After the last revelations concerning the Clinton administrations involvement in
transferring sensitive missile technology to Communist China, even members of his own
party seem exasperated.
One senior Democrat Senator has even revived his call for an investigation by an
independent counsel to determine whether or not national security policy decisions by the
Clinton White House were influenced by Chinese donations to the Democrat National
Committee.
Below are some quotes from senior Democrat officials and strategists attempting to
distance themselves from President Clinton:
Senator Joe Biden, appearing on Fox News, May 17, 1998:
- "It bothers me quite frankly, and this is a serious investigation. It should be
pursued."
- "It should be ferreted out. The person [responsible] should be indicted and put in
jail no matter who it is."
- " . . . any correlation of quid pro quo should be ferreted out."
Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, appearing on ABC This Week, May 17, 1998:
- Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan: "Well, those things connect, and I, I then said
[in 1996], . . . there has been an Asian attack on our political system, and the
Chinese specifically. And we'd better find out about it, and the way to do it is an
independent counsel. I still think that."
- Cokie Roberts: "And this week's revelations that in fact it was Chinese military
money leads you to say that more strongly?"
- Sen. Moynihan: "Same view. We just know more. The questions that George [Will]
asked are not going to go away. We'd better resolve them. I'm perfectly prepared to
believe that none of those connections actually took place, but you'd better disprove
it."
- Sam Donaldson: "You're saying an independent counsel to look into the activities of
President Clinton and Vice President Gore?"
- Sen. Moynihan: "Well, in the combinationin the context of these technology
transfers and so forth. And we know there was an attack . . .now we know names. Let's get
it out and be done with it, and see that it doesn't happen again."
Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, calling for Justice Department probe,
press briefing, May 18, 1997:
- "I think that there are just a lot of unanswered questions that have to be
resolved. And I think the best way with which to resolve them is with a complete
investigation on the part of the Justice Department."
Democrat Senate Campaign Committee Chairman Bob Kerrey, calls for
aggressive investigation of the Clinton-Chinese connection, Roll Call, May 25,
1998:
- "I love my country a lot more than I love the DSCC."
Democrat Strategist Peter Hart, Baltimore Sun, May 20, 1998:
- "Democrats dont want to tie themselves to the Clinton mast at this point
because they dont know whats ahead."
- Unnamed Democrat campaign operative quoted in the same article: "This
administration is going to sink and I dont want my clients standing on the deck when
it happens."
Democrat Strategist James Carville: (silence)*
- *Reporter John Broder notes (New York Times, May 20): "The White House
scandal-control brigade has answered many a call, from Arkansas real estate deals gone
sour to the Paula Corbin Jones lawsuit, and has always found a way to mount a vigorous
counteroffensive. But the silence emanating from the White House this week says officials
believe that reports of a China connection are different. Even James
Carville, the most combative and vociferous of President Clinton's defenders, has been
struck all but dumb.