Time for the Big Dog to Come Out?

As Billmon has previewed for us, the Bushies have finally and pathetically reached a new low, even for them, in their attempt to now blame Clinton for Bush and Cheney’s lack of a dialogue with the North Koreans.

I suppose it was inevitable for the pitiful losers that constitute the Bush Administration to blame Clinton’s work in averting a crisis in ’94 for Bush and Cheney’s walking away from an active dialogue in 2001. If Bush and Cheney thought the 1994 Agreed Framework was flawed, they had two long years to get off their asses and try and fix it. (Keep in mind that the North Koreans built up their nuclear capabilities under Bush I)

But just as in the Middle East, instead of engaging and trying to fix things they thought were broken, this miserable bunch ditched the North Koreans, the Palestinians, and any other hot spot that Clinton had under active engagement, while also ignoring FBI requests to go after Bin Laden. Instead Condi Rice and Dick Cheney focused their efforts on more traditional and GOP-trendy targets such as Russia, China, and Star Wars, the first two of which were no immediate threat to this country’s interests.

There is a supposed tradition that ex-presidents refrain from attacking the actions and policies of their successors, even though I do remember Bush I taking shots at Clinton. On the few occasions that Clinton has spoken out (almost always after taking shots from the Bush White House), he has been accused by the right wing media Wurlitzer of violating the “tradition” of silence. Now, with this most recent and grotesque attempt by the Bushies to deflect blame to Clinton for their own botched foreign policy, it begs the question: is it time for Clinton take the gloves off and spend some time responding in kind to set the record straight?

Yes, there will be those who say that Clinton grabbing some of the spotlight right now can only hurt the candidacies of the 2004 Democratic candidates, and give Ari and Karl a chance to hurt the party by bringing up Clinton’s drawbacks. However, others will say that on this issue, Clinton has the high ground to pound away at Bush’s failings, which are all too apparent. In fact, as time goes on, it appears that one issue where Clinton can pound these guys successfully is on foreign policy, an area where despite the media whoring to the Bushies, there is very little actual achievement for this Administration to tout. Come to think of it, that applies to all issues as time goes on.

I personally would like to see Clinton go on the offensive for 30-60 days and make the Fleischer Ministry of Propaganda go on overdrive. Yes, Rush and Fox News would love it, but seeing Clinton effectively show how bad these guys really are would be fun too. And having six Democratic hopefuls for 2004 plus Clinton hammer at these guys at the same time would make the media cover it, something they will not do unless it involves sex, a war, or a fight. And Clinton would certainly give them something to cover.

Soto

Posted January 11, 2003 11:00 PM | Comments (35)