CNN NEWSNIGHT AARON BROWN (Transcript - Ritter Inerview)

CNN ^ | 1/22/03

[kattracks]

BROWN: And Scott Ritter joins us next to address the allegations that have been floating out there about him.

We'll take a short break first.

BROWN: Scott Ritter has a knack for making headlines.

Last year, the former weapons inspector, who used to drive the Iraqis crazy, started driving the White House crazy by saying that there was no evidence that the Iraqis still had weapons of mass destruction and that war was a huge mistake. Then there were accusations, fiercely denied, that his old boss at the U.N. had turned the inspection program into a U.S. spying operation.

[Sapper26]

Ritter must have taken interviewing tips from Gary Condit.

'Connie, my wife and I have been married for 34 years ...

'I stood before the judge in an open court session, public session....

[SkyPilot]

"Aaron, now I want you to listen to me....I am going to say this again!"

[DB]

Thanks.

[DB]

Ritter is a real piece of work...

And for Hack to say he's an honorable guy is really disappointing.

[woofie]

Where does one go on the internet to attempt to lure young local girls to a Burger King ? is there a YoungBKGirls.com ?

[Nitro]

He was looking to get his weapon inspected!!

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

I get the impression that only Bill Clinton can do the "Clinton Mind Trick" (like the Jedi Mind Trick ) where he gets away with almost everything he says or does. If anyone else tries to go with it, they fall flat on their face like Hillary and Gore did when they attempted to do "the Bill". Ritter will also fail emulating the Slickster.

BTW to those who claim that this all was a set up by the Right to discredit Ritter, I say BS. As far as helping the Right, the timing of this is not the best. if we wanted to get him like the Democrats do, we would wait until the war started, and then at a slow news period we would then leak the news of his arrest because he would already be commited to every show under the sun and it would be hard to replace him. As much as the libs will miss troting out Ritter on every show there is, they now have time to find another to bang out his useless message. So now when the war does start and you see an anti American on the numerous talking head shows, think for a moment if that segement was meant for Ritter.

[kattracks]

Wasn't it clinton who also claimed he couldn't talk about, I think it was the Paula Jones thing, because of litigation? Which was also a LIE!

[leadpenny]

He sounds so much like Clinton that it's scary.

Nail on the head. My thoughts exactly.

Says he is not in Baghdad because he is on the program to answer questions and then clams up. The new definition of Circular Logic: Scott Ritter.

[jwalsh07]

I don't know why he just couldn't admit he was under contract to Pete Townshend to research pedophilia, up close and personal.

[leadpenny]

Thanks for the ping on the Aaron Brown/CNN Thread. I've always thought Brown had it in him to go for the kill. When he and Thalia Assuras (sp?) were doing ABC World News Now, I saw him as the heir apparent to Jennings. Guess Jennings and ABC did too.

[PeaceBeWithYou]

Ritter-active

[metesky]

Nice link.

Crazed look in Scotties eyes.

Remember, only Scott Ritter can prevent war!

[billclintonwillrotinhell]

Usually, Aaron Brown bores me to death with his smugness and elitism, but I've gotta say he did a pretty good job with this interview. However, he should've asked Ritter just a few more questions:

Have you undergone any counseling in the last few years?

Why shouldn't Americans be afraid you've been blackmailed, thus explaining your complete 180-degree change in opinion on Iraq?

Who asked for your case to be sealed in the first place?

If you were wrongly arrested by police, shouldn't you be absolutely outraged, demanding that the police be disciplined for hauling you in?

You've admitted you were arrested. Now tell us if you were given a warning by police anytime before that arrest for engaging in similar behavior...

And, of course, the obligatory Barbara Walters/Diane Sawyer question... What's your favorite meal at Burger King?

[csap]

When will the FBI confiscate his computer?

Let them examine his hard (har!) drive

I am sure, since he was caught twice, that he must have had a successfull encounter before the first time he was caught.

If he was caught the first time he ever tried to get a child over the net, he would not have tried it again.

[leadpenny]

All great questions.

What's your favorite meal at Burger King?

Probably the Whopper Happy Meal. It takes two hands to handle a Whopper!

[Dog]

Notice he never mentions the reason he was arrested..

[Miss Marple]

Good morning, and yes, we noticed this last hight. Brown gets high marks for this interview. Fox mentioned an interview with the Albany station which Ritter did yesterday. APparently in that one he accused the judge of leaking the information.

This is beginning to sound like the tactic used on Starr...focus on the leak and not on the actual transgression.

However, Ritter isn't the president, he isn't a charming liar, and we have been down this road before and have wised up.

In fact, I loathe the guy so much I really don't care who leaked this...although if I had to guess I would say one of the arresting officers who probably has a relative in the Gulf.

[Monty22]

I bet he doesn't go away quietly, but is still trying to get on fox and be skewered. He seems to have some sort of self-destructive insanity.

[savedbygrace]

RITTER: Aaron, we're dealing with a case that has been dismissed and the record has been sealed by a judge's order. And I'm obligated, both ethically and legally, not to talk about that case.

There are at least two "legal" reasons he can't talk about this.

1. If he talks about it without admitting he was wrong, then he violates the sealed order that said he had to get counseling and demonstrate repentance. (IOW, the judge said, "Son, you've done this before, so you've got a problem you need to deal with. Go to counseling and prove to me that you realize this and that you won't do it again, or I'll have you back in my court in the blink of an eye. When I get a report from the counselor to that effect, I'll expunge the record of this case.")

2. If he says anything that amounts to a public admission of guilt, his wife will file for divorce.

(I'm not a lawyer, and I'm not playing one right now.)