Graham on Meet the Press with Russert! THIS IS THE MAN!

[seafan]

Graham was masterful on MTP! He fielded questions with the grace and elegance of a swan, but he swooped in like an eagle for the kill on Bush.


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(Paraphrasing...) He sees this as NOT an issue with George Tenet, but with George Bush. We shouldn't have to go thru a "grammar lesson" to try to figure out what our leaders are trying to tell us!

The Vice President sent former Amb. Wilson to Niger... now we are expected to believe that Cheney's office, just down the hall from Bush, did not know the results of Wilson's findings??

I believed what I was told before the war that Saddam had all these dangerous capabilities, including nuclear. We the People should be able to trust what our leaders tell us!

There was a selective use of intel to support the adm's policies, and info that supported their case was given a seat front and center, while the rest of the evidence was relegated to the closet or the back row.

In the 9-11 report to be issued very soon is that al-Qaeda has now trained between 70,000 to 100,000 people in the tactics of terrorism. Some of them are in the US, I have an estimate of the number, not allowed to give it, but it is a SIGNIFICANT NUMBER.

It is immoral to pass off this monstrous deficit to our children and grandchildren. I would repeal most of the Bush tax cut, but not the portion affecting the middle class..

He addressed his notebooks again... saying it is how he disciplines himself... his father kept books like these about the farm, sick cows, etc. Bob said he records details to remind himself of the circumstances in which events occur and it helps his ability to recall details.

Re: his campaign-- he is not deterred by any poll that suggests he is behind some of the others. When asked if he will run again for Senate if not nominated for Prez, he repeated over and over, more loudly each time, "I am running to be President of the United States of America!" And then, "Wouldn't it be a great thing for this country?"
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YOU GO BOB!!!!!!!! YES!!!! :bounce:



This is our opportunity, people. He's quietly looking into our faces with all the honor and courage needed to become one of our greatest Presidents in history.

[ClintonTyree]

1. Dean/Graham.............

Graham/Dean, makes no difference to me.

[dusty64]

12. I'm beginning to think

Graham/Dean may be the most "electable" combination.

[dArKeR]

2. I hope we can see the transcripts later and compare the questions and

type to Dean's Incident. Did you read Dean's transcripts?

And compare the questions and answer when Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Powell are on.

[Kahuna]

3. The difference is, Graham had sense enough to know

that you have to fillibuster Tim. You have to dominate the time so that Tim gets in as few questions as possible.

Graham handled Tim like a pro.

I read that Dean doesn't watch TV. This being the case he was very unprepared for Tim's style and it showed. If his ego had not been so large he would have studied Tim so that he would have been prepared.

[pasadenademocrat]

5. Dean's performance on MTP

contrarary to the SCLM (so called liberal media) spin was fine. It obviously didn't hurt him at all.

I was asleep and didn't get to watch Rummy's performance, but did see Russert obsess over the fact that Graham kept a daily notebook/journal. Isn't that wierd? Can the American people trust you? It's so bizarre the things the media fixates on.

I have a feeling when I read the transcripts, rummy got the fast balls over the plate and Graham got the curveballs.

As I said before, I will support any candidate that opposed this war, so Graham is okay with me.

[ROakes1019]

4. Graham

I was proud to see and hear Graham's calm demeanor and ability
to cut to the truth.  When I lived in Florida, Graham was
Governor and he was a shining example of a "good"
leader then.  I have heard he would take the VP nomination,
although he wouldn't say so this morning.  I would like to see
Graham and Clark on the ticket, either one as VP.  These guys
inspire confidence.  Graham isn't as flashy or vocifirous as
some of the candidates but he's the kind who would get this
nation back on a road to peace and prosperity.

[lkinsale]

6. Flashiness

You are totally right. Bush is all flash and worse than no substance. Graham is simply the Real Thing. I don't know if the American people are able to see that anymore, they have been blinded by so much tinsel.

But I think they can. I hope they can.

[Teacher4dean04]

7. I agree

Graham did a fine job. He impressed me a lot more than Rumsfeld (how many times can a man say "I don't know" in an interview?)

[dArKeR]

15. Unfortunately I think the 'Attack Style' works better to get votes!

Negative advertising proves this.

I like everyone except Gephardt, (Sleazy scum. Just resigned from leadership because he's got no leadership. Part of the reason for the state of the Dem. Party. But he's running for Pres? Come on! He's a dirty crap who's only using his Iowa chips to blackmail one of the other Dem. candidates. Put him in jail with Bush). But Dean deserves all of our respect for NOT being afraid to be the first to stand up to Bush when all the other Democrats were sliding across the road on their bellies.

If they don't make Dean at least the VP their dumbos! Dean will get supporters on the street which the media won't be able to ignore. The Bush rallies will only have campaign staff workers, Moral Majority members, and Tom Delays staff.

http://darkerxdarker.tripod.com/

[VoteClark]

20. Actually he wasn't. . .

Clark was against the war even before Bush took office. They were making plans before and Clark spoke out against it. They used September 11th, as the excuse to go in. Clark knew about this since before the November election in 2000.

J4Clark

[killbotfactory]

8. Graham came off very well, especially when compared with Rummy

Why does the press think the notebook thing is such a big deal? That's just silly.

[seafan]

9. Transcript is up. Truly a KEEPER.

Contains two interviews, with Rumsfeld's at the beginning. Scroll down to Bob's section and feel enormous respect and pride.


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MR. RUSSERT: The director of the CIA has said it was a mistake to include words in the president’s State of the Union message about uranium from Africa, and the president and his people have said it’s time to move on. Does that settle the issue?
SEN. GRAHAM: Tim, as I see it, this is not an issue of George Tenet. This is an issue of George Bush. And it’s not a singular incident. There’s been a pattern in this administration, beginning with the development of the energy policy in the first few weeks, running through environmental policy, economic policy, and now Iraq and the war on terror, in which the American people have not been let in to understand what is going on, what the basis of decisions will be, and we end up having to go through almost a grammar lesson of word-by-word assessment of what’s been said in order to understand what the leadership of this country is intending to communicate.
MR. RUSSERT: Should the director of the CIA, George Tenet, resign?
SEN. GRAHAM: No, I don’t think this is a George Tenet problem. I think George Tenet, as was indicated in the news over the weekend, had communicated as early as October that this was bogus information, unreliable. It had been successful in the first attempt to remove from the president’s speech.
There’s another fact: Who was it that asked for this review of the Niger nuclear material question? It was the vice president. Mr. Wilson, the former ambassador, was sent to Niger in response to the vice president’s questions about this issue. So, assumedly, the vice president got a report back in response to his question and that report contained the Wilson memo of his assessment of the situation, and yet although the vice president is just down the hallway from the president’s office, information didn’t get communicated? That’s hard to believe.
MR. RUSSERT: The vice president’s office will say they were one of many people who raised questions about it and the vice president and his high-level staff according to George Tenet did not receive information on the Wilson visit.
SEN. GRAHAM: I will have to say that stretches belief that the vice president who had gone to the CIA offices in Langley, Virginia, on several occasions had specifically asked that there be a review of this matter. The idea that he didn’t get a report back and that that report did not contain the recommendations that Ambassador Wilson, I think I’ve got some swamp land to sell to you.

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http://www.msnbc.com/news/938330.asp?cp1=1

[chimpymustgo]

10. Dang, sorry I missed it. Thanks for the link and info.

Sounds like he handled Russert like a real pro.

[ewagner]

11. ..pretty much cinches it for me........

I have been leaning toward Graham because I knew of him in Florida over 20 (may over 20) years ago when I was a young legislative aide.
I admired him then and today's performance convinced me that he is still a man to be admired.

When our primary comes up, he'll have my vote.

I've also e-mailed his campaign and offered my assistance.

[lkinsale]

14. Check out the Graham o4 forum on yahoo

Click to subscribe to Graham04

[ChadCoffman]

13. I saw part, he was very impressive.

Although it wasn't as fun as watching Russert dissect Dean.

[dsc]

16. Graham was nothing short of amazing

It is obvious why this man is popular in Florida. It is too bad that his lack of charisma is so damning in our age. I love politics and closely follow the news etc and even I can't stand a Graham speech. On paper, and in interviews, Graham may well be our best candidate but in speeches and debates he just isn't. I really hope the nominee picks him for VP. He would do well against Cheney and be a huge asset for governence.

[tedoll78]

17. I'm growing to like Graham more and more.

I admit, Dean has been my first pick since 2001, but I would LOVE it if Graham were on the ticket somewhere.

Wanna know an interesting factoid? Graham won re-election to the senate while carrying 63 of Florida's 67 counties. WOW.

Again: WOW! *jaw hits floor*

Think about it.. 27 electoral votes. With overtime regulations thrown out the window, Bush has all but lost Michigan and Pennsylvania. This man needs to be on the ticket.

I might also add.. his foreign policy credentials would be most useful..

[GBD4]

18. and that's not all!

In the election before that one, he carried 66 of the 67 counties! :)

Read more about his very, very successful past on this page of my website:

http://members.aol.com/gbd4/page4.html

[DeTHuGoFTHuGS]

19. Kerry/Graham all the way!!!

What does it take for Democrats to win back the White House in 2004? Money, experience, credentials, Florida's electoral votes, and money. Did I mention money already? What about the coveted Florida's electoral votes? Ok, let's be serious. I think these two complement each other really well, although the lack of charisma might be a bit of a problem. Hey, if people think that Bush is "charismatic", then I guess I can say that Kerry and Graham are super-charming =) I think we need a north-south ticket made up of Kerry/Graham for several reasons. First, we must unite both ends of the Democratic Party: the liberals and the moderates. I think Kerry and Graham are perfect for this job because of their labels. Second, I think this combo has the credentials to trump anything other candidates have to offer. Graham's records as Governor of Florida are more meaningful than Dean's because Florida is more populous and more diverse than Vermont, and he's extremely popular there. Graham is a better moderate than Lieberman. His experience will make Edwards looks like a rookie. Gephardt will disappear eventually because he can't raise enough money, plus he's losing ground in Iowa. Kerry is the only veteran running so far; combat experience does matter after post 9/11. I think Kerry is more liberal than Dean. no liberals would oppose gun control. Ted Kennedy's endorsement of Kerry is significant; liberal and moderate/liberal voters could swing to Kerry because of it. Finally, Kerry/Graham have the knowledge of public policies and the know-how of politics. Evidence can be found in their election and voting records. Lastly, their locations could play a major role. Kerry will get all of New England, and perhaps even all of the close-by states. Graham will gaurantee Florida, and he could break the Republican Party's control of southern states, like Georgia. What do you guys think?

[VoteClark]

21. I do like Graham he has done well for his country and party