Video: Clinton takes on Russert, says letter was no cover-up

seattlepi.com ^ | November 2, 2007 | Monica Guzman

[vietvet67]

"Breathtakingly" misleading. That's what former president Bill Clinton called a question Tim Russert asked his wife at this week's Democratic presidential candidates' debate. And boy was he mad.

"The implication was that in the last few weeks since she'd been a candidate, I had endeavored to cover up records involving her. You agree with that? That's what people thought when they heard that question," Clinton said. "Here are the facts."

He asserts the letter in question is five years old, involves Hillary only incidentally and requests that the National Archives speed up the release of certain documents, not slow it down. Read more about the controversy here.

Clinton made the comments during an appearance Friday morning on the Microsoft campus with CEO Steve Ballmer. To hear Clinton's impassioned defense in his own words, watch this video by P-I reporter Todd Bishop.

[vietvet67]

Video link in article.

Bill Clinton's letter to the archives is here: http://www.newsweek.com/id/62133

[vietvet67]

http://www.newsweek.com/id/62133

[Cinnamon]

just go away Billy “rapist” Clinton. go the away!

[VR-21]

Me thinks the man doth protest too much. The current candidate Clinton should have been able to answer the question for herself.

[highimpact]

He asserts the letter in question is five years old, involves Hillary only incidentally and requests that the National Archives speed up the release of certain documents, not slow it down.

That is clearly not what Clinton's letter to the archives requests.

I wonder if the NY Times will conduct an investigation? /s

[lilylangtree]

When the records can’t be released until 2012 plus Sandy Burglar destroying original records, something about this b*tch is being covered up.

[Publius6961]

OK Bill, what percentage of the your presidential records has been already released? and what is the reason for the minuscule amount?

How does it compare to the release of other presidential records of the last 50 years that did not demonstrably involve national security?

Covering up rapes is definitely not part of national security.

[Iwo Jima]

I guess that I had never seen Bill Clinton’s signature before. Either he signed that letter when he was quite ill or he has one of the most disturbing signatures I’ve ever seen. I’d like to know what a handwriting analyst would say about it.

[Reaganesque]

I imagine Bill been envious that Hillary has been doing all the lying to the public of late so, he felt the need to get back in the game. Can’t have Hillary hogging all the dishonesty and deceit in the family.

[Dahoser]

Why would Microsoft allow Bildo Klintoon anywhere near the place after his Justice Department made Microsoft public enemy #1?

[aroundabout]

Hillary said she will release every page of any documentation about and by her in the archives the day after John Kerry releases all his medical records.

[pookie18]

http://sweetness-light.com/archive/hillarys-various-lies-about-her-library-papers

[vietvet67]

Check out his dodge here: http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/microsoft/archives/124947.asp

[alicewonders]

I guess that I had never seen Bill Clinton’s signature before. Either he signed that letter when he was quite ill or he has one of the most disturbing signatures I’ve ever seen. I’d like to know what a handwriting analyst would say about it.

Yikes! I went to look after reading your post - no kidding!

[EQAndyBuzz]

“He asserts the letter in question is five years old, involves Hillary only incidentally and requests that the National Archives speed up the release of certain documents, not slow it down. Read more about the controversy here. “

So nothing has been done in 5 years? And no one asked that question?

[Iwo Jima]

The letter is dated November 6, 2002. Had he had his heart trouble by then?

[vietvet67]

Good stuff especially: CNN’s Jack Cafferty: “[W]hen Clinton was asked why she wouldn’t release her White House records from the time she was first lady, her answer was, well that’s not my decision to make. Baloney. Whose decision is it — the Easter Bunny’s? Come on.” (CNN’s “The Situation Room,” 10/31/07)

[Miss Didi]

Poor Mrs. Clinton, always the victim!

HILLARY: (huffing sigh) Well, that's not my decision to make, and I don't believe that any president or first lady ever has, but certainly we'll move as quickly as our circumstances and the processes of the National Archives permits.

RUSH: These documents are at his Library and Massage Parlor! These are communications between Mrs. Clinton and her husband while they were in the White House. The reason that Russert's asking... By the way, the Clinton team is livid today at Russert. They are just livid at him. They thought that his performance was horrible and a personal attack. Trust me on this, folks. But these are communications of Hillary in the White House, with her husband, the president. Russert's point -- and it's a good one -- is she's out there touting her experience. Well, fine! Let's see it! Let's see what you did in the White House! Well, Tim, National Archives are moving as fast as they can, they've got 20 million documents. Well, your husband said specifically the communications between you and him are verboten until 2012. By the way, presidents have that right. They can do that, and she's right. A lot of presidents have done it, but Russert's question is still a good one. Wait a minute, though. You're touting your experience. Would you ask him to lift the ban so that you could reveal some of these documents? "Well, that's not my decision to make, Tim." Right. So she has no power here. Oh, no. She's a victim! She's a victim of her husband's decision. She's a victim. She can't do this. The National Archives operates very slowly. This is like a woman who, obviously, has something to hide and doesn't want us to see those communications. In the past I think on some occasions I think she's actually said, "I'll talk to Bill about that." In this instance, "No. (grumbling) I can't. It was the president's decision to make, it's not mine to make, I can't..." shooting daggers at Russert the whole time.



Clinton Hides 35 Years of Bimbo Eruptions Experience Documents

[LADY J]

Five years ago they were planning for her to run - so they knew what they were doing.

These sickos plan way ahead...They are long time criminals who have been lucky enough to fool a lot of people.

His outrage is a cover-up - the same as his finger-pointing at us about Monica.

Anytime they are outraged...they know they've been caught...

We're onto that now, Slick!!

[alicewonders]

The letter is dated November 6, 2002. Had he had his heart trouble by then?

I don't think so, seems like he was recovering from that close to the time of the "Christmas Tsunami" - I think that was in 2005?

A lot of people have illegible signatures, but you're right - Clinton's is disturbing.