Bill Clinton defends wife's Bosnia remarks

Politico ^ | 4/11/08 | MIKE ALLEN

[COUNTrecount]

Former President Bill Clinton gave a passionate defense Thursday of his wife’s claim about “landing under sniper fire” – just as the damaging controversy was dying down.

Bill Clinton said the news media treated her like she’d “robbed a bank” and claimed she was experiencing end-of-day fatigue, even though she had made the claim in morning speeches.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) acknowledged two weeks ago that she “misspoke” and “made a mistake” in her overly vivid account of the 1996 landing in Tuzla, Bosnia, during a goodwill mission as first lady.

Video of a tranquil arrival ceremony refuted the claim, and her comments hurt her struggling campaign by reviving questions about her candor.

Now, her husband has revived the issue by claiming the comments were true during a “Solutions for America” campaign event in at Boonville High School in Boonville, Ind. Here are his comments, recorded by networks and reported by CBS News:

"You know, I got tickled the other day. A lot of the way this whole campaign has been covered has amused me. But there was a lot of fulminating because Hillary, one time late at night when she was exhausted, misstated — and immediately apologized for it — what happened to her in Bosnia in 1995 [sic]. Did y'all see all that? Oh, they blew it up.

"Let me just tell you. The president of Bosnia and General Wesley Clark – who was there making peace where we'd lost three peacekeepers, who had to ride on a dangerous mountain road because it was too dangerous to go the regular, safe way – both defended her because they pointed out that when her plane landed in Bosnia, she had to go up to the bulletproof part of the plane, in the front. Everybody else had to put their flak jackets underneath the seat in case they got shot at. And everywhere they went, they were covered by Apache helicopters. So they just abbreviated the arrival ceremony.

"Now I say that because, what really has mattered is that even then she was interested in our troops. And I think she was the first first lady since Eleanor Roosevelt to go into a combat zone. And you woulda thought, you know, that she'd robbed a bank the way they carried on about this. And some of them, when they're 60, they'll forget something when they're tired at 11 at night, too.”

CBS News producer Ryan Corsaro, who covers Senator Clinton, reports she made the claim in mid-morning on St. Patrick’s Day.

CBS also has aired videotape of the senator making the claim on at least two other occasions. The Eleanor Roosevelt claim also has been questioned, since Pat Nixon traveled to Vietnam in 1969. Indiana holds its Democratic primary on May 6.

[steve-b]

she was experiencing end-of-day fatigue

If she's so susceptible to end-of-day fatigue, how the hell is she supposed to field that 3 AM phone call?

[marvlus]

This is all Hillary needs - more “support” from her husband! Will be interesting to see how the media handles this!

[PGalt]

1st degree premeditated lie.

[DBrow]

“she was experiencing end-of-day fatigue,”

She made the comments more than once, Bill!

[DBrow]

He may be bringing this up again because it’s a safe distraction from other things (like maybe fundraising, money, and sources) and so is cheap ink, a guaranteed story.

[COUNTrecount]

Good point. He no longer has any baby formula factories to bomb .

[johnny7]

I have a theory...

Too smart by half...

[stop_fascism]

Plus, he will be in the public eye as “First Gentleman”, instead of in Hollywood, making millions and picking up strumpets with Ron Burkle.

[COUNTrecount]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqAiqppOCiY

[70th Division]

If anyone has ever heard the crack of a bullet over their heat they will never forget it. NEVER for the rest of their life.

[Right Cal Gal]

You’re not alone in that conclusion. I reached the same one after his idiotic remarks in South Carolina. No, he doesn’t want Shrill to be President. Period.

[Anti-Bubba182]

Former President Bill Clinton gave a passionate defense Thursday of his wife’s claim about “landing under sniper fire” – just as the damaging controversy was dying down.

I swear Bill is trying to sink his wife! He is not stupid politically.

[SgtSki]

You sit on your flak jacket when you want to protect your butt from mines on an M113.

[COUNTrecount]

Interestingly enough BJ NEVER mentions that Chelsea was there on that trip.

[Anti-Bubba182]

That way she would not have to lie to back up his story.

[Charles Henrickson]

LANDING ON A JET PLANE
Tune: "Leaving on a Jet Plane" Original

All the odds are stacked, I'm ready to run
I'm standin' here, holdin' my gun
I hate to call you up to say goodbye
But the battle's ragin', I hear the sounds
The tank is waitin', he's shootin' some rounds
I know there's so much danger I could die

So send me to Bosnia
Tell me they'll be bombin' us
Sniper fire will never get me down
I'm landin' on a jet plane
I don't know if I'll be back again
Oh, Bill, we're on the ground

There's so many shots, it takes my breath
So many times I've cheated death
I tell you now, we just lost a wing
Every combat zone, I pay my dues
Every mission flown is stuff I'll use
Some day I'll throw my pantsuit in the ring

So send me to Bosnia
Tell me they'll be bombin' us
Sniper fire will never get me down
I'm landin' on a jet plane
I don't know if I'll be back again
Oh, Bill, we're on the ground

Now the time has come for battle
My future's not as bright as cattle
I'll close my eyes, while the cannons boom
I'll dream about the campaign trail
When I can tell my wartime tale
About the time I faced death and doom

So send me to Bosnia
Tell me they'll be bombin' us
Sniper fire will never get me down
I'm landin' on a jet plane
I don't know if I'll be back again
Oh, Bill, we're on the ground

[reagan_fanatic]

"Well, as ah see it, the biggest problem facing Hillary's campaign right now is that ah just can't keep mah big mouth shut."

[RightWhale]

Pres Clinton needs to stay home, or at least stop digging holes in quicksand.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

Keep whining Bubba!....Help your old lady out!

[Roberts]

Thanks for stopping by, Mr. President. America appreciates what you’re doing to prevent Hillary from being nominated.