October 8, 2004
CHERRY PICKING
What I Really Said About Iraq (L. PAUL BREMER III, NY Times, 10/8/2004)
Posted by Stephen Judd at October 8, 2004 5:39 AM
The press has been curiously reluctant to report my constant public support for the president's strategy in Iraq and his policies to fight terrorism. I have been involved in the war on terrorism for two decades, and in my view no world leader has better understood the stakes in this global war than President Bush.
....
Mr. Kerry is free to quote my comments about Iraq. But for the sake of honesty he should also point out that I have repeatedly said, including in all my speeches in recent weeks, that President Bush made a correct and courageous decision to liberate Iraq from Saddam Hussein's brutality, and that the president is correct to see the war in Iraq as a central front in the war on terrorism.
Kerry/Edwards just lost another talking point.
Posted by: AllenS at October 8, 2004 6:08 AMAllen - not really. The way it works is that the Dems and MSM makes statements that hurt Bush and when they turn out to be false the correction is noted on page 72 if even at all. The thinking is that the original headline stays with people since most people don't follow the news that closely.
Posted by: AWW at October 8, 2004 7:56 AMWell, I'll give the Times credit on this -- it was on their main op-ed page, instead of being buried in some single column story next to a Bloomingdale's ad. But it wouldn't surprise me if the Times op-ed people were fooled themselves by the initial reports on Bremmer's statement, and offered him the prime print real estate under the expectations that whatever he wrote would further trash the Bush Administration's Iraq policy.
However, once they got it, they did run it the day of the second debate, where Bush can use it as rebuttal to any Kerry claim, instead of spiking it or holding it back for several weeks until no one cared anymore. So kudos to Ms. Collins and her minions on at least this occassion.
'... for the sake of honesty ...'
This man has been 'involved in the war on terrorism for two decades' and still he's a naif.
Posted by: old maltese at October 8, 2004 10:34 AMNo man of decency or intelligence could be associated with Kissinger.
He obviously had no idea what should be done in Iraq, or, if he did, he was overruled by higher-ups in Washington.
Did he ever announce a policy that he didn't rescind or modify out of recognition within 48 hours?
Posted by: Harry Eagar at October 8, 2004 5:20 PM