IN MY SHOES: Another Disproportionate Response
Everyone’s all agog (and aghast) at Bill Clinton’s meltdown on "Fox News Sunday," in response to Chris Wallace’s question about whether he could have done more to prevent the terror attacks on 9/11. Clinton was not only accusatory and argumentative, but he also became physically aggressive – nearly leaping out of his chair, repeatedly jabbing his finger in Wallace’s face, and thumping on the notepad Wallace was balancing on his lap. The Stiletto commends Wallace on his composure – and would like to note that what Clinton mistook to be a "smirk" was sheer incredulity.
Here’s what it was like to sit in Wallace’s chair during Clinton’s defensive tirade, courtesy of MediaBistro’s blog, FishBowlDC:
The President was clearly stung by any suggestion that he had not done everything he could to get bin Laden. He attacked right-wingers--accused me of a "conservative hit job"--and even spun a theory I still don't understand that somehow Fox was trying to cover up the fact that NewsCorp. chief Rupert Murdoch was supporting his Global Initiative. I still have no idea what set him off.
Former President Clinton is a very big man. As he leaned forward--wagging his finger in my face--and then poking the notes I was holding--I felt as if a mountain was coming down in front of me.
The President said I had a smirk. Actually--it was sheer wonder at what I was witnessing.
I tried repeatedly to adhere to the ground rules--to move the President along--and back to the CGI [Clinton Global Initiative]. But he wanted to keep talking about his record fighting terror.
When it became clear he wanted to throw out the ground rules [five questions on the CGI and five on other issues]--then I just went with the flow of the interview.
Comments