Fried Rice

Always the disinformation enabler:

This morning, in the Fox-owned New York Post, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reacts angrily to President Clinton’s criticisms of how the Bush administration approached the terrorist threat during their first eight months in office. (The Post headlines the article “Rice Boils Over Bubba“) An excerpt:

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice yesterday accused Bill Clinton of making “flatly false” claims that the Bush administration didn’t lift a finger to stop terrorism before the 9/11 attacks.

… “What we did in the eight months was at least as aggressive as what the Clinton administration did in the preceding years,” Rice added.

The 9/11 Commission Report contradicts Rice’s claims. On December 4, 1998, for example, the Clinton administration received a President’s Daily Brief entitled “Bin Ladin Preparing to Hijack US Aircraft and Other Attacks.” Here’s how the Clinton administration reacted, according to the 9/11 Commission report:

The same day, [Counterterrorism Czar Richard] Clarke convened a meeting of his CSG [Counterterrorism Security Group] to discuss both the hijacking concern and the antiaircraft missile threat. To address the hijacking warning, the group agreed that New York airports should go to maximum security starting that weekend. They agreed to boost security at other East coast airports. The CIA agreed to distribute versions of the report to the FBI and FAA to pass to the New York Police Department and the airlines. The FAA issued a security directive on December 8, with specific requirements for more intensive air carrier screening of passengers and more oversight of the screening process, at all three New York area airports. [pg. 128-30]

Read about the Bush Administration's lack of action on the Aug. 6, 2001, PDB, “Bin Laden Determined to Strike U.S.” at ThinkProgress. A night and day difference between Bush and Clinton responses, that's for sure, although Condi won't (or can't) admit it. But, the 9/11 Commission didn't include testimony from the CIA briefer who flew to see Bush in Crawford and George's reaction, "All right. You've covered your ass, now." I wonder why?

I expect very little truth-telling from WOTPP like Ms. Mushroom Cloud, Condi Rice.

Also, ThinkProgress published a flashback of Republican Wag the Dog attacks against Clinton when Bill was "so obsessed" with Bin Laden. Yeah, they really said it.

And Media Matters details more Faux News chicanery about Clinton's record. Bow-wow.