Interview: Bill Clinton smacks Chris Wallace, Fox News and the Administration

UPDATE 9/26: After accusing me of copyright infringement yesterday, You Tube has brought back the videos of the Clinton interview with Chris Wallace.  Why is Fox News releasing its hold on the videos?  I have no idea.  Nonetheless, here is Video One and Video Two.

In an interview scheduled to air on Sunday morning, former President Bill Clinton gave Chris Wallace a tongue-lashing after the Fox News Sunday host insinuated that catching Osama bin Laden was not a priority for the Clinton Administration.  We have a partial transcript, and a link to the full one.

I have been waiting five long years for a progressive to go on Fox News and completely expose that network for what it really is -- a biased media slave of the Republican Party.  Late yesterday, it happened!

In an interview with Chris Wallace that will be aired bright and early on Sunday morning, former President Bill Clinton unleashed the best on-air take-down of the Fox News network that I have ever seen.  Mid-way through the interview, Wallace accused Clinton of not trying to catch Osama bin Laden.  Knowing the network as well as most of us do, Clinton knew what Wallace was trying to do, and he was not going to take it.  So the former President gave Wallace a tongue-lashing.

Again, this interview has not been aired yet.  However, the web site Think Progress was given an advanced copy of the transcript.  I just finished reading it, and there were parts where I almost started applauding right at my computer.

Here is a small portion of the transcript, thanks to Think Progress.  And yes, I'd be just as ticked off if I were Clinton and I had to sit through this.  Let's pick up about mid-way through the interview:

WALLACE: Do you think you did enough sir?

CLINTON: No, because I didn’t get him.

WALLACE: Right…

CLINTON: But at least I tried. That’s the difference in me and some, including all the right wingers who are attacking me now. They ridiculed me for trying. They had eight months to try and they didn’t…I tried. So I tried and failed. When I failed I left a comprehensive anti-terror strategy and the best guy in the country, Dick Clarke… So you did FOX’s bidding on this show. You did you nice little conservative hit job on me. But what I want to know..

WALLACE: Now wait a minute sir…

CLINTON:…

WALLACE: I asked a question. You don’t think that’s a legitimate question?

CLINTON: It was a perfectly legitimate question but I want to know how many people in the Bush administration you asked this question of. I want to know how many people in the Bush administration you asked: Why didn’t you do anything about the Cole? I want to know how many you asked: Why did you fire Dick Clarke? I want to know…

WALLACE: We asked…

CLINTON:…

WALLACE: Do you ever watch Fox News Sunday sir?

CLINTON: I don’t believe you ask them that.

WALLACE: We ask plenty of questions of…

CLINTON: You didn’t ask that did you? Tell the truth.

WALLACE: About the USS Cole?

CLINTON: Tell the truth.

WALLACE: I…with Iraq and Afghanistan there’s plenty of stuff to ask.

CLINTON: Did you ever ask that? You set this meeting up because you were going to get a lot of criticism from your viewers because Rupert Murdoch is going to get a lot of criticism from your viewers for supporting my work on climate change. And you came here under false pretenses and said that you’d spend half the time talking about…

...read more

I really encourage you all to read the full interview, and then let me know what you think.  Tell your friends and family about it.  E-mail every progressive you know and tell them to read this interview. 

If this doesn't fire up the progressive base, then I don't know what will.  We're not going to just sit there while we get kicked in the face by conservatives.  We have about six weeks left until the vote.  If you want two more years of the right-wing always getting the benefit of the doubt by the traditional media, then fine, just sit there and take it like all the Bush-lite Democrats that go on Fox News and smile while Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly take their lunch money.  But don't start crying on the morning of November 8th when you learn that we failed to take back any chamber of Congress.  This is a team effort, or no effort at all.

You know, it's only fitting that the first guy to really take it to Fox News was the man whose scandal helped the network first become famous with its conservative demographic.  O'Reilly, Hume, Hannity, Cavuto, and Gibson have been targeting Clinton from the mid-90s, and they never relented even after he left office.

Even though some things bother me about Hillary, part of me would like nothing more than for her to win the presidency, and then for her husband to end up being the new Secretary General of the United Nations -- to pay back all those dittoheads on the far-right.  Honestly, even though you can't, try putting yourself in the Clinton family's shoes.  Imagine being targeted by the far-right each day thanks to their obsession with Hillary Clinton.  How would you like to be Chelsea Clinton, and flip the channel to Fox News only for there to be a one in five chance within a ten minute span of them saying something horrible about your mom or dad that's not true?

Yeah, I know, the truth hurts for conservatives.  For three in a row, Clinton balanced the budget.  It's been four long years since the so-called end of the recession.  Tell me how many times Bush has balanced the budget?  Actually, heck with Bush.  How about any Republican Administration for that matter?  Do you know that you have to go back to 1969 to find the last Republican president that balanced the budget?  Not only did we have yearly surpluses under Clinton, we had peacetime.  I could go on and on, but won't.

All in all, let's hope this interview will light a fire under the progressive base and motivate them to do their part as we get closer to 11/7.

(UPDATE 9/24: The interview just happened.  You can watch the interview here in two parts  Part One and Part Two .) 

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Other progressive sites blogging about this story: Crooks and Liars, Left Word, Mia Culpa, The Good Human, Huffington Post, Firedoglake, The Flypaper Theory, News America Now, Good People Better Rise Up!, Hoffmania!, Blue Grass Roots, Smithers Minneapolis, Chickenhawk Express, Instaputz, TBogg, The State of Play.

Comments

[KAM]

Just curious: Do you still think that this was a slam dunk? Wallace asks one question and Clinton flips out.

If I were Clinton, at least, I don't think that I'd want this widely distributed.

[Robert Johnson]

You can spin this all you want, but the simple fact is that Clinton unravelled over one question, and became a blathering fool. Heck, he even wagged his finger in the all to familiar: "I did not have sex with that women Miss Bin Laden".

If you think that was a "Fox smack down", you're living in a fantasy world beyond belief.

[george]

It's about time someone stands up Fox News' war machine and explains in the only way that Fox News watchers can understand (BY YELLING AT THEM) that there is a different way and a better way to enact our policies overseas.

To say Clinton unravelled is simply wrong. He got emotional because the question was aimed at the very validity of his terror policy, but he easily maintained enough composure to fire back with valid point after valid point. Fact after indisputable fact.

Because of this interview, I would be unsurprised if Fox News establishes a campaign to undermind Richard Clarke.

[LowerCase]

I love it.
First learn to count. That wasn't one question that was several.

Yeah Clinton was pissed, but during that rampage what point did he miss? He very clearly defended himself on all fronts in an atmosphere that was neatly organized to make him look stupid. Why do you think Chris Wallace wouldn't just shut up and let Clinton finish? Because he didn't want truth.

Maybe go with a little more composure next time, but big ups for laying it on heavy.

[Mike]

Wallace wasn't just smacked. He was run over by a high-speed freight train! Clearly the real question is how did we elect an administration whose entire philosophy is reduced to simplistic chest beating. An administration with no understanding of foreign cultures and a foreign policy based wishful thinking rather than realistic possible outcomes.

[Jerry McDowell]

Clinton looked and acted like the little whore chasing lying son of a bitch he is. He could not handle the professionalism of of some one like Chris Wallace. It is a shame this lying son of a bitch that sleeped walked for 8 damn years was not in one of the towers on 09 11 01 and rid this country of the worst son of a bitch that ever set foot in the Oval Office and disgraced. Where is Lee Harve Oswald when you really need him?

[Administrator: Todd]

I think that last comment just about explains itself. What a great influence Fox News has on our conservatives.

[jones]

If I were in clintons shoes I would have told chris wallace to suck my dick...

[Administrator: Todd]

Hmm. Let's go for intellectually-driven comments, people.

[Eva Grunstein-Neuman, Ph.D]

Three Cheers for Ex president Clinton, down with Cris Wallace!

[Arminius]

Clinton clearly lied several times during this interview.

For example, Clinton claimed that Richard Clarke had been demoted
and then later said he was fired.

On page 234 of "Against All Enemies," Clarke writes:

"I had completed the review of the organizational
options for homeland defense and critical
infrastructure protection that Rice had asked me to
conduct. There was agreement to create a separate,
senior White House position for Critical
Infrastructure Protection and Cyber Security, outside
of the NSC Staff. Condi Rice and Steve Hadley assumed
that I would continue on the NSC focusing on terrorism
and asked whom I had in mind for the new job that
would be created outside the NSC. I requested that I
be given that assignment, to the apparent surprise of
Condi Rice and Steve Hadley."

If Clarke was demoted, he requested the demotion.

Clinton also seems to imply that Clarke was "demoted"
prior to 9/11. However, on page 239 of "Against All
Enemies," Clarke writes the following:

"Roger Cressey, my deputy at the NSC Staff, came to me
in early October, after the time that I had intended
to switch from the terrorism job to Critical
Infrastructure Protection and Cyber Security. The
switch had been delayed by September 11."

In other words, the Bush administration kept Clarke at
NSC beyond the period Clarke had planned on being
there.

In a footnote on page 240, Clarke makes it clear that
he left the administration under his own volition:

"Cressey and I did spend over a year working on the
cyber security problem, producing Bush's National
Strategy to Secure Cyberspace, and then quit the
Administration altogether.

[moody]

If anyone still has any doubts about FOX news being a biggest joke and right wing promoter then you're an idiot. Sorry but you are.

[Patrick Murphy]

Way to go Bill!

You were great! Miss you!

Patrick

[larry shotwell]

What this is going to show are side is to take it to them.Take the damn gloves off and go right at them neo conservatives,and when they say thats not fair take it to them some more.Dont be nice be truthful

[Jay]

To respond to Eva's post, Clarke was demoted when his counter-terrorism position was demoted from a cabinet level position. So yes, he was demoted before he even requested a transfer because he used to report directly to Clinton, not the National Security Advisor.

[Earl BlueSky]

Whats up with these guys Howard Dean and Bill "I swear/promise I didn't smoke a cigar with that young lady" Clinton? Every time the fire hits their feet they seem to flip their tops like a hot tea kettle. Instead of flipping out he could of used this platform to calmly lay out his points within a professional forum (Chris Wallace does not have a conservative agenda check out his history I did.) And did you see that aggressive body language including pouding his finger into Chris' knee, pointing at his face and closing distance on him like a professional fighter. Just like our mothers teach us to do. If he acts like this in puplic can you imagine how he talks to his wife and family in private. Now, not only do I think he is dishonest I believe he has some aggression issues that have caused many of his marital issues (like cheating.) I thank Chris Wallace for doing his job and revealing this dark side of Bill Clinton.

[George]

Supporting Jay responding to Armenius (not Eva),
From a 60 Minutes story on Clarke:

When Clarke worked for Mr. Clinton, he was known as the terrorism czar. When Mr. Bush came into office, though remaining at the White House, Clarke was stripped of his Cabinet-level rank.

Stahl said to Clarke, "They demoted you. Aren't you open to charges that this is all sour grapes, because they demoted you and reduced your leverage, your power in the White House?"

Clarke's answer: "Frankly, if I had been so upset that the National Coordinator for Counter-terrorism had been downgraded from a Cabinet level position to a staff level position, if that had bothered me enough, I would have quit. I didn't quit."

Until two years later, after 30 years in government service.

[Lillian Angotti]

Fox News has always been a biased, right wing conservation station. They tried to sandbag Bill Clinton but he wasn't having it this time. You never hear Fox blast the Bush adm over the war, economy, terrorist, nothing???

[sarah1]

Being a republican and a republican campaign volunteer, I wasn't surprused of FOX's exposed deliberate bias and "unbalanced" views. The bit Fox did on clinton reapears Daily against Muslims and Arabs who love America and the American people. Fox needs to understand that we can win more people over by being persuasive and objective and not by encouriging division and hate-mongering.

[Bob]

This is NOT so much a slap at Chris Wallace as it is a forum for Bill. I think Bill was wrongly accused of not "getting" Bin. I feel he fully explained why he did not "get" him. Seems to me he did not have a lot of help from the CIA or the FBI.
As for the interview; Sounds to me like Chris did not stick to the script, and Bill pretty much told him so in so many words.

[Sam Kerslake]

Got teased with the interview all day. Saw it. Loved it. Can see how President Clinton might have wanted to choke the little weasel but was the gentleman that Fox says he isn't.

[Stubby]

Is FOX News "Fair and Balanced" as they claim? Uh.... No. Is the media at large biased for a myriad of reasons? Uh.... yeah. Fox News’ claim at “
Fair and Balanced” only holds water in as much as it offsets the liberal reporting of other networks. Not fair, not balanced.... but on equal if not opposite footing with other networks.

That being said, President Clinton did fly off the handle. Consider This: With you all "knowing" that FOX News is biased, was there any question that Chris Wallace would ask a potentially inflammatory question or two? Either President Clinton was completely unprepared for what you all believe to be a right wing network to question his presidency(unlikely... let's give him some credit), or he was completely prepared to fly off the handle in response to a question that was completely predictable. His motives? Well, you are all cheering someone standing up to FOX News… so in your eyes President Clinton comes off as a hero.

Pat yourselves on the back believing that President Clinton was quick thinking on his feet, but in reality he simply over-reacted to a right wing question regarding his performance as President.

The factuality of his rant? That's another question...

[Administrator: Todd]

Great comments you guys (for the most part). This site is updated 8 times each day, so there are plenty of other stories to discuss as well.

Please don't hesitate to bookmark my site, tell your friends about it, subscribe to my feed and tell other blogs to link here.

I'm a political science student at the University of Washington. Blogging about politics is something I love to do. So feel free to visit this site every day and comment often.

[Nathan]

Everyones assertions about FOX are valid to a point. Let's all agree that political leanings/ideology of people frame this as a win or a joke depending on which side of the red/blue divide you stand. Clinton is in search of a legacy (outside his groupie followers).
Read Clarke's book to which Clinton refers. It contradicts most of what he claims is fact. Clarke asked or thought he would be re-assigned prior to 9/11.

[George]

When Bush people/Bush himself yell at reporters (ie: recently David Gregory, Matt Lauer), it's seen as strength. When a Democrat shows emotion, it's seen as weakness or whining.

Clinton was drawn into the argument under false pretenses. Wallace inexplicably started it and Clinton resoundingly finished it. Read the first 10% of the interview again.