Wolf Blitzer: "That's what I try to do, make news." [View All]

[geek tragedy]

<snip>
BLITZER: The reason I ask was it a mistake because in our latest CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll, we asked this question, has the war in Iraq made the U.S. safer from terrorism? Thirty-four percent said yes. Fifty-seven percent said no. How would you answer that question?

CLINTON: Oh, I would agree with that. I don't think -- I never thought it had much to do with the war on terror, except that we were looking to see if there were biological and chemical agents there.

I thought we should have done that. I thought the U.N. inspections were well-advised. But it was clearly not going to have anything to do with al Qaeda. They had never been involved before and that was where our focus, I thought, should have been.

So I would agree with that. But independent of that, we are there now, and there now are terrorists operating there. And there is a clear majority of people in Iraq who are supporting the idea that their country should be free, independent and at peace. And they're trying to come up with a constitution and we're trying to train the security and the military forces.

So I think -- that's what I hope we can do, and do it successfully. And if we can do that, then our people can come home.

BLITZER: So I assume that the answer is, yes, the war was a mistake. Is that your answer? CLINTON: You're trying to get me to make news, and I'm trying to educate people. It doesn't matter whether it was a mistake to go in or not at the time. I thought we should have let the U.N. inspectors finish.

We are where we are. We can't undo what has happened. Fifty-eight percent of Iraqis voted in the last election. That's more than we had turn out in 2004. And we've got a lot of good people there working hard to train the security forces and the military forces.

My answer is, whether it was a mistake or not, we are where we are and we ought to try to make this strategy succeed, support that strategy. It's the only option that will get us out in an honorable way, having made these sacrifices mean something.

BLITZER: That's my job. I'm a newsman. That's what I try to do, is make news. And you try to avoid news. That's your job.
<snip>

Yes, at CNN a person's job is to manufacture news, as witnessed by their runaway bride coverage, Schiavo coverage, etc etc.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0508/11/sitroom.01.html