| The Empire Strikes Back | | Date Created:03/25/04 10:45 AM |
 Former White House terrorism expert Richard Clarke told "60 Minutes" on Sunday that he was fully expecting the White House to attack him for accusing the president of being more focused on getting Saddam than he was the 9/11 terrorists. Boy, he wasn't kidding. As John Stewart reports, the White House "let the dogs out" to attack Clarke's credibility. In a very funny, must-see clip, the "Daily Show" has spliced together clips of top administration officials taking to the airwaves to attack Clarke, leading Stewart to joke that this 30-year government employee who voted for Bush is actually a "jealous, bitter piece of pond scum." Stewart also pokes fun at press secretary Scott McClellan for claiming that there is no record of Bush being in the White House Situation Room on September 12, 2001, asking: "What situation was he waiting for?"
Even the most strident Bush opponents likely underestimated White House anger over Clarke's claims. A Washington Post column summarizes media statements made by the busy Bushies. CNN White House correspondent John King reported yesterday that National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice "reacted hotly" to Clarke's testimony before the 9/11 Commission. According to CNN, Dr. Rice characterized Clarke's allegations as "scurrilous," which may be amusing for those who accuse the administration of "exuberant lying."
As veteran White House correspondent Helen Thomas told my students in a visit to our campus last September, this administration is nothing if not vindictive. In an effort to bolster the Bushies smear campaign, Fox News Channel revealed Clarke as a previously reported anonymous source -- a stunning breach of journalistic ethics, even for the "Fair and Balanced" bunch.
More:
Transcript of Wednesday's testimony (via Washington Post online)
White House Briefing (Washington Post column, March 25)
White House Declares War on Clarke (Washington Post, March 26)
More on Fox News reporting (USA Today, March 26)
Excerpt from Clarke's book (via New York Times)
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