Sunday, March 5, 2006
Duncan Hunter Rips Clinton on Dubai Deal
House Armed Services Committee chairman Duncan Hunter blasted former President Clinton on Sunday for advising the Dubai government on how to overcome U.S. opposition to its purchase of some operations at U.S. ports.
Appearing on ABC's "This Week," Hunter told host George Stephanopoulos: "In our hearing just two days ago, your former boss, President Clinton, was referred to by the president of the ports [company] as having made a phone call to the Emir of Dubai."
Hunter noted that the Emir "is the sole stockholder and the director of this company and President Clinton gave him advice on who he should hire to get this deal through."
The California Republican reminded the "This Week" audience a second time of the host's Clinton connection, telling Stephanopoulos: "I don't think President Clinton - your old boss - knows the facts of the transshipments that take place through Dubai, sending nuclear components to all parts of the world - especially to people who don't like America."
Springing to Clinton's defense, Stephanopoulos noted that his old boss had issued a statement supporting a ban on foreign management of U.S. ports.
But a few moments later, Hunter again invoked Clinton's involvement, saying it undercut Democratic efforts to play politics with the ports issue:
"I think that the fact that President Clinton now is on record - at least in our hearing, according to the CEO of Dubai Ports World Corporation - as advising the Emir on how to make this deal go through, I think that makes it difficult for the Democrats to get partisan leverage," he told the former Clinton communications director.
House Armed Services Committee chairman Duncan Hunter blasted former President Clinton on Sunday for advising the Dubai government on how to overcome U.S. opposition to its purchase of some operations at U.S. ports.
Appearing on ABC's "This Week," Hunter told host George Stephanopoulos: "In our hearing just two days ago, your former boss, President Clinton, was referred to by the president of the ports [company] as having made a phone call to the Emir of Dubai."
Hunter noted that the Emir "is the sole stockholder and the director of this company and President Clinton gave him advice on who he should hire to get this deal through."
The California Republican reminded the "This Week" audience a second time of the host's Clinton connection, telling Stephanopoulos: "I don't think President Clinton - your old boss - knows the facts of the transshipments that take place through Dubai, sending nuclear components to all parts of the world - especially to people who don't like America."
Springing to Clinton's defense, Stephanopoulos noted that his old boss had issued a statement supporting a ban on foreign management of U.S. ports.
But a few moments later, Hunter again invoked Clinton's involvement, saying it undercut Democratic efforts to play politics with the ports issue:
"I think that the fact that President Clinton now is on record - at least in our hearing, according to the CEO of Dubai Ports World Corporation - as advising the Emir on how to make this deal go through, I think that makes it difficult for the Democrats to get partisan leverage," he told the former Clinton communications director.
