Another Clinton lie, Being "briefed" on the N.I.E.

[gabeana]

Last summer, Clinton was asked whether or not she read the National Intelligence Estimate (N.I.E.) that challenged much of the Bush administrations prewar hype for going into Iraq prior to her vote.

It was a closed-end question, requiring a simple yes or no response, Did you read it? the woman asked. Clinton said she had been briefed.

On Oct. 8, 2002, three days before the vote to authorize force against Iraq, Senate Democrats, including Clinton, caucused at the Capitol. Then-Senate Intelligence Chair Bob Graham urged his colleagues to read the complete 90-page N.I.E. before casting their war vote. It appears Clinton did not read it.

According to the New York Times, because Clinton was not yet on the Armed Services Committee, she did not have anyone working for her with the security clearances needed to read the entire N.I.E. and the other highly classified reports that pertained to Iraq. As a member of the Senate only Clinton could have read the report.

This begs the questions: Did Sen. Clinton read the N.I.E. report? If not, who briefed you?

http://www.insidebayarea.com/dailyreview/oped/ci_8748553

If this is true she is a serial liar

[SKKY]

1. I think we're learning that the latter is true.

And that's unfortunate considering she very well could still win the nomination.

[MADem]

2. I'd guess that her HUSBAND briefed her. NT

[gabeana]

6. If thats true

Then Bill has some bad judgement, because according to Graham if you read the N.I.E. there were serious doubts that this war was needed

[bilgewaterbill]

9. That would explain why he was against the war from the beginning.

[TwilightGardener]

10. Is that a joke?

[MADem]

13. Nope. I suspect they talk over EVERYTHING. And I suspect they did even when he was

behaving badly.

You do understand that when the President gives you ACCESS, you are CLEARED to receive the information. The classification system is designed to SERVE the Executive Branch, not constrain it.

Or maybe you don't.

[TwilightGardener]

14. Bill was not in office. How or why would he have read the NIE?

[gabeana]

16. I'm pretty sure all former presidents have secruity clearance n/t

[charlie]

20. There are levels of security clearance

and I'm not at all certain ex-presidents retain top level access. As a matter of fact, I don't think they do. Clearances are subject to periodical review and must be renewed. It would be odd to award for-life high level clearance to someone, even a president.

[MADem]

25. Former Presidents get regular briefings.

It prevents them from making an ass of themselves or appearing "out of the loop" when responding to media inquiries. It also ensures they don't step in it, national security-wise.

If something HUGE is happening as we run up to the election, both nominees will be briefed as well.

[charlie]

31. They get a version of the PDB

But they're still not privy to the details from the agencies that the president and ranking members get, as far as I know.

I'd wouldn't be surprised if she got some NIE advice from Bill. If he's not cleared to read it though, she can't admit it, it would be illegal. Much in the same way I'm sure Bill probably sought her counsel and shared info she wasn't cleared for during his administration.

[MADem]

34. Well, I know that with INTEL stuff, you have to go into a room and sit and read it.

You can't take it to your office and leave it in your inbox. Or even in your safe.

That's probably why she took the briefing route instead, and likely read the Executive Summary. IF she actually didn't read the thing.

If Big Bill wanted a brief and they hadn't given it to him already, all he'd have to do is ask. Former presidents are in the best position in this regard, they can pretend they're outta the loop when they aren't.

Frankly, I have to agree with the argument that says it's not terribly "virtuous" to say that one came to a conclusion with their 'gut' alone, without any intel information at all attending the decision. We've had two terms of a President who leads by his "gut" and that has not worked out too well. Everyone gets lucky every so often. Input doesn't hurt.

[Usrename]

36. It isn't just a matter of having the proper clearance.

There must also be a "need to know" before classified material can be disclosed.

I can't think of how any ex-president would demonstrate that they "need to know" anything about the Iraq NIE.

Just sayin'.

[MADem]

37. For reasons of national security. Former presidents routinely travel the globe.

If Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton are farting around in Jordan, Egypt, Kenya or Morocco or where ever on his assorted humanitarian efforts, they need to know that Bin Ladin is determined to strike. Hell, Bin Ladin struck in Africa before, what's to stop him from striking a high profile American target?

American presidents pretty much always have a need to know, even if they pretend to be clueless and deny that they know anything. They may not want to get down in the weeds, particularly as they get older, but they do have a need to have the big picture.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President's_Daily_Brief

The PDB is intended to provide the president with new international intelligence warranting attention and analysis of sensitive international situations. The prototype of the PDB was called the President's Intelligence Check List; the first was produced by Richard Lehman at the direction of Huntington D. Sheldon on June 17, 1961. The CIA produced the first PDB for Lyndon B. Johnson on December 1, 1964. Although the production and coordination of the PDB was a CIA responsibility, other members of the U.S. Intelligence Community reviewed articles (the "coordination" process) and were free to write and submit articles for inclusion. While the name of the PDB implies exclusivity, it has historically been briefed to other high officials. The distribution list has varied over time, but has always or almost always included the Secretaries of State and Defense and the National Security Advisor. Rarely, special editions of the PDB have actually been "for the President's eyes only," with further dissemination of the information contained left to the President's discretion. Production of the PDB is closely linked to that of another publication, historically called the National Intelligence Daily, that contains many of the same items but is distributed considerably more widely than the PDB. Former Presidents are entitled to receive the PDB, if they so desire, only after the sitting President actually receives his daily briefing.

[earthlover]

40. I suspect they don't talk over everything. Bill has a history of NOT doing that

[MADem]

43. Gee, I've always wanted to meet a fly on the Clintons' wall. Quick, tell us everything

before your life cycle completes itself....bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......

:eyes:

[Rosa Luxemburg]

3. an act of poor judgement if you rely on briefs

such an important issue - you would read the damn thing.

[babylonsister]

4. This has been asked and answered. I'm not engaging in it. We

know what she did, didn't do, and who gave her advice.

[gabeana]

5. I don't know who briefed her?

according to the article no one on her staff could of briefed her because they did not have security clearance. The question is who briefed her? or is she just making that up

[babylonsister]

8. Condi Rice briefed her. nt

[gabeana]

11. Thanks

[Stephanie]

18. Are you saying she relied on Condi Rice's briefing on the NIE?

Because the implication when she answered this question earlier was that someone on her staff briefed her. I'm glad people are asking who it was, a question that hadn't occurred to me.

[babylonsister]

29. Yes. Here's a thread, but I'll look for a link because I didn't see one

in the OP. I have read that often enough.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4852593

[Stephanie]

32. Well I know she said she spoke with Condi

But I don't think it was specifically WRT the NIE.

[babylonsister]

35. No, she never named names....

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/2/3/102151/3761/704/448804

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

7. She must have been distracted by

sniper fire in Bosnia then.

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8BfNqhV5hg4&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8BfNqhV5hg4&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

Yeah, that's it...

[Tatiana]

12. I think only something like 6 Senators read it. n/t

[MADem]

17. Interesting take, here. The "Lucky Guess" Scenario

http://www.mydd.com/story/2008/3/4/8239/95819

...the same people who are criticizing Senator Clinton for not reading the NIE are perfectly willing to accept that Senator Obama made his decision without reading the NIE, or receiving any briefing. If Senator Obama didn't have to read the NIE to validate his judgment, then why is it that Senator Clinton is a traitor and murderer, according to comments on various blogs, for not reading the NIE? (h/t to Eriposte for an excellent discussion of that very issue here)



Although Senator Obama managed to get lucky on this issue (and what else could one say since he did absolutely no investigation before making his pronouncement from the gut?) do we really want another President who congratulates himself for decisions he made without looking at the evidence first?

[bhikkhu]

24. Which says something about the mental stature of our Congress...

[Life Long Dem]

30. Did they lie and say they did read it?

Question - President Clinton, did you read the NIE on Syria, Iran etc.
Answer - Yes I did read it, and the scud missiles have been launched.

[OzarkDem]

15. Another "new" DUer

:eyes:

[gabeana]

19. I've been here since 2004

just started posting on regular basis this primary season

[OzarkDem]

22. Uh, yeah

Whatever you say.

[gabeana]

26. oh I get it your just an idiot

thanks for the heads up, from your post that was pretty evident

[Forkboy]

38. One of the biggest ones here. But amusing like sea monkies.

:)

[Kber]

42. Actually, not usually, but this election cycle has done some crazy things

As a member since 2004, I'm sure you know that. I too took a very long time to get the 1000+ post count and sill have a pretty low posting even though I check the boards daily. Fact is, by the time I think of something to say, someone else has usually been quicker.

(and an unusually high # of my posts need to be edited for spelling and typos)

[havocmom]

33. before you get presumptuous, you CAN click on the profile

and see the poster is telling the truth. Is truth that foreign a concept?

[MADem]

44. He's telling the truth. There's no way to spoof the sign up date

Member since Oct 28th 2004
Number of posts 409
Gender male
City Monterey Bay
State Ca.
Country U.S
Hobby Teaching, politics

[Forkboy]

39. I look forward to you saying that to the "new" Hillary supporters here every night.

Oh wait, I forget, you're a flaming hypocrite and THOSE newbies are ok because they agree with you.

It must totally suck being you and having to use that tiny mind to muddle through your life with.

[MADem]

45. There's plenty of that shit to go around on all sides, unfortunately.

That said, the poster was telling the truth.

[Yes We Did]

21. I knew she was a serial liar when she said the war vote was not a war vote

I knew she was just a liar during her stint as first lady when the Lewinsky and Flowers scandals broke.

[Life Long Dem]

23. Last summer she was asked and said yes?

The truth is already out, about her not reading this, correct? And she still lied? Tell me this isn't so?

[boppers]

27. Wait a sec... she just said she broke national security rules??!!

Her only way to wimp out of this would be to say that another senator read it, and gave her the Cliff Notes.

She tends to trust others to tell the truth.


*cough*

[bhikkhu]

28. In fairness, there is nothing here that says she lied about not reading it.

Her own statements elsewhere seem to indicate she was briefed by Condi Rice. This is a disgraceful bit of truth, but at least not apparently a lie.

[Vinca]

41. Whether she read it or not, her entire reason for voting in favor

of the Iraq war resolution is preposterous. So the inspections would continue? It wasn't called the "Authorization For Use of Inspections Against Irag Resolution"