The Sunday Shows In Five Bullet Points Or Less

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in interviews on Meet and This Week, appeared to present the Karzai administration with some conditions for U.S. assistance, including the establishment of an anti-corruption commission and a major crimals tribunal, as well as a certification process for aid. She refused to address timetables, the Eikenberry cables, troop numbers or her own positions.

On the trials of 9/11 terrorists in New York City:


George Stephanopoulos calls this response from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton "oddly distanced." HRC: "I won't second guess the Attorney General. My goal is to make sure that the mastermind and the other implementers and designers of the horrific attack pay the ultimate penalty for what they did to the United States and a lot of people who I know and had the honor of representing."

On several networks, Rudy Giuliani was crystal clear about where he stood:

"I remember when the African bombers were brought to New York when I was mayor of New York City.  I was briefed on all the additional risks that that would create for New York City.  That's when I had to close areas around the federal courthouse, and I had to close areas around City Hall for which I was severely criticized by the New York Times for making those closures.  As if I wanted to keep people out of City Hall.  I did it on the advice of the FBI and the New York City Police Department because of the additional risk to City Hall that was going to be created by the terrorists that were going to be tried in New York City.  This was in the late 1990's, preceding September 11th.  So anyone who tells you that this doesn't create additional security problems of course isn't telling you the truth.  And the best indication of it is, just look at the additional security that's going to be employed when this happens.  That also happens to cost millions and millions and millions of dollars, all of which would be worth it if there was no other choice.  There is another choice. The choice is going to be utilized with regards to other terrorists -- meaning military tribunals.  It's the more appropriate choice with regard to a recognition that we are at war with Islamic terrorists, something the Obama administration refuses to say.

On Sarah Palin:

Giuliani gave the now traditional response among other potential presidential candidates: Sarah Palin. Boy, she's... a person. Who brings energy.   Giuliani: "There is something extra special that Sarah Palin has in terms of reaching out to people, and my party needs that kind of excitement...She creates attention. She raises money. She helps candidates. I don't agree with everything that she says, but she doesn't agree with everything I say...I think she has got two, three years to develop a case, if she wants to make a case, for running for President."

On his own intentions to run for governor of New York in 2010, Giuliani said he wasn't leaning either way but would make his decision shortly.

On Closing Gitmo:  Senior adviser David Axelrod had this exchange with CNN's John King:

AXELROD: We believe we are going to substantially meet the deadline. We may not hit it on the dates, but we will close Guantanamo. And we are making good progress toward doing that.


KING: Any idea? Two months, four months, six months more?

AXELROD: I'm not going to put a deadline on it, John. But we are going to get it done. We are moving toward getting it done in all the different dimensions that are necessary to get it done. President believes it is important to get it done and to end this chapter in our history. And we are going to get it done.