Posted on 06/21/2002 6:46:21 PM PDT by dts32041
O'Reilly: Bush Insider Claims Clinton Deal Torpedoed Pardongate
A Bush administration insider has privately leaked word that a deal was struck between Democratic congressional leaders and the Bush White House not to prosecute Bill and/or Hillary Clinton on an array of charges related to the Pardongate scandal, Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly claimed Friday on his nationally syndicated "Radio Factor" show.
"A very highly placed source - and I mean this guy knows what's going on in the Bush administration - told me about a month ago that when President Bush took office he had meetings with all of the Democratic leadership.... one on one meetings in the Oval Office," O'Reilly said.
"The Democratic leadership made it quite clear to Mr. Bush that he would not get any cooperation - zero - on the part of the Democrats in the Senate and in the House if he pursued any kind of a criminal investigation against Bill Clinton."
O'Reilly said that according to his source, "Basically they said look, if you embarrass us - by us we mean the Democratic Party - if you, Bush-Ashcroft, indict Clinton on bribery or go after Hillary or any of this - we're gonna shut you down. We're not gonna do anything. You're not going to get any (legislation) passed if four years."
The talk host's highly placed administration source said Democrat leaders then explained to Bush, "If you put this thing on the back track and just play the game the way we've always played it here in the Justice Department since Watergate, where the powerful protect each other - then we'll keep an open mind on your legislation."
O'Reilly never indicated who his source might be beyond describing him as "very highly placed."
On Thursday, U.S. Attorney for New York's Southern District James Comey, a Bush appointee, ended a key part of the probe into whether the Clintons traded pardons for political favors and campaign contributions.
A nation that will drive across town to save a nickel on gallon of gas, but the government steals and squanders trillions over the years and few care enough to give it a couple of minutes of thought in their lives.
Thousands of dollars per person per year pissed away, no one cares! We get the government we deserve.
Are you nuts? GW does not need to be threatened. All he needs to be told is that his poll number may diminish. That is enough for him to strike any deal.
O'Reilly said that according to his source, "Basically they said look, if you embarrass us - by us we mean the Democratic Party - if you, Bush-Ashcroft, indict Clinton on bribery or go after Hillary or any of this - we're gonna shut you down. We're not gonna do anything. You're not going to get any (legislation) passed if four years."
is all the more reason to take them to the mat. Threaten me and I kick your ass! That's the American way! That's the Texan way. Get the TRUTH out there for all to see and then let the chips fall where they may. I believe that public opinion will go with honesty and decency. Caving in will only lower the Bush administration down to the level of the Clintons.
You can't fight a war if the people don't believe in you and your word, Mr. President. Do the right thing!!! We will support you. We've been waiting for it, longing for it, praying for it, even begging for it. Justice needs to prevail. Tell the truth about the Clintons. Any Democrat still around after the voters get the truth will most likely be with you. Have faith!
My guess would be that Xlintons have dirt on all of them. One of those "If I go down, we're all going down" kinda things.
and she's right.
Moreover, actually, just how much legislation, promulgation, restriction can we possibly need. This is why term limits is so appealing and necessary, IMHO.
Notice how quickly you believed such a thing happened.
I mean, think about it....President Bush is sworn in and according to this, the leadership of the DNC goes to him and basically threatens him. Somehow, I can't imagine how a Daschle, Gehbardt, or even Terry McAuliffe could get to Bush for these clandestine meetings without the media picking up on at least a sniff of covert coercion, and threats to the presidency. This doesn't pass the "make sense" test.
What does make sense, maddening but logical sense, is that President Bush didn't need to be coerced. Remember his campaign pledge not to play the politics of personal destruction? Remember that during all the Clinton scandals, Governor and then candidate Bush never never involved himself in the Washington scene. He never commented, criticized, or interjected himself into any of it, except to pledge to restore honor and integrity to the White House, which he has done.
What I can easily believe is that President Bush and Ashcroft decided that the prosecution of Bill Clinton would not become a detrimental part of this administration, that they would not "go after" him, that President Bush's agenda was more important than Bill Clinton.
As much as I wanted to see Bill Clinton get more than a slap on the wrist, a piddling fine, impeachment, and disbarrment, as much as I longed for revenge worthy of 8 years, I believe President Bush made a personal committment to put the good of the country over the satisfaction of making Bill and Hillary Clinton pay for their personal corruption.
I'm a mean spirited bitch,who would have spent the rest of my life going after Bill Clinton, Hillary,Al Gore, James Carville, especially the democrats in congress, and all the Clinton enablers who didn't have the patriotism to acknowledge and eliminate Clintons' corruption, which infected all branches of government, the Justice Dept, INS, IRS, CIA, FBI, the military. But you know what? I'm glad President Bush is a better man than me.
Such a simple answer to such a corrupt cabal.
Don't take it personally YaYa, but that's how I see it.
It's amazing how people are so quick to believe those "anonymous" sources. Could be that O'Reilly was just set up. The Demos would love the turn teh Base against Bush at any cost.
Because O'Reilly is full of himself. Who is this high level source? Carl Rove? Rove would lie and sell his grandmother for politics. I think O'Reilly should either come clean or shut up. This mounts to blackmailing a sitting President. I got a feeling this is total bull or is that bill. AAH, it doesn't matter it means the same! HOGWASH!
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.