Monday, June 21, 2004

Get OVER it!

<Citizens United — a conservative lobbying group whose president, David Bossie, Mr. Clinton writes, helped to foment the Whitewater scandal — bought advertising time in several markets during Mr. Clinton's interview on "60 minutes" to argue that the former president was responsible for failing to prevent the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.>

This just makes me want to break something.  Politics are a hopeless string of lies in this country.  There are no such things as honor, accountability, telling any truth without spinning it to make one's own party look good, and the other party look responsible for ANYTHING bad.

What bothers me is, the Conservatives now want to blame Clinton.  And/or they declare that blaming the current president would not be showing the proper patriotism or "respect" for the office of the presidency.  I see...only Republican presidents are worthy of respect. 

I am of the opinion that NO president was responsible for what happened on 9/11.  Certainly not Bill Clinton, who had been out of office for nearly a year, and a lame duck long before that...unable to properly conduct the duties of his office because he was dealing with a constant stream of Republican attacks every time he made any move in any direction, personal or political. 

But neither is George W. Bush responsible for those attacks.  NO ONE, no matter what the 9/11 panel tries to dredge up, or whom they attempt to blame, had a clue that Al Quaeda would plan and be able to pull off such a spectacular example of modern urban terrorism.  Now we know.  Let's go forward.  Let's grow up and try not to pin the blame on anyone.  Let's let today be the first day of the rest of our lives.

I think Mr. Clinton might have made a big mistake releasing his book before the election.  I don't think he realized that he continues to be a lightning rod for Conservative slander.  He won't be doing the Democratic party any good by allowing the Right to dredge up all the old garbage about him and fling it in Kerry's way.  No amount of bad news coming out of Iraq, or stories of the Bush administration's collusion with the energy industry, or tax cuts for the wealthy, seem to be able to attract the attention of the American public away from the sensational roasting of Bill Clinton by the Conservative loudmouths in this country.  Yet another not very attractive example of human nature....  

 

18 comments:

  1. Whoa Lis! Why don't you tell us how you really feel! LOL I agree At this point no one is to blame accept for those who planned the attacks. Should of's would of's could of's are just a waste of time we should now be focusing PEACE.

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  2. greetings! i've been reading your journal for awhile, and generally agree with your thoughts on topics non-political. but since i'm one of those conservatives you seem to need to go off on every few days, i haven't left any comments -- kind of intimidating, you know? but today i just felt that i had to comment as i so agree with your assessment that no one -- neither bill clinton nor george bush -- are responsible for 9/11. the responsible parties were flying the planes, or gave orders to those flying the planes. you are SO right -- now we know. let's go forward.

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  3. Pal, the BIPARTISAN 9/11 commission looked at this tragedy at all angles, including what went on during the Clinton years right up to and past that tragic day on Bush's watch.  I do believe Clinton's administration was passive and Bush's team raeacted slowly and eventually didn't have enough time to analyze and re-structure.

    However, I, too, feel there is no blame to lay.  You know the old saying, 'the only people a lock keeps out are honest ones.'  Those people were so determined to inflict pain on our great country, they would've found a way despite our best planned defense.

    I haven't read Clinton's book and don't plan to.  But no matter when it would have come out, it would have hurt your party... remember only the sensational sells, and the only thing Clinton is about is his own bottom line.

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  4. thanks.  i needed that.  there are people out there who realize that "i told you so" and "it was his fault" is what we hear on the playground until about age 9.  then we start to know better, and we take responsibility for ourselves.  Grow up, America!

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  5. Wow, I didn't think of his releasing his book now being a blow to the elections, but now that you've said it, I can totally see that. I don't think 9/11 can be blamed on any one individual either. I think it was caused by a collection of missteps. And, yes instead of trying to blame, let's figure out what and how it was missed and take reasonable steps to thwart future attacks. :-) ---Robbie

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  6. You know what I find interesting?  When the first World Trade Center bombing happened on Feb 26, 1993, about a month after President Clinton took office, I don't remember anyone in his administration blaming Bush I for that.  
    I have been reading your journal for a week or so (can't remember if I have commented before or not), but I haven't seen ONE thing that you have had to say that I fundamentally disagreed with!  Good job  :)

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  7. This appears to be a pro democratic or "Pro Kerry" endeavor written under the guise of a conservative.  To completely resolve the clinton presidency of any blame in the terrorism attacks and the state of affairs surrounding that inhuman and cowardly act of war is obviously an effort to gloss over the fact that clinton did absolutely nothing during his presidency to stem the tide of terrorism either at home or around the globe where we, the USA were constantly under attack.  Another matter worth comment is the biased view of aol in promoting the democrats without giving the republicans equal time as required by all ethical standards.  I believe that the  clinton administration was a disaster in all
    respects.  Bush inherited a hot potato that was the result of 8 years of overdrawing on the fruitfulness of the American economy by the clinton administration.  Prosperity built on false premises that selling your birthright is a legitimate method of increasing the wealth of a nation.  Wake up.  

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  8. Whoa!  While I agree that neither President is responsible for the 9/11 attacks, one also should remember that Mr. Clinton, as President, sent a missile attack against what was believed to be an Osama bin Laden hideout in Afghanistan in 1998.  The attack was hours too late.  I think the perceived threat has been recognized at least since Oliver North testified before Congress.  And, I think Mr. Clinton's actions vis a vis al Qaeda and Iraq were completely overshadowed by the witch hunt that began with Whitewater and culminated with Lewinsky.

    What I find disturbing is the web of lies, half-truths and distortions that Mr. Bush's administration continues to disseminate to the American public.  Rather than a concerted attack on al Qaeda after 9/11, we were told that Iraq posed the greater threat because of weapons of mass destruction and we went to war.  Oops, no WMDs.  Now the justification is ties between al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein, for which the bi-partisan 9/11 committee found no evidence.  And, think about it:  Saddam is a hedonistic dictator, surounding himself with opulence.  bin Laden is an aesthete, eschewing worldly pleasures for what he believes awaits him in the next life.  Why would Saddam jeopardize his position by allowing this charismatic madman to use Iraq?  

    Where is the outrage?  Our leaders were posturing and preening when Mr. Clinton lied to us about "inappropriate contact"...aren't the latest lies a bit more dangerous to the health of our nation?

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  9. Here is a copy of the email I sent to "oawinburn" about his/her comment.  I thought it would be good to put it here for everyone to read:

    Thank you for visiting my journal and leaving a comment.  I am all for encouraging well-thought-out, polite exchange of political ideas.  And you were doing just fine until your last two words:  "Wake up."  Why did you have to add that?  It's rude, and is just too "Rush Limbaugh" for the journal community.  If you want to share ideas in an open-minded, non-judgmental way, you are welcome here.  If you want to pretend you're sitting behind a microphone on a conservative radio talk show, calling anyone who doesn't agree with your beliefs stupid, then stick to the message boards, please.

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  10. Just wait until Kerry picks his running mate (Edwards) they probably have tons of dirt on him already, and O'really and Limbaugh and Hannidy will lead the pack.

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  11. the "spin" is incredible!

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  12. This commentary does not even deserve time on the air.  The man (Clinton) went
    down, and on his time and determinations.  We were Hit, on our Homeland, et.al., as early as 1993, with several interceptions. This was Clinton's watch and he knew what was in the midst.  Time will tell; God Bless America and President Bush; Our future is about America and not the Clinton's pocketbook.  By the way, did you
    forget that this man was Impeached from office and is NOT  our President?

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  13. MR. CLINTON OUR COUNTRY HAD A GREAT 8 YEARS UNDER YOUR TERM . YOU WERE CONCERNED ABOUT US AND THE ECONOMY AND DID A FINE JOB. HOWEVER WHEN YOU LIED TO THE GRAND JURY UNDER OATH, I LOST ALL FAITH IN YOU. I KNOW IF YOU DO SOMETHING ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, IF YOUR NOT THE LEADER OF THE GREATEST COUNTRY ON EATH, IT MAY GO UN-NOTICED. BUT YOU WERE THE PRES. AND LIED TO THE GRAND JURY UNDER OATH.

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  14. Bill Clinton is and was a bum for this country.  He is out for Number One!  He showed his lack of integrity throughout his presidency.  Why doesn't he go back to Arkansas and help his home state with its numerous problems.

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  15. I think Mr. Clinton is a very sick person. He doesn't think he was to blame it takes two so he was one of the two. I feel Mr. Clinton has lower the morals in American. Now we have Kerry who thinks men can marry men and women can marry women. At less we now have a Christian in the White Hiuse who believes in the the Bible. Why would anyone want Kerry who throw his medals away??  D448D

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  16. It disturbs me that anyone who writes like the comment below (a.)Ever got promoted even one grade level in this country and (b.).....VOTES!  Please, please, please...anyone who wants to see a change in our leadership, don't forget that these people vote!    

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  17. Hi,

    It is not right that people who don't even vote want to judge our presidents.  Our country is a total mess right now and there are still die hard Bush supporters.  I have also been featured on AOL right where you were on Mr. Clinton's book site.  

    Here is the link to my entry I made on Mr. Clinton and feel free to read the rest of my journal:


    http://journals.aol.com/ginskia/whatdescribesanitaasanitaasanind/entries/589

    Thanks,
    :) Anita

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