1996: Clinton Considered Jamie Gorelick for CIA Director

The Washington Post Archives | December 3, 1996 | John F. Harris

[nwrep]

WOMEN'S GROUPS SEEK ENTRY TO PRESIDENT'S INNER CIRCLE; GORELICK CONSIDERED FOR CIA

December 3, 1996

President Clinton faces a choice as he returns this week to the business of staffing his administration for a second term: He will either make history by appointing a woman to one of the top spots on his national security team, or risk sorely disappointing many of the very voters who provided his margin of victory in last month's election.

This ambivalence is playing itself out in the drama over whether Clinton will name U.N. Ambassador Madeleine K. Albright to be the first female secretary of state. While declining to make Albright's appointment a litmus test for Clinton, top women's advocates said they would regard it as a setback if Clinton does not name a woman to one of several vacancies in top national security jobs that historically have been the province of white men.

"It would be a real blow, and it would be fairly blatant," given how Clinton ran as an advocate for women, said Patricia Ireland, president of the National Organization for Women. "Foreign policy is a place where women really do need to make some breakthroughs."

Besides Albright, the woman cited most frequently by administration officials as likely for a top national security job is Deputy Attorney General Jamie S. Gorelick, who is being considered for CIA director.

[Former Proud Canadian]

OMG

[nwrep]

PING

[nwrep]

PING

[headsonpikes]

On the bright side, that would have taken some of the burden off Monica!

[rod1]

Whoa--what a choice.
Gorelick for CIA; Albright for UN. With those how could you possibly go right? We were VERY lucky we survived those 8 years of Clinton.

And we have Condi--what an incredible difference in competence.

[MizSterious]

Oh good grief. All though the Clinton years, I (and a lot of people I know, including many here on FR) said that Clinton was a danger to the country. I actually recall this particular item now that it's been brought up again, but I'd forgotten it--and I'm not sure I understood (at the time) just how bad an idea this was. If memory serves, I believe I thought it a looney idea--now I know it could have been lethal.

[EllaMinnow]

Well, we dodged a bullet on that one!

With Gorelick in charge of the CIA, we wouldn't have had 9/11 - because we'd all have been dead before 2001.

[OldFriend]

Problem is.......three thousand americans did not survive the previous administration's incompetence, vileness, and corruption.

[DoctorMichael]

What th' &%$#!

[Lucky2]

This just shows that hillary was in charge all along or clinton was ever more stupid than we thought. Either way, we must never allow people like the clintoons to be elected again... This is even more of a wake up call to re-elect President Bush. A john kerry administrataion would be a mirror image of the clintons with a new Monica!

[freebilly]

Well, he thought about getting a Gorelick, but later he determined that he needed his own lick. That's how Monica got the job....

[snopercod]

That's pronounced GORE-LICK!

[Just mythoughts]

".....top national security job is Deputy Attorney General Jamie S. Gorelick, who is being considered for CIA director."


This does make total sense. So maybe Gorelick was the stealth CIA director, wonder how many times she met with bill or hillry. Considering that bill never has time to meet with Tenet, could it be that Clarke and Gorelick met with Tenet and Clarke and Gorelick kept Hillry updated.

Could it be that the most brillant lawyer in the world was actually in charge of the CIA and DOJ?

[HOYA97]

You are good!

[Just mythoughts]

"On the bright side, that would have taken some of the burden off Monica!"


I don't know maybe it was not bill the one being serviced?????

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

You know I told my wife in '96 that we might not be able to survive 2 Clinton terms without serious damage to the nation. Imagine, it could have been EVEN WORSE.

[hchutch]

Whoa... this is just...

I mean... My brain needs to process this.

[iceskater]

I think the only reason we survived the Clinton years is the prayers of faithful people.

It sure wasn't because Clinton was looking out for the safety and well-being of the country. And there are 3,000 dead people who really shouldn't have died.

Their blood is on his and Gorelick's hands.

[iceskater]

Get out the duct tape first, k?

[A. Morgan]

How much more will be uncovered about the Clintoons?

[iceskater]

I don't think I want to know anymore.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Well, we dodged a bullet on that one!

It was close. I bet the only reason Gorelick didn't get the appointment was that Clinton didn't like her name!

Things were pretty loose with Ole Bill at the helm. Remember the dingbat at DOE who wanted to de-classify everything and opened up the National Labs to touring Chinese?

[expatguy]

Kindly include a link when you post this kind of stuff.

[martin gibson]

"It would be a real blow, and it would be fairly blatant," given how Clinton ran as an advocate for women, said Patricia Ireland...

smirk...

[mabelkitty]

Clinton is stupid.
His wife was setting up her Presidency for 2004, and she made it so he would be nailed if caught.

She never thought her fortunes would have changed so drastically.

[EllaMinnow]

It was close. I bet the only reason Gorelick didn't get the appointment was that Clinton didn't like her name!

The whole history of the world would have been changed if only her name were Clintonlick.

[twigs]

I think the only reason we survived the Clinton years is the prayers of faithful people.

I could not agree more! And it's a reminder that we need to keep praying, praying without ceasing.

[Mo1]

Well Gosh Golly Gee .. ain't this just special

All I have to say is Thank God George W. Bush is President

Can you just imagine of it was Gore in office?

[nwrep]

I can't. This is from the archives.

[Miss Marple]

Well, another one of nwrep's golden oldies!!!! This is indeed frightening.

When people gripe about Tenet, let us ponder what might have been, if God had not spared us.

[woodyinscc]

Can you just imagine of it was Gore in office?

Can you imagine the box President Bush would have been in, if Gorelick was CIA director when he took office?

[iceskater]

OMG. Don't even go there.

[PhiKapMom]

This is mind boggling! Why is she on the 9-11 Commission? She needs to remove herself immediately but then she is a RAT so they play by different rules!

Thanks for the ping!

[mountaineer]

Gorelick, who is being considered for CIA director.

Other candidates considered but rejected: Angela Davis for attorney general, Charles Manson for FBI director and Larry, Moe and Curly for Joint Chiefs of Staff.

[montag813]

And we have Condi--what an incredible difference in competence.

Let's not get carried away.

[Howlin]

OMG is right!

It boggles the mind, doesn't it???

[mass55th]

I'm not sure if any of you have seen this web page titled: Who's Who on the 9/11 "Independent" Commission:

Click Here

Regarding Gorelick, it claims that she had a close personal relationship with George Tenet. After his testimony on Wednesday, I observed Jamie Gorelick to be kibbutzing with Tenet off to the side of the hearing room. It's as if as soon as he finished, she high-tailed it out of her seat to catch up with him before he left the room. There's been too many personal TV appearances of these Commissioners, not to mention too many conflicts of interest. This will go down in history as just another expensive government-run fiasco.

[syriacus]

Coming soon to a bookstore near you!!

Ms. Gorelick Builds Her Dream Wall

Foreword by Osama bin Laden. Afterword by Thomas Daschle. Finalword by Hillary Clinton. Critics are raving about the author's ability to maintain a truly palpable air of smiling lightheartedness, even after thousands of her fellow countrymen are killed. Mystery lovers will be thrilled to learn if the main character will try to erase her fingerprints and those of her friends.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Problem is.......three thousand americans did not survive the previous administration's incompetence, vileness, and corruption.

Add 168 from Oklahoma City, 86 from Waco, etc.

[Howlin]

One word: Hillary!

[TC Rider]

Gorelick is one of Hillary's creatures.

[AngryJawa]

Get out the duct tape first, k?

Rrrrrrrrip!

I've been thinking about upgrading to a specially-designed kevlar beanie. The duct tape is leaviing a telltale residue between applications.

[MizSterious]

Yes, everything that witch ever touched was corrupt.

[syriacus]

I'll be saying a prayer of thanksgiving that Gorelick didn't get the top position at the CIA..

[onyx]

Can this get any worse?
Mark me down in the "stunned" column.

[iceskater]

As long as it can hold all the pieces after your head explodes from all this stuff.

Frankly, I'm dreading going to the cardiologist in a couple of weeks. He is going to have to upgrade my blood pressure meds.

[michaelt]

She apparently was considered for Defense as well. This is from CNN's site, November 15, 1996:

Cohen Leads Defense Secretary Search

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, Nov. 15) -- President Bill Clinton's search for a new secretary of defense has focused on retiring Sen. William S. Cohen (R-Maine), a frequent critic of the administration's foreign policy.

Cohen has strongly criticized the Clinton Administration's Bosnia and Iraq policies. But the president, who has promised to put at least one Republican in his cabinet, is reportedly impressed by the senator's credentials and willing to put aside his attacks.

When asked Sunday if he was willing to serve, Cohen said, "I think anyone who was asked to be secretary of state would be hard-pressed to reject it... I think the same thing would be true with respect to secretary of defense."

Previously, CIA Director John Deutch was considered the leading contender to replace Defense Secretary William Perry, who has resigned. Other candidates include Sen. Sam Nunn (D-Ga.), Deputy Defense Secretary John White and Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick. Aides caution, though, that no choice is likely to be made until next month.

Clinton had hoped to name appointees for both the Defense and State departments before leaving Friday on an extended trip, but both searches were delayed this week.

Earlier this week former Sen. George Mitchell had emerged as the frontrunner for the secretary of state slot but sources now say Richard Holbrooke's candidacy is gaining momentum. Two others also remain on the president's short list: U.N. Ambassador Madeleine Albright and Nunn. The White House appears no longer to be pursuing one-time favorite, retired General Colin Powell.

[Mo1]

Can this get any worse?

Yep .. hold onto your hat

[iceskater]

Good Lord.