Gene Lyons: No facts, only motives, in Bush World

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

"...Pressed by Tim Russert to justify portraying Clinton as far more responsive to the terrorist threat than Bush in his book, Clarke was characteristically blunt: "Well, he did something, and President Bush did nothing prior to Sept. 11." " Against All Enemies" pulls no punches. Clark candidly assesses the Monica Lewinsky scandal's debilitating impact upon Clinton's ability to fight al-Qa'ida. "Like most of his advisors," he writes, "I was beyond mad that the President had not shown enough discretion or self control, although... I was angrier, almost incredulous, that the bitterness of Clinton's enemies knew no bounds, that they intended to hurt not just Clinton but the country by turning the President's personal problem into a global, public circus for their own political ends." Each time Clinton struck al-Qa'ida or warned against terrorism, Republicans accused him of trying to divert attention from his sexual sins. So, yeah, Clarke has an ax to grind. He clearly believes Republicans put party over country during the Clinton years, and that the Bush White House is doing it again. And so far, he's getting the best of the argument."