Steyn

Here’s a portion of Mark Steyn’s awash-in-sarcastic-glee synopsis of Richard Clarke’s Against All Enemies:

Having served both the 42nd and 43rd Presidents, Clarke was supposed to be the most authoritative proponent to advance the Democrats' agreed timeline of the last decade - to whit, from January 1993 to January 2001, Bill Clinton focused like a laser on crafting a brilliant plan to destroy al-Qa'eda, but, alas, just as he had dotted every "i", crossed every "t" and sent the intern to the photocopier, his eight years was up, so Bill gave it to the new guy as he was showing him the Oval Office - "That carpet under the desk could use replacing. Oh, and here's my brilliant plan to destroy al-Qa'eda, which you guys really need to implement right away." [SNIP]

Yessir, for eight years the Clinton administration was relentless in its commitment: no sooner did al-Qa'eda bomb the World Trade Center first time round, or blow up an American embassy, or a barracks, or a warship, or turn an entire nation into a terrorist training camp, than the Clinton team would redouble their determination to sit down and talk through the options for a couple more years. Then Bush took over and suddenly the superbly successful fight against terror all went to hell.

And, as for Condoleezza Rice allegedly giving Clarke a look of incomprehension regarding the identity of Al Qaeda during the incoming briefing for the present administration, there’s this from Steyn:

In October the previous year [2000], Dr Rice gave an interview to WJR Radio in Detroit in which she discoursed authoritatively on al-Qa'eda and bin Laden - and without ever having met Richard Clarke!

Imagine that. Dr. Rice knew something about terror issue without Massa Mr. Clarke having to brief her on it.

BTW, this week was one of the few times that I’ve seen Dr. Rice let her poker face slip. She’s been boiling mad all week and I don’t blame her.

(Thanks to Instapundit)

Comments

[JLawson]

Oh, yeah, I saw that look. She was furious. Man, I'd hate to have been the next person who aggravated her in ANY way, she wouldn't have stopped with ripping their head off.

If I were an artist, I'd title that shot "Righteous Fury". And she's got every justification.

Kerry's wanting to get her testimony. He'd better be careful what he wishes for - if he gets it, his support of Clarke's going to look like a fool's move and will impact him negatively.

Then again, if the media does it's usual practice, once Clarke's discredited (and from what I've seen that's just a matter of time, and not much of it either...) he'll just disappear from the front page. What? We did a story on... Clarke? Was that Arthur C. Clark? The "2001" guy? Or Maybe Dick Clark the guy they defrost for New Year's Eve?

Oh, Dick Clarke the guy who wrote a tell-all book about how Bush screwed up the WoT that Clinton hadn't done a damn thing on? Nope, we never did a story about him... we don't know what you're talking about....

J.

[Rae]

My husband and I were discussing that should Condi be a Democrat, no one would be vilifying her in such manner.

Rae, I'm with you. I think that Condi and Colin Powell deserve their own commerative wing in a museum simply because of what they put up with for daring to be Republicans.

We all know how Harry Belafonte feels about, Colin, I can't wait to hear him weigh in on Condi.

[Lana]

I think you've hit on why I haven't commented on the Clarke thing. My gut smells something ugly, but I can't prove it.

While he tried to paint the Bush Administration as slow moving on terrorists, he saved his nastiest blow for Ms. Rice, implying that she was a clueless, dumb gal who didn't know Al-Queda from a hole in the ground.

As soon as I read his opinion on Ms. Rice, I immediately smelled something I didn't care for at all.

As far as I'm concerned your Massa comment regarding Clarke is right on. He didn't come out and say it, but it's obvious he had a really big problem with having a woman as a superior who didn't faint and swoon over his superior insight.

[og]

I saw that look on her face, and thought, Man, I'm glad I'm not on the receiving end of that. I suspect Ms Rice may be about to crack the lid on a fresh can of whoop-ass, and I would love to watch it go down. I also saw kerry breaking bad on her; Maybe he ought to be more careful who he pisses off.

[walter]

I see we're playing the race card here. Hmmm, I thought that was supposed to be something only liberals and Democrats did?

Boy, oh boy.

[Patrick Chester]

"Mercy!" "Duh! What's that?"

Frank J at www.imao.com is a genius. ;-)

http://www.imao.us/archives/cat_in_my_world.html

[Emma]

Well, Walter, some of us believe that if Ms Rice was a Democrat, NOW & a few others would be pulling a race card.

[walter]

Emma,

Uh, let me see. So your answer is that since you believe the Democrats/Left/liberals or whoever would be doing the same thing the Republicans/Right/Conservatives or whoever should be doing it also. That makes no sense if one considers themself a principled Republican/Right/Conservative or whoever.

Fuuny that Clarke would be a racist. His history seems to show he has defintely leaned more to the right on issues and apparently voted for the Republicans in 2000. So is the point here that Republicnas are racist and don't like to be bossed by black women?

Or has he been excommunicated for criticizing Bush ? So much for the big tent, huh?

[Mike O]

"Or has he been excommunicated for criticizing Bush ? So much for the big tent, huh?"
Your timeline is wrong. He got the boot before the criticism.
Looks to me like after 9/11 Bush wanted someone ready to respond with more than a couple of cruise missles.

To the reader who says Clark voted for Bush:

Clark says he voted for Gore, although he asked for a Republican ballot in the primary. I guess so he could vote against Bush. (Just guessing.) I guess you are just one more person who can't see through his hypocrisy, and now look foolish.

The behavior of Mr. Clark now makes me think that the deplorable firings that occur with the change in administrations might be necessary. It would be hard to see how you could work on sensitive issues with a political enemy who may be planning on writing a book trashing you.

Joel

[Calliope]

Yes, Mr. Clarke said on Meet the Press today he voted for Gore. So when he hinted last week at the hearing that he was a Republican he was deliberately mis-leading you. Sound familiar?

On topic though I am really trying to figure out the attacks on Condi which have escalated so much this week from the Dems, including Begala calling her a liar twice on CNN. I understand some people don't like Bush, I even understand some folks hate him. But how can you not like Condi Rice? What's not to like? She's attractive, well spoken, highly intelligent, a patriot, honest, succesful, well educated.

Oh shes a Black Conservative Republican. Could that be it? Could it be they are threatened by a highly intelligent Black Woman that got uppity and doesn't toe the line? That they are outraged that she is off the plantation - in a position of power? Hmmmm. I think that might be it.

ps: first time at your blog, I love it. ;)

[Emma]

Walter,
That makes no sense if one considers themself a principled Republican/Right/Conservative or whoever.
You flatter me. Maybe I'm principled, maybe I'm not. I'm definitely a whoever.
I also see Clark as someone who has a pile of money to make http://www.drudgereport.com/rc.htm, and I agree with Steyn's view of this farce http://www.telegraph.co.uk/core/Content/displayPrintable.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2004/03/28/do2804.xml&site=15

[Ishtar in West Virginia]

Condi has the buzz as Bush's VP should Cheney's health fail...they're trying to make her damaged goods.

[JLawson]

Hmmm. If something (Heaven forbid) should happen with Condi as the second in command...

Wow. Congrats, all you mysoginists in the ME - the President of the most powerful country is a woman, and she's NOT afraid to kick ass.

You know, I'd vote for her for President in a heartbeat. If it was a Rice/Powell ticket - I think we'd be in damn good hands.

J.

[wes jackson]

Rice for president?

YOUBECHA!