CNN's Zahn Forwards Notion Impeachment Hurt Hunt for bin Laden(Newsweek's Fineman-Imus transcript)

Impeachment process to blame for 9-11? Interviewing impeachment manager Bob Barr, CNN's Paula Zahn on Monday night advanced the notion that "analysts...are suggesting that this impeachment was a great distraction to the country and might have slowed down any kind of progress that was being made on the hunt for Osama bin Laden." In contrast, Newsweek's Howard Fineman, appearing on Imus in the Morning, held Bill Clinton culpable for doing a "big nothing" in response to a series of terrorist attacks on his watch. Fineman pointed out how Clinton said he was worried about how "it would look like he was pursuing a wag-the-dog strategy," but Fineman contended that was his own fault "for having sacrificed his own ability to, to defend the nation because of what he did in the Oval Office."

MRC analyst Megan McCormack took down some of the conversation between Fineman, who appeared by phone, and Don Imus on MSNBC's June 22 simulcast of the Imus in the Morning radio show:

Fineman: "To me the bottom line of this whole thing is, that what we're all looking at this book now through the post-9/11 lens. And one of the things we're looking back at the Clinton administration for, fairly I think, is, you know what they did after the World Trade Center bombing in '93, after the Khobar Towers in '96, after Kenya and Tanzania, after the USS Cole, and it all adds up to, for the most part a big nothing, and Clinton himself in his book talks about how there was discussion after '98 of some kind of major retaliation of strikes involving al-Qaeda and so forth, which they were just beginning to realize was so powerful. But Clinton was told he couldn't dare do that politically, because it would look like he was pursuing a wag-the- dog strategy and he was trying to take attention away from his own problems, and that to me is the biggest reason yet, why we should, we should, why he goes down the list in history, for having sacrificed his own ability to, to defend the nation because of what he did in the Oval Office."

Fineman soon elaborated: "I haven't read the whole book, but I've read a good bit of it and when Clinton gets to controversial stuff like the draft or like Monica Lewinsky, its in such a jumbled style, and its so, its not laid out clearly, that Russert would take all of it, he would clearly kind of unscramble the assertions that Clinton's making, and the evasions that he goes through he, and would try to get the historical record straight using this document to do it, and Clinton's not about to assist anybody in doing that."

Fineman took on Clinton's hypocrisy and, in a rarity for a member of the media, noted how Clinton destroyed the reputations of others in order to protect himself: "He as he was forced to do, he admits the Gennifer Flowers thing, and basically says that Gennifer Flowers should kill her lawsuits against James Carville and George Stephanopoulos and he says that she should leave them alone. And I think there's an example of Clinton being hypocritical, where he says that his whole aim in life after he survived this alcoholic stepfather was to not want to hurt anybody. That he was always, he always wanted to make peace, he never wanted to hurt anybody. But they destroyed a lot of reputations in his, in Clinton's defense..."

Imus: "...For him to describe as his worst day having to tell his wife the truth....If that was his worst day, what was it when Vince Foster killed himself, that just a troubling day, or how was that day, how did that day go down?"

Fineman: "Well, or when many Americans were killed in the Keynan-Tanzania bombing, the Khobar bombing, or you know in the USS Cole attack and-"

Fineman: "Or when he had to order troops in and knew he was putting people in harm's way. I mean, there are lots of others. But he's, listen, this is the maddeningly self-involved Bill Clinton that we've known all along. Some of his insights in here about politics are brilliant, and he's obviously a guy with enormous capacity...I come away having read large chunks of it, not all of it, just thinking what a sad, what a sad waste it was, what a sad waste it was."

Anything but blame Clinton, he's not responsible for anyyything

Eight things I blame on Bill Clinton Or: how the Clinton magic ruined my life I got a speeding ticket and went to court last week and told the judge that it wasn't my fault, it's that damned Clinton magic. The judge, a Republican, understood, dismissed the charge, and yelled at the police officer.

As a result of my court appearance, I was late to work and told my boss I could not accept responsibility for being late. That was Clinton's fault — anyone could see that the air was filled with his magic. My boss admitted that the air was indeed filled with magic and said it was OK, not even Harry Potter could fight this.

I was elated and decided to press my luck, hoping the Clinton magic would remain there for me. I asked for a raise. But my boss, realizing I had been there six months and could be replaced by someone he wouldn't have to pay as much because they wouldn't have all that seniority, fired me.

I called the bank and told them it wasn't my fault that my checks bounced, because I had just lost my job. These things are outside my control, there's too much magic in the air. Bankers are Republicans, aren't they? They'll know what I mean. So I told them that Clinton was boiling bats' ears and spiders' legs to brew a spell that would cripple the Bush administration and lead to horrible things. Trouble is, I explained, Clinton is a novice at conjuring spells and so some of that magic is coming directly at me and making me do things I normally don't do, like bounce checks. The bank agreed, apologized for charging too much for all their fees, and said they'd straighten it all out.

That night, I was on a date with a beautiful woman. I was working my magic on her, to which she was tres receptive. Wine, great food, witty conversation. I'm kind of good looking, too, although in a unique, chubby, balding sort of way, and soon she was ripping my clothes off. Great, I thought. But then . . . oops, I couldn't perform. Too much wine? No, that's never happened before. It's that damned Clinton magic. I told her this, and she just looked at me confused. What's Clinton got to do with it? she asked and then left. Damn.

Damn that Clinton. His magic made me oversleep, so I was late to my job interview to be assistant to the assistant to the assistant manager at the 7-11. It's a very important job — its main duties are to make sure everything is done slowly so the line is always long. Turns out they hired me because I was late, which proved to them I have that something special they are always looking for in employees.

Hate my job — Clinton's fault. If Clinton hadn't made me oversleep, I never would have gotten the job. The first day there, I screwed up in a big way. I charged some people for gas they never bought, and overcharged others just because I don't know how to work the cash register. Didn't know how to do anything, actually, but customers didn't care. By the time they got to the cash register, they were all so glad the line finally moved, they'd pay anything to get out of there. So the light bulb went on in my head and I saw a way to put extra cash in my pocket.

So now I'm in jail. Clinton's fault. They say I extorted money from people in line, telling them they'd have to pay a little extra if they wanted the line to keep moving. Did I do that? I don't remember. But I know I just can't fight all the magic in the air. Damn that Clinton. I just hope I get the same judge I had earlier.

LASTLAUGH

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.