CLARKE PRAISES BUSH IN RESIGNATION LETTER! (Dems blow it again)

Associated Press ^ | JENNIFER LOVEN

[Pukin Dog]

WASHINGTON - The White House, seeking to cool criticism from a former top anti-terror adviser, said Tuesday that Richard Clarke's resignation letter praised President Bush's "courage, determination, calm and leadership" on Sept. 11, 2001.

"It has been an enormous privilege to serve you these last 24 months," said the Jan. 20, 2003, letter from Clarke to Bush. "I will always remember the courage, determination, calm, and leadership you demonstrated on September 11th."

The letter was stamped "the president has seen" the next day.

Clarke, who left the Bush administration in March 2003 after 30 years in government service and 11 years at the White House, has written a book in which he criticizes the president and his administration for ignoring repeated warnings about al-Qaida before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and acting ineffectively afterward, primarily because of a preoccupation with Iraq (news - web sites).

On Monday, the day Clarke's "Against All Enemies: Inside America's War on Terror" hit stores and the day after he promoted it in an interview with CBS' "60 Minutes," the White House went to great lengths to dismiss Clarke's accusations. Administration officials, including Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites), appeared on television and radio to argue that Clarke was inaccurate, politically motivated, disgruntled over bureaucratic changes that reduced his influence, merely trying to sell books — or all four at once.

That White House campaign continued Tuesday with the release of Clarke's letter announcing his intention to step down.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan suggested Clarke's praise belies his later criticism of Bush's handling of the crisis.

"At this time period, when he was leaving, there was no mention of the grave concerns he claims to have had about the direction of the war on terrorism, or what we were doing to confront the threat posed by Iraq, by the former regime," McClellan said.

But the letter contains no praise of Bush's anti-terror actions before or after the attacks — only on the day of. Clarke does commend Bush for his "intuitive understanding" of the importance of cybersecurity.

Clarke's job as the White House's counterterrorism chief was split in two early in the Bush White House, with Clarke put in charge of cybersecurity and others brought in for the anti-terror role.

"You had prescience in creating the position of Special Adviser to the President for Cyberspace Security and I urge you to maintain that role in the White House," Clarke wrote.

Also, even though the White House argued that Clarke's memoir was released to do the maximum political damage to Bush in a presidential election year, McClellan would not say when the required national security review of the book was completed, allowing its publication to proceed. Publications by administration officials are routinely vetted to make sure that nothing is released that compromises classified information or national security.

[AmishDude]

Post #69 puts succinctly why this is such a hullabaloo.

[RoseofTexas]

Yep, it's a bombshell! BUT, the media lib whores are NOT giving to give letter by the WH to much coverage! Has ABCNBCBS covered the letter yet? Hmmmm...didn't think so! Damn clymers!

[observer5]

"The White House, seeking to cool criticism..."

AP speak... haha so obvious

[ProudGOP]

Picture those idiots holding Clarke's book during the hearings today. Picture them pissed off right about now.

Maybe you're right. But in the last 10 years, Democrats have done and said a lot of things more idiotic than that and it never phased them before.

[Mo1]

You are right he did .. but then went on to agree with Kerrey

[Right_in_Virginia]

I just think the media is going to explain this letter away and continue to attack.

Of course the media will continue to attack. ~~~ But, my friend, America IS more than the media's attacks.

And, thank God for that.

[patj]

He actually liked Bush before he didn't like Bush.

Now that's funny. Original and topical.

[BlessedBeGod]

ROFL!

[Army Air Corps]

Our campus bookstore removed the Franken and Moore books from the "campus bestseller" rack (they were on sale for 30% off). In their place, the bookstore has Sean Hannity's lastest book as well as some other "right thinking" persons. The battle on campus continues...

[Nachum]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Shepster]

I saw that too. He takes everything this loser Clarke says as Gospel. But I think Chris knows that it's crap. His show infuriates me. What a "Clymer" Matthews is.

[RoseofTexas]

OOOps...me bad! NOT giving to give letter by the WH to much coverage! Should read: NOT going to give the WH letter to much coverage!

:)

[prognostigaator]

a likely possibility.....
just what did turn the careerists head?

[rwfromkansas]

I saw this on one of the evening news programs (I think CBS). I was pleasantly surprised by the balance of their coverage; they showed several times when Clinton missed OBL, for instance (and said Clinton administration several times).

[NYC Republican]

I hate this BIATCH on O'Reilly - she's blaming Bush for 911. What a C***!!! (sorry for the language)...

[NYC Republican]

I also DESPISE Whoopie Goldberg, who's a disgraceful moron who hasn't been funny since the 70s (only 1 movie). Always attacking Bush and the GOP. Can't wait for this lousy sitcom to end.

[MeekOneGOP]

LOL!!

Someone left Clarke's cake out in the rain,
I don't think that he can fake it,
For it took so long to half-bake it,
and he'll never have the semblance of a brain.

And, Dick, Condi thinks you're a twinkie, too, Dude.

[NYC Republican]

I hate this BIATCH on O'Reilly - she's blaming Bush for 911. What a C***!!! (sorry for the language)...

[Alberta's Child]

I wonder if democrats went to Clarke and are paying him for this attack book.

Based on what has transpired over the last 48 hours, I'd say it looks more like Karl Rove is paying a bunch of morons to go and work for the Kerry campaign.