Fox News Network
December 5, 2007 Wednesday
SHOW: FOX SPECIAL REPORT WITH BRIT HUME 6:00 PM EST
Politcal Grapevine; Hamas in Gaza; Gates in
Baghdad
BYLINE: Brit Hume, Mike Tobin, Jennifer Griffin
SECTION: NEWS; International
LENGTH: 1461 words
BRIT HUME, FOX NEWS HOST: And now the most intriguing two minutes in
television, the latest from the Political Grapevine.
Former President Bill Clinton is blaming the media for the controversy over his
comments last week that he was against the Iraq war from the beginning. Media
outlets quickly produced prior statements contradicting the claim, including a
statement in Time Magazine from 2004 in which he said "I supported the Iraq thing."
But when asked Tuesday by the Los Angeles Times whether he regrets las week's
comments, Mr. Clinton said "I regret that they were falsely represented by the press
who wants to make it a political story."
Mr. Clinton says he made it clear before the war that United Nations inspectors
should complete their search for weapons of mass destruction before any U.S.
invasion.
However, he said of the inspectors during an Oval Office address in 1998 "Saddam's
deception has defeated their effectiveness. Instead of inspectors disarming Saddam,
Saddam has disarmed the inspectors."
New congressional ethics rules have put a damper on holiday partying here in
Washington. The rules were intended to eliminate illegal contributions and gifts.
But the Politico newspaper reports things have reached the point where some party
hosts have received guidance(ph) "serve cheap wine and other non-newsworthy
munchies." That is referred to as the "toothpick rule." And "get a letter of approval
from the Ethics Committee, and mention that in the invite."
Partygoers were advised "Don't sit down while eating," and "Don't RSVP or sign in
when you arrive--no paper trail."
Still, Politico reports, many organizations are foregoing the parties altogether, and
many congressional staffers and members say they will avoid what parties are held
because they can't get any ethics guidance in writing.
An astronomer at Iowa State University says he was denied tenure and was
the subject of a plot to have him fired because of his support for the theory
of intelligent design. That theory states that life was orchestrated by a
higher being and did not originate by chance.
Cybercast News reports lawyers for Guillermo Gonzalez are asking the
school's board of regents to reconsider the decision. The school says,
without elaboration, that Gonzalez did not meet its criteria for tenure, but
insists the decision had nothing to do with his views on intelligent design.
A decision on Gonzalez's appeal is expected in February.