Hillary: Bush Homeland Security Measures are 'Inconsistent'

NewsMax.com ^ | 6/20/02 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

Presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, criticized the Bush administration's homeland security efforts Thursday night, saying, "there is a lot of inconsistency in the approach the administration is taking."

Appearing on Fox News Channel's "Hannity and Colmes," Mrs. Clinton was asked whether President Bush was overreaching in trying to claim more federal power in a time of war.

"I think the jury is out," she told "H & C" co-host Alan Colmes. "We've got to sort out what is necessary and what isn't necessary and that's what I and many of my colleagues are attempting to do. Clearly there is a lot of inconsistency in the approach that the administration is taking."

Apparently wary of sounding too critical of a popular president, Clinton quickly qualified her criticism, adding, "To some extent that's understandable because it is charting new ground and some of it is going to have to be taken apart and analyzed not only by Congress but by the courts."

Mindful that her denials have done nothing to tamp down widespread speculation about her presidential ambitions, Clinton prefaced her criticism of Bush with the disclaimer, "We have one president at a time - one commander-in-chief."

But moments later the leading Democrat said she was worried that President Bush had taken positions on civil liberties "that actually undermine the values that we stand for and our standing in the world."

Still, Clinton said she wants to give the Bush administration "the tools that it legitimately needs to protect us," while warning that she and her colleagues remain "very conscious and very watchful as to how that is done."

Without mentioning her own calls for a 9-11 probe into whether President Bush knew al Qaeda was planning a terrorist strike on U.S. soil, Clinton defended Democrats who had questioned Bush administration intelligence failures.

"As Americans we have a long tradition of skepticism and questioning," she told Colmes. "I've been very proud of that over the years - even when, you know, I've been on the receiving end of it."

Actually, when questions intensified in 1995 over her involvement in the Whitewater scandal, Mrs. Clinton seemed distinctly less than proud of administration critics.

Instead she commissioned a 300-page manifesto entitled "The Communication Stream of Conspiracy Commerce," which slammed media figures who had questioned her conduct, including talk radio hosts Bob Grant, Rush Limbaugh and NewsMax.com executive editor Christopher Ruddy.

Sen. Clinton also said she supported "covert action" to remove Saddam Hussein, noting that even before 9-11, "the previous administration and the administration before that .... took significant steps to try to disrupt his supply routes, to try to encourage opposition."

"This is not new," she added. "I think that it's a continuation of, frankly, a bipartisan policy."

In 1992, however, then-presidential candidate Bill Clinton sounded a lot less clear about what to do about Hussein when it came to a congressional resolution a year earlier to use force to drive him out of Kuwait.

"I guess I would have voted with the majority if it was a close vote," said candidate Clinton. "But I agree with the arguments the minority made."

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Bush Administration
Sen. Hillary Clinton
War on Terrorism

[pubmom]

All this from a woman who never changes her clothes, or washes her hair.

[Wild Irish Rogue]

She's starting to look like she sleeps in a coffin.

[sofaman]

Geez, I detest this woman. She disgusts me.

This is the same person that played tonsil hockey with Arafat's wife while she accused Israel of poisoning Palestinian children.

Now she doesn't like Mrs Arafat. Now she's a HUGE supporter of Israel. Didn't she call the putz's campaign manager an "f---ing Jew bastard"?

Maybe she doesn't realize that Israelis are Jews? Oh no, wait. I forgot. She's the smartest woman in the world!

[Cultural Jihad]

... the leading Democrat said she was worried that President Bush had taken positions on civil liberties "that actually undermine the values that we stand for and our standing in the world." ... while warning that she and her colleagues remain "very conscious and very watchful as to how that is done." ... "...we have a long tradition of skepticism and questioning, ..."

Where have we heard this sort of whine before?

[Howlin]

My lord. They're reading from HER playbook! ROFLMAO.

[Howlin]

I almost don't want to ask: tonsil hockey?

[sofaman]

LOL.

She hugged and kissed Mrs Arafat as Mrs A was accusing the Israelis. Much embarrasment for Hillary. And a gross out for me.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

To sum up her statement, since Bill ( and her ) didn't get their Nobel Peace Prize, she doesn't give a rat's a$$ what happens to the Mideast. She had all of the answers before whenever this subject came up, now she's wishy washy on the whole subject because it's hard for her to tell which way the wind is blowing and how she can use this current situation to her advantage

[sofaman]

eewww! NO!

[FranklinsTower]

I am glad she finally opened her mouth. The more she talks, the easier it will be to use her statements against her. In fact, I'd like to hear both of them talk as much as they can.

[ChasingFletch]

"She's starting to look like she sleeps in a coffin.".....

Did you say she belongs in a ...........?

[Jimmy Valentine]

With the Clinton's, you are going to get your wish@

Regards,

[FranklinsTower]

My wish is their long term down fall. Count on it.

[OldBlondBabe]

I used that same word to describe her in a conversation with my husband. Not a word I like or use often; but it suits her well.

[oldironsides]

I hope they pull your post. It is not what I expect when I come into FR. Hillary may be bad but your remark is worse

[Ms. AntiFeminazi]

What do FREEPERS do when they agree with Hillary Clinton?

Remain silent.

The silence on this thread is deafening.

FREE MUMIA PADILLA!