Clinton, Gore Set to Face 9/11 Commission

WINS News ^ | 3/2/04

[areafiftyone]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The federal panel reviewing the Sept. 11 attacks has scheduled interviews with former President Clinton and former Vice President Al Gore this month but is struggling to get similar cooperation from President Bush and administration officials.

Members of the bipartisan commission said they were considering a subpoena to force the public testimony of national security adviser Condoleezza Rice. She has declined to appear at the panel's two-day hearing later this month.

"The commission wants to go back in the court of public opinion and appeal to the administration for them to reconsider their first stand," said commissioner Timothy Roemer, a former Democratic congressman from Indiana. "If we don't get that kind of cooperation, compelling Dr. Rice to come before us is an option."

The White House said Tuesday that Rice's testimony was a constitutional issue of separation of powers. "As a matter of law and practice, White House staff have not testified before legislative bodies," National Security Council spokesman Sean McCormack said. "This is not a matter of Dr. Rice's preferences."

The 10-member commission also requested private meetings with Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney about what the administration knew before the attacks, potentially a sensitive subject in an election year.

While Clinton and Gore have consented to public questioning without a time constraint, Bush and Cheney have agreed only to private, separate, one-hour meetings with the commission's chairman and vice chairman, instead of the full panel.

The commission was meeting Tuesday to discuss options as it seeks to hold private interviews with the four officials before its next hearing. The interviews with Clinton and Gore were scheduled for "the next couple of weeks," the commission said.

The latest dispute also comes as the panel seeks additional time from Congress to complete its work. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., agreed Friday to support extending the panel's deadline to July 26, clearing the way for Congress to formally approve legislation this week. The panel was scheduled to finish its work on May 27.

The commission and its supporters wanted a two-month extension of both dates, but met resistance among House GOP leaders, partly because of concern that a final report would get entangled with presidential election politics.

Hastert's proposal would not give the commission any time to wind down its business, a period during which commissioners lobby for implementation of their recommendations on how to prevent future terror attacks and declassify information for public release.

A congressional inquiry into the Sept. 11 attacks took seven months to declassify information, a process that involves White House approval. Under the current deadline, the commission has a 60-day period to wind down. The Senate bill would give it just 30 days.

The chairman and vice chairman of the commission, former New Jersey Republican Gov. Thomas H. Kean and former Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Ind., planned to meet separately with Hastert on Tuesday to push for a longer wind-down period.

"We're very hopeful that we can find a way with the House bill and the Senate bill to come together," said commission spokesman Al Felzenberg.

At the panel's next hearing on counterterrorism policy, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Colin Powell are to testify, as well as their counterparts in the Clinton administration, William Cohen and Madeleine Albright.

Clinton's national security adviser, Sandy Berger, also is to appear at that open session, which commission officials say will be unprecedented in its review of high-level officials in Clinton and Bush administrations.

Rice met with the panel for four hours at the White House on Feb. 7. After the session, at least two commissioners, Roemer and Richard Ben-Venister, another Democrat, said it would be useful to have Rice testify in public.

Relatives of Sept. 11 victims say they are especially interested in Rice's testimony. They cited her May 2002 comments that the administration had no prior indication that terrorists were considering suicide hijackings. Reports later showed that intelligence officials had considered the possibility.

Congress established the Sept. 11 panel - officially known as the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States - to study the nation's preparedness before the attacks and its response afterward, and to make recommendations for guarding against similar disasters.

[petitfour]

I do not believe that W. Bush is the "anti-Christ" nor was Ronald Reagan. I believe George W. Bush attempts to do what God would have him do each and every day, though he is as prone to mistakes as are the rest of us. He is NOT perfect. I believe that Saddam and his sons were evil, and I have no qualms with their removal.

Justice is something that happens to murderers, and governments are put in place to ensure that justice occurs. Historically, the US has been an instrument for justice for the oppressed. I believe that God has used us, US, for justice in the case of Iraq. I pray that we do not leave prematurely and make the place a bigger hell than it was. Then we would be inviting the wrath of God on our own heads.

(I'm sort of rambling here, and my random thoughts aren't exactly complete.)

[PhiKapMom]

Thanks! His post in #76 set an all-time low even for him. What disgusting comments. Just who died and made him king?
Now he is telling us who is a Christian and who is not. I swear he is Hillary reincarnated!

[Wait4Truth]

You're welcome! It is so easy in hindsight to say what the President should have done! And as far as him "knowing" what was coming, I agree with PhiKapMom. He certainly wouldn't have had his wife ready to testify in the Senate about education! He wouldn't have wanted her anywhere near the Capitol, now would he? Or didn't he care if she was killed? Most of this conspiracy crap is so disgusting that it should not even be allowed here.

[petitfour]

Several weeks before 9/11, I was talking to a teacher at the school my children were attending. Her son-in-law was going to be in town that night, and she invited him to her house for dinner and to spend the night. He couldn't come. He was working for an airline, and he was REQUIRED by his employer to sleep on the plane. The plane was to be occupied by the crew (mechanical) at all times. They had been like that for a week or so. Now, why do you think that was? Perhaps, all the airlines took precautions, but they were looking at the wrong things.

[Admin Moderator]

He's been shown the door.

[PhiKapMom]

Thank you very much! The post in #76 was so far over the top I couldn't believe. Knew I didn't dare reply because I didn't want to see the other side of the door! :)

Don't see how you guys do it -- you have my admiration!

[Wait4Truth]

Thank you. The guy was an abomination.

[arasina]

I was just about to post to that despicable un-FReeper because Spotsy was under attack by a lunatic. I'm shaking my head and my mouth is open in disbelief at its comments. I scroll down and see PhiKapMom said exactly what I wanted to say. And thank goodness someone used Troll B-Gone!

[PhiKapMom]

I saw his comments and went ballistic before I even saw #76. He was so far over the top I couldn't believe. Glad he got the door!

[Admin Moderator]

We try to give the benefit of the doubt to newbies. Some are getting their 'sea legs' and make honest newbie mistakes, some are not sure what we're about, some are liberals questioning the liberal agenda (we need to encourage these people who want to leave the plantation), and some are so obvious. But others are clever, yes there are smart liberals, how do you think they get the sheep to follow them? Eventually, the libs show their true colors. This guy would be considered almost a 'sleeper'.

drdeath
Account # 86152
Signup 2002-08-01
Messages 1 article, 32 replies

[chickens]

I told the 9-11 commission about the University of Bill Clinton, home of the Al Qaeda Air Force, but they never got pack to me -- so I posted it on this website. The excerpt is long, but necessary for context. Some of the information you may find extraneous or redundant -- but believe me -- it will forever change the way you see 9-11 and those involved. Suffer through it, and I guarantee you will know the truth.

[cyncooper]

What are you two yacking about?

What do you base your moans and groans about people here at FR not wanting truth?

From what I see, people are correctly pointing out that Clinton and Gore will not be enlightening whether they are under oath or not.

By all means, swear 'em up. We want the truth. We can discern what sources and forums are not likely to yield it.

[arasina]

His link to IndyMedia was enough evidence for me. That site is a dunghill crawling with demented minds.

[cyncooper]

and the attorney's not afraid to say the facts

"the facts"? Like what, for instance?

[sport]

My question would be why?

You can't believe anything a democrat says. I should say that I don't believe anything a democrat says. There are some that do. Mostly other democrats and individuals who don't have the ability to think for themselves.

Since I don't believe anything a liar [democrat]says, why waste time listening to them in the first place?

[cyncooper]

I also feel that everyone should testify under oath since 3000 people had an untimely death.

And what if Clinton and/or Gore are less than forthcoming under oath? Whatever they say, what do you expect to find out from our own people regarding the attack from al Qaeda? Just what do you think you're going to find out and what do you expect the fallout to be for current and former administration officials? How much responsibility do you assign to Americans as opposed to our terrorist enemies?

And the other fact, is this war that many of us here do not agree with.

Why not? If you think an American administration ought to be able to prevent attacks upon us, why wouldn't you support a war to stop our enemies?

[sport]

It is a waste of taxpayer money anyhow.

All they are doing is trying to blame President Bush for the World Trade Center and Pentegon attacks.

If the Republicans had any guts, they would have told the democrats and mainstream media to go fly a kite.

[Spotsy]

Thank you all for your responses. I was wondering where everyone was while I was sparring with Dr Death. Never before have I seen anything so outrageous on Free Republic.

I apologize for my sarcasm in several of my posts on this thread. Anger got the best of me.

[sport]

You know the truth, you just don't want to face it.

[sport]

Amen!