Bill Clinton brings home imprisoned journalists

[emmett]

What does everybody think about that?



I think it is great. Don;t care about the politics, don't care if pre-orchestrasted, don;t care about anything except that they have been released.

[cat slave]

Dont get me wrong...I am thrilled the women will be safely home with their
families, but....theres always a but.....this is fishy as hell. I think Hitlary
and Billary have conspired to begin to undermine BO. Just a thought!

The first jewel in the crown of the Return of the Klintons. Shes been way
too quiet but then who could get a word in or a minute of news time with the
manic prez hogging everything?

This could have some major unintended consequences.

[avatar4321]

My comments:

Good they've been released.

Pretending they were pardoned is nonsense. They were illegally detained. There is nothing to parden.

What the hell did Clinton promise to get their release?

[emmett]

I don't think he really had to promise anything. Just having a former president travel to North Korea was probably worth the price of admisson for Il. He is a dimented shit. Clinton didn;t exactly look like he was enjoying his visit with him.


I think I have to just suck it up and say Kudos to Bill on this one. damn I hate doing that.

[Mr. P]

I wonder how many cigars Bill had on the plane for the return trip.

[emmett]

I wonder how many cigars Bill had on the plane for the return trip.

That is politically insensative!

[Kathianne]

I agree that it's good that the journalists were released, but looks like it probably will cause problems down the road. Looks like NK is claiming an apology was given; suggests that they may have 'more' one on one talks, rather than only 6-way talks; undeniably has the 'presidential type' photo:

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thega...urnalists.aspx

Posted Tuesday, August 04, 2009 11:45 PM
More Details from the White House on Bill Clinton's Trip to North Korea
Holly Bailey
The White House finally broke its silence on President Clinton’s trip to North Korea, where he facilitated the release of two detained U.S. journalists. Laura Ling and Euna Lee were pardoned Tuesday by North Korean leader Kim Jong Il after being detained four months ago after authorities there accused them of illegally entering the country. The women, both journalists for Current TV, had been sentenced to 12 years in a hard labor camp, but North Korea freed the women after Clinton’s visit today. The two are now en route to California on Clinton’s chartered jet, where they will be reunited with their families early Wednesday....

As arrangements were made, Clinton was subsequently briefed several times by administration officials, most recently at the home he shares here in Washington with his wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. (No word on her direct involvement.) According to a White House official, Clinton didn’t speak with President Obama about the trip—according to Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, the two men haven’t spoken since March when both attended an environmental event. Gore, however, did speak with Obama directly about Lee and Ling. But that’s not the only talking that went on. According to the senior administration official, upon word that Clinton would travel to the region, the White House and State Department quickly reached out to China, Russia and other allies in the so-called six-party talks aimed at convincing North Korea to drop its nuclear ambitions to make clear what the trip was about. “(We) consulted directly with allies to ensure that they understood what the trip was about and what it wasn't about,” the official said.

In Pyongyang, Clinton and his aides met with Kim Jong Il for about an hour and 15 minutes before the two sides sat down for a two hour dinner. An Obama official said the principal discussion was about the fate of Lee and Ling but said Clinton did bring up other humanitarian issues, including the imprisonment of Japanese and North Korea’s treatment of South Koreans. Asked if the issue of nuclear weapons came up, the Obama aide suggested it likely did, but bluntly admitted, “I don’t know.” Clinton is expected to more fully brief administration officials on what we went down in coming days. One thing the White House is sure on: Clinton did not apologize for the two journalists, as North Korea’s state-owned media suggested...

[Gaffer]

Klinton had to go retrieve his own. They are a couple of leftie reporters. But lil kim doesn't really care about politics. He probably got a good amount of money and a few trade deals out of them. Maybe on his way home willie can stop oof in iran and pick up those three "tourist" who were just hiking along the iran iraq border. The three jihadist jounalists that live in the middle east and just happen to hold US citizenship.

[namvet]

I wonder how many cigars Bill had on the plane for the return trip.

exactly what i thinkin'

[Insein]

Glad they are home. Glad bill did whatever to get them out. Wish it didn't make us look weak in front of the world again though.

All this did on a macro scale was make it look like America will bend to the will of dictators if you kidnap a few Americans. What happens when Al Queda decides they want to kidnap Americans and instead of chopping their heads off, use them to 'talk' to the US? Reporters need to know the consequences of what they are doing in enemy territory but they become a bigger target now because of this. So any 3rd rate terrorist can now get an audience with a former POTUS if they just have the will to kidnap Americans. Great precedent to set.

[chesswarsnow]

Sorry bout that,


1. Well Ex-President Clinton is worth keeping around after all.
2, Got to give the old man credit, he got the job done.
3. It takes away from Hillary's effectiveness.
4. Now when we have a tough job needing to be done, we will have to consider which Clinton to send.
5. He was rather statesman, in going to North Korea, and he's made a lot of people happy.
6. Thanks President Clinton.


Regards,
SirJamesofTexas

[cat slave]

So, he just made a phone call and Kim said, ok, yeah, whatever you want.....!

There is much more here than meets the eye of the immediate media fodder machine.

The Klintons want the WH again, both
of them. This is the beginning of the foundation. Just wait. Youll see.

This is not something handled by a former prez. Think about it. And BO
to me appeared a little left out and a bit at a loss for words....but he will
make up for that....over, and over and over.......

[Binky]

Well, he pulled off what others haven't been able to do, or just didn't try hard enough. Doesn't matter one itty bit about the politics involved. They are home where they belong.

[Mr. P]

Well, he pulled off what others haven't been able to do, or just didn't try hard enough. Doesn't matter one itty bit about the politics involved. They are home where they belong.

He who? Il or Clinton?

[Binky]

He who? Il or Clinton?

Clinton. You know, as in Bill.