Bush tries to cool partisan tempers over Iraq (running scared?)

[UpInArms]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N20200376.htm

BEIJING, Nov 20 (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush on Sunday all but apologized to a hawkish Democrat who the White House had called a liberal like American moviemaker Michael Moore for demanding an immediate U.S. pullout from Iraq.

Bush, dogged by questions about Iraq during a week-long Asia tour, tried to cool partisan tempers in Washington that flared over the withdrawal demand by Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. John Murtha. One Republican had called Murtha a coward.

"Congressman Murtha is a fine man, a good man who served our country with honor and distinction as a Marine in Vietnam and as a U.S. congressman," Bush said.

He did not repeat the White House accusation that Murtha was from the extreme liberal wing of the Democratic Party like Moore, the "Fahrenheit 9/11" filmmaker who is a liberal celebrity loathed by American conservatives.

<snip>

A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll this week said 63 percent of Americans oppose Bush's handling of the Iraq war, and 52 percent say troops should be pulled out now or within 12 months.

...more...

Do I smell fear?

[HereSince1628]

1. Fear? Maybe, but also a Rovian move to confuse the communication

This gets them speaking out of both sides of their mouths, they've already fed their base the hate line and looked tough.

Now George gets to comeback and say "I honor the troops and veterans"


Politics as usual if you ask me.

[rfranklin]

6. Standard Operating Procedure for the Bush junta....

Bush looks "Pretzeldental" while his surrogates smear and defile.

[Jersey Ginny]

7. Boring old "good cop/bad cop"

Typical of this admin. Nothing new here.

[TheCowsCameHome]

2. Didn't see the Dumbmander-in-chief scold Jean Schmidt, did we?

Monkey boy is a hypocrite.

[For PaisAn]

3. MSM just can't, or rather won't get it right!

Murtha did NOT demand an immediate US pullout from Iraq.

And Bush is wasting his time "sort of" apologizing. He "all but apologized"?

He just can't bring himself to admit anything, can he?

Too late, too many people know the truth now!

[truthisfreedom]

4. "call for an immediate withdrawal of our troops" F&^KING LIAR. BUSH LIES.

what a total schmuck. he's digging a hole bigger than the universe. Murtha NEVER asked for an immediate withdrawl of our troops. NEVER. LIES!

[hwmnbn]

5. What happened to "Bring it on!"....

you jive-ass lying chickenshit chump!

You're going to get beat on and about the head with Iraq for as long as you live. Get used to it!

[KarenS]

8. * opens his mouth & lies come out!!

He basically said the same thing about John Kerry, John McCain, & Max Clelland while his minions ripped them apart,,,,

[ecoalex]

9. Jean Schmitt is a true gutter snipe

[lstrether]

16. Jean Schmidt

The best response to this execrable woman was given by Murtha himself on cheat the press this morning. Pumpkinhead played him a clip of jean sh*t delivering her "cowards cut and run" message, and Murtha said, in a consoling, grandfatherly, soothing voice, "oh that's a new member, was given something to say...." and just waved the whole thing past.

It was the most perfect act of dismissal I've ever seen. He responded as though to a neighbor's 4-year old kid who just learnt the "s" word and was trying it out at the grownup table.

He brushed her off like the insignificant person she is.

She's in Ohio's 2nd district. I live in the first district, about a mile from the border. I tried to leave a note on her congressional web site, but it turns out she's got it programmed to kick out anyone who can't verify an address in her district. Yet another republican misunderstanding of our system. She's elected from that district; but she's responsible to all citizens. Creepy.

--KC

[goforit]

10. Yah ...Fear of critism. And it hits right at the heart of his daddy.

George has no idea that people don't like him or his policies,

But his Dad knows and is bitter and is gonna fight till the end.

So its gonna get worse with his stupid ass comments.

And if they are really mad wag the dog will be their revenge.

[ugarte]

11. Good cop, bad cop...

Rove unleashes the attack dogs while Bush pretends to act "Presidential" and above the fray.

Americans hopefully are wise to this tired tactic, however.

[Rose Siding]

12. The absence of further insults means "all but apologized"???

No wonder the press doesn't recognize the swipes bush takes at them.

'Oh the abuser didn't slam me around today. See, he lurves me' :crazy:

[Jawja]

13. You smell the bullshit

of * being "above the fray" after his henchmen have done the dirty work.

[BJW]

14. NO--this is a spin set up

because I heard Norquist on MSM this a.m. with a TP balloon saying something to the effect that Bush needs to get back to domestic issues because all thise other stuff was just "arguing over who hit who first three years ago"

So--prediction--they will try to paint themselves as the "mature" party who takes the high road, and wants to move the country forward, while they will paint and smear Dems and other war critics as childish people arguing about the past.

[thebigidea]

15. a day or two ago the headlines were about Bush "pounding" and "blasting"

... all of his critics. Gotta love the short attention span.

[cosmicone]

17. Bush Lowers Temperature of Iraq War Debate

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051120/ap_on_re_as/bush_asia

BEIJING - After fiercely defending his Iraq policy across Asia, President Bush abruptly toned down his attack on war critics Sunday and said there was nothing unpatriotic about opposing his strategy.


"People should feel comfortable about expressing their opinions about Iraq," Bush said, three days after agreeing with Vice President Dick Cheney that the critics were "reprehensible."

The president also praised Rep. John Murtha (news, bio, voting record), D-Pa., as "a fine man" and a strong supporter of the military despite the congressman's call for troop withdrawal as soon as possible.

Bush brought up the growing Iraq debate when he met reporters after inconclusive talks with President Hu Jintao about friction in U.S.-China relations. Bush ran into stiff resistance from the Chinese to his call for expanding religious freedom and human rights.

</snip>

Flip Flop???????

[BJW]

18. Ahem--Uh, there's been no real debate yet

[freedom_to_read]

19. need more proof the GOP lost on Friday?

... and what happens when you stand up to bullies?

[shanti]

20. whoa

can you hear the sounds of furious backpedalling?? what a phony.

[niceypoo]

22. FLIP-FLOP

[ptolle]

35. the ole okey doke

This is the magician's off-hand while the real stuff is going on elsewhere. And it makes the chimperor appear somewhat conciliatory, reasonable, and statesmanlike while Karl unleashes other attack dogs.Witness the attack on Murtha on the floor. They send out their absolutely most junior member the- only recently elected Schmidt to do the dirty work. One can only trust the neocons and PNACers to do most of their worst behind the scenes, under the table.

[Warren Stupidity]

21. WTF?

Weren't we all cutonion terraist appeasers and surrender monkeys just yesterday? Weren't we almost French?

Did that sick fuck get new marching orders or what?

[BJW]

23. Hey DUers this is a spin set up!!!

because I heard Norquist on MSM this a.m. with a TP balloon saying something to the effect that Bush needs to get back to domestic issues because all thise other stuff was just "arguing over who hit who first three years ago"

So--prediction--they will try to paint themselves as the "mature" party who takes the high road, and wants to move the country forward, while they will paint and smear Dems and other war critics as childish people arguing about the past.

[cosmicone]

24. It will not work

with daily headlines of death and mayhem in Iraq.

People are focused on the war and it will take something like 9/11 to make them look at anything else.

I wouldn't put it past these thugs to plan another 9/11 though -- which is a scary thought.

[Snap]

31. It won't work II.

* & Co. don't really mean it, but now they've said it, here comes the "honest, mature disagreement, and lots of it.

[VegasWolf]

25. Yes, but this is a lot more than "who hit who first." This is about Bush

et al killing innocent Americans and Iraqis for an Oil War and lying about the reasons for doing so. I bet they want to change the subject.

[BJW]

26. yes, and this is part of the effort

[bunkerbuster1]

32. Brings to mind a Reep who was telling me he might vote Dem...

if we'd only stop with the:

a) constant "Bush-bashing", and

b) complaining about the Iraq war.

It was a couple months ago, but I still chuckle when I think about it. especially item b)--so, we're supposed to play nice and not mention the most monumental Presidential screwup in most people's living memory?

[tsuki]

34. Trouble with the past is that it is killing young people today. eom

[DrDan]

27. trying to be the grown up

[PurityOfEssence]

28. Maybe they're learnng the more they bring it up, the worse it is for them

Personally, I want them to attack constantly and keep it in the press.

[cosmicone]

29. we don't have to

the events in Iraq are out of the Chimpenführer's control

[DBoon]

30. They can't lower the temperature at which white phosphorus burns

Try as they might, they can't undo the reality of where their policies have lead

[Duer 157099]

33. Where's the interval between "blame game" and "dwelling on the past"?

Seems that during a crisis nobody is supposed to play the "blame game"--because there's plenty of time for that afterwards, so they say.

Then, afterwards (or after some indeterminate period of time) they move right into the "oh, that's so yesterday" meme.

[VegasWolf]

36. Bush's internal polling must have shown that his negative attacks were

backfiring on him. He can't hide from his sins and bad policies.

[Cha]

37. It's so nice the little monster has

said we could dissent..BFD..we're gonna do it anyway. So, this is a retreat.

[cosmicone]

38. It absolutely is! n/t

[snippy]

39. Bush has some focus group polls showing that the attacks were hurting him.

Bush had to back pedal on his preferred and typical vicious and vindictive behavior because Murtha's comments reflect the opinion of a large majority of Americans (almost all Americans except for Bush's devout followers) and the Bush-like attacks on Murtha are equivalent to attacks on that majority. Bush found out that vindictively hurling childish and lying insults at sixty-some percent of Americans will not help his approval ratings.

[TankLV]

40. He and his fellow repukes basically equate us Democratic Persons with

the Terrorists and Al Queda, Traitors and Unpatriotic, and now that we justly finally LOUDLY complain about that, he wants to cool everything down?

Not.
Gonna.
Happen.

bunkerboy and the REPUKES brought this on.
bunkerboy and the REPUKES started this.

Well, maybe now, us DEMOCRATS are gonna finish it!

How dare they!

[Senator]

41. Jet Lag My Eye == Pillow Talk with Luntz is more likely

My guess is that the focus groups were going so badly they had to actually wake him up.

The Backfire Heard 'Round the World

--
www.january6th.org

[PhilipShore]

42. WP: Bush Tries to Tone Down High-Pitched Debate on Iraq

Washington Post
Politics
By Peter Baker
November 21, 2005; Page A04

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/20/AR2005112001167.html

President Praises Rep. Murtha and Says 'People Should Feel Comfortable' Expressing Opinions on the War

[orpupilofnature57]

43. Like any sociopath he lies even when he doesn't have to, it's genetic!

[rockymountaindem]

44. That's how we know they're losing

Before it was all about the "big counterattack". Oh yeah, puttin' the poor Dems on notice, eh? Apparently they had to learn the hard way that a lot has changed since November 2004. A lot.

[gordianot]

45. Could Mr. Murtha be a messenger and Bush got the message? n/t

[Spinzonner]

46. Apparently, he didn't adequately predict and prepare for

the consequences of THIS fight either.

[BillZBubb]

47. Another war Bush is losing.

But in this fight he (apparently) has the sense to realize he's losing badly. Too bad he doesn't have the same realization about Iraq.

But, don't buy the Repug propaganda either. Bush is doing the usual "I'm above the fray" baloney. Meanwhile his minions will be out trying to destroy any Democrat who points out the Chimperor's lack of attire. The Repugs haven't given up the assault on the truth, they've just altered their tactics to make Bush look less "political". (I mean we all know he's not partisan, he's just doing what's best for the country!)

[bluestateguy]

48. The debate should be high pitched. This is WAR here!

Not some little squabble over an appropriations bill to the National Endowment for the Arts!

Every day at least 2 American troops are killed, about 15 Iraqis (thats a conservative estimate, believe me), at a cost of a billion dollars a week.

We were lied to about everything.

Forgive me if I seem a little "high-pitched".

[54anickel]

49. Gotta love Rummy's quote in the end - he's such a horse's ass

On CNN's "Late Edition," Rumsfeld called Murtha "a fine person," but added that "just as everyone can say what they want, we also have to think of what the words mean to the enemy."

Rumsfeld went on to say that "very little support went to Jack Murtha" after the congressman spoke out last week. "The Democrats didn't step up and support it, and Republicans didn't step up and support it. I think it's important for our troops to know that."


Hey Rummy, Murtha certainly changed the rules of debate and got people from both sides publically ridiculing the "stay the course" meme. So actually, they are supporting his plan in a way. And you can no longer say the Dems have not offered any alternative solutions, you now have at least 2 that I'm aware of - Kerry's and Murtha's.

[PurityOfEssence]

50. after starting it.

So, Junior and his merry men used shrillness and fear to their advantage, but now when so many are unsettled by REALITY, he wants a more cultivated tone. Fuck him. History will vomit nothing but hatred about this man--it's already happening--and I hope he lives a very long time to realize it.

Powerful though he is now, there is NO WAY that he will have any power or influence after his term is over. There will be no respect, and there will be no calls for his voice to be heard. His disgrace will be utter, and I hope he continues to possess what few of his faculties he still has; this is fitting punishment for his ugliness, but it'll never make right all that he's done.

[krkaufman]

51. Exactly ONE WEEK ago, Chimpy McSmirk was doing the opposite.

Chimp boy's rants last weekend were just the opening salvo in an unreality attack against all critics of the war, and now the Washington Post dares to credit the gutless little ape with trying to tone down the debate? Just nonsensical.

And the newspapers wonder why their circulation is dropping.