(Bill) Clinton: Felt did right thing in Watergate affair

[sabra]

<<SNIP>>
http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/06/02/clinton/

Clinton: Felt did right thing in Watergate affair
Thursday, June 2, 2005 Posted: 9:13 AM EDT (1313 GMT)

Former President Clinton appears Wednesday on "Larry King Live."

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Former FBI official Mark Felt "did the right thing" by leaking information to The Washington Post that helped lead to President Nixon resignation's in the Watergate scandal in 1974, former President Clinton said.

"I think he did a good thing, and I think it was unusual circumstances," Clinton said Wednesday on CNN's "Larry King Live."

Felt, once the No. 2 official at the FBI, was "Deep Throat," the secret source for Washington Post reporters in the aftermath of the bungled 1972 break-in at the Democratic Party offices in the Watergate complex.

His identity remained unknown to the public for more than 30 years -- one of the best-kept secrets in the history of journalism. (Full story)

"I think Felt believed that there was a chance that this thing would be covered up," Clinton said, referring to the break-in and Nixon administration's cover-up. "Ordinarily, I think a law enforcement official shouldn't leak to the press because you should let criminal action take its course.

<</SNIP>>

[ohtransplant]

1. but, but but.....

Robert Novak, Pat Buchanan, and G Gordon Liddy - all paragons of truth, justice and the American way - all say Felt is a bad, bad man. I wonder who I should believe...

Bottom line is the truth finally won out. That might not have happened if Felt had gone through channels. As McLaughlin would say, The answer is....Felt is an American hero! (yelling over Buchanan) Next topic!

[Ilsa]

2. Can you hear the spin already?

"If Clinton says it was alright, then you know it was wrong," is what these paragons of virtue (:sarcasm:) will all be saying.

[ohtransplant]

3. True, Clinton(s) can be a lightening rod.

But just like the RW attack machinery jumped into action yesterday, numerous, credible voices of moderation (including pubs)should weigh in on this issue. Balance is needed to offset their obvious attempt to re-write history.

BTW, wasn't Hillary a staffer in the Watergate inquiry?

[CottonBear]

5. Yes, Hillary was a staffer in the Watergate inquiry.

That's the real reason they hate her so, IMHO.

BTW, Chuck Colson attacked Felt on CSPAN WJ this morning.
He is a bitter convicted felon living a sad life in Florida.

[ohtransplant]

10. Being an ordained minister,

I'm sure Colson added a promise to pray for Felt...

Oh..he didn't? Now I'm disappointed.:sarcasm:

[Ilsa]

11. And didn't David Gergen dis Felt?

I was pretty disappointed with the overall timbre of his comments, although I don't recall him slamming Felt. He made it sound like the the outcome was a shame on Felt because Felt's motives might not have been pure.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

15. And Big Dog worked for Fullbright at the time

which is why they will always hate him.

[cascadiance]

6. If Novak is saying that Felt is a "bad, bad" man....

... then why isn't he saying the same thing about his government informant about Valerie Plame's identity? Isn't that person also a "bad, bad" person too? And that person was comitting a crime doing so too!

Damn Rethuglicrite!

[ohtransplant]

9. There you go again...You and your silly logical conclusions.

Of course Novak is just reading from the daily talking points he receives.

How has he avoided jail?

[ooglymoogly]

13. if novak is saying he is a bad, bad man in bushspeak that

means in realityspeak he is a good, good man and novak is a bad, bad man.

[LiberalFighter]

12. These paragons of truth should be asked the question...

who was Felt suppose to bring it to that was in the channels?

Gray?
Meese?

[DeaconBlues]

4. Why are we even arguing whether he did the right thing or not?

Of course he did the right thing damn it!

[flordehinojos]

7. conscience is like a little worm they used to tell us (or in some cases

like Jimminy Cricket)..but whatever conscience is ... i don't need bill clinton to tell me that felt did the right thing. i know he did the right thing! and as far as novakula, buck-anan,and, who was the other one? saying that felt is bad, bad, bad-- well, i don't need for them to tell me felt is bad either, because i know felt is GOOD, and novakula, buck-anan,etc, they can just flush their spinning words down the commode careful not to let it overflow from all the crap being flushed by them down the toilet pipe!

[daleo]

8. Today's press would probably just ignore a man like Felt

But, during this era when the press was more responsible, it was obviously his only recourse. If he went to the press, he must have known regular law enforcement channels would not have responded without a kick. Who better to know this than someone high in the FBI?

The scandal here is the attempt to re-write history by right wing ideologues.

[indepat]

14. The right thing to do and Gonzales might not prosecute. Wonder if

Gonzales might prosecute any prosecutorial misconduct during the witch hunt (persecution) of Clinton?

[orleans]

16. in the interview Clinton also said of poppy:

""I've always liked him. I've always admired him. I mean, he gave his life to public service. He comes from a family who did. His father was a distinguished senator from Connecticut," Clinton said.

"And so I share an interest in public service. He likes sports. I like sports. He likes people. And I think he's a genuinely good man."

The Bushes have invited Clinton to their family compound in Kennebunkport, Maine, this summer."

yuck!
wasn't ole prescott making his fortune from a bank he worked for that was hiding money for the nazis? exactly how distinguished was poppy's pappy?

and clinton hanging out at the "family compound in kennebunkport" this summer? he's gonna kill any whisper of a chance for hilary with the dems. are they trying to suck up to repukies? well, we go to kennebunkport--so look, repukies like us--they really like us! (does he think this will diminish any right wing attacks toward his wife?)

[Olney Blue]

17. Sometimes I wonder....

if Poppy and Big Dog spend some of that time together discussing the failed "strategery" of Dubya and how they would do things so differently. They say they don't, but how could they help it?!


Poppy: It was a mistake to invade Iraq without an exit strategy. Did I really provide the sperm for this travesty?

Big Dog: I feel your pain.


:evilgrin: