Transcript: Counterterror Experts Debate Clinton Claims on 'FNS'

Fox News ^ | October 1, 2006 | Fox News

[windchime]

The following is a partial transcript of the Oct. 1, 2006, edition of "FOX News Sunday With Chris Wallace":

"FOX NEWS SUNDAY" HOST CHRIS WALLACE: Bill Clinton said a lot of things in our interview last week. How much of it was true? Well, we've assembled a panel of experts to discuss just that: Daniel Benjamin, a counterterrorism expert for the Clinton National Security Council; Michael Scheuer, who ran the CIA unit that hunted Usama bin Laden; and Lawrence Wright, author of a behind-the-scenes new book on the run-up to 9/11 called "The Looming Tower."

We should note we invited Richard Clarke, the counterterrorism expert President Clinton mentioned last week, but he declined.

[windchime]

SCHEUER: Mr. Wallace, my opinion is not all that important. I went to a little Jesuit school in Buffalo called Canicius, and the priests taught us never to lie, but if you had to lie, never lie about facts. Mr. Richard Clarke, Mr. Sandy Berger, President Clinton are lying about the opportunities they had to kill Usama bin Laden. That's the plain truth, the exact truth.

Men and women at the CIA risked their lives to provide occasions to kill a man we knew had declared war and had attacked America four or five times before 1998. We had plans that had been approved by the Joint Operations Command at Fort Bragg. We had opportunities, many opportunities to kill him.

But that's the president's decision. That's absolutely the case. It's not a simple, dumb bureaucrat like me; that's not my decision. It's his. But for him to get on the television and say to the American people he did all he could is a flat lie, sir.

[windchime]

'Truth Squad'

[nikos1121]

God, this is great!

[windchime]

Bush critic hits Clinton's claims about bin Laden

"Mr. Clarke, Mr. Berger, Mr. Clinton did have opportunities that were delivered by the men and women of the CIA to kill Osama bin Laden," Mr. Scheuer said. "In the first eight months of the Bush administration, there were no such opportunities."

[I still care]

I was laughing watching this.

Last week, I felt so badly for Chris, because he was used by Clinton to mobilze the kook base and seemed genuinely taken aback at Clinton's attack.

I thought, this is "journalist's revenge".

[yoe]

"...CIA had mistakenly given information that led to the bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, and then the best opportunity to get bin Laden arises right after that, and, you know, and Clinton -- and Tenet had a failure of nerve." - - which the MSM and press releases from the White House said the bombing of the Chinese Embassy was the fault of old maps. Scheuer cuts through the fog with truth but the others seem to be holding back, maybe because the wall did not allow them to share information. Condi stepped into a thicket of 'who's on first' with the FBI and CIA - whose word did you trust? She also failed to see what people like Michelle Malkin and others knew about our borders; she ignored the daily report of the thousand of illegal aliens’ crossing over - another political hot potato. President Bush's 'hail fellow well met' approach with Fox was, IMHO, smoke and mirrors because of prior agreements with the Mexican government. The ‘long term problem’ Scheuer speaks of is I assume the WOT – the problem could be shortened tremendously by silence from Kennedy, Kerry, Murtha, Durbin, Pelosi, etc. and the uniting of the American people by standing with this courageous President. It is the left that is prolonging victory in the WOT.

Wallace got the group to show that Bill Clinton's intentions put many lives on the line and about as successful as piddling up a rope.

[windchime]

IMO, Clinton 'lost it' and went well beyond any plan he might have had.

Wallace showed amazing restraint. Gut reaction to being poked by a finger like that is to strike back.

[7thson]

It is great but it will be buried because the press will lead and beat the Foley drum. No one will hear about this except political junkies - like us.

[windchime]

"The ‘long term problem’ Scheuer speaks of is I assume the WOT – the problem could be shortened tremendously by silence from Kennedy, Kerry, Murtha, Durbin, Pelosi, etc. and the uniting of the American people by standing with this courageous President. It is the left that is prolonging victory in the WOT."

Agree! I consider the left one of the fronts on the WOT.

[gotribe]

What matters is the documents that back up what I have to say or what Mr. Benjamin has to say. The 9/11 commission ignored those documents, didn't publish them to the American people, let no one involved with the effort to get bin Laden testify to the American people. This is not a question of interpretation or judgment. This is a question of fact. And the documents will show the president had the opportunity.

Anyone know the legal status of these documents? Are they available to the public, since they were given to a congressional commission? Have any been leaked?

[TomGuy]

Video

FNS Reality Check segment in response to Clinton allegations the previous week.

FNS-Clinton-Reality-Check-100106, part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywwOdVKGhK0

FNS-Clinton-Reality-Check-100106, part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFBBF3BbULA

[TomGuy]

I thought, this is "journalist's revenge".

Back in the day when newspapers were king, there was a saying that went something like this: "Never pick a fight with those who buy ink by the barrel."

Ironically, that quote has been attributed to one William J. Clinton. However, it predates him by many decades.

The principle would apply to broadcast media, as well. It was curious, I thought, that when the actual BJ interview was broadcast, BJ was visiting a 'friendlier' nation. He was in Britain, I believe.

[PGalt]

Thanks for posting. Thanks to Chris Wallace.

[Beckwith]

I thought Scheuer was going to come out of his seat.

What I thought was really interesting was the background of Clinton's mouthpiece. A BA and MA, he was a journalist before becoming a member of Clinton's National Security Council.

Clinton placed a propagandist on the council rather than an expert on national security.

[rawcatslyentist]

Even liars like the Toon sometimes tell the truth, although inadvertently.

Did you catch the line where he accused Wallace of accusing him of "giving aid, and comfort to OBL, in Somalia"?

Where did that come from? Out of left field, or straight outta Freuds backside?

What did Sandy Steal? Was it documentation of a bargain/deal with OBL to move him outta Somalia? He seemed to move to Afgan shortly thereafter, and it wasn't because we were pressing him militarily!

[mewzilla]

Clinton NEVER rescinded the ban on assassination. They NEVER tried to kill Bin Laden.

[windchime]

"Anyone know the legal status of these documents? Are they available to the public, since they were given to a congressional commission? Have any been leaked?"

Good questions!

[windchime]

Wonderful! Thank you.

[windchime]

You're welcome! Make sure you note TomGuy's post #11.

[poncho67]

"IMO, Clinton 'lost it' and went well beyond any plan he might have had"

I think we just saw first hand another example of that side of his personality, after numerous glances this is really only the second time he's done that (the other, of course, being "I never had sex with that woman...".

In both cases, the first sign this is coming is when he starts wagging the finger and his voice rising. Only Hillary can do it better!

[windchime]

"Clinton placed a propagandist on the council rather than an expert on national security."

I missed that. Thanks!

[TomGuy]

Clinton NEVER rescinded the ban on assassination. They NEVER tried to kill Bin Laden.

In his excuses tour shortly after 911, Clinton was claiming that that law prohibited him from directly targeting OBL. Clinton is trying to have things both ways --- he couldn't go after OBL when that was deemed unpopular, but he did go after OBL when it was deemed popular.

Clinton still spins based on the populist currents and polls.

[Howlin]

I was laughing right with you! It was swell!

[Howlin]

I thought Scheuer was going to HIT that Clinton guy.

At least that is what I was hoping!

[windchime]

"Did you catch the line where he accused Wallace of accusing him of "giving aid, and comfort to OBL, in Somalia"?

Where did that come from? Out of left field, or straight outta Freuds backside?"

 

There are interesting posts and comments within these threads:

Clinton's Kosovo Whopper
Accuracy in Media ^ | September 27, 2006 | Cliff Kincaid

The Final Clinton Gift ? Give us Osama in 30 days, or.?..Dec.20, 2000 (title-mine) New York Times + ^ | Originally published Dec. 20, 2000 | Barbara Crossette and various    Posted on 09/20/2001 6:15:16 PM EDT by Ragtime Cowgirl

[windchime]

"They NEVER tried to kill Bin Laden."


And Scheuer confirms that.

[Howlin]

Oh, this leaves out the absolute BEST PART!

At the end, when Wallace was talking to the panel, he said that the response was NOT PLANNED, that the entire time Clinton was going off his "handlers" were jabbing Wallace's producer in the back, telling him to STOP the interivew.

And he said not only did Clinton yell and scream at his "handlers" when the show was over, he actually threatned to FIRE THEM ALL!

Thanks for posting this, windchime!


***PING FOR REFERENCE!!!!

(If you missed it, watch the video in #11!!)

[windchime]

"In both cases, the first sign this is coming is when he starts wagging the finger....."


The finger wagging is a characteristic he has in common with the jihadis. Maybe it's a control or authority thing...haven't researched it.

[Jackknife]

I am afraid you're right.

[Peach]

At the end, when Wallace was talking to the panel, he said that the response was NOT PLANNED, that the entire time Clinton was going off his "handlers" were jabbing Wallace's producer in the back, telling him to STOP the interivew.

And he said not only did Clinton yell and scream at his "handlers" when the show was over, he actually threatned to FIRE THEM ALL!

I didn't know that! OMG

[windchime]

You're welcome! Thought it might come in handy for your 'stash'. ;)

[verity]

More proof that the Clintons cannot be trusted.

[Howlin]

Watch the video in #11! The words "pistol whipped" come to mind!

[Howlin]

I was hoping somebody would post this.

It has to be SEEN to be believed!

[windchime]

"It has to be SEEN to be believed!"

And it makes it SO much easier to analyze the comments. Interesting that Richard Clark declined to participate.

[daybreakcoming]

Clinton NEVER rescinded the ban on assassination. They NEVER tried to kill Bin Laden.

Thank you. I was more shocked by clinton's words on trying to KILL bin laden than anything else. Was he admitting to a conspiracy to murder someone? Not that I would have minded in this particular case but why has no one called him on this statement that he made more than once with Chris?

[windchime]

Speaking of KILL, this clip is one of the funniest ever!

Brit's Santa Clinton Clip

[ClaireSolt]

I didn't know this, though I have heard Sheurer say he quit the CIA and wrote his book to get the story out. He objects to the blaming of the intelligence community which he says did their job and delivered Bin Laden.

What I love is Wright saying that Bin Laden was broke when he went to Afghanistan but sold unexploded cruise missiles to China and Pakistan who re engineered them.

What is truly amazing is that the diplomacy crowd who scream that everybody hats us now did not have good relations with countries like Pakistan and Bush does. I am certain Bush could confidentially tip anyone in the Middle East without Bin Laden knowing. Go figure.

[sam_paine]

"Never pick a fight with those who buy ink by the barrel."

This still applies. But only to Bush. As far as they're concerned, Bush picked a fight with them on everything from Kyoto to ABM to taxes, and he's got the resultant deluge of bad ink.

[The Great RJ]

Clinton lied and people died.

[windchime]

"Clinton lied and people died."

I think that's why the left has been so determined to attach the liar label to President Bush.

[daybreakcoming]

That is the BEST! Wasn't the kid great?
Thanks for the link.

[Excellence]

Get back to this ping

[AmericaUnite]

Bump.

[NordP]

That's a GREAT tagline!

I consider the left one of the fronts on the WOT.

[kitkat]

***Interesting that Richard Clark declined to participate.***

Yes, especially because he's pushing his book and wants all the publicity he can get. VERY strange that he didn't jump at this chance.

[kitkat]

Thanks for the ping.

[STARWISE]

Thanks for posting those .. I missed the show yesterday. They're really revealing. I think Schuer was probably so heated afterward, he wanted to punch someone. He should only have the good fortune of being face to face with Bubba someday.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

It seems to me that the "mistaken" bombing of the Chinese embassy infers they thought bin Laden was in that embassy. That implies they thought China was aiding bin Laden. Your thoughts?

[Mo1]

Yea I caught that one yesterday ... Clinton sure does have a temper that is easily triggered

Also .. this part of Clinton's interview that I keep shaking my head at

So I tried and failed. When I failed, I left a comprehensive anti-terror strategy and the best guy in the country, Dick Clarke, who got demoted

We know differently .. but even if he gave them a plan .. why would anyone use a plan that he admits he failed at?