BOB DOLE : 1995 Clinton's Comeback

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In the second episode on the Black Hawk Down incident we will listen in on the Senate as it debates two seperate amendments concerning the operations in Somalia. The McCain Amendment that would have cut off all funding to the operation immediately and the Byrd Amendment that gave the President a six month time table to bring the operation to a conclusion. 

This would be a mix of Republicans and Democrats on both sides of this debate. Bob Dole and Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell would be on the same side, siding with the President, and Senator Robert Byrd , in favor of giving the President six months to bring the operation to a close. It was a fascinating debate. 

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This is the first of two episodes looking back on the situation in Somalia. In this episode we will hear from both President Bill Clinton and Senate Republican Leader Bob Dole , and we will directly from the pilot, Michael Durant, himself as he relives his experience in Mogadishu in several interviews.  This is the story of Black Hawk Down and the Battle of Mogadishu. 

Here is the Wikipedia write up on the military operation: 

The Battle of Mogadishu (Somali: Maalintii Rangers, lit.'Day of the Rangers'), also known as the Black Hawk Down Incident, was part of Operation Gothic Serpent. It was fought on 3–4 October 1993, in Mogadishu, Somalia, between forces of the United States—supported by UNOSOM II—against Somali National Alliance (SNA) fighters and other insurgents in south Mogadishu.

On 3 October 1993, U.S. forces planned to seize two of Aidid's top lieutenants during a meeting deep in the city. The raid was only intended to last an hour but morphed into an overnight standoff and rescue operation extending into the daylight hours of the next day. As the operation was ongoing, Somali insurgents shot down three American Black Hawk helicopters using RPG-7s, with two crashing deep in hostile territory, resulting in the capture of an American pilot.[17] A desperate defense of the two downed helicopters began and fighting lasted through the night to defend the survivors of the crashes. 

No battle since the Vietnam War had killed so many U.S. troops.[19] Casualties included 18 dead American soldiers and 73 wounded,[20] with Malaysian forces suffering one death and seven wounded, and Pakistani forces two injuries.[21] Somali casualties, a mixture of insurgents and civilians, were far higher; most estimates are between 133 and 700 dead.[18][10]

After the battle, dead US troops were dragged through the streets by enraged Somalis, an act that was broadcast on American television to public outcry. 

The operation was ended the next year. 

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I went on line and looked up the Oslo Accords signed by President Bill Clinton, PLO Leader Yasir Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin. It was an important moment that has faded now in its importance as the Israeli conflict with Hamas has taken centerstage. 

I thought it interesting to read what Artificial Intelligence wrote about the accords, that this episode will also allow you to relive as they happened. 

"The Oslo Accords were a pair of agreements signed in 1993 and 1995 between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) that aimed to establish a framework for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The first accord, signed in 1993, involved mutual recognition and established the Palestinian Authority (PA) to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza. The second, signed in 1995, further defined the interim period and outlined areas of Palestinian self-rule. Ultimately, the accords aimed for a final peace agreement, including the establishment of a Palestinian state, but this goal has not yet been achieved. 

Key aspects of the Oslo Accords:

Mutual Recognition:

The Oslo I Accord marked the first time Israel and the PLO formally recognized each other.

Palestinian Authority (PA):

The agreements led to the establishment of the PA, which was intended to be an interim self-governing body for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.

Interim Period and Final Status Talks:

The accords outlined an interim period, during which the PA would assume some governing responsibilities, with the expectation that final status negotiations would address issues such as borders, refugees, Jerusalem, and settlements.

Israeli Withdrawal:

The accords included provisions for Israeli troop redeployment from parts of the West Bank and Gaza.

Two-State Solution:

While not explicitly stated in the initial agreement, the accords were intended to pave the way for a two-state solution, with an independent Palestinian state existing alongside Israel. "

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We travel up to New Hampshire in this special edition episode to hear Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole , in his first foray into the state this cycle, as he helps fundraise for Congressman Bill Zepher. 

At the time Dole had not yet fully committed to running in 1996 himself but he was clearly the Republican Leader in America. 

This is Bob Dole at his best in front of a small audience answering there questions in a thoughtful, detailed way , often with plenty of that Kansas wit and humor on full display. If you ever wondered how he would end up the nominee of his party since he often seemed fairly stiff and colorless on television, this is where you will hear how it happened. 

Never has there been a bigger contrast between the charisma of a candidate in person as opposed to how they appeared on television than was the case with Bob Dole. 

Here he is at his best in New Hampshire at the Christmas Inn on September 6, 1993. 

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In this episode, we look at what is arguably an impressive achievement by both President Bill Clinton and Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole. The 1993 Budget Bill accomplished several goals of the new Clinton Administration including a tax increase on the middle class. That money funded up several programs Clinton had wanted to see implemented. IT could be argued that it played a role in the economic boom to come and then again there is an argument against it too. 

By ending the Cold War under the Bush Administration much of the economic boom and deficit reduction came as that expense had gone away. Which is why Bob Dole's role is also an achievement worth bragging about. Dole and the Republicans opposed the middle class tax increase. This led to a huge debate in 1993 and in the end Bob Dole was able to prevent every Republican in congress from voting for the Budget Bill. A victory for him, and in doing so in 1993, he was able to set the stage for the 1994 mid term elections that would be historic for the Republican Party. 

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This is one of , if not, the saddest stories of all my time in politics. It is the story of Vince Foster, the longtime friend, and aid to President Bill Clinton. He had once shared back lawns with Bill Clinton in childhood. He had worked alongside Hillary Clinton at the Rose Law Firm in Little Rock, Arkansas, and he had moved with them to the White House. 

Vince Foster found himself in the tumult, rough, and tumble world of politics in Washington D.C. on the national level. His first forays into it had not gone well, he was one of the people who was supposed to have vetted Zoe Baird for Attorney General, and he was involved to some extent in the situation that blew up in the White House Travel Office. In both cases, he was never found to have done anything wrong even by Republican Special Prosecutors who would later investigate the situations. 

But Foster took all of these situations to close to his heart. Though he would also be one of the people who found Janet Reno, who would serve successfully throughout the Clinton Administration, Foster never seemed to adjust to the wily ways of Washington D.C. Perhaps, he had other issues too. On July 20, 1993, Vince Foster rode out to Fort Marcy Park in Fairfax County Virginia, and shot himself in the head. He was found later that night while his lifelong friend, Bill Clinton, was on a live extended interview with CNN host Larry King. 

It was a sad story for which no words could capture. 

As a lifelong Republican, I will also say this, it was our party and conservative America's most shameful, or even worse most shameless hour. To this day the suicide death of this man has been exploited in attempts to go after Bill and Hillary Clinton. It has been done with no concern for the widow and small children this man left behind. There is nothing in this story nor in the rumors it spawned in which my party can be proud. It was a senseless tragedy. 

If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, don't take it lightly, and we here at this podcast cannot urge you enough to reach out to someone and or reach out to the national Suicide hotline at 988, that is the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

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The bombs fell again on downtown Baghdad. 

This time in retaliation for the Iraqi Intelligence Agency's attempt to kill former President George H. W. Bush. Bush had gone to Kuwait to celebrate the anniversary of the victory by the United States of liberating the tiny Arab Nation. The Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein thought it was the perfect time to get even with his former nemesis. It would prove to be an enormous mistake on his part. 

The assassination attempt failed and after discovering that it was indeed sponsored by the government of Iraq, President Bill Clinton was swift in retribution. He ordered airstrikes on Iraq to send a clear message that this type of behaviour would not be tolerated. 

We would retaliate in a measured and deliberate way, bombing the Intelligence headquarters located in downtown Baghdad. An act that would be witnessed by Iraqis' everywhere. We bombed the portion of the building in charge of this type of intelligence gathering and it served notice to Saddam that we could "reach out and touch someone" if we had to do so. 

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This is part two of the dueling press conferences on April 23, 1993 to celebrate the first 100 days of the Clinton Administration. 

This time its Bob Dole's turn to speak to the public and talk about all that had occured in the early Clinton days. It was the first of many sparring matches that would occur from 1993 to 1996. 

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This is the first of a special two part podcast story. This is the end of the first 100 days of the administration of Bill Clinton. He topped it off with a press conference touting the many different things he felt that had been accomplished during those first 100 days. It is Bill Clinton at his finest, singing his own praises, and grabbing the spotlight. 

He won't have the stage all by himself on his big day as there will be another press conference right after this one across town and that will be the subject of our second part of this story. 

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Janet Reno would serve as Attorney General for the entire term of Bill Clinton's Presidency. It proved the third time was the charm. In this episode, we look back at Janet Reno the person and we will examine some of her tougher decisions that happened throughout her nearly 8 years as the Attorney General.  Even though I am a Republican I would actually give her tenure high marks. 

The toughest situation she ever faced occured right off the bat, as she inherited an ongoing standoff in Waco, Texas with a religious cult leader who was hold up inside a compound there with his followers. There were many stories coming out that he was abusing children that were inside the compound. She decided to act and it had disastrous consequences, that would later lead to a much bigger homegrown terrorist attack a year and a half later in Oklahoma City. 

We will let you listen in on the news coverage of the day and hear the Attorney General herself testify before Congress as to what factors weighed on her mind as she made the decision to move forward. Wrong or right, she accepted full responsibility for the decision, and for what happened, and you have to admire that. 

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