Bush critic was passed over for top security post (Clarke)

Washington Times ^ | 3/23/04 | Joseph Curl

[kattracks]

Richard A. Clarke is a disgruntled former employee with close ties to the Kerry campaign who penned a book critical of President Bush after failing to secure a top position within the Homeland Security Department, the White House and Republican officials said yesterday.

[Texasforever]

If we have anyone on that panel with stones, this guy could be in for a couple of very uncomfortable hours testifying under OATH.

[dasboot]

OH BOY!! Can't wait for the hearings! Hope they're tellyvized!

[Diogenesis]

Mr. Clarke: "I'm not working for the Kerry campaign"

Depends on the meaning of "work" from a guy who helped al Qaeda by putting the
focus on his own nutty harebrained ideas.

[Spruce]

[jwalsh07]

Commission Members


Thomas H. Kean
Chair

Lee H. Hamilton
Vice Chair

Richard Ben-Veniste
Fred F. Fielding
Jamie S. Gorelick
Slade Gorton
Bob Kerrey
John F. Lehman
Timothy J. Roemer
James R. Thompson

Commission Staff

Philip D. Zelikow
Executive Director

Chris Kojm
Deputy Executive Director

Daniel Marcus
General Counsel

Keen and Slade Gordon are RINOS, Ben-Veniste is a shark, Hamilton is a good partisan, Kerry has lurched left in his old age but I expect although he will be critical of Bush, he will be just as critical of Clinton. The question I have is will he be critical of himself and his fellow Congress Critters who allowed the jihadists to declare war on us without an answer in 1998.

[FranklinsTower]

We'll know by the end of tomorrow whether this commission is for real, a whitewash or a political hatchet job. My bet is that it will be a combination of the last two. :^(

[Texasforever]

That list does not inspire me.

[jwalsh07]

Commissioner bios

SOme are better than others and some are strcitly partisan. Ben-Veniste is as partisan as they come.

[FranklinsTower]

It doesn't inspire me either, but having Rummy and Powell as witnesses give me reason for optimism.

[nopardons]

Correct call...this commision is worthless.

[nopardons]

And it shouldn't ! :-(

[microgood]

Note to self: If I ever become President and am not comfortable with someone like this, do not reassign, fire.

[Texasforever]

I have a strong feeling that there won't be a Clinton holdover to be found in the 2nd term. Better late than never.

[FranklinsTower]

It appears to me the plan is to try and smear Pres. Bush and Co. as much as possible so as to be able to moderate back to a fall back position of: "well there is plenty of blame to go around therefore we won't blame anybody." It sickens me to know that is what they are going to do.

As we all know here, the blame largely lies on Clinton, Clarke, Gore(FAA), Lake, and Berger. There probably are others, but those come to mind first.

[microgood]

I have a strong feeling that there won't be a Clinton holdover to be found in the 2nd term. Better late than never.

I love the man, but he learned the bitter lesson of how low they will go in their quest for power. I think he knows how to fight them now.

[nopardons]

The commission has already PROVED its self to be partisan, biased, and a BLAME BUSH attack machine.

Clinton & CO will be exonerated...even though the FACTS prove otherwise.

[GoGoMax]

"Look at the timing," Mr. McClellan said. "He is bringing this up in the heat of a presidential campaign, he has written a book, and he certainly wants to go out there and promote that book."

The book was given to the White House last fall for approval (as is law for all books written by former employees). The White House dragged its feet on the review, and that is why it came out when it did.

[kattracks]

According to this article;

Dan Bartlett, assistant to the president and head of the White House Communications Office, noted that the book was planned for release in April but moved up to yesterday after Mr. Clarke "asked our people to finish the clearance process so they could do it." "Coincidentally, he moved up his release date to coincide with his testimony before the 9/11 commission," Mr. Bartlett said.

Can you please post a source for your comment? Thanks.

[Shermy]

“Look at the timing,” Mr. McClellan said. “He is bringing this up in the heat of a presidential campaign, he has written a book, and he certainly wants to go out there and promote that book.”

Too funny.