Sept. 11 Panel Interviews Clinton in Private Session

AP ^ | 4/8/04 | Hope Yen

[Jean S]

WASHINGTON (AP) - The federal panel reviewing the Sept. 11 attacks met with former President Clinton in a private session Thursday that commissioners described as frank and informative.

The 10-member panel interviewed Clinton for nearly four hours to discuss what his administration could have done to prevent the attacks. The former president was "forthcoming and responsive," said the commission.

The panel said it didn't plan to release specific details of the meeting, saying much of it involved classified information.

Commissioners said Clinton addressed "big-picture" policy issues, including his administration's response to the October 2000 al-Qaida attack on the USS Cole. Some commissioners have criticized the Clinton and Bush administrations for failing to mount a military response to the attack, which killed 17 U.S. sailors.

"He was adamant about trying to work in a bipartisan way to fix the problems," said Democratic commissioner Timothy Roemer, a former U.S. representative from Indiana. "He was quite honest and frank."

John Lehman, a former Navy secretary under President Reagan, agreed.

"He did very well," Lehman told CNN. "He gave us a lot of very helpful insights into things that happened, policy approaches."

A spokesman for Clinton, Jim Kennedy, said the former president was pleased to talk to the commission "and believed it was a very constructive meeting."

Clinton and former Vice President Al Gore consented in February to separate private interviews; Gore is set to meet the panel in coming weeks.

President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney also will meet privately with the full panel in a joint session in coming weeks; they initially restricted the interview to one hour with two panel members, but under mounting public pressure agreed last week to a joint session with no time constraints.

AP-ES-04-08-04 1922EDT

[tomball]

Why is this impeached liar entitled to a "private" 911 session, and Dr. Rice was not? The 911 Commission deemed it necessary for Dr. Rice to be grilled twice, no less.

Bill Clinton is the man who pardoned felons and terrorists on his way out of the white house. It was under his watch that the U.S., its citizens, embassies, and allies were under constant attack from 1992-2000. It was specifically under his watch that the INS was so lax that it allowed terrorists to stay in this country on expired visas. It was under his watch that terrorist warnings from Sudan were ignored. It was under his watch that he demanded Isreal release (Oslow? Agreement) one of the terrorists responsible for the 911 attack.

At the very least, the taxpayers deserve to see this man grilled the same way Dr. Rice was today.

[Free_at_last_-2001]

Insert here my one, consistent prayer for the Clintons ... -alas the immortal souls of the Clintons, and ALL their minions have a much worse future than you pray for! All you can do is pray for their salvation...and if you can you’re a better person than I!

[Pegita]

I agree with you, annie ... the Lord did spare us today by putting Clinton behind closed doors ... praise His name.

[Integrityrocks]

Impressive prayer. I'm wondering about the "vengence is the Lord's" instructions. I think we are all pretty safe with the following prayer. "Thy will be done with the Clintons Lord." I trust Him. He's got it handled.

[anniegetyourgun]

I always figured it was probably herpes or a drug addiction stint that he was covering for. But, alas, we won't even know after some leftist, revisionist historian writes the "definitive" biography after he's dead and buried. It will probably be titled, "He Knew The Difference Between Right And Thong."

[plain talk]

"He was quite honest and frank."

How would anyone know? He's an extremely good liar.

[soozla]

"The panel said it didn't plan to release specific details of the meeting (because it was classified)"

But you can bet they are going to scramble to get the "AUGUST 6" memo to President Bush declassified, so they can squeeze every last drop of spin out of it for the upcoming election. This panel blows!!!!!!!!! The 9/11 families should be OUTRAGED, but they have been Clintonized, like all members of the panel and most in the room!!

[Pegita]

It is for the salvation of their souls that I pray, Free. The admonition is to pray for those who despitefully use you ...

[TheBattman]

Oh this is good ---- Condi, who is simply a cabinet level advisor is compelled to testify IN PUBLIC (after having already told her bit in closed session), yet the former pervert-in-Chief gets to testify in private?

Gee Wiz....

[BigSkyFreeper]

Why is this impeached liar entitled to a "private" 911 session, and Dr. Rice was not?

Dr. Rice did testify in private for 4 hours, but 5 of the commission members didn't deem that event very important, and didn't show up.

[BigSkyFreeper]

The 9/11 families should be OUTRAGED, but they have been Clintonized, like all members of the panel and most in the room!!

They're not "Clintonized", they're hard to the core Liberal Democrats, and only but a small number of the entire voting population. I can guarantee you millions more share your outrage. The fix has been in from the start, it's plain as day if people watch these proceedings.

[4Liberty]

Can't you just IMAGINE how the press would hound Pres. Bush incessantly, if he "refused" to divulge his medical status.

TIME MAGAZINE, "IS HE FIT?"
NEWSWEEK: "HOW WELL IS HE?" (with pic of pres. looking bad)
US NEWS: "PRESIDENTIAL HEALTH: A LONG BORING OVERVIEW"
Plus the train of talking legal heads, saying his failure to disclose is unconstitutional, blahblah.

etc.

That hilarious 'Left Wing' TV series (with Sheen as the idiot socialist tax raising gun grabbing president) does stuff on Pres. Bartlett's MS 'secret'. I assume to cover for & generally try and poo-poo Clintons numerous undisclosed forms of VD - and failure to release the info.

... Is this a great country or what?...

>:(

[cyncooper]

Why is this impeached liar entitled to a "private" 911 session, and Dr. Rice was not?

She is and has done so and will do so again.

The difference is the media and commission played her private discussions as not good enough. Same with the upcoming Bush and Cheney private meeting. Not good enough, says the left.

I have no problem with Clinton meeting privately, but the coverage by the media and the attitude of the commission is completely, hypocritically different.

[ladyinred]

No! This isn't right! We want him out there in front of the cameras! He shouldn't testify in behind closed doors! My goodness, what is he hiding? He is afraid to be seen talking about this in front of the American people! Blah, Blah, Blah!!!!!!!! We demand he testify again so CNNNBCMSNBCABC et al can show the world! National Security be damned!!!!!!

/dripping sarcasm

[CyberAnt]

Not in the least!

[ladyinred]

Some commissioners have criticized the Clinton and Bush administrations for failing to mount a military response to the attack, which killed 17 U.S. sailors.

EXCUSE ME? The BUSH Administration?

[VRWC For Truth]

No doubt he perjured himself again.

[oceanview]

the american media structure is far worse then Pravda. read bernard Goldberg's book - he explains exactly who comprises the media elite, who they are, where they live, where they are educated, how they think, etc...