I'll be covering the third and fourth question of tonights debate. Please hotlist this entry and provide whatever input and suggestions you have regarding these two questions tonight. We're looking for any observations that can help get out the best spin for Kerry and deflect the pro-Bush spin.
Final comment. It has been an interesting experience doing this. I believe it has been helpful. It worked pretty well, but I've certainly learned a lot too. Someone else suggested that we get together sometime to discuss lessons learned. I'm all for that.
Question 3:
- Questioner: Anthony Baldy
- Occupation:
- Other Info:
- Question: Senator Kerry, the US is preparing a new Iraq government and will proceed to withdraw US troops. Would you proceed with the same plans as President Bush?
[Kerry] 2 minute Response
Anthony, I would not. I have laid out a different plan because the presidents plan is not working, you see that every night on the television. Chaos in Iraq.
King Abdullah of Jordan said just yesterday or the day before, you can't hold elections with the chaos that is going on today
Senator Richard Lugar, the Republican head of the foreign relations committee said that the handling of the reconstruction aid has been incompetent. Those are the Republican chairman's words
Senator Haegal of Nebraska said that the handling of Iraq is beyond pitiful, beyond embarrassing, it is into the realm of dangerous.
These are the words of two Republicans bot respected on the foreign relations committee.
Now I have to tell you, I would do things differently. I would reach out to our allies in a way that this president hasn't. He pushed them away. Time and again pushed them away at the UN. Pushed them away individually.
Two weeks ago there was a meeting of the North Atlantic Council, the political arm of NATO. They discussed the possibility of a small training unit or the complete takeover of training in Iraq. Did our administration push for the total training of Iraq? No. Were they silent? Yes. Was there an effort to bring all the allies around that? No. Because they've always wanted this to be an American effort.
They even had the Defense Department issue a memorandum saying don't bother applying to be part of the reconstruction if you weren't part of the original coalition. Now that's not a good way to build support for our troops and make American safer.
I'm going to get the training done for our troops. I'm going to get the training of Iraqi's done faster and I'm going to get our allies back to the table.
[Bush] 1 1/2 minute Rebuttal
Two days ago in the Oval Office I met with the finance minister from Iraq. He talked about how optimistic he was, and the country was, about heading toward elections. Think about it, they're going from tyranny to elections. He talked about the reconstruction efforts that are beginning to take hold. He talked about the fact that Iraqis love to be free. He said he was optimistic when he came, then he turned on the TV and listened to the political rhetoric and suddenly he was pessimistic. there is a guy taking great risks, along with others, for freedom. We need to stand with him.
My opponent says he has a plan. It sounds familiar cause it's called the Bush Plan. We're going to train troops and we are. We're going to have 125,000 by the end of December. We're going to spend about $7 billion.
He talked about a grand idea. Let's have a summit. We're going to solve the problems in Iraq by holding a summit. What is he going to tell those people who show up to the summit. Join me in the wrong war at the wrong time in the wrong place. Risk your troops in a war you call a mistake.
Nobody is going to follow somebody who doesn't believe we an succeed and somebody who says the war where we are is a mistake.
I know how these people think. I meet with them all the time. I talk to Tony Blair all the time. I talk to Silvio Berlis... they're not going to follow an American President who says follow me into a mistake.
Our plan is working. we're going to make elections and Iraq is going to be free. And America will better off for it.
[Kerry] 30 second extended discussion
Ladies and Gentlemen, the right war was Ossama bin Laden and Afghanistan. That was the right place and the right time was Tora Bora when we had him cornered in the mountains. Now everyone in the world knows that there were no WMDs. That was the reason that congress have him the authority to use force. Not after excuses to get rid of the regime. Now we have to succeed. I've always said that. I have been consistent. Yes we have to succeed and I have a better plan to help us do it.
[Bush] 30 second extended discussion
First of all we didn't find out he didn't have weapons until we got there. My opponent thought he had weapons and told everybody he thought he had weapons.
Secondly, it is a fundamental misunderstanding to say that the war on terror is only Ossama bin Laden. the war on terror is to make sure that these terrorist organizations do not end up with WMD. That's what the war on terror is about. Of course we're going to find Ossama bin Laden. We've already got 75% if gus people. And we're on a hunt for him. but this is a global conflict that requires firm resolve.
[8051FSW]My comments
Bush says reconstruction is beginning to take hold.
There is a talking point or two here
1. the reconstruction seems to be perpetually 'beginning to take hold' but never quite actually taking hold
2. why is the reconstruction only beginning to take hold 18 months after the invasion
Bush never addresses the list of prominent people who think the situation in Iraq is impossible and shows incompetence. This is kind of incredible. The president is called incompetent by his opponent who is quoting a leader of the presidents party and he has nothing direct to say to the charge. That is striking.
Note that the 75% of all al Qaeda leaders (a dubious claim already) has become 75% of bin Laden's people.
Actually there were a lot of charges made by Kerry that Bush never addressed. Also, it is clear that Kerry once again got under Bush's skin.
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