Obama Camp Research on Past B. Clinton Comments on McCarthyism
In 1992, Then-Governor Bill Clinton Said In A Debate That President George H. W. Bush’s Father Was Right To Stand Up To Joe McCarthy And George Bush Was Wrong To Question Clinton’s Patriotism (More full quote below). Bill Clinton said in a debate, “But when Joe McCarthy went around this country attacking people’s patriotism, he was wrong. He was wrong. And a Senator from Connecticut stood up to him named Prescott Bush. Your father was right to stand up to Joe McCarthy. You were wrong to attack my patriotism. I was opposed to the war but I love my country and we need a President who will bring this country together, not divide it. We’ve got enough division. I want to lead a unified country.” [New York Times, 10/12/92]
Clinton Aides Labeled Bush’s Comments About Whether Clinton Went To Moscow As “McCarthyism.” “Trailing in the polls just 25 days before the November election, Bush appeared on CNN’s ‘Larry King Live’ Wednesday night and raised questions about a trip Clinton took to Moscow in 1970. ’I’m just saying, level with the American people on the draft, on whether he went to Moscow, how many demonstrations he led against his own country from a foreign soil,’ Bush said. Bush’s comments - labeled as ‘McCarthyism’ by Clinton aides - were in the same vein as an apparent attempt by the administration this week to suggest something sinister was missing from Clinton’s passport file.” [Newsday, 10/9/92]
George Stephanopoulos Said That The Bush Campaign Was Resorting To “McCarthyism Of The Purest Form.” George Stephanopoulos said in 1992, “They are restoring to McCarthyism of the purest form, as they had in the final days of this election, because they’re in desperate political shape. And that’s what’s happening here. That’s what the President’s doing. It’s demeaning to the office of the presidency. It’s a sad thing to see as the President in his final days of this campaign, and it’s not going to work.” [The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour, 10/9/92]
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE7DA173CF931A25753C1A964958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print
Q: President Bush, the question goes to you. You have two minutes. And the question is this: Are there important issues of character separating you from these other two men?
Former President George H. W. Bush: I think the American people should be the judge of that. I think character is a very important question. I said something the other day where I was accused of being like Joe McCarthy, because I questioned — I put it this way: I think it’s wrong to demonstrate against your own country or organize demonstrations against your own country in foreign soil. I just think it’s wrong. I — maybe they say, well, it’s a youthful indiscretion. I was 19 or 20 flying off an aircraft carrier, and that shaped me to be Commander in Chief of the armed forces. And I’m sorry, but demonstrating — it’s not a question of patriotism. It’s a question of character and judgment. They get on me — Bill’s gotten on me about “Read my lips” some. When I make a mistake I’ll admit it. But he has made — made — not admitted a mistake. And I just find it impossible to understand how an American can demonstrate against his own country in a foreign land, organizing demonstrations against it, when young men are held prisoner in Hanoi or kids out of the ghetto were drafted. Some say, well, you’re a little old-fashioned. Maybe I am, but I just don’t think that’s right. Now whether it’s character or judgment, whatever it is, I have a big difference here on this issue. And so we’ll just have to see how it plays out, but I — I couldn’t do that. And I don’t think most Americans could do that. And they all say, well, it was a long time ago. Well, let’s admit it then. Say I made a terrible mistake. How could you be Commander in Chief of the armed forces and have some kid say when you have to make a tough decision as I did in Panama or in, in Kuwait, and then have some kid jump up and say, “Well, I’m not go going to. The Commander in Chief was organizing demonstrations halfway around the world during another era. So there are differences. But that’s about the main area where I think we have a difference. I don’t know about — we’ll talk about that a little with Ross here in a bit.
[...]
Then-Governor Bill Clinton: … I’ve got to respond directly to Mr. Bush. You have questioned my patriotism. You even brought some right-wing Congressmen into the White House to plot how to attack me for going to Russia in 1969-1970 when over 50,000 other Americans did. Now I honor your service in World War II. I honor Mr. Perot’s service in uniform and the service of every man and woman who ever served, including Admiral Crowe who was your Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and who is supporting me. But when Joe McCarthy went around this country attacking people’s patriotism, he was wrong. He was wrong. And a Senator from Connecticut stood up to him named Prescott Bush. Your father was right to stand up to Joe McCarthy. You were wrong to attack my patriotism. I was opposed to the war but I love my country and we need a President who will bring this country together, not divide it. We’ve got enough division. I want to lead a unified country.
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In 1992, Then-Governor Bill Clinton Said In A Debate That President George H. W. Bush’s Father Was Right To Stand Up To Joe McCarthy And George Bush Was Wrong To Question Clinton’s Patriotism. Bill Clinton said in a debate, “But when Joe McCarthy went around this country attacking people’s patriotism, he was wrong. He was wrong. And a Senator from Connecticut stood up to him named Prescott Bush. Your father was right to stand up to Joe McCarthy. You were wrong to attack my patriotism. I was opposed to the war but I love my country and we need a President who will bring this country together, not divide it. We’ve got enough division. I want to lead a unified country.” [New York Times, 10/12/92]
Clinton Aides Labeled Bush’s Comments About Whether Clinton Went To Moscow As “McCarthyism.” “Trailing in the polls just 25 days before the November election, Bush appeared on CNN’s ‘Larry King Live’ Wednesday night and raised questions about a trip Clinton took to Moscow in 1970. ’I’m just saying, level with the American people on the draft, on whether he went to Moscow, how many demonstrations he led against his own country from a foreign soil,’ Bush said. Bush’s comments - labeled as ‘McCarthyism’ by Clinton aides - were in the same vein as an apparent attempt by the administration this week to suggest something sinister was missing from Clinton’s passport file.” [Newsday, 10/9/92]
George Stephanopoulos Said That The Bush Campaign Was Resorting To “McCarthyism Of The Purest Form.” George Stephanopoulos said in 1992, “They are restoring to McCarthyism of the purest form, as they had in the final days of this election, because they’re in desperate political shape. And that’s what’s happening here. That’s what the President’s doing. It’s demeaning to the office of the presidency. It’s a sad thing to see as the President in his final days of this campaign, and it’s not going to work.” [The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour, 10/9/92]
