Answer the Question, Mr. Kerry.

[LA_MERC_Dirge]

geez oh pete's is this squirming or what?

Bush to Kerry: 'Back It Up With Facts'

Tuesday, March 16, 2004


WASHINGTON — Jumping into the controversy about comments made by John Kerry, President Bush said Tuesday his Democratic rival should back up his assertion that unnamed leaders want Kerry to win this November.

"If you're gonna make an accusation in the course of a presidential campaign, you ought to back it up with facts," Bush said in response to a reporter's question Tuesday after meeting with the prime minister of the Netherlands (search).

Amidst all the noise, the actual quote that started the kerfuffle came under question when a reporter said he mis-transcribed "more" into "foreign."

Administration officials continue to press Kerry to say exactly which leaders — domestic or foreign — have told the presumed Democratic presidential nominee that they back his candidacy to oust Bush.

And the White House said that if Kerry can't publicly identify anyone, perhaps the Massachusetts senator made up the whole thing.

"If Senator Kerry is going to say he has support from foreign leaders, he needs to be straightforward with the American people and state who they are," according to a White House statement. "Or the only conclusion one can draw is he's making it up to attack the president."

But the New Englander is standing by his claim.

"I'm not making anything up at all," Kerry said in an interview, accusing Republicans of "trying to change the subject" from jobs, health care and other issues.

The senator said "it's no secret" that some countries are "deeply divided about our foreign policy. We have lost respect and influence in the world."

He continued: "I stand by my statement. The point is not the leaders. What's important is that this administration's foreign policy is not making us as safe as we can be in the world."

[LA_MERC_Sabre]

i vote Bush!!!!!

[roXet]

"If Senator Kerry is going to say he has support from foreign leaders, he needs to be straightforward with the American people and state who they are," according to a White House statement.

If President Bush is giong to say Iraq has (had) weapons of mass destruction, he needs to be straightforward with the American people and state where they are.

[LA_MERC_Sabre]

ok, so don't you think that the President of United States would have recieved the best sources available to make a judgement call? I know i sure don't have the resources, because that's what it was...a judgement call from the facts that were delivered to him...besides congress voted and approve military force, this includes republicans and democrats....if i rembember correctly that is....

thank you Dirge for stirring the pot...lol

[LA_MERC_LaTech]

he needs to be straightforward with the American people that's not what career politicians do. It's not what Kerry has done, either.

Anwyay, I would have to agree with Saber here...it's not like Bush decided that he didn't like Saddam and that no matter what Congress said, that we were going to war. He took the information he was given (which he has no control over) and decided a course of action. This course of action was approved by Congress.

[roXet]

That's the truth Tech. There was an obvoius screw-up with the intelligence that led the leaders of our country to believe that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction. If there is blame to be laid in the whole Iraq mess, it rests on Congress as much as on Bush. The Bush administration brought their case, and Congress went along with it.

Did the members of Congress who opposed the war do so because they don't like Bush? or did the actually believe the data was faulty? Did the Bush admin. really know Iraq had no wmd?

I was only really commenting on the White House statement saying that Kerry should be straightforward with the American people when this administration has done everything but that. They are waving their arms and screaming at Kerry about something as trivial as him saying somebody in another country wants him to win, when they have not be "straightforward" about something as serious as taking this nation into a war, and putting our soldiers in harm's way.

[LA_MERC_Dirge]

hehe Well Sabre, I just want to get the discussion going so if someone wants to see both sides, they can.

As far as the Kerry statement or mis-statement (believe which camp you will), it is not as trivial as it seems when taken in the light of some of the other things Kerry has said. Lately he flat out said he voted "yes" on the Helms-Burton act, which calls for tougher regualtions on companies that deal with Cuba and Castro. But lo and behold, he actually voted "no" according to the congressionall roll call... Funny thing is he was telling a *Florida* reporter he voted for it (wonder why? to sway votes maybe?). When challenged on the statement, his adie stated thusly: "the senator cast one of the 22 nays that day in '96 because he disagreed with some of the final technical aspects." The explanation for his "support"? From another aid, "Kerry supported the legislation in its purer form and voted for it months earlier." Statements like this make you wonder if you can trust that what Kerry is saying is just for who is listening at the time.

Another interesting article has surfaced BTW. It is an op-ed written by Kerry before the war in Iraq in which he outlines his *requirements* to act in Iraq. Strangely ehough, they almost mirror what Bush wound up doing anyway. I'll have to look to find that article.

Roxet, I am not trying to bash your position, but I do think the administration still believes WMD will be found in Iraq. I really don't think they think they got away with one. I mean look at the fighter jets they have found buried in the desert. It very well may take a long time to find something that could be very small in a desert country the size of California. Added on to that the fact that most every democrat and anti-Busher has in some form or another has gone on the record challenging Saddam's WMD (basically acknowledging their existence and calling for their destruction), it moots the point somewhat.

[roXet]

I didn't think you are bashing my position, don't worry about it. One day I'll get on here and post my *real* thoughts about politics and stuff. It's pretty radical, so watch out. =)

[LA_MERC_Drax]

politics.....