CNN's Jack Cafferty listed a litany of supposed Bush misdeeds and how Bill Clinton “was impeached for telling a lie” before posing his “Cafferty File” question in the 7pm EST hour of Thursday's The Situation Room: “If the Republicans lose the election Tuesday, what should happen to President Bush?” Naturally, Cafferty's strong suggestion that President George W. Bush deserves the same generated matching e-mails, yet Cafferty expressed astonishment: “It's amazing. 98 percent of the ones that I read -- and I looked at several hundred of them -- said impeach him....There's a lot of anger out there over what this man's done."
Cafferty had charged: “This President has pulled off a power grab in the name of the war on terror the likes of which this country hasn't seen in a very long time. And in the process, people who are a lot smarter than I am suggest that he has broken this nation's laws over and over and over again. From invading a sovereign nation without provocation to torturing prisoners to the NSA spy program, to holding people without a right to a court hearing or a lawyer, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.” Amongst the e-mails Cafferty read, one declared: “Of course George Bush deserves to be impeached, and he should also be thrown in jail.” Another writer recommended: “He should be 'legally' water-boarded until he can recite the Bill of Rights and define habeas corpus.”
Cafferty outlined his question of the hour about ten minutes into the 7pm EST hour of the November 2 Situation Room:
“There's a very large pink elephant in the room when it comes to these elections. What happens to President Bush if the Republicans lose their grip on power. This President has pulled off a power grab in the name of the war on terror the likes of which this country hasn't seen in a very long time. And in the process, people who are a lot smarter than I am suggest that he has broken this nation's laws over and over and over again. From invading a sovereign nation without provocation to torturing prisoners to the NSA spy program, to holding people without a right to a court hearing or a lawyer, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. If we are indeed a nation of laws then presumably that applies to President Bush as much as it does to you or to me. Now Bill Clinton, you'll recall, was impeached for telling a lie. Here's the question: 'If the Republicans lose the election Tuesday, what should happen to President Bush?' E-mail us at caffertyfile at cnn.com or go to cnn.com/caffertyfile.”
A few minutes before the end of he hour, Wolf Blitzer welcomed Cafferty back to deliver the responses:
“Good news Paula, Jack Cafferty's back with the 'Cafferty File.'”
Paula Zahn, who this week is co-hosting the 7 and 8pm EST hours of the show, the 8pm hour of which has replaced her program: “Oh, I'm so excited!”
Cafferty: “Me, too. The question this hour: 'If the Republicans lose the election Tuesday, what should happen to President Bush?' A lot of you had responses to this question. Ed in Pittsburgh: 'Full accountability on the lies and cherry-picked intelligence in the lead-up to the Iraq catastrophe. If it leads to impeachment, so be it.'
[e-mail text on screen as Cafferty read the messages]
“Marina, Huntersville, North Carolina: 'For now, I will be satisfied knowing that his disastrous policies will be kept in check by having checks and balances once again. As for the future, Bush's disastrous policies will haunt us for generations, and he will go down in history as a failure.'
“Ganesan, Nashville, Tennessee: 'Nothing. The most important ting is to do the people's business. Congress cannot waste two more years on prosecution and investigation that has nothing to do with jobs, war, health care cost and immigration.'
“Lance writes from San Antonio, Texas: 'He should be censured, putting a black mark on his legacy. Impeachment would be too difficult for the nation.'
“Jeff in Shoreline, Washington: 'Of course George Bush deserves to be impeached, and he should also be thrown in jail. Unfortunately, he has the best anti-impeachment insurance around, Vice President Cheney!'
“And Dave in Ann Arbor, Michigan: 'He should be 'legally' water-boarded until he can recite the Bill of Rights and define habeas corpus.'
Caffrerty, back on camera: “If you didn't see your e-mail here, you can go to CNN.com/caffertyfile and read more of them online. And we got a lot of them.”
Cafferty: “It's amazing. 98 percent of the ones that I read -- and I looked at several hundred of them -- said impeach him.”
Zahn: “Interesting.”
Cafferty: “Pure and simple. There's a lot of anger out there over what this man's done.”
