# Bill Frist: too bad YOU can't be charged with anything! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 27, 2004, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-frist-too-bad-you-cant-be-charged-with-anything/236740 "2004-03-27T15:45:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-frist-too-bad-you-cant-be-charged-with-anything/236740/61 "2004-04-01T19:00:31Z")
> [@IzzyR](#): > > Maybe one day I’ll have this all figured out. You don’t see a difference between _(Actual quote)_ “But if he lied under oath to the United States Congress it is a far more serious matter. As I mentioned, the intelligence committee is seeking to have Mr. Clarke’s previous testimony declassified so as to permit an examination of Mr. Clarke’s two different accounts. Loyalty to any Administration will be no defense if it is found that he has lied before Congress.” versus _(Imaginary quote)_ “It is uncertain whether Mr. Clarke’s testimony today is consistent with his previous testimony. To clarify the issue, the intelligence committee is seeking to have Mr. Clarke’s previous testimony declassified so as to permit an examination of Mr. Clarke’s two accounts.” :confusion: Now, see, from where I’m sitting, the first quote is bombastic, finger-pointing _j’accuse_ television, and the second is a level-headed request to simply review the data and see if everything’s consistent or not. For whatever reason, Bill Frist went with the former – but when he got called on it, he weaseled out and tried to claim he said the latter. Seems obvious to me. But then, I don’t have my head up George W. Bush’s ass. ---
**Author:** ![IzzyR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/2acd7d/32.png) [@IzzyR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IzzyR)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-frist-too-bad-you-cant-be-charged-with-anything/236740/62 "2004-04-01T20:03:44Z")
Yeah, the second (imaginary) quote is a wimp statement. Us conservatives are not wimps as a rule, so you can only imagine what kind of forceful leader we have in Bill Frist. (Which is besides for him being a Very Smart Guy). (The context of Frist’s quote was that Clarke had admitted to some dissembling to the media, but excused it as loyalty. So naturally, Frist’s remarks took on a tone of “well let’s see him get away with this one”.) > [@](#): > > I don’t have my head up George W. Bush’s ass Hey, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. Judging by your posts here, you just might be better off if you did. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-frist-too-bad-you-cant-be-charged-with-anything/236740/63 "2004-04-02T08:56:24Z")
> [@IzzyR](#): > > Yeah, the second (imaginary) quote is a wimp statement. Since Frist admits he has a wimp memory with regards to the testimony in question, it seems appropriate. Only idiots make affirmative accusations without a firm grasp of the facts. > [@IzzyR](#): > > Us conservatives are not wimps as a rule Time to break out the [flash cards,](http://www.chickenhawkcards.com/) methinks. ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-frist-too-bad-you-cant-be-charged-with-anything/236740/64 "2004-04-02T11:34:59Z")
> [@](#): > > His accusation about two different stories is something he was very confident of. Seems more like his idea of the situation is “before you were for us, now you are against us!” I’m not sure how that trumps itself up to perjury, and if there are two different stories, it seems pretty painfuly obvious why: the same reason we are not getting full candor from anyone currently employed to defend this or that politician. That isn’t about any sort of substantive mistatement. Before Clarke was pointing out all the good things the B administration had done, and now he fushing out that story. ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-frist-too-bad-you-cant-be-charged-with-anything/236740/65 "2004-04-02T11:39:04Z")
This sort of reminds me of the Republican senator who recently publically complained about how his party offered to make his son’s political campaign very wealthy if he went along with the medicare bill. Then, apparently, someone must have told him that this accusation fits all the legal qualifications for attempted bribery. You can bet he backpedaled the hell out of those statements (though the matter is still under investigation). ---
**Author:** ![IzzyR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/2acd7d/32.png) [@IzzyR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IzzyR)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-frist-too-bad-you-cant-be-charged-with-anything/236740/66 "2004-04-02T14:32:03Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > Only idiots make affirmative accusations without a firm grasp of the facts. Good point. Only problem is that this applies to the most of the liberal posts to this thread. > [@](#): > > Time to break out the [flash cards,](http://www.chickenhawkcards.com/) methinks. One of the main advantages of not being a wimp is that you could care less about some losers putting out cutesy flash cards. Hey, make sure to get the whole set. **Apos** , I’ve responded to your point repeatedly. Just pick any of my posts at random. ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-frist-too-bad-you-cant-be-charged-with-anything/236740/67 "2004-04-03T02:29:56Z")
Reponded, avoided, what’s the difference, no? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-frist-too-bad-you-cant-be-charged-with-anything/236740/68 "2004-04-08T20:21:39Z")
Before the 9/11 Commission, earlier today: > [@](#): > > RICE: You said, did it [the 8/6/01 PDB] not warn of attacks. It did not warn of attacks inside the United States. It was historical information based on old reporting. There was no new threat information. And it did not, in fact, warn of any coming attacks inside the United States. Before the same commission, a short time later: > [@](#): > > KEAN: This is the last question, Senator. > > KERREY: Actually it won’t be a question. > > In the spirit of further declassification, this is what the August 6th memo said to the president: that the FBI indicates patterns of suspicious activity in the United States consistent with preparations for hijacking. > > That’s the language of the memo that was briefed to the president on the 6th of August. > > RICE: And that was checked out and steps were taken through FAA circulars to warn of hijackings. Oh, my! Looks like Condi perjured herself. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2004, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-frist-too-bad-you-cant-be-charged-with-anything/236740/69 "2004-04-15T01:35:18Z")
> [@](#): > > Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, says former Bush counterterrorism chief Richard Clarke’s testimony before a joint congressional panel on the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks did not contradict his later testimony before a presidentially appointed commission. > Roberts said Frist did not consult him before making his floor speech, which has been criticized by Democrats. Roberts’s words make perjury charges against Clarke highly unlikely. > Roberts said the appropriate handling of the matter would have been for Senate intelligence staff to brief him and for Roberts to brief Frist directly. > When asked if Clarke contradicted himself, Roberts said he did not. [Roberts contradicts Frist on Clarke](http://www.hillnews.com/news/041404/roberts.aspx) Frist should resign his position. Failing that, he should be kicked out. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2004, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-frist-too-bad-you-cant-be-charged-with-anything/236740/70 "2004-04-15T02:15:31Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > [Roberts contradicts Frist on Clarke](http://www.hillnews.com/news/041404/roberts.aspx) > > Frist should resign his position. Failing that, he should be kicked out. Or just kicked. I’d pay to see that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-frist-too-bad-you-cant-be-charged-with-anything/236740.md?page=3)