Kerry challenges Bush to prosecute Clarke if former anti-terrorism advisor lied - CBS

Yahoo! News ^ | 3/26/04 | AFP/Staff

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

NEW YORK (AFP) - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry challenged President George W. Bush) to prosecute former national security aide Richard Clarke if they can show that he lied about terrorism policy.

"My challenge to the Bush administration would be, if (Clarke) is not believable and they have reason to show it, then prosecute him for perjury because he is under oath, Kerry told CBS's MarketWatch.

"They have a perfect right to do that," said Kerry.

Republicans in Congress want to declassify testimony Clarke gave before Congress in 2002 that they claim is at odds with accounts critical of the administration in the aide's recently published book.

Clarke, a counter-terrorism advisor to three presidents, published a book this week entitled "Against All Enemies: Inside America's War on Terror," in which he claims the Bush administration failed to heed warnings of the September 11, 2001 attacks and then focused its attention on Saddam Hussein) rather than al-Qaeda.

He repeated the allegations under oath in testimony before a congressional committee.

The charges prompted an aggressive response from the White House, amid apparent concerns that they could undermine the president's re-election bid in November.

[Argus]

How about they also prosecute Kerry for his perjury before a Senate committee in 1971? Or has the statute of limitations run out on that pack of squalid lies?

[William McKinley]

Kerry challenges Bush to prosecute Clarke if former anti-terrorism advisor lied

Works for me.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Spoken like an @sshat who has no idea whatsoever how much he's going to regret uttering said "challenge," before all is said and done... :)

[Donna Lee Nardo]

There he goes again, playing both sides!!! Covering all bases!!!

[js1138]

Be careful what you wish for.

[CedarDave]

Wonder what Clarke thinks of that show of support by Kerry? Call their bluff, Representative Porter Goss.

[Integrityrocks]

"....has no idea whatsoever how much he's going to regret uttering said "challenge," before all is said and done...."

You are soooo right. Wow.. this guy is really taking some bad advice or else not taking good advice, but this was a REALLY stupid way of trying to work both sides of this issue. What an imbicile.

[mylife]

Newt is on with Tony Snow on fox now...He says prosecute!

Its the right thing to do but will it spin as Pubbies attacking a poor lil dem during an elevtion cycle?

Best to win the war not every battle.

I think clark is a RED Herring

[Owen]

"The have a perfect right to do so."

They? They? It's not a GOP prosecution. Perjury is a crime against the law. The people have a perfect right to do so. It would be The People vs. Richard Clarke.

[pushforbush]

Way to go Kerry, let's turn the news story into Clark's obvious perjury. If you hadn't said anything, the liberal press would have ignored the perjury and the entire issue. By the way, it is going to be Congress, specifically Porter Goss, who will request that perjury charges be brought. Bush won't have to lift a finger-----it was perjury before Congress, which Congress has the independent authority to request DOJ to prosecute on behalf of Congress. Bring it on!

[NYCVirago]

"My challenge to the Bush administration would be, if (Clarke) is not believable and they have reason to show it, then prosecute him for perjury because he is under oath, Kerry told CBS's MarketWatch.

This is an empty charge. The White House itself can't "prosecute" Clark for anything! Since Kerry touts his experience as a former prosecutor, he should know that.

[EternalHope]

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry challenged President George W. Bush) to prosecute former national security aide Richard Clarke if they can show that he lied about terrorism policy.

Looking forward to it.

[kellynla]

"Or has the statute of limitations run out on that pack of squalid lies?"
yes

And you notice that Kerry has recently backed off his claims of "mass atrocities" that were committed by American GI's in Viet Nam.

I personally called Kerry a "bald face liar" on Laura Ingraham radio show about 3 weeks ago and that same week Kerry "backed off" those slanderous remarks.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Do you think Clarke has any idea the extent to which he has been hung out to dry? I'm guessing he was promised cover for his recent allegations. Big mistake.

[William McKinley]

Oh, I agree with you that you pick and choose your battles.

But if the Democrats are asking us to do so, by all means we should. If the evidence is there, let's get the truth out.

[pushforbush]

I bet it was Clark who leaked to the press the fact that Ambassador Wilson's wife was a CIA agent!@

[Integrityrocks]

I have a sneaking suspicion that the Dems did their homework on votes for "declassifying" and must feel safe that it won't happen, therefore, can't prove perjury. I am going to hedge my bets the Bush Administration is going to find a way to make this bite them so hard they will beg for mercy.

[Lady Jag]

Clarke is a two-faced, lying butt kisser. Since Clarke was so incompetent, so is Kerry. But his challenge today also proves Kerry is stupid and suffers dementia. In other words, the penultimate Democrat.