Posted on 09/24/2006 7:23:51 PM PDT by presidio9
In a combative interview on "Fox News Sunday," former President Clinton defended his handling of the threat posed by Osama bin Laden, saying he tried to have bin Laden killed and was attacked for his efforts by the same people who now criticize him for not doing enough.
"That's the difference in me and some, including all of the right-wingers who are attacking me now," Clinton said in the interview. "They ridiculed me for trying. They had eight months to try, they did not try."
Clinton accused host Chris Wallace of a "conservative hit job" and asked: "I want to know how many people in the Bush administration you asked, 'Why didn't you do anything about the Cole?' I want to know how many people you asked, 'Why did you fire Dick Clarke?'"
He was referring to the USS Cole, attacked by terrorists in Yemen in 2000, and former White House anti-terrorism chief Richard A. Clarke.
Wallace said Sunday he was surprised by Clinton's "conspiratorial view" of "a very non-confrontational question, 'Did you do enough to connect the dots and go after Al Qaida?'"
"All I did was ask him a question, and I think it was a legitimate news question. I was surprised that he would conjure up that this was a hit job," Wallace said in a telephone interview.
Clinton said he "worked hard" to try to kill bin Laden.
"We contracted with people to kill him. I got closer to killing him than anybody's gotten since," he said.
He told Wallace, "And you got that little smirk on your face and you think you're so clever, but I had responsibility for trying to protect this country. I tried and I failed to get bin Laden. I regret it, but I did try and I did everything I thought I responsibly could."
The interview was taped Friday during Clinton's three-day Global Initiative conference.
On NBC's "Meet the Press," also taped Friday and aired Sunday, Clinton told interviewer Tim Russert that the biggest problem confronting the world today is "the illusion that our differences matter more than our common humanity."
"That's what's driving the terrorism," he said. "It's not just that there's an unresolved Arab-Israeli conflict. Osama Bin Laden and Dr. al-Zawahiri can convince young Sunni Arab men, who have — and some women — who have despairing conditions in their lives, that they get a one-way ticket to heaven in a hurry if they kill a lot of innocent people who don't share their reality."
Looking for signs of life in the crotch after yelling like that IMO.
You mean James McDougall???
Unfortunately, he mixed up photos, and the contractor got a picture of Web Hubble or Ron Brown instead.
That contract may have been issued to kill 87 people in Waco, Texas???
Bump for later finger wagging.
This convicted liar and associate of revisionist lacky thieves needs to STFU. He was ROTTEN for America and his policies (such as the "wall of separation" between agencies) led to the 9-11 attacks. The pieces were there. It was NOT Bush's fault and this turd isn't going to get to claim innocence.
His own team has said he turned down Bin Laden. His own team reclassified the KLA from being labelled terrorists.
Shoulda Woulda Could Bill strikes again.
I saw a good cartoon yesterday. Side by side drawings of Osama Bin Laden and Monica Lewinsky with a caption: Who did Clinton pursue more during the 1990s?
Unacceptable behavior for a former president.
This guy's out of control. He's got issues.
I am not a particular fan of Chris Wallace, and I do agree Clinton had prep work in mind given the opportunity. However, the smirk comment to Chris was not the on high Clinton it was an unglued Clinton, not the I feel your pain Clinton.
Clinton bit his lower lip several times in the first 5 minutes, there was no lip biting during his 'right wing' rage rant.
My take is that while Clinton might not have the morals of a snake he's no political dummy and everything is did and said was calculated down to the finger pointing.
Finger pointing, lip biting, tear wiping, it's all choreographed and easily swallowed by the weak minded. To me this explains Clinton's (continued) high popularity rating which I believe is still in the 60s.
It reminds me of the line "just because you say it with conviction doesn't make it true" except to a large slug of the public saying it with conviction does make it true.
What bullsh$$t.....someday, somehow, the facts will come out about Oklahoma City. I hope it happens while Clowntoon is still alive. I hope it happens soon. I can hope....
If he TRULY thinks this is the biggest problem in the world today, thank God he's no longer in power!
Treating terrorism like a law enforcement matter is what exacerbated this mess in the first place.
And after 9/11, he still hasn't a CLUE!
What is it?
A Freudian slip, it would seem. It clues us in to the fact that he's been "mobbed up" since his Hot Springs days. And that largely accounts for why he's been able to evade justice his entire life.
the smirk comment
supported Clintons "right-wing conspiracy" message nicely. He had this all thought out in advance, and Wallace took hook line and sinker......and is not fast enough on his feet or strong enough to have done anything but sit there in overpowered bewilderment. Clinton knew this, and that is why he chose 3rd rate Wallace in the first place when he could have had Hume or someone else with savvy and testerone. Wallace (and therefore Fox) have been had.
Sounds like the dims. have found an American cousin of Neville Chamberlain.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.