Clinton: At Least I Prevented Bin Laden Attacks

NewsMax ^ | Sunday June 16, 2002; 9:49 a.m. EDT

[flamefront]

Ex-president Bill Clinton suggested this week that his administration had a better record at stopping terrorist attacks than President Bush's, telling an interviewer who asked about pre-9-11 CIA and FBI intelligence failures, "At least in my time, more of these things were prevented than occurred."

"I spent an enormous amount of time on this when I was president," Clinton told Fox News Channel's Rita Cosby in comments broadcast Saturday night. "We must have talked about (Osama) bin Laden several days of every week for the last few years I was president. We did a lot of work on it."

Clinton continued:

"I think the facts will probably come out as they should and then people can draw their own conclusions. And I think, when the Congress completes their work, then I might want to say something. But I think right now we shouldn't."

Then, as if to underline the fact that bin Laden's most devastating attack on the U.S. came after he left office, the ex-president observed, "All I know is that, at least in my time, more of these things were prevented than occurred. And we tried to stay on top of them and did the best we could."

Clinton's apparent finger pointing came despite obvious efforts to restrain himself, and he repeatedly suggesting that leaders should withhold comment until congressional 9-11 probers were finished.

"I think that we should wait for them to draw their conclusions and get all the evidence out, then the rest of us, if we have anything to say, we can say it," he told Fox News, adding, "We have succeeded to a remarkable degree, since Sept. 11, to not let this thing become a partisan issue."

But in the next breath Clinton made the argument that "at least in my time" he had stopped most terrorist attacks.

While offering tacit support for Bush's massive effort to reorganize homeland security, the ex-president was critical of one aspect of the plan.

"I do know that neither the CIA nor the FBI is in any way affected by this. And that's where all the intelligence work is done and that's where all the questions have been raised that are being looked at by Congress."

"They're not at all affected by the reorganization," he complained.

But Clinton also had praise for U.S. intelligence gatherers, telling Fox News, "The people who do this work have actually been pretty good at preventing a lot of things."

To illustrate that fact, he reiterated again, "When I was president, far more terrorist incidents were prevented than actually occurred."

[flamefront]

I think some here might like to comment.

Curious to me that all these Dem-Clinton items come out jsut before an election, again.

[Aaron_A]

Good ole Bubba...still smoking those funny cigars?

[sinkspur]

Clinton is an admitted liar.

Never, EVER, believe an admitted liar.

[cardinal4]

What about WTC 1, Al-Khobar Towers,the Military Advisory group in Riyadh,two embassy bombings,and the USS Cole?

[mewzilla]

Well, let's see...

He didn't prevent the 93 WTC bombing, the African Embassy bombings, the Khobar towers bombing, the Cole bombing. And any plane crashes that might have really been terrorist bombings. Or OKC. And he certainly did nothing that would have helped prevent 9-11.

Not a record I'd want to lay claim to, Billzo.

[LarryM]

I don't think anyone believes a word he says.

[Miss Marple]

I saw this walking waste of skin last night. David Dreier was on as a rebuttal (which I think is funny...a member of Congress is all we needed for rebuttal). Dreier is on the Intelligence Committee and was biting his tongue..said the truth will come out in due time.

By the way, Clinton's hair looks a little thin, his nose looked like it was made out of putty, and his left eye was even droopier than usual.

I am SO glad he is no longer president!

[bmwcyle]

"I did better job covering them up. I was good at that." What Bill Clinton really said.

[gunnedah]

Yes Billy Bob has a lot to brag about.The Marine barricks and the USS Cole.Both of these were know in advance and especially the USS COLE and he sent them into port knowing this.Plus his administration is the one that tore the FBI,CIA and INS all to hell.It is a known fact 9 out of 10 people in Clintons Administration could not pass a security check and so him and his wife almost dismantled national security because of not wanting his fellow criminals to be checked out and cleared.

[Psycho_Bunny]

I seem to recall him being the mastermind behind the terrorism at Waco.

[wai-ming]

I am SO glad he is no longer president!

I wish he never was.

[truthandlife]

I think Clinton is involved with the whole strategy of the Democrats in Congress. He knows there will appear to be some damning information against Bush and the media will help on this one. Clinton is a very sick individual and I hope the Republicans in Congress are digging up enough information that will show Clinton was the true culprit behind 9/11.

[Recovering_Democrat]

The lies go on and on and on and on and on and on and on.

[Recovering_Democrat]

that is too funny. but appropriate for the thread.

[Bogey78O]

Khobar was Air Force. Minor point but i feel like being picky.

[goodnesswins]

Idiot Clinton - the fool just opened Pandora's box.....and we (Conservatives) can NOW openly rebut his comments.....without being accused of "attacking" HIM.....this could be interesting.

[habs4ever]

Jesus, the lies keep piling up.And when he has the nerve to go that partisan, you KNOW that it's because 9/11 is HIS legacy.He always spins his tales based on his competency, and its his most vulnerable area.Call him a cheat, rapist,fraud, it rolls off his back, but nail him as the incompetent boob he is and he spins the Big Lie.He oozes failure.

[Stentor]

I am almost speechless.

[umgud]

Shouldn't this have been posted under "Humor"

[bert]

....At least in my time, more of these things were prevented than occurred.".....

Recall that the person making the statement is Clinton. He thus allows some error on his part, while preventing 18 zillion. Four or five successful incidents against 18 zillion prevented incidents is a good record in clintoonmind.

Recall also that a White House with no security some how kept terrorism threats secret. It is easy to keep something that never happened secret.

[Conservative til I die]

Hmmmmm...

WTC bombing of 1993

Murrah Building in Oklahoma City

Khobar Towers

[cgbg]

So _now_ we know why you covered up TWA 800 and OKC.

Thanks for the confession, Bill.

[metesky]

[BradyLS]

I'm gonna lay Waco at his feet, too.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

"I spent an enormous amount of time on this when I was president," Clinton told Fox News Channel's Rita Cosby in comments broadcast Saturday night. "We must have talked about (Osama) bin Laden several days of every week for the last few years I was president. We did a lot of work on it."

This lie has been refuted many times by Dick Morris. Who do you believe?

[timestax]

bttt

[gunnedah]

So I slapped myself in the head again.From now own I will refer to them as military.Thanks! I needed that.

[Alberta's Child]

By the way, Clinton's hair looks a little thin, his nose looked like it was made out of putty, and his left eye was even droopier than usual.

Funny you should mention that. During a recent conversation I suggested to someone that Clinton had gone through treatment for some kind of medical condition. The basis of this speculation was a combination of three things: 1) people who saw video clips of his infamous Georgetown speech in late November last year posted comments here stating that he appeared to be heavily medicated; 2) after that speech (according to my reckoning), Clinton made no public appearances for a six- to eight-week period from late November to mid-January; and 3) the only news story about him during that time was one that appeared to be completely "manufactured," for the purpose of making it seem as if he was still around without actually showing a photo or video clip of him -- if you remember, that was the story about how he called his key advisors together to a meeting or conference call to put together a strategy for "reviving his legacy."

I'd be interested to hear any other comments along these lines.

[aristeides]

Dick Morris and Jim Woolsey have both testified to how little interest Clinton had in the terrorism issue, and how little time he devoted to it.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

I'll bet he kept scratching his head during the interview. Just like he used to when he was spending time with Gennifer and snorting blow.

[cardinal4]

This article has got me steamed. You know he is in bed with Daschle and the rest of the Dem America Blamers and Bush Bashers. One day Bill Xlinton will have to answer for his time on Earth,I just hope Im here to see it.

[WillaJohns]

Isn't this also the guy who said Bush had all the luck, "Why couldn't something this disastrous have happened to make a hero out of me?"

[JulieRNR21]

I saw it too....he looked even more terrible than I recalled. The camera angle showed his bumpy WC Fields' nose & baggy eyes.

He's clearly out there trying to say: "Don't blame me". Only wish that Cosby had asked.....some follow-ups about the attacks that happened during his tenure and that clearly showed Bin Laden's intentions to continue prepetrating bigger & more destructive attacks.

My main reaction was......something big is going to come out of these hearings that will show 'his neglect' to protect Americans & he's starting to work on countering that.

Imagine if Patilla (dirty bomber suspect) is ever tied to OKC bombing and it becomes obvious that there was a cover-up or failure to pursue that angle?

[Cachelot]

Idiot Clinton - the fool just opened Pandora's box.....

As a matter of fact, I'm not surprised that this came after he was out. I heard that one of the towers may have held a few odds and ends no one is talking about, like Clintoon evidence...

[Bogey78O]

Whatever VD requires surgery and heavy medication is the most likely culprit. I'm willing to bet that if he's had sex with Hillary in the past 20 yrs she's been sure to make him use protection. It's sad really when you can't trust your husband to stay clean.

[mhking]

"All I know is that, at least in my time, more of these things were prevented than occurred. And we tried to stay on top of them and did the best we could."

Was he born stupid, or does he have to work at it?

[Thommas]

I believe that in the last few days, there has been mention (again) that Tim McVeigh had ties to al Qaida and Mr. Padilla in particular. Me thinks that Herr Clinton is obfuscating to belie the fact that during his Presidency, the Islamic attacks began in earnest and that his response was to introduce the celebration of Rhamadan into federal discourse.

The boob is a traitor and active enemy of the state who should be exiled and vigorously censored for his anarchistic demigogery.

[scholar]

Idiot Clinton - the fool just opened Pandora's box...

EXACTLY--could he please tell us WHAT he prevented? It's a good thing I haven't eaten breakfast yet!

[Quix]

BILLDO FARTING SWAMP GAS AGAIN

[hgro]

Bill Clinton is perhaps the top Buffoon of all of our presidents and that includes Jack Kennedy who chased every whore in the country, including those provided to him by the crime syndicate.

[Vermont Lt]

Just think about it for a second. The most recent former President...and the best he can do is Fox News on Saturday night. That is the cesspool of News TV. The only people watching then are generally in a vegetative state and/or they've lost the remote control.

How pathetic is that?

[staytrue]

Clinton is an admitted liar.

Ok, I'll admit that Clinton is a liar. But if Clinton admits he's a liar, then does that not mean he is telling the truth ?

[aristeides]

That's the famous Cretan's Paradox, isn't it, about the Cretan who says all Cretans are liars?

[SaveTheChief]

Ex-president Bill Clinton suggested this week that his administration had a better record at stopping terrorist attacks than President Bush's, telling an interviewer who asked about pre-9-11 CIA and FBI intelligence failures, "At least in my time, more of these things were prevented than occurred."

Is he privy to intelligence information today? Does he know the record of how many terrorist operations have been stopped since the day he left the office? Does the government share THAT kind of information with ex-presidents? I really would like to know.

Otherwise, I will just consider this to be a big lie, a politically motivated statement, and nothing but more of the verbal diarrhea we have come to expect from this idiot.

[Humidston]

He must need a wheelbarrow to push that load around these days.

[JessicaDragonet]

The one thing Bubba has to brag about is his ability to duck flying ash trays, launched by the co-president. The ONLY thing he prevented was a fractured skull.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Isn't this also the guy who said Bush had all the luck, "Why couldn't something this disastrous have happened to make a hero out of me?"

Clinton had numerous chances if not to be a hero, at least to uphold his oath of office. How about something as simple as telling the truth!!

How fitting that Clinton will be remembered only for that snipit, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman........" and Bush will be remembered so far, by that brilliant speech on Sept. 20th.

I believe that we make our own luck by being righteous and working for the good of the country or the family. Clinton cared only for himself and it brought him down. Clinton WAS a great depression on the American nation. Thank God he's over!!!

[pepsionice]

Isn't this the same guy who never invited the CIA analysts over to the White House....the same guy who got almost all of his foreign info from the state department (the ones who were told to make PRC look like your best friend)...and the guy who refused almost every military briefing ever offered (in 8 years!)? Who was he talking to? Monika?

[medved]

Somebody needs to tell this guy (Klintler) that he's ungodly lucky not to be in prison.