Excerpts:
Russert: On Friday, you announced a committee, commission to look into intelligence failures regarding the Iraq war and our entire intelligence community. You have been reluctant to do that for some time. Why?
Does the Oaf of Office answer this question? No. He defines "terrorist" and he blathers about why "good" intelligence is important, which he says is why he ordered the commission, but he doesn't say why he objected to having a commission until now. And does Russert then ask the question again in order to get that answer? No. He looks tough by asking the question, but Bunnypoop just gives a little sidestep, and on we go. You were expecting something else?
Bunnypoop McSmirk defines "terrorist": It is because the war against terrorists is a war against individuals who hide in caves in remote parts of the world, individuals who have these kind of shadowy networks, individuals who deal with rogue nations.
Terrorists therefore are not "civilized" people who might live in houses in say....Texas. Or Americans who send anthrax or ricin through the mail. Or are ex-U.S. soldiers who bomb Federal buildings. Or religious nuts who
Russert: Prime Minister Blair has set up a similar commission in Great Britain.
President Bush: Yeah.
Russert: His is going to report back in July. Ours is not going to be until March of 2005, five months after the presidential election.
President Bush: Yeah.
Russert: Shouldn't the American people have the benefit of the commission before the election?
Well, the answer to that is, of course, we can't rush this very important issue.
The commission I set up, Tim, is one that will help future presidents understand how best to fight the war on terror, and it's an important part of the kind of lessons learned in Iraq and lessons learned in Afghanistan prior to us going in, lessons learned that we can apply to both Iran and North Korea because we still have a dangerous world. And that's very important for, I think, the people to understand where I'm coming from to know that this is a dangerous world. I wish it wasn't.
I'm a war president. I make decisions here in the Oval Office in foreign policy matters with war on my mind. Again, I wish it wasn't true, but it is true. And the American people need to know they got a president who sees the world the way it is. And I see dangers that exist, and it's important for us to deal with them.
Can you get any plainer than that? He's a "war president." Amen to that.
He sees the world the way it is. And I'm the Pope. He doesn't go anywhere without a steel bubble around him. And he doesn't read. Oh. Oh. I forgot. God tells him. He sees what God sees.
Russert: Will you testify before the commission?
President Bush: This commission? You know, I don't testify. I will be glad to visit with them. I will be glad to share with them knowledge. I will be glad to make recommendations, if they ask for some.
Visit and share knowledge with them. Make recommendations. You know, tell them what to find. Although that really shouldn't be necessary since he's hand picked the members and given them strict instructions to find out why the intelligence was bad and not consider the White House's choice or use of that intelligence.
Russert: There is another commission right now looking into September 11th.
President Bush: Yeah.
Russert: Will you testify before that commission?
There follows a statement about why it's not a good idea for the public to know about the Presidential Daily Briefs.
Russert: Would you submit for questioning, though, to the 9/11 Commission?
President Bush: Perhaps, perhaps.
Well, at least Patsy tried to get him to answer the question as it was asked.
Russert: Do you have a pretty good idea where Osama is?
President Bush: You know, I'm not going to comment on that.
...
Russert: How do you respond to critics who say that you brought the nation to war under false pretenses?
President Bush: [Remarks about how he knew Saddam's past.] But David Kay did report to the American people that Saddam had the capacity to make weapons. Saddam Hussein was dangerous with weapons. Saddam Hussein was dangerous with the ability to make weapons. He was a dangerous man in the dangerous part of the world.
A dangerous man. The dangerous part of the world. What part of Booga! don't you understand?
And, the all-important word "imminent" (which nobody ever said, remember) is put into context...
By the way, quoting a lot of their data in other words, this is unaccounted for stockpiles that you thought he had because I don't think America can stand by and hope for the best from a madman, and I believe it is essential I believe it is essential that when we see a threat, we deal with those threats before they become imminent. It's too late if they become imminent. It's too late in this new kind of war, and so that's why I made the decision I made.
So, now, the arguments about whether the word "imminent" was ever used are moot. Because we need to attack even before the threat is imminent. Slick, huh?
President Bush: We thought he had weapons. The international community thought he had weapons. But he had the capacity to make a weapon and then let that weapon fall into the hands of a shadowy terrorist network.
It's important for people to understand the context in which I made a decision here in the Oval Office. I'm dealing with a world in which we have gotten struck by terrorists with airplanes, and we get intelligence saying that there is, you know, we want to harm America. And the worst nightmare scenario for any president is to realize that these kind of terrorist networks had the capacity to arm up with some of these deadly weapons, and then strike us.
And the President of the United States’ most solemn responsibility is to keep this country secure. And the man was a threat, and we dealt with him, and we dealt with him because we cannot hope for the best. We can't say, Let's don't deal with Saddam Hussein. Let's hope he changes his stripes, or let's trust in the goodwill of Saddam Hussein. Let's let us, kind of, try to contain him. Containment doesn't work with a man who is a madman.
There you have it again: 9-11 terrorists - jump - Saddam Hussein. Still connecting the two.
And remember, Tim, he had used weapons against his own people.
What part of Booga! don't you understand?
Russert: This is an important point because when you say that he has biological and chemical weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles
President Bush: Which he had.
Russert: and they could come and attack the United States, you are saying to the American people: we have to deal now with a man who has these things.
President Bush: That's exactly what I said.
Which was not true. Saddam did not have the weapons capability to attack the U.S.
You remember U.N. Security Council Resolution 1441 clearly stated show us your arms and destroy them, or your programs and destroy them. And we said, there are serious consequences if you don't. That was a unanimous verdict. In other words, the worlds of the U.N. Security Council said we're unanimous and you're a danger. So, it wasn't just me and the United States. The world thought he was dangerous and needed to be disarmed.
And, of course, he defied the world once again.
And does Russert call him on this implication that we had the blessings of "the world" to implement "consequences"? No.
And by the way, by clearly stating policy, whether it be in Afghanistan or stating the policy that we expect you, Mr. Saddam Hussein, to disarm, your choice to disarm, but if you don't, there will be serious consequences in following through, it has had positive effects in the world. Libya, for example, there was an positive effect in Libya where Moammar Khaddafy voluntarily disclosed his weapons programs and agreed to dismantle dismantle them, and the world is a better place as a result of that.
Show of power works.
And the world is a safer and better place as a result of Saddam Hussein not being in power.
Saddam bad. World better off. Saddam bad. World better off.
I repeat to you what I strongly believe that inaction in Iraq would have emboldened Saddam Hussein. He could have developed a nuclear weapon over time I'm not saying immediately, but over time which would then have put us in what position? We would have been in a position of blackmail.
Over time. Not immediately. Hmmmmm. I thought it was an immediate - but not imminent, of course - threat. Within 48 hours he could launch an attack is the way I remember them selling it.
And by these new standards - a country which over time could develop a nuclear weapon - well, we've pretty much got our marching orders on the whole world, I'd say.
President Bush: In other words, you can't rely upon a madman, and he was a madman. You can't rely upon him making rational decisions when it comes to war and peace, and it's too late, in my judgment, when a madman who has got terrorist connections is able to act.
Russert: But there are lots of madmen in the world, Fidel Castro …
President Bush: True.
MR. Russert: … in Iran, in North Korea, in Burma, and yet we don't go in and take down those governments.
Back up a second. Fidel Castro is a madman? Gee, Patsy Russert, thanks for the set up. It's not like BushCo hasn't been saber rattling at Cuba or anything. A madman? Threatens to strike the U.S. does he? Gasses his own people does he? What?
Remember, flag wavers - you heard it here. Fidel Castro - madman. Fidel bad. World better off. Fidel bad. World better off.
Russert: On Iraq, the vice president said, “we would be greeted as liberators.”
President Bush: Yeah.
Russert: It's now nearly a year, and we are in a very difficult situation. Did we miscalculate how we would be treated and received in Iraq?
President Bush: Well, I think we are welcomed in Iraq. I'm not exactly sure, given the tone of your questions, we're not. We are welcomed in Iraq.
The man who sees the world the way it is.
President Bush: See, free societies are societies that don't develop weapons of mass terror and don't blackmail the world.
He said it. Not me.
Russert's one moment of making the Oaf uncomfortable:
Russert: You do seem to have changed your mind from the 2000 campaign. In a debate, you said, "I don't think our troops ought to be used for what's called 'nation-building.'"
President Bush: Yes.
Russert: We clearly are involved in nation building.
President Bush: Right. And I also said let me put it in context. I'm not suggesting you're pulling one of these Washington tricks where you leave half the equation out.
But I did say also that our troops must be trained and prepared to fight and win war and, therefore, make peace more possible. And our troops were trained to fight and win war, and we did, and a second phase of the war is now going on. The first phase, of course, was the Tommy Franks troop movement.
Russert: But this is nation building.
President Bush: Well, it is. That's right, but we're also fighting a war so that they can build a nation. And [crosstalk] the war is against terrorists and disgruntled Baathists who are saying we had it good in the past, and therefore we don't want this new society to spring up because they have no faith in democracy, and the terrorists who want to stop the advance of freedom.
And if I might, people say to me, ‘Okay, you made a judgment as to how to secure America for the short term with the Taliban and with Saddam Hussein, and we are staying on the hunt for al Qaeda, but what about the long term?’ Which is a legitimate question. And the best way to secure America for the long term is to promote freedom and a free society and to encourage democracy.
And we are doing so in a part of the world where people say it can't happen, but the long term vision and the long term hope is -- and I believe it's going to happen -- is that a free Iraq will help change the Middle East. You may have heard me say we have a forward strategy of freedom in the Middle East. It's because I believe so strongly that freedom is etched in everybody's heart I believe that and I believe this country must continue to lead.
It's nation building, but it's the good kind. It's only terrorists and disgruntled Baathists fighting us. The man who sees the world as it is.
Russert: Now looking back, in your mind, is it worth the loss of 530 American lives and 3,000 injuries and woundings simply to remove Saddam Hussein, even though there were no weapons of mass destruction?
President Bush: Every life is precious. Every person that is willing to sacrifice for this country deserves our praise, and yes.
Russert: But
President Bush: Let me finish.
Russert: Please.
President Bush: It's essential that I explain this properly to the parents of those who lost their lives.
Saddam Hussein was dangerous, and I’m not gonna leave him in power and trust a madman. He's a dangerous man. He had the ability to make weapons at the very minimum.
For the parents of the soldiers who have fallen who are listening, David Kay, the weapons inspector, came back and said, “In many ways Iraq was more dangerous than we thought.” It's we are in a war against these terrorists who will bring great harm to America, and I've asked these young ones to sacrifice for that.
Again, for the flag wavers who don't bother to think - Iraqis are terrorists.
A free Iraq will change the world. It's historic times. A free Iraq will make it easier for other children in our own country to grow up in a safer world because in the Middle East is where you find the hatred and violence that enables the enemy to recruit its killers.
In the Middle East. Not in Indochina. Not in the Balkans. Not in Africa. Not in Texas.
And, Tim, as you can tell, I've got a foreign policy that is one that believes America has a responsibility in this world to lead, a responsibility to lead in the war against terror, a responsibility to speak clearly about the threats that we all face, a responsibility to promote freedom, to free people from the clutches of barbaric people such as Saddam Hussein who tortured, mutilated there were mass graves that we have found a responsibility to fight AIDS, the pandemic of AIDS, and to feed the hungry. We have a responsibility. To me that is history's call to America. I accept the call and will continue to lead in that direction.
Whoopsie. Bunnypants getting tired. Confused.
Commercial. No more talk about the war.
Russert: The Boston Globe and the Associated Press have gone through some of their records and said there’s no evidence that you reported to duty in Alabama during the summer and fall of 1972.
President Bush: Yeah, they re they're just wrong. There may be no evidence, but I did report; otherwise, I wouldn't have been honorably discharged.
So now if you're not convinced, well, aren't you the dumby? (More on AWOL)
Russert: You did were allowed to leave eight months before your term expired. Was there a reason?
President Bush: Right. Well, I was going to Harvard Business School and worked it out with the military.
Say what? Patsy! Ask him what that's got to do with it. Patsy!
Russert: When allegations were made about John McCain or Wesley Clark on their military records, they opened up their entire files. Would you agree to do that?
President Bush: Yeah. Listen, these files I mean, people have been looking for these files for a long period of time, trust me, and starting in the 1994 campaign for governor. And I can assure you in the year 2000 people were looking for those files as well. Probably you were. And absolutely. I mean, I
Russert: But would you allow pay stubs, tax records, anything to show that you were serving during that period?
President Bush: Yeah. If we still have them, but I you know, the records are kept in Colorado, as I understand, and they scoured the records.
Silly Patsy. You think they've let those things stand after the issue was brought up in 2000?
Russert: Were you favor of the war in Vietnam?
President Bush: I supported my government. I did. And would have gone had my unit been called up, by the way.
Russert: But you didn't volunteer or enlist to go.
President Bush: No, I didn't. You're right. I served. I flew fighters and enjoyed it, and we provided a service to our country. In those days we had what was called "Air Defense Command," and it was part of the air defense command system.
The thing about the Vietnam War that troubles me as I look back was it was a political war. We had politicians making military decisions, and it is lessons that any president must learn, and that is to the set the goal and the objective and allow the military to come up with the plans to achieve that objective. And those are essential lessons to be learned from the Vietnam War.
Russert: Let me turn to the economy.
Dammit, Patsy!
Did you not just hear that whole last paragraph? Even a poor lawyer would be all over that like stink on George W. Bush. For cryin' out loud. Is that not exactly the complaint the Pentagon had from the get-go in Iraq? Jesus Christ on a Unicyle, Patsy. He laid it open for you. And if he had an attorney, the man was jumping up and down screaming Objection! Objection! to get his client to shut up.
Well, Patsy, at least it looks like you won't be losing your job any time soon.
Russert: The General Accounting Office, which are the nation's auditors
President Bush: Yeah.
Russert: have done a study of our finances.
President Bush: Um hmm.
Russert: And this is what your legacy will be to the next generation. It says that our “current fiscal policy is unsustainable.” They did a computer simulation that shows that balancing the budget in 2040 could require either cutting total Federal spending in half or doubling Federal taxes.
President Bush: Um hmm.
Russert: How why, as a fiscal conservative as you like to call yourself, would you allow a $500 billion deficit and this kind of deficit disaster?
President Bush: Sure. The budget I just proposed to the Congress cuts the deficit in half in five years.
You know the rest. Patsy has the goods and doesn't deliver. He doesn't ask what happens after five years, which we've been told is that the balloon payment comes due. He doesn't ask why the Oaf is cutting education, law enforcement, first responder funds, and old people's housing assistance in favor of increasing the military budget. He just lets him go on his little campaign speech of B.S. He doesn't ask him about that Medicare bill, nor about the pressure the GOP put on its own party members to pass it, nor the clandestine middle of the night activity that got the job done.
He just says...
Russert: But your base conservatives and listen to Rush Limbaugh, the Heritage Foundation, CATO Institute, they're all saying you are the biggest spender in American history.
President Bush: Well, they're wrong.
Case closed.
President Bush: If you look at the appropriations bills that were passed under my watch, in the last year of President Clinton, discretionary spending was up 15 percent, and ours have steadily declined.
And the other thing that I think it's important for people who watch the expenditures side of the equation is to understand we are at war, Tim, and any time you commit your troops into harm's way, they must have the best equipment, the best training, and the best possible pay. That's where we owe it to their loved ones.
Russert: That's a very important point. Every president since the Civil War who has gone to war has raised taxes, not cut them. Raised to pay for it. Why not say, I will not cut taxes any more until we have balanced the budget?
Patsy! I'm beginning to think I could have done a better job with this interview. How about holding him to account for those remarks about giving the troops the best equipment and best possible pay. How can you let him get away with that? (More Links)
Russert: Our exit polls of primary voters, not just Democrats but Independents in South Carolina and New Hampshire, more than 70 percent of them said they are angry or dissatisfied with you, and they point to this whole idea of being a uniter as opposed to a divider.
Why do you think you are perceived as such a divider?
President Bush: Gosh, I don't know, because I'm working hard to unite the country. As a matter of fact, it's the hardest part of being the president.
Gosh.
Russert: This is what John Kerry had to say last year. He said that his colleagues are appalled at the quote "President's lack of knowledge. They've managed him the same way they've managed Ronald Reagan. They send him out to the press for one event a day. They put him in a brown jacket and jeans and get him to move some hay or move a truck, and all of a sudden he's the Marlboro Man. I know this guy. He was two years behind me at Yale. I knew him, and he's still the same guy.”
Did you know him at Yale?
President Bush: No.
Russert: How do you respond to that?
President Bush: Politics. I mean, this is—you know, if you close your eyes and listen carefully to what you just said, it sounds like the year 2000 all over again.
Russert: You were both in Skull and Bones, the secret society.
President Bush: It's so secret we can't talk about it.
Russert: What does that mean for America? The conspiracy theorists are going to go wild.
President Bush: I'm sure they are. I don’t know. I haven't seen the (unintel) yet. (Laughs)
Russert: Number 322.
Well that was interesting.
Russert: Biggest issues in the upcoming campaign?
President Bush: Who can properly use American power in a way to make the world a better place, and who understands that the true strength of this country is the hearts and souls of the American citizens, who understands times are changing and how best to have policy reflect those times.
The man truly has his finger on the pulse.
...but hey, do what you want....you will anyway....
