Clark's charges re White House/9-11/CNN...

[JustJoe]

Clark has claimed that the WH or someone at the WH
called him on 9-11 to try to get him to join the chorus
connecting 9-11 & Iraq; he also claimed that the WH or
someone at the WH was trying to get him fired from
CNN (when he was there) because of his criticisms of
the war. Have I stated these charges accurately?
These seem like huge headline-making stories but I
have heard of them only as passing references.
Have they dried up or what?

Edited title

[A-Schwarzenegger]

1. The White House calls a lot of people

and asks them what they think about things.
They can also call CNN and give their opinion.
Do you want to take away the White House first
amendment right to call people and talk about things?

[Trajan]

2. Yeah ....

Is the current occupant named "George W. Bush" ? ...

Then CERTAINLY: I would LOVE to deny that assbite ANY right to speak ...

Any objections to that ? ...

[A-Schwarzenegger]

5. There is a lot of people and a lot of telephones

in the White House. Do you think George Bush called
Clark? He was flying around hiding but I guess he
could have called from Air Force I. It seems like
he would had of had other thongs on his mind flying
around hiding from terrorist in AFI.

[RC]

6. I really doubt that georgie

ever had thongs on his mind. :evilgrin:

[A-Schwarzenegger]

7. Things. I didn't mean to say

he had "thongs" on...

[calimary]

13. You guys are a scream!!! XOXOXO!!

n/t

[Trajan]

8. Does the Lil Prince know how to operate a telephone ? ...

Hell: ... he can just get his courtiers to do his bidding: ... he IS the fucking PRINCE, after all ...

Minister Rove, sitting at the right hand of the prince would be MORE than glad to execute the policies of the prince, even if it means lopping off some soon-to-be-unhappy heads with his gilt and bejewelled sword ...

[A-Schwarzenegger]

9. So I guess Clark

will say who called him from the White
House when he is ready.

[Trajan]

10. DAMN yer sharp ....

[A-Schwarzenegger]

11. Thanksx Trojan!

[Wonk]

3. Here's a transcript (3 versions, actually) of what you're talking about.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/003/002zlaay.asp

Sounds like the call was made by David Frum, to me.

Why hasn't this story had more "legs"? Ask Rove.

[Sterling]

4. Before I get behind Clark

I would like to know more about this.

[Pepperbelly]

12. weekly standard smear job ...

pffft.

[ignatiusr]

15. No

Clark didn't say that; it was just interpreted that way. Here's what happened:

He said on Meet the Press that there had been a concerted effort immediately following 9/11 to pin the attacks on Hussein. He then said he got a phone call from someone the day of the attacks saying that it had to have something to do with Hussein, and urging him to go on the air and say so. Russert asked him something to the effect of "Where? Where did those charges come from?" Clark said, "It came from the White House. It came from people around the White House. It came from all over."

So the suggestion wasn't that the phone call specifically came from the White House, just that the White House, along with conservatives "all over" the place, had launched an effort to pin the attacks on Hussein. Clark later said that the phone call specifically came from a conservative think tank in Canada that had close ties to people in the White House. So I guess that specifically would fall into the "around the White House" part of his statement.


The reason the story about Bush calling to get Clark fired didn't get much press is fairly simple. Fox News won't report anything anti-Bush, and CNN refuses to comment on the statement, no doubt out of fear of White House retribution.

[Donna Zen]

14. Specifics

Clark said during his most recent Press appearance that the man who called him was the brother of one of Clark's good friends in Belguim. Also, the man has an active interest in ME activities, is part of a Canadian think tank, and has good relations with the Mossad. Therefore, Clark said that he took the caller seriously enough to return the call; however, there was no proof to back up the assertion. Clark said it is a matter of record that bushco shopped, in Clark's words: "...to pin the tail on Saddam."

He has never changed the initial story (see the actual transcripts) although he has expanded the story with additional information. Perhaps if the Standard wanted to act like journalist rather than the print version of a rat's ass, they could use the information given to them, and find the guys name. Nevertheless, that is not the point. The issue is what was anyone doing trying desperately to make a connection that did not exist and would lead to an unjust war? The Standard is playing "Look Over There." Are you falling for it?