:52 PM PDT
If you''re going to vote for a lying racist shill I guess your vote doesn''t mean a GD thing anyway.

You''d rather have a racist incompetent in your White House pretty much proves up your values.

Sorry, Hillary looks a whole lot better than some street punk trying to manipulate your guilt complex for a vote.

By sitting in that church nodding his head at Rev. Wright''''s trash talk against white America, is racism. Pure and simple. Every GOD D/A/M/N one of them in that church listening, jumping up and hollering, "Praise Jesus!" at the same time.



Reply to this comment
by gkc99 March 24, 2008 7:53 PM PDT
So Hilly made it up--just like McCain made it up about being a war hero.
Reply to this comment
by donbl1 March 24, 2008 7:56 PM PDT
Isn''t it something how historical videos just show truth.

One limps off an airplane after 6 years in enemy prison and salutes the flag.

The other gets flowers and big times it for the folks living a nightmare and makes up stories of bravery later.
Reply to this comment
by cbsblogger March 24, 2008 7:56 PM PDT
The Democratic National Committee knows that they are between a rock and a hard place. The AIPACers and big money donors that control the Party, and who are vastly over represented as super delegates such as Corzine and Rendell, etc want Hillary elected. They consider her as fully vetted as one of them.

Yet the majority of America and of Democrats want change and populism. I''m not sure if I support Obama, but I know I don''t support Hillary and another Marc Rich pardoner in the Whitehouse.
Reply to this comment
by jesterbelle March 24, 2008 7:59 PM PDT
By sitting in that church nodding his head at Rev. Wright''''''''s trash talk against white America, is racism. Pure and simple. Every GOD D/A/M/N one of them in that church listening, jumping up and hollering, "Praise Jesus!" at the same time.






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Posted by RowdyTexan2 at 07:52 PM : Mar 24, 2008

Yeah,but Hill''s a liar.
Reply to this comment
by jedi08 March 24, 2008 8:00 PM PDT
Hillary is a fraud and a failure. If simply being in the oval office qualifies you for commander and cheif, we should all be voting for Monica.

Rowdytexan2, you sound like a moron. Which means you fit right into Hill''s demographic, the least educated (Duuuu her last name is Clinton, that must be good) or 80 year old women
Reply to this comment
by jesterbelle March 24, 2008 8:01 PM PDT
Isn''''t it something how historical videos just show truth.

One limps off an airplane after 6 years in enemy prison and salutes the flag.

The other gets flowers and big times it for the folks living a nightmare and makes up stories of bravery later.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by donbl1 at 07:56 PM : Mar 24, 2008

Film too!Did you see the old footage McHochimin singin like a canary to the NVA?
Reply to this comment
by donbl1 March 24, 2008 8:02 PM PDT
Jester, look at his arms. He is a better man than I am.........
Reply to this comment
by jesterbelle March 24, 2008 8:05 PM PDT
Jester, look at his arms. He is a better man than I am.........


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Posted by donbl1 at 08:02 PM : Mar 24, 2008

Just reminding you that you live in a glas house.
Reply to this comment
by donbl1 March 24, 2008 8:07 PM PDT
Jester, BTW, read that the North Texas area has shortage of your skills. Reported by Dallas Fed....
Reply to this comment
by b-easy63 March 24, 2008 8:09 PM PDT
In a stunning defense of Hilary Clinton today...President Bush just wanted to add: That he misspoke about the war in Iraq 935 times and misspeaking is not really a big deal. He''d like us to stay tuned for later this month when he will again misspeak about the economy, where the missing emails are, and why the surge is still working despite the dramatic increase in deaths in Iraq.

He would point out that he and Hillary are actually 2 of a kind, and his and her misspeaking is what has put the country in exactly the great position it is today. He knows Hilary will keep misspeaking to keep up his good work, once he is no longer in office to misspeak or cherry pick for himself. Thank you and goodnight. LMAO
Reply to this comment
by donbl1 March 24, 2008 8:11 PM PDT
b-easy, I do not really blame her for stretching a yarn. However, for not knowing there would be video and truth coming out is not a good sign of judgement.

BTW, Hillary agreed with W about Saddam as she said the intelligence was the same as when Bubba was President.
Reply to this comment
by hgabrahamson March 24, 2008 8:12 PM PDT
The beast is ready to lie on Day One!
Reply to this comment
by rowdytexan2 March 24, 2008 8:14 PM PDT
BTW, Hillary agreed with W about Saddam as she said the intelligence was the same as when Bubba was President.


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Posted by donbl1 at 08:11 PM : Mar 24, 2008

Yeah and the Poppa Bush influenced intelligence was swilling this ***** for years!
Reply to this comment
by hgabrahamson March 24, 2008 8:14 PM PDT
Ready to lie on Day One.
Reply to this comment
by facts6 March 24, 2008 8:15 PM PDT
When people form the habit of lying it becomes their reality. Recall when Bill''s adultery was created by a "vast right-wing conspiracy?"

What a choice the party has brought us to: a fantasy world betrayed wife and a candidate whose wife would be a diplomatic liability. Yuck!
Reply to this comment
by donbl1 March 24, 2008 8:15 PM PDT
Rowdy, papa bush had not had that job for 20 years. I think his influence had waned.....
Reply to this comment
by b-easy63 March 24, 2008 8:17 PM PDT
b-easy, I do not really blame her for stretching a yarn. However, for not knowing there would be video and truth coming out is not a good sign of judgement.

BTW, Hillary agreed with W about Saddam as she said the intelligence was the same as when Bubba was President.

Posted by donbl1 at 08:11 PM : Mar 24, 2008


LOL. I agree. the first time, she said it might have been "misspeaking" but when she was challenged on it with the press stating what Sinbad said about there being no sniper fire or tense moments and she repeated her lie, replete with ducked heads running to the cars and no greeting ceremony--you have to wonder if she is operating on full cylinders. After all, like Bush denying saying "stay the course" surely she knew that video existed and eventually it would be trotted out and blasted all over you tube and the tv as people made the case of her being a liar? She should have known and immediately corrected herself. She gave those speeches a few weeks ago and only now is she or her team trying to say she misspoke. Call it like it is--not a yarn stretch or a misspeak. By now, it''s just a full fledged lie or as the Washington post stated, worth 4 Pinocchios. LOL
Reply to this comment
by donbl1 March 24, 2008 8:17 PM PDT
Here we are: 3 choices left and one will be gone before we really get to choose.

Do we really get to choose our President or is it the super delegates, backroom brokers and focus group spin meisters?
Reply to this comment
by rowdytexan2 March 24, 2008 8:18 PM PDT
When people form the habit of lying it becomes their reality. Recall when Bill''''s adultery was created by a "vast right-wing conspiracy?"

What a choice the party has brought us to: a fantasy world betrayed wife and a candidate whose wife would be a diplomatic liability. Yuck!


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Posted by facts6 at 08:15 PM : Mar 24, 2008

Was it your Obama dream team vote that helped eliminate all the other good candidates?

My state didn''t get to vote until there were only two people left on the ballot!
Reply to this comment
by jesterbelle March 24, 2008 8:18 PM PDT
You let your hate HIllary bull ***** overide any good thinking! She''''s a lot of things, but you spin every time she wiggles her finger into some kind of nazi issue! And since there are millions who see beyond that trash, you still think you''''re right.

I told you hotrod,it''s not Hillary,it''s Bill.She lost me before she ever got started because of what he did,and I''m not talking about some stupidass *** scandal.You know why,I''ve told you before.Both of them are republicans that hide behind the name democrat.They are both "oneworlders".Why the hell do you think he went to work for the United Nations?It was because he''d done such a good job of selling us down the river,and laying the groundwork for the demise of the constitution.
Reply to this comment
by rowdytexan2 March 24, 2008 8:19 PM PDT
Rowdy, papa bush had not had that job for 20 years. I think his influence had waned.....


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Posted by donbl1 at 08:15 PM : Mar 24, 2008

Oh, I think you need to go count years again, Sir. Mr. Clinton inherited the his GD mess in the first place!
Reply to this comment
by truthspeake2 March 24, 2008 8:21 PM PDT
Now who''s telling a "fairy tale" ???

LOL
Reply to this comment
by jockh March 24, 2008 8:21 PM PDT
HILLARY TAKES THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO BE FOOLS

I for one am sick of Hillary Clintons lies, she will say anything to win the nomination.

She also strenuously denied that she was pro NAFTA and beat Obama over the head with it time and time again in the run up to the Ohio primary. Now that the White House schedules have been released, they reveal that she held several high profile meetings to endorse NAFTA.
Reply to this comment
by donbl1 March 24, 2008 8:22 PM PDT
Rowdy, let me see,,,,, Papa Bush had the job, then he was Vp for 8 and Pres for 4 and then Clinton for 8 before "W" took over..... I think that adds to 20......
Reply to this comment
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