Bush's chief campaign strategist says 'Kerry was right' on Iraq

[babsbunny]

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Bushs_chief_campaign_strategist_says_Kerry_0331.html

The chief strategist for President George W. Bush's 2004 reelection campaign wrote an editorial that said Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry was right in calling for a withdrawal from Iraq -- "Kerry Was Right" -- but never submitted it, according to an article to be published in Sunday's New York Times.

The article, "Ex-Aide Details a Loss of Faith in the President," details the disenchantment of one of Bush's most senior campaign aides, Matthew Dowd.

Dowd was a keystone in the Administration's effort to portray Sen. Kerry as a flip-flopper "who could not be trusted with national security during wartime." He is the first of Bush's inner circle to break so publicly with him.

[karynnj]

1. Too bad he didn't follow his insight and conscience in 2004

The comments on "gentleness" are :puke: worthy. Before I believe he is genuine he will have to say a lot more than he did here. He could start by stating that the flip flop theme he used was never true - and expand his comments on Kerry was right. Kerry has been the strongest, most consistent voice on Iraq and a legacy of 2004 is that the likes of the NYT and others still speak of the "muddiness" of Kerry's position. (Although I was a huge Kerry supporter in 2004 (and now), I was surprised at the directness in what he said about Iraq at the 2004 Daily Show - which I rewatched when I saw the link on the daily site before he appeared on the show last week.)

He does take more personal responsibility than Sam Fox did, but he was far more involved. Before he preachs "gentleness", he should try to atone for his role in the 2004 campaign

[BearSquirrel2]

33. As I recall ...

As I recall Kerry advocated an initial escalation in troop numbers to establish security. After that he wanted to rapidly reduce troops numbers. Yeah, Kerry was criticized by people who cannot think while chewing gum. But it is rather amazing that his opponent has effectively adopted the Kerry strategy (in a half ass way) two years after it might have done some good.

[karynnj]

35. Kerry endorsed increasing the number of soldiers in the

military - BUT NOT IN IRAQ - in 2004. The reason was what he called the "backdoor draft". He was still for this in 2006 and especially advocated for more troops that could be used to deal with terrorists on a very targetted basis.

He also said that they should have listened to the generals, like Shinsecki and made sure they had the force level needed to secure the peace in 2003. (Though he also said they should not have gone to war except as a last resort - after diplomacy was exhausted.) By 2004, Kerry advocated for a more international force, not more US soldiers.

The problem in 2004 was that the questions to:
-the vote
-whether there should have been an invasion
-mistakes already made
-Kerry's proposal going forward -

[pinto]

2. Ex-Aide Details a Loss of Faith in the President (NY Times)

April 1, 2007
By JIM RUTENBERG

AUSTIN, Tex., March 29 — In 1999, Matthew Dowd became a symbol of George W. Bush’s early success at positioning himself as a Republican with Democratic appeal.

A top strategist for the Texas Democrats who was disappointed by the Bill Clinton years, Mr. Dowd was impressed by the pledge of Mr. Bush, then governor of Texas, to bring a spirit of cooperation to Washington. He switched parties, joined Mr. Bush’s political brain trust and dedicated the next six years to getting him to the Oval Office and keeping him there. In 2004, he was appointed the president’s chief campaign strategist.

Looking back, Mr. Dowd now says his faith in Mr. Bush was misplaced.

In a wide-ranging interview here, Mr. Dowd called for a withdrawal from Iraq and expressed his disappointment in Mr. Bush’s leadership.

He criticized the president as failing to call the nation to a shared sense of sacrifice at a time of war, failing to reach across the political divide to build consensus and ignoring the will of the people on Iraq. He said he believed the president had not moved aggressively enough to hold anyone accountable for the abuses at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, and that Mr. Bush still approached governing with a “my way or the highway” mentality reinforced by a shrinking circle of trusted aides.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/01/washington/01adviser.html?_r=1&hp=&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print

Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company

[orwell]

3. Thanks numbnuts...

...for nothing.

[butterfly77]

4. A lot of the bushites are running away from bush now..

so that they can set themselves up for the upcoming elections..But the hardcore repugs like: Orrin hatch, stevens ,mc connell and others are continuing to hold on while pretending to distance themselves while all along they are giving him the advice he is getting...

[UTUSN]

5. How come all of us here KNEW what Shrub was in'99 withOUT special intel?

It never fails to amaze me that these oh-so-smart a-holes with all their expertise and special resources claim to make such HUGH!!1 errors or believe incredible things, while we lay people just KNOW. Plus this creep STILL has "personal affection" for Shrub and just LUERVES Shrub's personality. ESAD, creepo.

[w4rma]

6. They're corrupt and they destroy any of their own who stray just a little bit from the assigned

talking points.

[UTUSN]

10. Just read the link & embedded link, so he's one of BULLOCK's boys & helped Ahhnuld

BULLOCK was the Texas LT Gov, Southern Dem (Conservative), who was kingpin of good ol' boy-ism in TX, an arrogant, power wielding old bastard. Shrub sought and got his blessing to run for governor. This mutual traitordom is what passed for "bi-partisanship." It was always a lie. It was BULLOCK relishing being a kingmaker and Shrub being my-way-or-the-highway.

So this DOWD a-hole claims to be looking for "gentleness" in politics and worked for Ahhhnuld because he saw "bi-partisanship" and is drawn to OBAMA because of the "gentleness." Yeah, with his new found (supposed) Dem-ism, he wants Dems to be "GENTLE". Sounds like a MOLE again, to steer Dems away from FIGHTING, which is what we need.

[w4rma]

19. I agree. (nt)

[mrreowwr_kittty]

7. So he was cool with Rove's tactics until just recently?

I'm sure he was aware of what they were doing to McCain in 2000 and that was okay because Dimson was such a great guy? How about the stealing of the election from Gore? Hunky dory with Dowd because he just knew that Bush was going to be such a bipartisan uniter once he got into office. Guess Dowd wasn't paying much attention during the first term, or else he figured George was finally going to have that epiphany after his "re-election".

Go fuck yourself, Dowd. Sideways.

[Olney Blue]

8. Don't "mea culpa" us, Dowd. Blood is on your hands, too.

[americanstranger]

9. Dowd is a sucker and a coward.

A political opportunist who left the Democratic party because he thought he saw a winner.

Now that conservatism's ass has been kicked from one end of the block to the other, he wants to get back on the winning side. Now that his kid is in Iraq, the war is a bad idea.

Screw him. I wish him sleepless nights for the rest of his miserable life.

- as

[krispos42]

11. This is why you have a concience, Dowd

Politicians, and by extension their aides and other assocciates, need to put Country before Party before God. Any other order results in oppression!

Dimwit.

[Yavin4]

12. People Like Dowd Know That Conservatism Is Dead, And They Want To "Moderate" The Dems

In 2000, our entire system, the media, the Supreme Courts, etc., all cheated to put Bush in the WH, but they backed the wrong horse. Bush was supposed to rally the nation to conservatism, but he failed. Today, the nation leans more towards progressvism that conservatism, just look at any opinion poll on national healthcare, education, or living wage.

Now, assholes like Dowd want to slow the momentum. Everybody knows that the Dems will control the WH and the Congress in 2008, but they don't want the Dems to use any of their power for real progress on major issues. They want to slow things down.

[UTUSN]

14. Bingo!!1 He sounds like a mole, a Trojan Horse. n/t

[Spiffarino]

17. Didn't this happen a few years ago?

I seem to remember a time when Bush was in deep political trouble and some old friend came along and spilled his guts about Bush. A week later they were the best of friends. Seems he was an old family friend or something.

The whole thing was very fishy and this looks like a replay of it. I'm not buying.

[druidity33]

13. consumed by guilt.... nt

[struggle4progress]

15. Woulda coulda shoulda. Kinda makes me wonder what crimes he committed.

[NEOBuckeye]

16. Dowd has the blood of many thousands upon his hands

He is, at least in part, responsible for every single person who has died as a result of Bush's policies since he was re-selected. He deserves by extension to be tried for War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity.

[ComerPerro]

18. funny thing is, in 2008 all the GOP candidates will try to be the anti-Bush candidate

[beltanefauve]

30. AND

Ronald Reagan, reincarnated. The beloved, revised version of Ronnie, not the reality, which is that he was the father/figurehead of today's Neoconservatism.

[SemperEadem]

20. a flip-flopper himself, he seems to be

first a Dem strategist in TX and then a puke--a doubleminded man is unstable in all his ways.

In 2008, no thug candidate should be allowed any space from bush--they should be tied to the same weight and tossed into the same deep pit with him. "More of the same" should be the rallying cry against the thugs in 2008.

[jamesinca]

21. Does us no good now

It may make it harder for him to be the War President who has war on his mind. But they got what they wanted, a second term. So they don't care, it is ok to talk about it now.

[pokercat999]

22. Rat leaving a sinking ship.

He's a rat leaving a sinking ship looking to set himself up with the Dems again. What's worse is he will find a place on some campaign staff.

[Zambero]

27. This galley slave goes down with the rest

Seems this partially-contrite bridge burning turncoat is still shackled by his so-called "affection" for one who has turned out to be much worse than a mere embarrassment. At the same time he can't help but notice that the hold's been taking on water for some time. And the water balers have indded "baled". Enjoy the ride to the bottom Dowd!

[NewJeffCT]

23. They seem to admit Kerry was right on a lot of things now

George Will admitted last year that even though Kerry was mocked in 2004 for saying fighting terrorism is primarily a police action, he was right.

There was another major admission last year along those lines as well, but my memory is hazy right now.

[Kajsa]

26. We who supported Kerry knew that all along.

Why did it take the opposition almost four years to figure it out?

[NewJeffCT]

29. They're slow on the uptake

In case you haven't noticed.

[Kajsa]

31. You're right, NewJeff.

The obvious flew right over my head!

:D

[BearSquirrel2]

34. Whose "they"

All I keep hearing is "aren't you so glad that guy isn't the President?". No I'm sad that they guy in office IS the President and PISSED because you helped with that.

Kerry was right, he just had a really crappy way of explaining it. He also was not helped at all by the media who seized on the notion of Kerry being a liar the same way they did with Al Gore.

[Floyd53]

24. Treason has a nice ring to it

After the damage is done, Bush's chief strategist begs our forgiveness. I don't get it, is this one of those Christian things - Are we supposed to say it's all right, forget it?

Sorry, this dude needs to go to the gallows with the rest of the traitors.

Treason has a nice ring to it. I think we should hang Traitor signs on Bush, Cheney, and the whole Bush gang. Make them stand on the capital steps as long as it takes to build and test gallows while they watch. Then give them a speedy trial, after which they get a speedy execution, just like Bush has always dreamed of. Like the good old days in Texas.

I reckon the only way to end this is poetically - String nooses around their necks, put them all on the backs of horses, line them all up together, and take their picture.

The fun part would be naming all the horses.

[Kajsa]

25. Here's a link to the NY Times article, today.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/01/washington/01adviser.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Even though I'm glad he came forward to expose
a few of the lies from the Bush camp,

it was too little, too late.

The damage has been done.

[npincus]

28. rats leaving a sinking ship

too f*cking late.

[PinkyisBlue]

32. Though I'm glad he has taken his blinders off, this guy sounds really screwed up.

A couple of things struck me about his change of heart:

First of all, he only turned against the Iraq War when his own kid was deployed. Sounds like a typical puke to me (as in, as long as it doesn't personally affect me and I can make money off it, it's okay). Only after his own kid is deployed is he calling for a "shared sacrifice" by the American people.

Second, mentioned twice in the article is the feeling of being "in love" with Bush. Rove has said this before, too, that Bush has some kind of animal magnetism and raw attraction that pulls people to him. It must only happen if you meet him in person, because when I watch Bush on tv, I see a stupid, incompetent man, who comes across as very insincere.

Third, what did Dowd's divorce and death of a premature daughter have to do with changing political affiliation? To go from a Democrat to a Repuglican is a HUGH change, as it requires a complete alteration in what you think the role of government should be in society. I don't trust this guy.

[curiousdemo]

36. Dowd look over the mountain...

and seen the grass was greener on the other side of the mountain. That what you call an Epiphany. He realize Bush lies was to much to bare. Get thee behind me Satan! :hi: :hi: :hi: :hi: :hi:

[wisteria]

37. How very upsetting that this jerk knew Senator Kerry was correct

and probably even knew he was the better candidate and yet he stuck with Bush for his own selfish reasons. There are so many "what ifs" with this man's confessions. He could have made a difference. Putting his own self interests aside he may have helped turned this country around and saved thousands of lives. instead he stuck by a real loser.

[hatrack]

38. More than a litle late, Chucklenuts . . . did having a son in Iraq change your mind?

Who knows . . .

[Tekla West]

39. Little late

when your shoes are getting wet its a bit late to notice the Titanic is, in fact, sinking.