First, as I recall Clinton's former running mate decided to throw the ballot process out of kilter and with all the wrangling George Bush had no transition time.
Second, since Bin Laden was nowhere near the top of Billy boy's need to do list, his administration did not bother to mention that this was top priority.
Third, Bill Clinton's leftovers, I mean holdovers and policies (remember Jamie Gore-lick's Wall of CIA/FBI separation), did everything they could to disrupt George Bush's new administration.
It was months before George Bush could even get his people approved by Congress. This problem continues even this day.
Bill Clinton had eight years since the first attempt on the World Trade Center to do something -- anything. He let Bin Laden attack us again and again with no response but some pitiful missiles into a tent after warning people sympathetic with Bin Laden that he would be attacked. The only reason he launched the attack in the first place was to divert attention from the problems caused by his real number one pursuit.
Now as fqr as a defense of George Bush -- the only time during his administration that he was tested, he responded with force. If Bill Clinton had done a fraction of what George Bush did when the towers were first attacked, instead of shouting from the mountain tops about a peace dividend and gutting the military as he did, we would not be in the situation we are in now.
I like this reply.
It's worth remembering.