Bush on OBL - not concerned

[KT2000]

Thanks to Buzzflash for the reminder.
Bush has his own words to live down regarding the OBL tape. Kerry brought it up in the debates and Bush tried to say Kerry was exaggerating.
This from Josh Marshall:

"It's actually worth reading the passage in its entirety. It comes from a press conference the president held on March 13th 2002, just as the build-up for the Iraq war was getting underway ...

Q But don't you believe that the threat that bin Laden posed won't truly be eliminated until he is found either dead or alive?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, as I say, we haven't heard much from him. And I wouldn't necessarily say he's at the center of any command structure. And, again, I don't know where he is. I -- I'll repeat what I said. I truly am not that concerned about him. I know he is on the run. I was concerned about him, when he had taken over a country. I was concerned about the fact that he was basically running Afghanistan and calling the shots for the Taliban.

But once we set out the policy and started executing the plan, he became -- we shoved him out more and more on the margins. He has no place to train his al Qaeda killers anymore. And if we -- excuse me for a minute -- and if we find a training camp, we'll take care of it. Either we will or our friends will. That's one of the things -- part of the new phase that's becoming apparent to the American people is that we're working closely with other governments to deny sanctuary, or training, or a place to hide, or a place to raise money.

And we've got more work to do. See, that's the thing the American people have got to understand, that we've only been at this six months. This is going to be a long struggle. I keep saying that; I don't know whether you all believe me or not. But time will show you that it's going to take a long time to achieve this objective. And I can assure you, I am not going to blink. And I'm not going to get tired. Because I know what is at stake. And history has called us to action, and I am going to seize this moment for the good of the world, for peace in the world and for freedom.


http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2004_10_10.php#003677

[AnIndependentTexan]

1. Print these and hand them out everywhere

Print these and hand them out everywhere. We can help Kerry on this.



Go to http://somnamblst.tripod.com to download high resolution TIF or PDF file to print.

[kokomo]

2. Hated his smartass exaggerating of the word "exaggeration" at debate.

[KT2000]

3. That's a great flyer

Is there a way to get it on the front page of DU?

[radfringe]

4. my partner worried about how tape would effect election

On one hand this tape will be used to prop up bush* even further -- '...see, there's a real threat out there and only bush* can protect us....' .

On the other hand, this tape is a reminder that bush* FAILED to 'git Bin-Laden' and is not concerned - as illustrated by his March 13th 2002 statement:

Well, as I say, we haven't heard much from him. And I wouldn't necessarily say he's at the center of any command structure. And, again, I don't know where he is. I -- I'll repeat what I said. I truly am not that concerned about him. I know he is on the run. I was concerned about him, when he had taken over a country. I was concerned about the fact that he was basically running Afghanistan and calling the shots for the Taliban.

Weighing out the two views -- it's my opinion the tape will have little effect. Those that are pro-bush* will seize on the tape as needing to continue to support bush*. Those that are pro-Kerry will point to it as proof of bush*'s failures.

[Ruffhowse]

5. Kerry should use this quote to further illustrate what a dismal failure

Bush is with the War on Terror. OBL is STILL free, after all this time, and Bush isn't even interested in pursuing him.