Posted on 09/26/2006 2:32:49 PM PDT by excludethis
President Bush dismissed as "finger-pointing" criticism from his predecessor Bill Clinton of his counter-terrorism efforts in the months leading up to the Sept. 11 attacks.
Clinton, angrily defending his own administration's attempts to capture or kill Osama bin Laden, had accused the Bush administration of doing far less to stop the al Qaeda leader before the 2001 hijack plane attacks.
Bush, who is trying to stave off a Democratic takeover of Congress in November, seemed to bristle when asked about Clinton, only to sidestep his assertions.
"We'll let history judge all the different finger-pointing and all that business. I don't have enough time to finger-point," he said at a news conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
"I've got to do my job," he added, "and that is to protect the American people from further attacks."
Bush spoke two days after "Fox News Sunday" aired a heated interview in which Clinton defended steps he took after al Qaeda's attack on the USS Cole in 2000 and faulted criticism by "right-wingers" of his efforts to capture bin Laden.
"They had eight months to try, they did not try," Clinton said of the Bush administration response. The Sept. 11 attacks occurred almost eight months after Bush succeeded Clinton.
Clinton also said when his term ended he left the new Republican administration "battle plans" for going into Afghanistan, overthrowing the Taliban and launching a full-scale search for bin Laden.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice disputed Clinton's statement. "We were not left a comprehensive strategy to fight al Qaeda," she told the New York Post.
Asked about Clinton's comments, Bush said, "I've watched all the finger-pointing and namings of names and all that stuff. Our objective is to secure the country. We've had investigations. We had the 9/11 commission, we've had the look-back this, we had the look-back that."
Bush also said it was "preposterous" for opponents of his Iraq war strategy to call for a swift U.S. troop withdrawal.
He has sought to rally public support for the unpopular Iraq war by framing it as an extension of the "war on terrorism" he declared after the Sept. 11 attacks. Many Democrats say Iraq is a distraction from the broader fight.
Deep down Clinton wishes 9/11 had happened when he was President.
Ooh, that'll leave a mark!
You know maybe George HW Bush and President Bush were born with a silver spoon in their mouth - Clinton is pure trailer trash.
I still like Bush. I don't care what the polls tell me to think.
The president has been pretty good about remaining above this sort of thing while the democrats have wallowed in it.
bttt
I sure hope GWB didn't smirk when he said that.
Clinton SAID he wished 9/11'd happened on his watch. Out LOUD, on the air.
Translation: "Y'all can point fingers all ya want, but I'm your President and I've got a job to do!"
"I sure hope GWB didn't smirk when he said that."
Why, MurryMom? I think it would drive all you lefties nuts, which would be a good thing, lol.
Not even deep down, he or one of his administration said it.
I remember when he said that. I was so taken aback by it. He couldn'te even empathize with the people who had been hurt. He had to make it about him.
***Bush spoke two days after "Fox News Sunday" aired a heated interview in which Clinton defended steps he took after al Qaeda's attack on the USS Cole in 2000 and faulted criticism by "right-wingers" of his efforts to capture bin Laden. ***
Should read:: a heated interview in which Clinton lied about steps he didnt take after Al Quaeda's attack on the USS Cole and became heated over being faced with the trith.
"Clinton’s narcissism is still amazing to watch. It’s all about him. He actually said after 9/11 that he wished it had happened on his watch. Think about that. He was so concerned about his legacy, that he wished 3,000 innocent people could have been slaughtered so HE would look more “presidential.”
From Doc Farmer
http://www.chronwatch.com/content/contentDisplay.asp?aid=23907&catcode=13
It's official. George W. has finally grown a pair.
Nice to see him not turn the other cheek.
Democrats, the "Look back" party.
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