Right Wing "talking points" on Richard Clarke (60 Minutes)

[underpants]

~"If he was the Terrorism Czar why did the first WTC attack occur? Khobar Towers? The USS COLE attack.....he obviously didn't know what he was doing" --Never mention that if he indeed was not up to the task why did W&Co. keep him on?----Rebut if asked with ~"That is why they downgraded him from a Cabinette level position.


~"He is obviously upset and DISGRUNTLED at being downgraded from his prominent position"

~"Why didn't Clinton do something about alQaeda?"

~"He's just trying to sell a book"

~"As pointed out by Leslie Stahl he can't contain his RAGE against Bush"

~"Quotes by Zawahiri about 'your government leading you into war' sound an awful lot like what Mr.Clarke said"---tie/imply that he sides more with alQaeda and hates America.

~"All of his accusations were completely debunked by Mr. Hadley"---nothing to see here.

Add any that you see coming yourself. I will kick this a bit to see if it matches what comes out tomorrow.

[alcuno]

1. I though Hadley sounded like a hack.

60 minutes produced it so that there was a voice over of Stahl while Hadley was talking; more than one time. That points to what they thought of his words.

[teach1st]

3. These were posted somewhere today on DU

http://www.cnn.com/US/9607/30/clinton.terrorism/

July 30, 1996
Web posted at: 8:40 p.m. EDT
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Clinton urged Congress Tuesday to act swiftly in developing anti-terrorism legislation before its August recess. )

"We need to keep this country together right now. We need to focus on this terrorism issue," Clinton said during a White House news conference.

But while the president pushed for quick legislation, Republican lawmakers hardened their stance against some of the proposed anti-terrorism measures.

Clinton Administration Counter Terrorism Initiative:

http://www.cdt.org/policy/terrorism/adm-anti-terror-otl.html

[proud patriot]

2. 60 minutes doesn't air until later here

but I'll comeback and comment when I've seen it .

[Norbert]

4. I may even listen to Rush tomorrow

He will either blow a head gasket tomorrow or he will go "running for the shelter of el Rush bos little helper."*

The shrub misadministration took a direct hit tonight.


*With all due respect to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

[underpants]

8. Yes that could be interesting

I suspect that he might not even mention it to the already convinced and instead highlight the GLORIOUS BEGINNING of W's march to victory (the what 4th "start" of the campaign).

[OneTwentyoNine]

16. Boortz and then Rush....spinning their asses off for Chimp

Boortz,who can't go thirty seconds without trashing Kerry and his War record will have to take a break tomorrow to trash Clarke. Then Rush will follow him,then Hannity etc..

[calimary]

5. Let the media know you are ON TO THEM:

I am actually REposting this - from another DUer - I GRATEFULLY acknowledge DUer bigtree for coming up with this list and doing the heavy lifting on it. But it's SO WORTH IT to repost. PLEASE CONTACT SOMEBODY. ANYBODY! Or use the TOLL FREE Capitol Hill Switchboard number in my sig line, first thing tomorrow morning.

PLEASE PEOPLE! DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS! "60 Minutes" ENDS at the end of the 60 minutes. It's up to the rest of us to see that it lives on and keeps having an impact. This is VERY heavy stuff. Needs to be repeated ALL OVER THE PLACE! And, while you're at it, CBS needs to be thanked!

- calimary

Here is another EXCELLENT LIST OF CONTACTS! Please
make note of it, make a copy of it, and make use of
it!

Use the responses to strike back at the attacks, here
and elsewhere.

MSNBC-

Opinions: mailto:[e-mail]

News: mailto:[e-mail]

Letters to the Editor: mailto:[e-mail]

MSNBC on the Internet
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052
________________________________________________________________

CNN-

CNN TV: http://www.cnn.com/feedback/cnntv /

CNN.com: http://www.cnn.com/feedback/dotcom /
_________________________________________________________________

[e-mail]

Readers' Representative Office:
http://www.latimes.com/services/site/la-comment-readersrep.story


Los Angeles Times
202 W. 1st St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
[phone]

The Times Orange County
1375 Sunflower Avenue
Costa Mesa, CA 92626-1697
[phone]

Los Angeles Times
Valley Edition
20000 Prairie Street
Chatsworth, CA 91311
[phone]
Los Angeles Times
Ventura County Edition
93 S. Chestnut Street
Ventura, CA 93001
[phone]
_________________________________________________________________

New York Times:

To Write The Publisher or President:
http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/infoservdirectory.html#o


Letters to the Editor:
http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/infoservdirectory.html#a


LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
E-mail to [e-mail] .

OP-ED/EDITORIAL
For information on Op-Ed submissions, call (212)
556-1831 or send article to [e-mail] "
target="_blank">[e-mail]" target="_blank">[e-mail] . To write to the
editorial page editor, send to [e-mail] .


NEWS DEPARTMENT
To send comments and suggestions (about news coverage
only) or to report errors that call for correction,
e-mail [e-mail] or leave a message at
1-888-NYT-NEWS.
The Editors
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

The Newsroom
[e-mail] ; [e-mail]
[e-mail] ; [e-mail]
[e-mail] ; [e-mail]
[e-mail] ; [e-mail]

PUBLIC EDITOR
To reach Daniel Okrent, who represents the readers,
e-mail [e-mail] or call [phone].

TO WRITE THE PUBLISHER OR PRESIDENT

Arthur Sulzberger Jr., Chairman & Publisher:
[e-mail] .

Janet L. Robinson, President & General Manager:
[e-mail] .
_________________________________________________________________

USA Today:

Letters to the Editor:
http://www.usatoday.com/marketing/feedback/feedback-online.aspx?type=1 ...


USA TODAY / USATODAY.com
7950 Jones Branch Drive
McLean, VA 22108-0605
_________________________________________________________________

Washington Post:

How can I contact Washington Post writers?:
http://washingtonpost.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/washingtonpost.cfg/php/endu ...
*&p_li=

How do I submit a letter to the editor?:
http://washingtonpost.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/washingtonpost.cfg/php/endu ...
*&p_li=

How do I submit an Op-Ed piece?
http://washingtonpost.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/washingtonpost.cfg/php/endu ...
*&p_li=

How do I contact the Ombudsman?:
http://washingtonpost.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/washingtonpost.cfg/php/endu ...
*&p_li=

The Washington Post
1150 15th Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20071
__________________________________________________________________

More:

National Newspapers: http://newslink.org/--news.html

Television by state: http://newslink.org/stattele.html


Radio by State: http://newslink.org/statradi.html

Networks-

Radio: http://newslink.org/netr.html

Television: http://newslink.org/nett.html

Also, I would add:

(CBS) 60 Minutes:

ADDRESS:
60 Minutes
524 West 57th St.
New York, NY 10019

PHONE: [phone]

TRANSCRIPTS: 1-800-777-TEXT

VIDEOTAPES: 1-800-848-3256

CBS SHOULD BE THANKED FOR RUNNING THIS!!!

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/60minutes/main3415.shtml - go to the bottom of the page and click on "feedback" and you're in.

1 (800) 839 - 5276 - TOLL FREE Capitol Hill Switchboard number! They'll transfer you to any House/Senate office you name!

[underpants]

10. WOW that's keeper

thanks to bigtree and you calimary.

[CatWoman]

6. The Cons on Yahoo has beat you to it

they have been saying most of that crap all day.

http://news.messages.yahoo.com/bbs?action=l&board=37138469&tid=apterrorismadviser&sid=37138469&mid=8006

[underpants]

11. Yeah but they are a bunch of Yahoos

:bounce:

It isn't that hard to anticipate what they will say. I would be surprised if these talking points weren't distrubited on Friday or Saturday to try to influence the ineternet chatter.

ON EDIT-"dickbag" is one that I had never heard before. :eyes:

[CatWoman]

13. a la fax blasts

[The Backlash Cometh]

7. Answer to first Freeper talking point.

9/11 happened because the Bush Administration made stoopid mistakes like demoting Clarke's Czar counter-terrorist cabinet position to a staff position.

[Postman]

9. He did stop the LAX planned attack....

even the Bush criminals constantly claim that you can't protect everything, everywhere, at all times.

How was Clinton supposed to stop an attack on a US Navy destroyer pulling into port? That is more of an indictment of the Captain of the ship than Clinton.

Maybe if the Gingrich Congress had spent more time trying to find ways to defend the country instead of spending vital time and resources into investigating Clintons private sexual picadillos things may be different.

[underpants]

12. The decision to dock at such ports was made years ago

I don't know if it was "on Clinton's watch" but at some point the decision was made to increase US naval presence by doing this. Yes it was half a world away but yet Clinton was responsible while W was in Florida.....

BTW-this is stuff of conspiracy theories (which I try to stay way from) but wanna guess who was responsible for the logistics and supply operation in Yemen?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Halliburton.

[Timefortruth]

21. Wasn't the Millennium celebration at the Space Needle canceled

as well to avoid a terrorist attack?

The kind of thing that is done to AVOID attacks, rather then letting them happen.

[teach1st]

14. President Clinton's Efforts to End Terrorism

From Buzzflash

http://www.buzzflash.com/perspectives/Clinton_and_Terrorism.html

"For eight years the Clinton administration fought hard to counter terrorism, and while we didn't accomplish all that we hoped, we had some important successes."

Response from Roger Cressey, National Security Council senior director for counterterrorism from 1999-2001, and Gayle Smith, special assistant to the president for African affairs from 1998-2001, to Richard Miniter's book "Losing Bin Laden," "which includes a number of erroneous allegations about the Clinton administration's counterterrorism record, many of which were then published in this newspaper."


The FALSE Claim That Clinton Did Nothing to Stop Terrorism or Capture Those Who Performed Terrorist Acts

Claim: The Clinton administration failed to track down the perpetrators of several terrorist attacks against Americans.
Status: False.


more

[underpants]

18. That is excellent

Thanks

[teach1st]

15. WP 2/22/03: Don't Put The Blame On Clinton

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A45352-2003Feb21¬Found=true

Don't Put The Blame On Clinton

By Steve Ricchetti ( President Clinton's deputy chief of staff), Washington Post
Saturday, February 22, 2003; Page A25

<snip>

Krauthammer, citing terrorist attacks during the 1990s, claims we were on a "holiday from history" in our response. He should look a little farther back in the history books. Nearly 500 of our citizens died at the hands of foreign terrorists during the Reagan administration, including 241 Marines at barracks in Lebanon, to which that administration's response was promptly to withdraw. The 1980s were the most ravaging decade of terrorism against Americans before Sept. 11, 2001. Except for a single bombing run against Libya one day in April 1986, there was no significant military response.

Under the Clinton administration, fighting terrorism became a national priority. Counterterrorism funding doubled. Force was used against Osama bin Laden and Iraq. Multiple terrorist plots were stopped, including plans to blow up tunnels and the United Nations headquarters and to strike U.S. targets during our millennium celebrations. Al Qaeda cells were rolled up in more than 20 countries. Dozens of important terrorist fugitives were apprehended.

Where were Republican leaders then? Some were busy opposing key efforts to strengthen laws designed to combat terrorists. Others criticized significant counterterrorism funding requests. Perhaps I missed Krauthammer's column at the time chiding his Republican friends for "kicking the can" down the road.

By the way, if any leading Republicans were calling for military action against Afghanistan during the Clinton administration, it is hard to find evidence of it in the public record of that time. Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush certainly did not.

More

[underpants]

17. Add Orrin Hatch's accusation of "false threats" -chem marking explosives

Excellent about the response to the Beirut bombings.....gee sounds like what they are accusing the Spanish of doing.

[erpowers]

20. Clinton Finally Gets Credit

I am extremely happy that people are beginning to list the things Clinton tried to do in order to prevent terrorism. He was so much of a better president than Bush. If Clinton had been president in 2001 we would not have had 9/11. It is also good that some people are mentioning that Republicans blocked many of Clinton's efforts to make Amercia safer. It is time to make Republicans accountable for spending our time and money focusing on sex instead of terrorism. In my opinion if anyone is to blame for 9/11 it is the Republicans.

[chookie]

19. That's very good, Underpants!

You certainly have their methodology and style down perfectly.

They are almost always predictable as to how they will spin something.

[underpants]

24. HA! Condi actually lead with my first one on Fox and Friends

She then was on NBC and ABC saying basically the same thing.

One of the Fox and Friends hosts did say "Well this guy is trying to seel his book so he says...."

Fox's first report totally ignored the pre-9/11 part and scoffed at the "trying to create a Saddam-alQaeda" part.

See the thread about Ann Curry (she of the cheerleading USA!USA! on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln the morning of W's chicken hawk flight) were she interrupted Wesley Clarke TWICE (very rudely) and accused him of supporting the war which he immediately informed her that he didn't.

[scottxyz]

22. Allow me to debunk them

~"If he was the Terrorism Czar why did the first WTC attack occur? Khobar Towers? The USS COLE attack.....he obviously didn't know what he was doing" --Never mention that if he indeed was not up to the task why did W&Co. keep him on?----Rebut if asked with ~"That is why they downgraded him from a Cabinette level position.

>>> This could be a tougher one. Anyone else more knowledgeable care to vet this one?

~"He is obviously upset and DISGRUNTLED at being downgraded from his prominent position"

>>> Clarke himself rebutted this - said if he really had been disgruntled, he wouldn't have stayed on as he did.

~"Why didn't Clinton do something about alQaeda?"

>>>> Clinton did. There was chatter at the end of 1999, they went on high alert, went to the battle stations, and caught that guy who wanted to blow up LAX.

~"He's just trying to sell a book"

>>>> He's trying to save YOUR life actually.

~"As pointed out by Leslie Stahl he can't contain his RAGE against Bush"

>>>> He felt rage the day of 9/11. He felt rage ("The Horror, The Horror") that Al-Qaeda had gotten through. We ALL feel rage about the people who committed 9/11 - and the people who let it happen. What are you supposed to feel - joy?


~"Quotes by Zawahiri about 'your government leading you into war' sound an awful lot like what Mr.Clarke said"---tie/imply that he sides more with alQaeda and hates America.

>>> Rumsfelf and Wolfowitz sounded like lunatics trying to pin 9/11 on Iraq. They kept talking about "Iraqi terrorism" when there hadn't BEEN any for 8 years. Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz and Bush are the ones who "side more with Al-Qaada". If it hadn't been for Clarke, it's quite possible that we would have never even gone into Afghanistan first - we would have only gone after Iraq, which was all the PNACers wanted to do the whole time.

~"All of his accusations were completely debunked by Mr. Hadley"---nothing to see here.

>>>> Mr Hadley was a mess. Even Stahl nailed him by saying she had two other witnesses who corroborated Clarke's version of events. Hadley just issued a standard meaningless disclaimer ("I stand on my statements") - but not without first (a) swallowing hard, (b) wiggling his eyebrows nervously, and (c) making a frightened face, so that everybody watching knew he was just lying to save his ass for a bit longer.

[RamboLiberal]

23. FWIW - in WP article tonight Clarke in 2000 was registered Republican

and here's an article I saw the Freepers referencing yesterday.

Do any of you know anything about securityfocus.com or George Smith?

http://www.securityfocus.com/columnists/143

<snip>

But with his retirement, Clarke's career accomplishments should be noted.

In 1986, as a State Department bureaucrat with pull, he came up with a plan to battle terrorism and subvert Muammar Qaddafi by having SR-71s produce sonic booms over Libya. This was to be accompanied by rafts washing onto the sands of Tripoli, the aim of which was to create the illusion of a coming attack. When this nonsense was revealed, it created embarrassment for the Reagan administration and was buried.

In 1998, according to the New Republic, Clarke "played a key role in the Clinton administration's misguided retaliation for the bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, which targeted bin Laden's terrorist camps in Afghanistan and a pharmaceutical factory in Sudan." The pharmaceutical factory was, apparently, just a pharmaceutical factory, and we now know how impressed bin Laden was by cruise missiles that miss.

Trying his hand in cyberspace, Clarke's most lasting contribution is probably the new corporate exemption in the Freedom of Information Act. Originally designed to immunize companies against the theoretical malicious use of FOIA by competitors, journalists and other so-called miscreants interested in ferreting out cyber-vulnerabilities, it was suggested well before the war on terror as a measure that would increase corporate cooperation with Uncle Sam. Clarke labored and lobbied diligently from the NSC for this amendment to existing law, law which he frequently referred to as an "impediment" to information sharing.