9/11 Commissioner Lehman Rips Clarke Over Book Deal

NewsMax.com ^ | 3/24/04 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

9/11 Commission member, former Navy Secretary John Lehman ripped ex-terrorism czar Richard Clarke Wednesday afternoon for cashing in on this week's public hearings into America's worst disaster by using the forum to peddle his book.

"When you and I first served together [in the Reagan administration] I had been a fan of yours," Lehman began when his turn to question Clarke came. "When you agreed to spend this much time with us, as you say, 15 hours, I was very hopeful."

Of Clarke's private testimony before the Commission, Lehman said, "I thought you let the chips fall where they may . . . Certainly the greater weight of [your criticism of the U.S. war on terrorism] fell during the Clinton years."

The 'Selling' of Clarke's Commission Appearance

Then the former Navy Secretary unloaded on Clarke with both barrels.

"But now we have the book," Lehman noted. "I've published books before and I must must say that I am green with envy at the promotion department of your publisher."

Continued Lehman: "I never got [Commission member] Jim Thompson to stand before 50 photographers reading your book. And I certainly never got '60 Minutes' to coordinate the showing of its interview with you with 15 network news broadcasts, the selling of the movie rights and your appearance here today."

Clarke has 'Credibility Problem'

Lehman said that when he started to read press accounts of Clarke's book, "I said to myself, this can't be the same Dick Clarke that testified before us, because all of the promotional material and all of the spin in the networks was that this is a roundly, devastating attack - this book - on President Bush.

"That's not what I heard in the [private Commission] interviews.

"And I hope you're going to tell me, as you apologize to all the families for all of us who were involved in national security, that this tremendous difference - and not just in nuance but in the stories you choose to tell - is really the result of your editors and your promoters rather than your studied judgment."

Lehman then blasted:

[Your book] is so different from the whole thrust of your testimony to us. And similarly, when you add to it, the inconsistencies between what your promoters are putting out and what you yourself said as late as [last] August 5, you've got a real credibility problem."

Lehman concluded:

"Because of my real, genuine, longtime admiration for you, I hope you'll resolve that credibility problem because I'd hate to see you become totally shoved to one side during the presidential campaign as an active partisan selling a book."

[montag813]

Oh my goodness. This is incredible!

It is being completely ignored. Check the headlines:

"Ex-Adviser: Terrorism "not urgent" to Bush
"Former Official Clarke Warned of 'Hundreds Dead'"
"Clarke: President 'Didn't Give a Rat's ass' about Bin Laden
"Bush and Bin Laden: Are they the same person?"
"Was Bush the 20th Hijacker?"

Clarke is being given carte blanche by the media despite his TOTAL EXPOSURE AS A FRAUD in recent days. Where is Bush himself on this? They need to bring out Cheney in a major interview to smash the crap out of Clarke.

[Arrowhead1952]

If the WH released it, what would be the problem. Are they supposed to sit silently while a liar maligns them? Since when is that some kind of rule.

If I were in any part of the WH staff, I would have had the transcript ready for the entire 9/11 commission to read, before the proceedings began. Bet old Clarke and the RAT left would have had some explaining to do.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

.

NEVER FORGET


...If we returning Vietnam Vets had had the Internet and Conservative Talk Radio/TV at our disposal to counter what Anti-U.S. Walter Cronkite, Bill Clinton, Hillary Rodham and John Kerry were saying about our fight for Freedom there...

...South Vietnam would still be FREE today..!!!


NEVER FORGET

[RetiredArmy]

Ouch. Kick in the shorts big time!

[Koan]

I have a sick feeling, however, that this kangaroo court is not going to be good for the President. It is being conducted just to produce cannon fodder from now 'til the election. The truth will be lost in all the confusion that the liberal press can create.

[Sunshine55]

God gave us George W. Bush for a reason...the same God that is exposing these losers for the lying scumbags that they are. The truth is going to prevail, no matter what mud they try to sling.

[sarasota]

This is what the media enablers do. They are liberals with few exception. Fox viewership is miles ahead of these spinners. One can only hope that their message sticks with voters because we're certainly outnumbered.

[Freedom2specul8]

Bookmarked and sent to local talk show...

[FreeAtlanta]

It is being completely ignored. Check the headlines:

It is almost like we are living in Saddam's Iraq. The left doesn't even realize what they have done to freedom of speech.

Who was the propaganda minister for Hitler? I bet his skeleton is cracking an evil grin.

[sarasota]

Where are you getting these headlines?

[Wolfstar]

...even with the whole world against him...

Not the whole world. I am not against GWB. Never was and never will be. Won't speak for anyone else other than myself, but I can't say it strongly enough: There will never come a day when I abandon this president. If he didn't earn my vote with his magnificent handling of his job in the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001 hijackings and the virutally simultaneous anthrax attacks, then no president ever did or could earn my vote.

[knak]

All I can say is "WOW". He let him have it.

[hchutch]

John Lehman ping.

Two of my favorite quotes from SecNav Lehman:
"Power corrupts, but absolute power is pretty neat."

"The only problem with the battleships is that there are only four of them."

[keysguy]

Here is how it works. Major news front page leading all the network news, clarke discovers bush is all wrong on terrorism. Days later when it's all proven wrong page 34, 1 am news on t.v. ohhh, uhhh yeah clarke was wrong. It's all some much bS.

[The Wizard]

I only heard him start, but you could tell it was going to change, andman it did...goood for him...this Clarke clown lied....

[FreedomPoster]

Glad to see the Navy is still good for an old-fashioned broadside.

[wayoverontheright]

Clarke is certifiable and truth will prevail in all of this. Keep the faith.

Yes it will, because the truth is that someone tipped Clarke off that if the Clinton administration got the blame, he was going to be the fall guy. This is classic preemption, Clarke knows the Clintons, and he knows he is uniquely positioned to be bludgeoned by them.

[Sunshine55]

Top 10 reasons to re-elect President Bush:

10. Because... Republican Ends with I Can
9. Because... Democrat Ends with Rat
8. Because... United We Stand
7. Because... We'll Win This One For The Gipper
6. Because... Our Military Must Always Be Strong
5. Because... W Stands For Winner
4. Because... By George, America Has Leadership
3. Because... One Good Term Deserves Another
2. Because... Imagine Having A Liberal In The White House On Sept 11, 2001
1. Because... We Will Not Tire, We Will Not Falter, We Will Not Fail

[savedbygrace]

You betcha. I believe there are two courses in college that journalism majors are expected to ace.

1. Agenda-driven Jouralism 101
2. Copy and Paste Journalism 101

These courses are repeated as level 200, 300, and 400 courses and all graduates must at least ace both 400s.

[finnman69]

CNN: Panel member challenges Clarke's credibility

9/11 commission member John Lehman challenged former counterterrorism chief Richard Clarke's credibility in hearings today, pointing out that Clarke's statements about the Bush administration in his new book differ from his testimony. Clarke responded that he hadn't been asked about the U.S. invasion of Iraq and that by invading Iraq, the president "has greatly undermined the war on terrorism."