CLINTON STILL HAS TROUBLE WITH THE TRUTH (Understatement!)

The Daily Oklahoman ^ | 8 August 2002 | Editor

[PhiKapMom]

Oklahoman Editorial: Clinton Still Has Trouble With the Truth

2002-08-07

Bill Clinton passed the point of credibility long ago. But the former president keeps telling whoppers, so we'll continue setting the record straight. Exhibit A: Last week in Toronto, Clinton told a Jewish audience that if Iraq ever invaded Israel he would "personally get in a ditch, grab a rifle and fight and die."

Bill Clinton, with a rifle, in a trench? Pardon us while we laugh ourselves silly.

Clinton is no warrior, as evidenced by his avoidance of combat duty during the Vietnam war. Of draft age back then, Clinton sought and received an ROTC slot in college that would protect him from a trip to Southeast Asia. He later reneged on the commitment and drew a lottery number too high to be drafted.

Clinton is no Rambo.

Exhibit B: Clinton's recent response to suggestions from the Bush administration that the current corporate accounting scandal has its roots in the 1990s, on his watch.

"These people ran (for the presidency) on responsibility, but as soon as you scratch them they go straight to blame," Clinton said. "Now, you know, I didn't blame his (President Bush's) father for Somalia when we had that awful day memorialized in (the movie) 'Black Hawk Down.' I didn't do that."

He didn't then because it would've been an unbelievable twisting of fact.

In truth, the first President Bush ordered U.S. troops to Somalia in December 1992 to help a United Nations famine relief effort. Clinton, who took office the next month, declared the mission a success in May 1993 and withdrew American forces.

But in August contending Somali warlords began attacking United Nations relief workers and peacekeepers, stealing food. Clinton sent Army Rangers to Mogadishu to fight the warlords. U.S. military leaders wanted heavy armor and helicopter gunships to assist the troops, but the Clinton administration denied their requests.

In October, during a mission to round up top aides to a powerful warlord, disaster struck when two U.S. Black Hawk helicopters were shot down. In the resulting urban gun battle 18 American soldiers were killed and 73 wounded. Defense Secretary Les Aspin resigned a couple months later, admitting the decision to withhold armored equipment was wrong.

Clinton's lack of judgment didn't stop there. As the Wall Street Journal noted in an editorial, Clinton then decided to abort the Somali military mission altogether.

"Somalia remains a lawless, impoverished nation," the Journal editorialized. "Worse, the terrorists of al-Qaida interpreted the U.S. retreat from Somalia as a sign of American weakness that may have convinced them we could be induced to retreat from the Middle East if they took their attacks to the U.S. homeland."

Clinton would be wise to fade into retirement, but it won't happen. His insatiable ego and singular capacity to bend the truth to inflate it make it unlikely this is the last time he'll be called to account for his words and deeds.

[PhiKapMom]

The truth about Clinton Lies brought to you by America's premier Conservative Editorial Page of The Daily Oklahoman.

[PhiKapMom]

Thought you would enjoy this editorial from my paper this morning!

[Eva]

bump

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Clinton nailed.

[RANGERAIRBORNE]

"Clinton is no warrior, as evidenced by his avoidance of combat duty during the Vietnam war."

Pretty good read, but the widespread misimpression that Clinton avoided "combat duty" rankles. I'm sick of this lie. There was no more chance of this tub of lard seeing combat than there was of me flapping my arms and flying across the Pacific! He would have been somebodies driver or clerk if enlisted, and if he had gotten through ROTC (not a real tough thing to do then) he would have wound up in some cozy billet (Personnel, Finance, Aide-de-Camp, etc).

Is there anyone who can REALLY imagine Billy Boy risking his life? He just avoided service because he didn't want to be bothered with any obligations, or restrictions on his freedom to have a good time.

Maybe someday I will write 3,000 words on this topic- YOU have been WARNED!

[lsee]

He said he'd fight and die in response to the proposed alternative, actually LIVING with Hillary.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

He probably would've been qulified to hand out towels at a beach somewhere...

[onedoug]

Clinton's and his ilk's sickening cowardice displayed during the Vietnam war, should make real Vietnam veterans always all the prouder!

[yoe]

Who was in the White House when Enron and Citigroup, with the help of former Clinton Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, were concealing billions in bad debt from investors, the public and the government? (RushLimbaugh.com: Bring Robert Rubin Before Congress -07.29.02) (National Review: Joe Liberman's Cover-Up - Where's Robert Rubin?)
(Andrew Sullivan: What Did Rubin Know?)
http://rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_072902/content/stack_a.guest.html
http://www.nationalreview.com/levin/levin072302.asp
http://www.andrewsullivan.com/index.php?dish_inc=archives/2002_07_21_dish_archive.html#85275531

Who was in the White House when the stock market began to tank, reducing all those 401-K accounts?
http://www.capitalismmagazine.com/2000/may/nasdaq_crash1.htm

Keep the truth out there, the Democrats and Clinton are once again lieing, spining and dividing the country...they haven't had one new idea in decades, just how to smear, use scare tactics and continue to fabricate the truth. Get the TRUTH out there! Post the TRUTH on all DNC web sites!

[alloysteel]

It has never been truth the "Former Occupant of an Oval Office, 1993-2001" has been troubled with, it is reality. He simply has no concept of reality-based truth. In the parallel universe he seems to occupy, what he says, he sincerely believes as he is saying it. But in a most unusual feat of mental gymnastics, he immediately forgets what he has just said. Then when someone asks him what he has just proposed, he honestly has no recollection. Therefore, he has not lied, in a technical sense, he has just drifted away from reality-based truth.

[Mark was here]

Clinton still searching for "His Legacy"

[mewzilla]

The editor of the Oklahoman obviously has more intelligence than the people who payed a thousand bucks a plate to attend that dinner and applauded Bubba's remarks.

[rwfok]

This is heartening. I was concerned about the direction that the editorial page would take under new management. I read in the Oklahoma Gazette, of all places, that Patrick B. McGuigan has been forced to resign as the head of the editorial department at The Oklahoman. Some type of altercation with Gaylord over McGuigan's support of Denise Bode. I have yet to see it reported elsewhere. Have you seen anything?

[Dick Bachert]

Clintoon's book will be published by Alfred Knopf Publishing.

“Knopf” is 13th Century German for “ incredibly stupid buyer of other peoples’ garbage.” Knopf is a very old publishing house best known for such early classics as

“How to Enjoy The Inquisition” by Father Torquemada
“You Get My Point?” by Vlad the Impaler
“Guillotine Maintenance and Repair” by Citizen Robespierre

Three of their more recent offerings are “PeeWee Herman’s Movie Guide,” “Gary Condit’s Guide to Picking Up Chicks” and “Compared to Us, Ponzi Was a Freakin’ Choirboy” co-authored by Gary Winnick, Ken Lay and Terry McAuliffe.

All available in a dumpster or landfill near you!

[goldstategop]

Clinton should be immortalized in Tussauds with Monica at his feet servicing him.

[Howlin]

When you write it, please ping me.

[uncbob]

"These people ran (for the presidency) on responsibility, but as soon as you scratch them they go straight to blame," Clinton said.,br>,br> Hey Jerk Off
I remember when you took office in 93 the first thing you did was send your cohorts Begala and Steffie out to harrangue about the EXCESSES OF THE LAST TWELVE YEARS

I have a good memory Slick One and I remember that vividly

[A2J]

Thought you would enjoy this editorial from my paper this morning!

Will they mail to subscribers in California?

[steve-b]

[Bigg Red]

Gee, do you think the NY Slimes will do such an analysis?