I don't understand (political)

[ripleysmom]

Kerry is supposed to be this big flip flop artist yet.....



"Bush Recants, Says Terror War Will Be Won


By SCOTT LINDLAW, Associated Press Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - President Bush (news - web sites) said repeatedly on Tuesday that the United States will win its war against terrorism, trying to contain political damage from the doubt he expressed a day earlier.

"We may never sit down at a peace table, but make no mistake about it, we are winning and we will win," Bush told 6,500 veterans at an American Legion convention.

"We will win by staying on the offensive, we will win by spreading liberty," Bush told the veterans.

The president was trying to douse the criticism he touched off Monday when NBC aired an interview in which he was asked if the United States could win the war on terror and he answered, "I don't think you can win it."

He added, in the interview, "I think you can create conditions so that those who use terror as a tool are less acceptable in parts of the world."

Democrats hit hard at Bush's comment for a second day.

"The president has gone from mission accomplished to mission miscalculated to mission impossible on the war on terror," said Phil Singer, a spokesman for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry (news - web sites).

"George Bush (news - web sites) might be able to read a speech saying we can win the war on terror, but as we saw (Monday), he's clearly got real doubts about his ability to do so, and with good reason."

Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), R-Ariz., campaigning through Tennessee at Bush's side, saw no problem.

"What he meant was, we're never going to have a peace signing on the Missouri, we're never going to have a signing at Panmunjom," McCain said.

McCain was referring to the battleship where the Japanese signed surrender papers that ended World War II, and the "truce village" where adversaries met to sign the armistice that halted the Korean War.

Bush himself said in a radio interview with talk show host Rush Limbaugh, "I probably needed to be more articulate."

The anti-terrorism campaign dominated Bush's travels through Tennessee, Iowa and Pennsylvania on Tuesday, just as they dominated the Republican National Convention where he will accept the party's nomination for a second term in New York City Thursday night.

Bush planned to visit firefighters and supporters in New York Wednesday night.

On the campaign trail, Bush defended his decision to make the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks the centerpiece of his re-election effort.

"Sept. 11 is a defining moment in our history, and it's certainly a defining moment in my presidency, and the question is whether or not we learned the lessons," Bush told Limbaugh.

The president added a new warning: "One of the most dangerous parts of this new war is that if the enemy were ever to acquire the capacity to use a weapon of mass destruction it would make Sept. 11 — it would pale in comparison."

Bush's speech to the American Legion came in his 10th trip to Tennessee and marked his latest attempt to court the millions of U.S. veterans.

Democrat Kerry, a senator from Massachusetts, has emphasized his military service in the Vietnam War, and he was to speak to the Legionnaires on Wednesday.

Several veterans said in interviews here that they favored Bush, who served in the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam years.

"Right now I believe the captain of the ship is guiding us and I don't feel we should change captains in the middle of a war," said Delfo Barabani, an American Legion member from Chicopee, Mass. Barabani said he believed Kerry had gone to Vietnam to lay the groundwork for his future political career.

The president told the veterans what many of them most wanted to hear: that he supports a constitutional amendment "to protect the flag from desecration." The group listed the issue at the top of its legislative priorities.

"Our fighting men and women are serving America under a proud flag, and that flag should be cherished and protected," Bush said, drawing his longest, loudest ovation.

From Tennessee, Bush flew to Alleman, Iowa — his 15th trip to the state he lost in 2000 — where his re-election campaign staged a rally near the annual Farm Progress Show.

Then he was off to Pennsylvania for the 33rd time of his presidency, for a late-night "family-style picnic." Bush flipped a few burgers and slapped supporters on the backs as they ate well past their usual dinnertimes.

While there, Bush made his first "appearance" at the New York convention. Using a videoconference device, he introduced wife Laura for her speech to the delegates. The White House choreographed the "family-style picnic" to provide an all-American backdrop for Bush's remarks — a softball game pitting the College Republicans against the Young Republicans.

"I'm a lucky man to have Laura at my side and America would be fortunate to have her in the White House for four more years," the president said."



I wonder if it hurts to talk out of both sides of his face at one time....

It honestly frightens me that people want this man to run the country for another 4 years.

 

[bsnyder]

Maybe it would help if you read the transcript from the interview, instead of relying on the AP's spin:

Lauer: “You said to me a second ago, one of the things you'll lay out in your vision for the next four years is how to go about winning the war on terror. That phrase strikes me a little bit. Do you really think we can win this war on terror in the next four years?”
President Bush: “I have never said we can win it in four years.”

Lauer: “So I’m just saying can we win it? Do you see that?”

President Bush: “I don't think you can win it. But I think you can create conditions so that those who use terror as a tool are less acceptable in parts of the world –- let's put it that way. I have a two pronged strategy. On the one hand is to find them before they hurt us, and that's necessary. I’m telling you it's necessary. The country must never yield, must never show weakness [and] must continue to lead. To find al-Qaida affiliates who are hiding around the world and … harm us and bring ‘em to justice –- we're doing a good job of it. I mean we are dismantling the al-Qaida as we knew it. The long-term strategy is to spread freedom and liberty, and that's really kind of an interesting debate. You know there's some who say well, ‘You know certain people can't self govern and accept, you know, a former democracy.’ I just strongly disagree with that. I believe that democracy can take hold in parts of the world that are now non-democratic and I think it's necessary in order to defeat the ideologies of hate. History has shown that it can work, that spreading liberty does work. After all, Japan is our close ally and my dad fought against the Japanese. Prime Minister Koizumi, is one of the closest collaborators I have in working to make the world a more peaceful place.”

Lauer: “Your daughters are how old now?”

President Bush: “Twenty-two.”

Lauer: “Twenty-two years old. They’re approaching the age, President Bush, [when] they're going to have their own children. And when their kids are teenagers are they going to those kids – your grandchildren – be reading about al-Qaida in the newspaper every day?”

President Bush: “I know if steadfast, strong and resolute — and I say those words very seriously — it's less likely that your kids are going to live under the threat of al-Qaida for a long period of time. I can't tell you. I don't have any … definite end. But I tell you this, when we succeed in Iraq and Afghanistan, it's the beginning of the end for these extremists. Because freedom is going to have a powerful influence to make sure your kids can grow up in a peaceful world. If we believe, for example, that you can't win, and the alternative is to retreat … I think that would be a disaster for your children. I'll tell you why. If al-Qaida and their ideologues were able to secure a nuclear arsenal, then your children would grow up under the threat of nuclear blackmail. I think you would look back and say, ‘Why did George Bush not hold the line?’ We cannot show weakness in this world today, because the enemy will exploit that weakness. It will embolden them and make the world a more dangerous place.”

Could Bush have been clearer? Sure. Terror is a tactic, not the enemy. You can't win against "it"--and certainly not in four years. That's what he was getting at when he stressed the word "it" in the interview (the verbal emphasis is not obvious by simply reading the transcript). And, as Bush was obviously arguing, you can't set a date for when the war against al Qaeda and other Islamic militants is going to be won.

 

[RNMOM]

I really wish it was possible for either of these men to change their minds without all this fuss.

Personally, I feel Kerry has been hung out to dry on this.

Bush, well, what can I say?

 

[ripleysmom]

I think it's pretty clear that he doesn't think that it can be won. He pretty much says that he just wants to keep them on the run.

Has it stopped them? No. Will it stop them? No.

 

[bsnyder]

Originally posted by ripleysmom


Has it stopped them? No. Will it stop them? No.

So what's your solution?

 

[jjskribs]

The solution is to elect John Kerry

 

[Angyson]

I'm not even American, but I know you guys beat the Nazies, the Japs and the Commies. You will beat the extremist Muslems too.

Have a little more faith in your accomplishments and never underestimate the power of American ingenuity.

I have faith in America and what she stands for. After Iraq and Afghanistan are remade, as was Germany after the Second World War, all the other Moslem nations will want what they have.

 

[bsnyder]

Originally posted by Angyson
I'm not even American, but I know you guys beat the Nazies, the Japs and the Commies. You will beat the extremist Muslems too.

Have a little more faith in your accomplishments and never underestimate the power of American ingenuity.

I have faith in America and what she stands for. After Iraq and Afghanistan are remade, as was Germany after the Second World War, all the other Moslem nations will want what they have.

Wonderful post...and welcome to the DIS Angyson!

 

[we3luvdisney]

Originally posted by bsnyder
Wonderful post...and welcome to the DIS Angyson!

ITA! Welcome!

 

[cati]

ITA - Wonderful post and Welcome to DIS

 

[Rutt and Tuke]

Originally posted by RNMOM
I really wish it was possible for either of these men to change their minds without all this fuss.

Personally, I feel Kerry has been hung out to dry on this.

I respect a politician who will change his mind when it is indicated-- regardless of his/her political affiliation. A change in a position isn't always done just to get votes, but sometimes because the person has learned something new, etc.

 

[JoeThaNo1Stunna]

He did not change his mind. We are winning this war, although it may not be winnable in the traditional sense. Are all the terrorists in the world ever going to elect a leader and have him sign a peace treaty after years of traditional battles with the US? No. For decades we will fight the enemy. Yes, they will win battles. They will kill thousands more free loving Americans in the coming century. But we can lessen the amount of attacks. How will we ever know specifically when this war is over. It's not a concrete war, it's an evolving thing this war.

And you know what Bush was saying. Please don't get into the Bill Clinton semantics of hair-splitting.

Yes we are and can win this war. But we may never know that we've officially won.

This is an entirely different kind of war. This is World War III, this is a war of the importance of the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and WW II.

 

[LisaSt]

Angyson they helped beat the Nazi's they didn't do it on their own. The French the Brits and Canada faught at the worst beaches going on the day they landed at Normandy. I agree they did help to defeat them but they didn't do it all on their own sorry. Also welcome from a fellow Ontarian. London to be axact sorry to the American population on here for the post but I just wanted to mae that clear to everyone as I know you also know it wasn't all teh US that won the war against the Germans.

 

[WillyJ]

If John Kerry had made that same statement these same people saying "they know what Bush meant" would be howling at the top of their lungs about how Kerry didn't even think we could win the war; about how he gave the terrorists aid and comfort; about how it proved he couldn't be trusted with the presidency, etc. and they would say it over and over and over. . .

So that's what I plan on doing.


Words matter, remember? They have consequences, remember?


George Bush has us in a war he claims we can't win. . these are dangerous times and we can't have someone in there who doesn't have a plan and the confidence to win this war on terror.

Kerry has never shown anything but resolve and confidence in winning total victory and he won't be giving hope and comfort to the enemy by saying "we can't win" the way Bush has.

A vote for Bush is a vote for the terrorists. . he made that clear yesterday. .

 

[Viking]

Originally posted by Angyson
I'm not even American, but I know you guys beat the Nazies, the Japs and the Commies. You will beat the extremist Muslems too.

Have a little more faith in your accomplishments and never underestimate the power of American ingenuity.

I have faith in America and what she stands for. After Iraq and Afghanistan are remade, as was Germany after the Second World War, all the other Moslem nations will want what they have.

 

[jrydberg]

Originally posted by WillyJ
If John Kerry had made that same statement these same people saying "they know what Bush meant" would be howling at the top of their lungs about how Kerry didn't even think we could win the war; about how he gave the terrorists aid and comfort; about how it proved he couldn't be trusted with the presidency, etc. and they would say it over and over and over. . .

So that's what I plan on doing.


Words matter, remember? They have consequences, remember?


George Bush has us in a war he claims we can't win. . these are dangerous times and we can't have someone in there who doesn't have a plan and the confidence to win this war on terror.

Kerry has never shown anything but resolve and confidence in winning total victory and he won't be giving hope and comfort to the enemy by saying "we can't win" the way Bush has.

A vote for Bush is a vote for the terrorists. . he made that clear yesterday. .

No, you made it clear that you care more about tearing down a man than about listening to the content of his statements. His comments about the war on terror are reasoned, well thought out and not the slightest bit defeatist. You may disagree with Bush's policies and the manner he goes about implementing them. But it's hard to give your thoughts any credibility when you deliberately distort his statements in the exact manner you vilify Republicans for.

 

[WillyJ]

I guess you just don't care about our national security Jrydberg. .

 

[jrydberg]

Nice... way to take the high road.

It should be obvious from a wide variety of my posts that quite the opposite is true.

What I do not care for is deliberate misrepresentation of things and juvenile attacks.

 

[beattyfamily]

If you actually saw the whole interview, you'd know he didn't flip flop or change his mind on whether we can win the war on terror.

You can't win the war on terror in the 'traditional' sense and that is what he meant.

 

[WillyJ]

Juvinile attacks?

It's sad how you Bush supporters have nothing but name calling left to try and defend your candidate. .


If you are willing to put our national security in the hands of a man who claims the war is not winable. . and who spent several days last month at a resort wining and dining with French president Jacques Chirac. . well, that's your right.

Me, I'll be voting for the candidate that has never shown anything but resolve and confidence in winning total victory and who won't be giving hope and comfort to the enemy by saying "we can't win" the way Bush has.

A vote for Bush is a vote for the terrorists. A vote for Kerry is a vote for resolve, confidence, and victory.