After the failure of the Camp David meeting Arafat called Clinton a great man. Clinton's response was, "I am not a great man. I am a failure, and you made me one." Small point overlooked by the NBC Dem Duo.

No, Tim, the real "Hail Mary Pass" was President Clinton organizing peace talks to distract attention from his impeachment, and garner some good publicity for himself, so that he could claim he was "above it all."

But according to Tim Russert, a President with one year to go is in a "weakened postition", whereas President Clinton, facing impeachment was running strong at the top of his game???

You can't make this stuff up.

A few memories Clinton the world leader, and Bush who never done nothing (sarcasm deeply intended):

Fox News Sunday, April 21, 2002

HUME: Talk to us about the sequence of events. The Camp David talks, there was an offer. That was rejected. Talks continued. You come now to December, and the president has a new set of ideas. What unfolded?

ROSS: Let me give you the sequence, because I think it puts all this in perspective.

Number one, at Camp David we did not put a comprehensive set of ideas on the table. We put ideas on the table that would have affected the borders and would have affected Jerusalem.

Arafat could not accept any of that. In fact, during the 15 days there, he never himself raised a single idea. His negotiators did, to be fair to them, but he didn't. The only new idea he raised at Camp David was that the temple didn't exist in Jerusalem, it existed in Nablus.

April 12, 2002 - Democrat Leadership of no support to President Bush's efforts:

Dear Mr. President:

We write out of deep concern over your response to the recent events in the Middle East. While we appreciate the importance of sending Secretary of State Colin Powell to the region, we are troubled by certain developments that have occurred during his trip. By urging the resumption of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA), before the PA officially abandons their policy of suicide homicides against civilian populations, you have dramatically changed your steadfast policy towards not meeting with Chairman Arafat until he commits to a cease fire. As long as Arafat continues to support and fund terrorists, it is difficult to conceive that any progress can be made from meeting with him. Most worrisome, a meeting between Secretary Powell and Chairman Arafat in light of today's attack in Jerusalem validates the contention that Arafat is gaining ground through his strategy of terror. If Secretary Powell meets with Chairman Arafat, we hope that the Secretary will make it clear that this is his final opportunity. In the past, Mr. Arafat has proven himself to be unreliable in following up with commitments to peace. Consequently, we believe that Secretary Powell should demand that Mr. Arafat act to eradicate the terrorist networks operating under his authority. Secretary Powell should make clear that if he does not comply, the United States will sever all ties with him. Finally, we are dismayed by the pressure on Israel to withdraw from Palestinian towns before the Israeli military has had a chance to complete its operations. As the United States knows from its experience in Afghanistan, an operation of this kind takes time. If Israel is not allowed to complete its campaign, more Israeli lives will be vulnerable to future rounds of suicide bombings. If there is to be peace, Israel needs to isolate those elements of the Palestinian Authority that threaten its existence. Thank you for your attention to our concerns. We look forward to your response. Sincerely, Charles E. Schumer, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Susan Collins, Gordon Smith, Jon Corzine

June 24, 2002: US President George W. Bush calls for an independent Palestinian state living in peace with Israel. 

April 2003 - Bush and the Road Map:

Bush admin released the much-anticipated Road Map for Arab-Israeli peace, which spells out a timeline for the three-phase implementation of specific measures by both sides under the auspices of the Quartet comprising the United States, the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations. Its goal is a permanent resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict by 2005 based on UN Security Council Resolutions 224, 338 and 1397, with two states, Israel and a sovereign, independent, democratic and viable Palestine, living side-by-side in peace and security. Prospects for success are grim at best, hinging on how the three major players" the Palestinian Authority, the government of Israel and the United States" will act at the critical junctures.

Even writers (Paul Richter) at the LA Times recognized the historic moment -- but all in all, the media would never jump on board, even though President Bush was much more willing to risk much more than Bill Clinton in getting more of what the MSM wanted (April 2003):

With the unveiling last week of the "road map" for Mideast peace, the Bush administration has begun an intensive effort to reach a settlement between Israel and the Palestinians. The plan offers elements long resisted by successive Israeli governments, and normally, Israel's formidable allies would be expected to deploy in strength in Congress and inside the administration itself to defuse pressure for tough concessions.

And in an historic event (which the US media shunned - or is "censored" a better word):

June 2, 2003 - A two-day summit is held in Egypt. The Arab League meets. Arab leaders vote and in an historic moment announce their support for the road map and promised to work on cutting off funding to terrorist groups.

And then, back to normal in the mid-east; a great comfort to our media, as Bush has been denied the prize:

August 19, 2003 - Islamic Jihad and Hamas claim joint responsibility for a suicide bombing that kills twenty Israelis. Mahmoud Abbas pledges a crackdown on militants, but Abbas resigns from the post of Prime Minister, only a month later.

 Oct. 2003 - Geneva Accord and the Voice of the People:

The Accord was consistent and compatible with the Road Map to peace drawn up and supported by the diplomatic Quartet - the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and the Russian Federation, UN Sec. Koffi Annan expressed.

"It is now of paramount importance that the parties start implementing the Road Map provisions without delay," the statement said.

According to the People's Voice web site, some 104,000 Israelis and 60,000 Palestinians have signed up as supporters of the plan, which calls for a two-State solution, as well as an end to the Palestinian right of return to lands within the state of Israel. 

What does it matter anyway, few ever knew that there were serious efforts going on in resolving this long and elusive prize.