LAte Edition Transcript with Bob Dole

CNN ^ | 22 Aug 2004 | Transcript

[aft_lizard]

BLITZER: In just 11 days, President Bush will lay out his case for four more years in office when he formally accepts his party's nomination at the Republican National Convention in New York.

Joining us now with his special insight into this presidential race, the former Republican presidential nominee, Bob Dole.

Thanks very much for joining us.

BOB DOLE, FORMER U.S. SENATOR: Wolf, thank you.

BLITZER: Let's talk a little bit about this whole Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ad campaign, what's going on. It's a sensitive subject. I'm interested in your thoughts.

First of all, let's have a little excerpt from this latest ad they've put out going after John Kerry.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KERRY: They had personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads...

JOE PONDER, SWIFT BOAT VETERANS FOR TRUTH: The accusations that John Kerry made against the veterans who served in Vietnam was just devastating.

[zencat]

I saw it earlier today. Was quite surprised how strongly Dole came out swinging at Kerry's war record, actions after the war, and even his record in the senate.

[Maeve]

Dole should have been even stronger.

But then again it was Dole, so I should be glad. And in general, Wolf Blitzer has surprised me because he isn't letting some of these Kerry wags get away with their usual garbage du jour.

[Jason Kauppinen]

Quite a contrast between that interview and the vicious hatchet job that Chris Matthews did on Malkin eh?

[utahagen]

Very good news for the Good Guys! Dole is a formidable ally on this issue, and that the interview ran on leftish CNN of all networks is a bad sign for Kerry.

[jwalsh07]

BLITZER: Based on what I'm hearing you say, you tend to suggest that these Swift Boat Veterans have a point when they go out and make the statements they're making. If so, you would seem to disagree with John McCain, who's also a friend of yours...

DOLE: Yes, but, John wasn't there. He was up in the air. He wasn't any...

BLITZER: He was a POW.

DOLE: Well, yes. But he wasn't -- he was in Vietnam, but he wasn't on the swift boat.

---

Can't wait for John McCain to call Bob Dole "dishonest and dishonorable" for questioning Kerrys bloodless purple hearts.

[q_an_a]

bob dole was reading the Free Republic- at least he never let his guard down and he was alwys on the offensive. Good for him.

[Chieftain]

Freeper N. Theknow says:
"It’s faster than a checkbook, more powerful than a Democratic demagogue, able to lay waste to a liar Kerry with the single click of a mouse. It's a little bird of truth, it's plain to see Kerry's unfit... it's... it's...SuperFReep!

Want to join in the fun? Click the logo to donate to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth!

[Route66]

I'm not so surprised to see Dole swing away after reading a thread yesterday about an insult to his war record. It seems the Kerry camp is declaring that Kerry is a real war hero and Bob Dole is not. I'm pretty sure that's why Dole was booked for this interview.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1196675/posts

[MrChips]

Wow! I read the whole thing . . . well, at least the Dale part . . . and I noticed immediately how they became evasive when Dole insistently mentioned 2 or 3 times the fact that Kerry should just release all the military records. Blitzer wanted to avoid talking that. The other thing I felt while reading Dale's words was an echo of those of my father, a highly-decorated WWII hero himself, in the simple disbelief concerning the 3 purple hearts. I saw a clip of the Dole remarks just now on TV. They were powerful.

[MrChips]

Post to myself. Check your spelling you moron!

[Logical me]

McCain statement was about the SwiftBoat ad. He did not make any statement about what the vets were stating about what they observed during Kerrys so called "two tours in Vietnam". So far I haven't heard anything about it. If so, could someone post it.

But still, maybe McCain should take a step backward and if he was not a witness to these events, he should not comment. That's a true mark of a man.

[zencat]

Dole should have been even stronger.

Dole was quite critical of Kerry. He questioned his Purple Hearts, his wounds, said he never bled or spent time in a hospital. Also went after him on the post war activities and senate record. I thought it about right. Much stronger and it might have been viewed as too harsh, uncivil, and a hatchet job. Dole has a great deal of sway with veterans groups and this has to be seen as further damage to Kerry.

[Oztrich Boy]

DOLE: Well, yes. But he wasn't -- he was in Vietnam, but he wasn't on the swift boat.

Hah!

[liberallarry]

Very good post. Clears up a lot of things since Dole - above all - is a man of integrity (has a pretty good sense of humor too, when he's not running for President :)).

[cyncooper]

We watched it here in this house and were very impressed.

For Bob Dole it was VERY STRONG indeed and most persuasive that there is a problem in Kerry's qualifications to be president, whether we're talking "muddied" Vietnam stories, anti-Vietnam war protesting, or his scant but very liberal Senate record.

[what's up]

I remember in '96, I was the veteran in the race. Bill Clinton avoided the draft. And we didn't have all this trouble over my service versus his non-service. There wasn't much written about it. People accepted the fact that I had a record.

This is one of the most pathetic things about this issue...that the same people who loved Clinton are not castigating Bush for being AWOL.

What a joke.

[onyx]

Thanks.
I didn't watch it.
Reading the entire transcript has left me with a putrid taste in my mouth.... the bias of CNN and Blitzer are remarkable, even though I knew to expect it.

They are out to FASHION a positive conclusion for Kerry.
Never mind the truth... the end will justify the means.

Collusion is rampant --- all networks and cable, save for Fox
and they're supposedly "fair and balanced" which leaves
our side overwhelmed.

[VOA]

Was quite surprised how strongly Dole came out swinging at Kerry's war record, actions
after the war, and even his record in the senate.

I think Kerry has outraged some of the "old school" Republican Senators.

Friday last week, I accidentally caught Tony Snows radio show; Snow was interviewing
Sen. Grassely at The Iowa State Fair.

Grassely was ON FIRE; saying he really didn't know Kerry as Kerry was mostly MIA
at meetings of the committee they both sat on.
And that Kerry hadn't voted (or voted NO) recently for a bill that would have
promoted agricultural ethanol...lowering dependence on foreign oil.