CNN:Kerry Blast's Bush Dissembling on WMD Debacle: Bush Telling Stories!

[WiseMen]

After Bush’s MTP session Kerry walked out to the waiting press and launched a fierce attack against Bush’s dissembling.


Said Kerry, “The President appears to be announcing a new reason for the war after the fact.”

….

“And the problem is not just that he is changing his story now …

… A bigger problem is that it is now apparent the he was TELLING STORIES to the American people and the congress in 2002”



Press release should be out later.

[blm]

1. This is about to get real good.

The prosecutor against the criminal.

[hlthe2b]

4. Thanks for the reminder... I'd forgotten that Kerry'd been a prosecutor

Your post made me go look it up. Voila... Just like Edwards, Kerry will have the trained legal mind just waiting to expose the simpleton chimp and his lies. Kudos, Kerry!

[blm]

18. One of the best things about Kerry running the prosecutor's office

he asked his prosecutors to stop prosecuting pot user cases.

I see decriminalization of pot within the next few years with Kerry in office.

[maddezmom]

2. all the candidates are hitting him hard on this issue

and should keep the heat on. Carl Levin on CNN right now basically saying bush* didn't tell the real reasons for going to war.

[maddezmom]

3. PS: thanks John Kerry

I look forward to reading the transcript. :)

[flpoljunkie]

5. More about this and re Dubya's National Guard service now in AP article

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23207-2004Feb8.html

In Richmond, Kerry accepted the endorsement of Gov. Mark Warner and took issue with Bush for saying in a nationally televised interview that Saddam Hussein had the ability to make deadly weapons. "This is a far cry from what the president and his administration told the people in 2002," Kerry said, standing outside the governor's mansion after watching Bush's "Meet the Press" interview with Warner.

The Massachusetts senator said Bush was "telling the American people stories back in 2002" about the extent of the threat posed by Saddam. He demanded a full investigation into the gathering of U.S. intelligence and how it was used to justify the administration's decision to invade Iraq.

Kerry said the investigation should be completed quickly and criticized Bush for appointing a panel that will report its findings about the Iraq intelligence after the November election.

A decorated Vietnam War veteran, Kerry also said Bush had not fully answered questions about whether he fulfilled his National Guard service in Alabama during the conflict. "The issue here is, as I have heard it raised, is was he present and active in Alabama at the time he was supposed to be. I don't have the answer to that question and just because you get an honorable discharge does not in fact answer that question," Kerry said.

[jbfam4]

7. Good points

Kerry said: "the investigation should be completed quickly and criticized Bush for appointing a panel that will report its findings about the Iraq intelligence after the November election."

Warner just said that the dems were playing politics regarding the panel.

Levin responded by saying *bush is the one playing politics since the palel's findings won't be out until after the election.


If Bush* is right that he made the correct decision to go to war as he keeps telling us, why doesn't he insist that the panel he appointed to investigate this, have the results before the election so the American people can decide.

Obviously, it would be political suicide to do this, but it would be more convincing to people that he had nothing to fear. Let the people decide. He is either with us or against us! Which is it?

[Raya]

8. Kerry: "We Know the small group of people who can tell us what went wrong"

[Old and In the Way]

14. Excellent Point, proof that he knows the truth : he lied.

"If Bush* is right that he made the correct decision to go to war as he keeps telling us, why doesn't he insist that the panel he appointed to investigate this, have the results before the election so the American people can decide."

I am so sick of this clown controlling investigations that lead to his criminal behaviour. I think many Americans are on to this guy and Republicans in the House and Senate better start considering how the American people view their continued covering for this criminal-in-chief.

The only thing he seems consistant with is his lies. Lies about WMD, lies about his war record, lies about his business dealings, lies about 9/11.

I thought Nixon had problems telling the truth, Bush has set the bar that will never be broken.

[TheDonkey]

9. wow great AWOL jab (nt)

[knight_of_the_star]

6. OUCH!!!

THAT was well timed on John's part! Bush just seems to be begging to lose!

[bigtree]

10. Zing!

[eleny]

11. Thanks! I didn't catch that!

Brezinski on now with Blitzer. The shrub was cruising for a bruising and the Dems are deliverig.

[emulatorloo]

12. link to press release

http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_0208.html


Statement from John Kerry Regarding Bush’s Comments on “Meet the Press”


February  08,  2004

For Immediate Release


“This morning on ‘Meet the Press,’ President Bush said his decision to go to war with Iraq when he did was because Saddam Hussein had ‘the ability to make weapons.’  This is a far cry from what he and his Administration told the American people in 2002.  Back then, President Bush repeatedly told the American people that Saddam Hussein ‘has got chemical weapons.’ And it was on that basis that he sent America's sons and daughters marching off to war.

“The problem is not just that President Bush is changing his story now—it is that it appears he was telling the American people stories in 2002.  President Bush told America that Iraq had chemical weapons two months after his own Defense Intelligence Agency told him that there was—quote—‘no reliable information on whether Iraq is producing and stockpiling chemical weapons.’ And, as President Bush backpedaled from the imminent threat in Iraq, he needs to remember that his rush to war in Iraq moved us away from capturing Osama bin Laden, starting at Tora Bora.

“George Bush needs to take responsibility for his actions and set the record straight.  That's the very least that Americans should be able to expect from the President of the United States.  Either he believed Saddam Hussein had chemical weapons—or he didn't.  Americans need to be able to trust their President—and they deserve the truth. 


“I hope that—in light of this new information today—President Bush will not only immediately agree to testify before his Intelligence Commission, but will clearly and precisely tell the American people what he knew when he launched the Iraq War and why what he is saying today is so very different.”


-30-

[bigtree]

13. Excellent

[AnnitaR]

15. If that was a "blast" we are in serious trouble

if Kerry is our nominee!

Out of the three responses we have heard to the MTP interview Kerry's is by far the weakest!

Dean & Clark were much tougher on Wolf. These are the two men who can best take it to Chimpy in the fall!

[bigtree]

16. make a post with their statements

[NV1962]

24. Here ya go

way to much to paste all relevant bits in:
http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0402/08/le.00.html

[sandnsea]

19. Provable statements

That's been the problem with Dean all along, his statements can never be backed up with fact. Clark decided to follow Dean's ranting lead instead of relying on facts, something he has to know in his heart is foolish. This is why Kerry has always been better and his critiques always resonate with people more and pressure the Administration more, he doesn't get ahead of where the facts are at the moment.

[Native]

23. Kerry's timing is better too, don't ya think? n/t

[sandnsea]

25. Absolutely

Iowa proved that 100 times over. lol.

[Terwilliger]

17. Mr. Kerry...these possibilities that Bush didn't have the intel he needed.

at the time would suggest that your vote was made in ignornace as well...why didn't you know the actual intel that Bush had was being tweaked so that Bush could manufacture the war? Why didn't you know that the intelligence was questionable when you gave him the blank-check authority that you did give him? If he says he went on the best available intelligence, and you supported him b/c that's the same intel that you saw, why did SO many other Democrats vote AGAINST passage of the IWR?

[sandnsea]

20. Inspections

Willing to move forward against a potential threat, get inspectors into Iraq, and give the President authority to do that. The Commander in Chief ALWAYS makes the final decision to deploy troops. That's the way our country works.

Kneejerk opposition to military action is not an acceptable national defense strategy, especially after 9/11. In other words, NO is not a solution.

[Forkboy]

22. It was hardly kneejerk opposition

but hey,whatever....

[ShaneGR]

21. Good, be aggressive Senator Kerry

Strength will win it for us.