In the movie, "Independence Day," the POTUS is taken to Area 51, and is shown the recovered ship and remains from Roswell. When asked why he was told nothing of it, the fictional CIA Director tells him, "Plausible deniability, sir."
I'm certainly not suggesting the government is holding alien remains, or even that Flight 800 was shot down (I've read strong pro and con arguments). I am suggesting that career bureucrats and holdovers (i.e. George Tenet, Norm Minetta)probably don't share all the bad news or big secrets...I don't mean this simply between Clinton and Bush, but most likely between all administrations to one degree or another. I think it's naive to think otherwise.
I think it’s naive to think that this could have been kept secret from the next administration. From the American people, possible. From the next administration, I don’t believe so.