Kerry on Bush's press conference: If the President uses his veto, he is the one denying funding for

[Mass]

the troops.

http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/cfm/record.cfm?id=271758

Kerry Responds to Bush Press Conference



WASHINGTON D.C. -Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) offered the following statement today, following President George Bush's press conference.

"The President's promise of a veto rings as tragically hollow as his pledge of 'mission accomplished,'" said Kerry. "Congress must enforce a one year deadline for redeploying most U.S. troops from Iraq. President Bush stubbornly refuses to change the disastrous policy in Iraq, so this Congress has no choice but to force a change in course. No more open ended commitment, no more leaving American troops in the middle of an Iraqi civil war. The American mission in Iraq will be to train Iraqis and chase Al Qaeda, not do for Iraqis what they must do for themselves. Unlike this administration, when it comes to standing by our troops, we mean business.

"An administration that misled America into war is once again trying to mislead when it comes to supporting our troops. If the President uses his veto, he is the one denying funding for our troops. Our brave American troops deserve nothing less than a policy that is equal to their sacrifice. Congress has done its job, now the Administration needs to do its job and force Iraqi politicians to do their job. Get the funds to our troops, and get Iraqis to achieve the political compromise this misguided escalation was supposed to make possible.

"The President says he sent more troops into Baghdad to give the Iraqi government 'breathing space,' to find a political solution to the civil war. But where is the progress in meeting key political benchmarks - and where is the accountability for squabbling Iraqi politicians? American soldiers should not die while the Iraqis refuse to compromise."

[saltpoint]

1. Well-stated and exactly right.

President Kerry speaks for me.

[Supersedeas]

8. and much more Presidential than Dimson

[saltpoint]

14. Yes. John Kerry can SPEAK, and knows what he's talking about.

And he doesn't pretend to be a cowboy.

[efhmc]

2. Right, of course, but is anyone listening?

[IWantAChange]

3. Truth has a unique sound to it doesn't it?? Sounds like the will of the People to me...

Repukes beware - your days are numbered..................

[Hubert Flottz]

4. Bush is extorting money for Halliburton and the other war profiteers

and jackals. The troops are fighting in Iraq for Exxon's lebensraum.

[bdamomma]

5. also Senator Kerry, * is not listening to the American People!!

[Old and In the Way]

6. JK gets it, too.

Sounds exactly like John Edward's comments today. Where's Hillary and Barrack on this? I sure hope they issue statements equally blunt. United we stand, divided we fall.

[blm]

9. Now that the Dems are united on Iraq withdrawal, I expect both Hillary and Barack

will make similar statements. It's always easier to do when you don't have to worry about being on a different path than most of the party.

[politicasista]

7. K&R

:kick:

[Ioo]

10. For Once Kerry says something that has needed to be said!

[Mass]

11. Statements from other dems (Reid, Emmanuel, Hoyer, Obama)

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/news_theswamp/2007/04/america_cant_af.html

Chicago, IL-Today, Barack Obama made the following statement in response to President Bush's remarks during his press conference on Iraq.

"The American people and their Congress have said repeatedly that they will no longer accept a war without end in Iraq. If the President chooses to ignore the people's will and play politics with the funding for our troops, Democrats and Republicans will continue to ratchet up the pressure on this Administration to change course in Iraq and bring this war to a responsible end, and I will continue to fight for my plan that would begin a phased withdrawal from Iraq with the goal of bringing all combat troops home by March 31st, 2008."

Reid

REID: AMERICA CANNOT AFFORD BUSH STRATEGY ANY LONGER

Washington, DC—Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, released the following statement today after comments made by President Bush at the White House:

The President today asked the American people to trust him as he continues to follow the same failed strategy that has drawn our troops further into an intractable civil war. The President's policies have failed and his escalation endangers our troops and hurts our national security. Neither our troops nor the American people can afford this strategy any longer.
...

Emmanuel

EMANUEL STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT’S “FAIRY TALES AND ROSE-COLORED GLASSES” PLAN FOR IRAQ

Washington, D.C. – House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel issued the following statement after President Bush’s press conference today:

“President Bush asserted again in the Rose Garden this morning that we're making progress in Iraq, and Senator McCain insists that Iraqi neighborhoods are safer. Meanwhile, the death toll for US troops continues to mount and the Iraqi government is failing to meet the President's own benchmarks for progress.
...

Hoyer

Hoyer Statement on
the President’s Remarks

“The President Is Delaying Funding for Our Troops By Ignoring the Will of the American People and Refusing to Compromise”

WASHINGTON, DC – House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement this morning in response to comments by President Bush regarding funding for American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan:

“By ignoring the will of the American people and refusing to sit down and work with Congress to change direction in Iraq, the President in fact is engaging in unnecessary political theater and delaying funding for our troops in harm’s way.

“It is increasingly clear that, when it comes to the war in Iraq, President Bush is out of touch with the views of the American people, who are demanding a charge in direction and a policy that is designed to succeed.

[beachmom]

13. Dems united! It really has gotten to the point where the truth is

crystal clear -- the surge will not work. Only a political solution will. Putting more troops in does NOT motivate the Iraqis to make compromises -- setting a deadline will.

Dems need to be united and GET THE MESSAGE OUT that the VETO is what prevents funding for the troops. Congress has provided funding, but Bush is too stubborn to sign the damned bill. God, I hope the American people know what the truth is.

[rodeodance]

12. now------to get the MSM to repeat this over and over and over