Clarke: Black Basically Said To Terrorists, ‘Yes You Can Manipulate Our Politics-Come And Do It'

[kpete]

Clarke: Charlie Black Basically Said To Terrorists, ‘Yes You Can Manipulate Our Politics, Come And Do It’

Yesterday, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) distanced himself from chief strategist Charlie Black’s comments that a terrorist attack would be a “big advantage” to the McCain campaign. “If he said that, and I do not know the context, I strenuously disagree,” McCain told reporters.

Later in the day on MSNBC, former counterterrorism adviser Richard Clarke told Keith Olbermann that if McCain was serious in his outrage, he should fire Black immediately. He also criticized Black for basically encouraging terrorists such as Osama bin Laden to manipulate American politics:

CLARKE: Well, Charlie Black knows a lot about politics but he doesn’t know much about terrorism. If he did, he would know that Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, and all the al Qaeda leadership, watch U.S. politics very closely. We’ve even had cases where in interviews, bin Laden quoted opinion polls from European public opinion polls.

So, yes, they understand that they can manipulate politics as they tried to in the Spanish election with the attacks there. And to say, “Yes, you can manipulate our politics, come and do it,” is an invitation that the McCain campaign shouldn’t be anywhere near.

VIDEO AT:
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/06/24/clarke-black/

[spanone]

1. yes, but he won't be held accountable because he is in the mccain camp

[kentuck]

2. How serious is it??

Think of the uproar if an Obama strategist had said something similar?? The uproar would have been unending.

[bluerum]

4. Agreed. But what little noise was made about Black's comments has pretty much blown over.

[jaxx]

7. All their comments are blowing over.

The I didn't love my country bit has blown away too. Teflon John is no misnomer. Meanwhile they burn Michelle at the stakes for her comment.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. I would add to Mr. Clarke's characterization of Mr. Black's remarks:

"Yes, you can manipulate our politics, come and do it, please."

[jaxx]

5. Just like in 2004 we're going to have the fear card thrown at us

and the pubs hope to scare Mr. & Mrs. America, who don't pay attention to politics, into voting for McSame so he'll keep them safe. Nevermind he'll rob them blind. This fear stuff pisses me off to no end.

[MidwestTransplant]

6. They already know. That's why Osama made an appearance in 04.