Hardball Tonight: Clarke - 9/11 Might Have Been Prevented

MSNBC ^ | Updated: 3:35 p.m. ET March 31, 2004 | Alex Johnson

[ironman]

NEW YORK - Richard Clarke, President Bush’s former chief counterterrorism adviser, said Wednesday that it was possible that he and his team could have prevented the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks if the Bush administration had paid more attention ahead of time to Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaida terror network.

Clarke’s comments, in an hourlong interview on MSNBC’s “Hardball,” were a departure from the testimony he gave last week before the independent commission investigating the attacks, when he answered no to the question of whether there was “the remotest chance that it would have prevented 9/11” even if everything he had called for had been implemented.

But Clarke told MSNBC’s Chris Matthews that he hoped he and his team would have been able to take action to quash the attacks, which killed about 3,000 people in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, had the CIA and the FBI sufficiently coordinated the bits and pieces of information they had about the 19 Saudis who hijacked four planes and crashed them in the worst attack on U.S. soil.

Acknowledging that he was indulging in “20/20 hindsight,” Clarke said it was likely that he could have made a difference had he known that some of the hijackers were in the country ahead of time and had drawn suspicion. The full interview is scheduled to air today at 7 p.m. ET on MSNBC-TV.

[eggman]

He thinks Clinton stopped Iraqi terrorism. Sheesh !

By doing what? Taking Oil For Food money?

[Carolinamom]

poles = polls.........brain cells are over-heated.

[Laverne]

THanks for posting this running commentary, I just couln't bear to watch, plus I think Chris Matthews is a real clymer, and Idon't like to up his ratings. Sounds like Chrissy gave this guy a real Verbal bj (if that is not too rude a way to put it).

[Wolfstar]

Why wouldn't President Bush be concerned about Iraq from the start?

Indeed. The anthrax attacks all but sealed Hussein's doom, and rightly so, whether or not it can ever be proven that Iraq was involved.

[Darlin']

I completely agree and shame on Matthews for given him a forum.

[My2Cents]

Clarke also stated in another interview that he put his team on highest alert during the summer of 2001

What does that mean? That he had his staff sitting under their desks with their head between their legs?

[Right_in_Virginia]

Oh, boy..I sure hope Condi's ready for her testimony....Clarke needs his clock cleaned!

[Right_in_Virginia]

What staff did Clarke have? The maintenance crew?

[My2Cents]

Bob Scheiffer from CBS blamed Monica Lewinsky!

Man, these people aren't even a serious threat any more. They have been reduced to simply being hillarious!

[Howlin]

A movie!!!! He's NOT denying it! Damnit!

[Right_in_Virginia]

A MOVIE?!!! What the hell?!

[Timeout]

I'm sure the movie will come out just about....oh, let's see....November 1st?

[McGruff]

Matthews just played a tape of Lawrence Eagleburger calling Clarke "The Little Boy who Cried Wolf".

[Darlin']

You make a very good point. I don't think anyone who watches this whole thing will be able to see through him completely. Did you just hear him say he hasn't authorized any movie "yet" ?

[Howlin]

How about that........Matthews asked him which country they will go into next, and Clarke says "If the same people are around, there is no telling."

Bipartisan, my white Southern butt!

[Timeout]

Chris cut out the part where Eagleberger said "If one cries wolf often enough, he'll eventually be right about something!".

[Carolinamom]

"MY publishers may be working on a movie, but I have not authorized one.....IF there is a movie...."

There WILL be a movie.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Clarke knew nothing when he was employed...and he knows even less now that he only job is promoting his book and movie. Sheese...this worm makes my skin crawl!

[Howlin]

I just cannot get over how much I despise that guy.

[BlessedByLiberty]

Might I add we also add that Gorelick should be testifying as she served under Reno - she should not be on the inquisitor's side of the desk.

Please ping me if you or someone else gets that thread going! Wonderful idea...thank you.