Clinton defends himself in Fox interview

[cavanami]

Slick Willy...is his mouh moving...then he is lying!

Just another "professionsal" politician that has never ever worked in the real world!!!

I bet he doesn't even have a driver's license, at least one that he had to earn!!!

Yes, I do not like him

 

Slick Willy

 

NEW YORK - In a combative interview on "Fox News Sunday," former

President Clinton defended his handling of the threat posed by

Osama bin Laden, saying he tried to have bin Laden killed and was attacked for his efforts by the same people who now criticize him for not doing enough.

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"That's the difference in me and some, including all of the right-wingers who are attacking me now," Clinton said in the interview. "They ridiculed me for trying. They had eight months to try, they did not try."

 

Clinton accused host Chris Wallace of a "conservative hit job" and asked: "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 people you asked, 'Why did you fire Dick Clarke?'"

 

He was referring to the

USS Cole, attacked by terrorists in Yemen in 2000, and former White House anti-terrorism chief Richard A. Clarke.

 

Wallace said Sunday he was surprised by Clinton's "conspiratorial view" of "a very non-confrontational question, 'Did you do enough to connect the dots and go after Al Qaida?'"

 

"All I did was ask him a question, and I think it was a legitimate news question. I was surprised that he would conjure up that this was a hit job," Wallace said in a telephone interview.

 

Clinton said he "worked hard" to try to kill bin Laden.

 

"We contracted with people to kill him. I got closer to killing him than anybody's gotten since," he said.

 

He told Wallace, "And you got that little smirk on your face and you think you're so clever, but I had responsibility for trying to protect this country. I tried and I failed to get bin Laden. I regret it, but I did try and I did everything I thought I responsibly could."

 

The interview was taped Friday during Clinton's three-day Global Initiative conference.

 

On NBC's "Meet the Press," also taped Friday and aired Sunday, Clinton told interviewer Tim Russert that the biggest problem confronting the world today is "the illusion that our differences matter more than our common humanity."

 

"That's what's driving the terrorism," he said. "It's not just that there's an unresolved Arab-Israeli conflict. Osama Bin Laden and Dr. al-Zawahiri can convince young Sunni Arab men, who have â?? and some women â?? who have despairing conditions in their lives, that they get a one-way ticket to heaven in a hurry if they kill a lot of innocent people who don't share their reality."

[..]

Shamlessly lifted from Digby, but why rewrite something for a silly message board if you agree 100% (and give the author credit?).

 

Yup, I am a BIG Clinton fan. Best Prez by far in my lifetime (unless you count Kennedy, but I was only alive for a year of his term, so I'm not).

 

Cheers,

SD

 

+++++++++++++++

 

I read the transcript but nothing prepared me for the passion and intelligence shown by President Clinton as he makes mincemeat of Chris Wallace. It really must be seen.

 

More importantly, it must be carefully studied by the leadership of the Democratic Party. This is exactly how to respond to the right wing's attempt to load the questions and manipulate the debate to their advantage. Notice how Clinton responds immediately to the rhetorical framing of the question by challenging its honesty. Notice how he reinforces that assertion of opinion - the question is loaded, biased and cheap - by literally overwhelming Wallace with clear, detailed, assertions of fact. Wallace expected evasion and bluster. But he clearly had no idea who he was dealing with.

 

Within the space of a few minutes, Wallace realized he was in way over his head - that Clinton, this figure he's held in contempt, knew far more about the subject of his responsibilities, his successes, and his failures than Wallace ever would - and that the trap Wallace had tried to spring on Clinton had totally backfired. He seemed to be all but begging Clinton to let him off the hook. But Clinton, both furious and capable of channeling that fury, toyed with him longer. By the end of the segment, Wallace looked drained, grinning inanely, and Clinton appeared as if he was just getting started.

 

Many honest folks, as opposed to rightwingers, had serious problems with the Clinton presidency - NAFTA, welfare "reform," don't ask don't tell - and I'm not sure they're wrong. But warts and all - damn, that was a helluva president and is a helluva human being. There are some great potential presidents out there - Gore, Clark, Kerry, add or subtract your own names, it doesn't matter - but it is very, very unlikely this country will see anyone as brilliant as Clinton - both intellectually and emotionally brilliant - in my lifetime.

 

Watch the video. The only thing I can compare it to is Coltrane live at the Half Note or the Ives Concord Sonata. A simply amazing treat for which we have the hapless Chris Wallace to thank almost as much as the Big Dog. Chris Wallace is surely no Elvin Jones. He's more like an insipid melody like "My Favorite Things" or "Inchworm" which a genius can turn inside out, develop and reveal a reality that the melody itself could hardly imagine it held.

[Fidel]

I watched a little of it. Well done to Clinton. I know he's a career politician, but I agree with Sua Dum when he says he's one of the best presidents the US ever had.

 

The Conservatives spent millions on a witch hunt to have him removed over a blow-job. For f**k sake! Then, Bush goes around lying, killing, cracking down on civil liberties, SPYING ON HIS OWN PEOPLE WITHOUT WARRANTS! And the Conservatives love him. Jesus.

[sekander]

Which is why I'll be leaving the U.S. just as soon as I get my inheritance. Dummies can't get their priorities straight. When a blow job is more important than a filthy war, its time to leave. Bush's approval rating is actually increasing, too. Just pitiful. They say you get the government you deserve and that means there's a lot of dumbfucks in the U.S. Doesn't look like there's any hope for America.

[the_numbers]

I was proud of slick willy too warmed my anglo heart to see him stick it to that wanker trying to pin current U.S. administration failures on his administration.

 

The man is well educated, well spoken, and was on the show to promote his initiatives to help people overseas. He raised 100 million doing it last year, and received nothing but a right wing assault about Osama Bin Laden :doah:

 

Blow Jobs vs. Civil Wars started in the Middle East, a fair bit of war crimes, human rights abuses, illegal detentions, torture in prisons, and an attempt to rewrite the Geneva Conventions.

 

Christ man the country is in need of a paradigm shift.

 

Cheers,

 

the_numbers

[Old Hippie]

You Yalies always stick together! And which secret club did you belong to? how long before you are running the country...?

 

Actually, in all seriousness, I was talking to an old German guy the other day, he compares the neo-con/ Neo nationalist ferver (fever?) to that which swept up the German people and rallied them behind the Nazi movement...as "...people just going along with the leader, not ever knowing why..."

 

I just hope we don't go that far...but frankly, the way some of these dip shits talk, we well could.

 

I am/was/maybe am/not a libertarian. I liked their concepts and policies and with a tweek here or there could have been good. I hate the way the Neo-cons took some of these policies and just bastardized them to an extreame.

 

Clinton...yes, he tried to get OBL. He even attempted a missle strike on Hussain as retaliation for a plot on GB I. More money was spent investigating Clinton than was spent investigating 911, why? The Neo cons hate Clinton, and still want to destroy him, and they were involved with using 911 to their advantage.

 

Clinton probably was the best president I have seen so far. Though, I would not down play Nixion's role in bringing down the cold war/demise of the soviet Union. Reagan gets the credit (for running up the debt to bankrupt them and us as well) but it was Nixion who set the track by acknowl edging them, and getting western influence in the door.

[cavanami]

I watched a little of it. Well done to Clinton. I know he's a career politician, but I agree with Sua Dum when he says he's one of the best presidents the US ever had.

 

The Conservatives spent millions on a witch hunt to have him removed over a blow-job. For f**k sake! Then, Bush goes around lying, killing, cracking down on civil liberties, SPYING ON HIS OWN PEOPLE WITHOUT WARRANTS! And the Conservatives love him. Jesus.

 

One of the biggest items that I dislike about Clinton, is that he lied about the BJ (and more) to the American people. He just should have said something like, "...yes, I did it and I am working things ot with my family. Sorry to the American people."

Issue over. He is seen as a "stand up guy" and the media and cons have go where to go with it.

 

Yes, I dislike Bush for all his misdeeds.

 

We need a Prez that can take the heat and do what's right...if such a person exists.

[gummigut]

Slick Willy...is his mouh moving...then he is lying!

Just another "professionsal" politician that has never ever worked in the real world!!!

I bet he doesn't even have a driver's license, at least one that he had to earn!!!

Yes, I do not like him

 

Fine. Don't like him, but attack him on TRUTHS. Not on lies.

 

Why don't you EDUCATE yourself about what the CIA and security agencies SAID of Clinton and Bush during the turnover and after the turnover. See what they said of Bush's policy BEFORE 9/11 and how Bush dismantled/ignored and let wither the anti-terrorist activities from the Clinton administration. Not partisan political shills, but life-timers who see democratic and republican administrations come and go.

 

It is truly disgusting to see ignorant American's make stupid comments when the truth is there to be read. Bush's marketing campaign that Clinton was weak on terrorism has been hugely successful at detracting from its under-emphasis and decreased funding from Bush before 9/11.

 

I truly hope you won't "stay the course" but instead educate yourself to what the truth's really are.

 

Morally reprehensible to "lie" about his sexual proclivities. Okay fine.

 

What about "lying" to bring a country to war?

 

<>

[cavanami]

Yes, in another thread, I mentioned that I do not appreciate the lies that have come out of the Bush admin.

 

For sure, I hate the lies from Slick Willy and the non-answers..."how do you define sex"?

 

In the other thread, I mention that IMO, he should have said, "...yes, I did Monica, I am working out the issues with my family. I am sorry to the American people..."

Done. Media has no where to take this issue any farther...instead, he LIED!

He was Commander-in-Chief, any low ranking person in the military would have been canned, Mr. Clinton was allowed to skate on the issues...I do not agree with that outcome.

[the_numbers]

Dude.. you've never lied about sex? In any way whatsoever? What have you never had sex?

 

Seems to be alot deceipt about where a dick goes and where everyone knows it goes in the world. How can you REALLY have a beef with Clinton over this?

 

I for one wouldn't wanna go on national tv and tell the world some thick heffer gave me a blowjob and get my family and career in a stir.

 

the_numbers