Listen to the tape.
Words of wisdom from the guy who couldn't beat Carter.
Hmmm, butter pecan ice cream!
So, ignoring the messenger, what will the opinion mean in the next 2-4 years?
Woodward proves himself to be scum once again.
Ford was considered a dunce by the left. Now he will be their hero.
He was a terrible President who continued Nixon's ridiculous and socialist domestic policies.
He was an abortionist's dream President.
He was the epitome of the Rockefeller wing of the GOP that almost consigned the party to oblivion.
He stood for the diametric opposite of everything Ronald Reagan stood for.
It does not surprise me in the least that he badmouthed our efforts in Iraq.
Please let the ceaseless hagiography end.
I wouldn't be surprised if Bob has a few posthumous interviews with Gerald coming up in his next book.
It wouldn't be the first time he spoke to dead people.
I am ARealMedicfortheAF........bottom line..... WHO CARES!!
But he was largely useless on national security and foreign policy. The only reason he isn't remembered as one of the worst ever in those categories is because he was followed by the absolute worst possible President in those categories.
I would also submit that if war against Iraq was not justified--even without the WMDs--then there is no justification for war by American forces anywhere at any time.
The interview conducted and edited by the completely unbiased Woodward, and only made public when Ford is dead and can't respond?
Transcript of Live Chat with Gerald Ford
To my knowledge, every sitting president has, whenever he thought it was necessary, called on former presidents to be helpful. President Carter, when he was in the White House, asked for my help on at least four foreign policy issues. For example, I supported him and helped to get some votes in the U.S. Senate at the time of the Panama Canal Treaty and the recognition of the People's Republic of China. I respect former President Carter's desire to help President Clinton in foreign policy, but I think it mandatory that Carter carry out the Clinton policies. Former President Carter should not in any way whatsoever undercut the foreign policies of President Clinton or his Secretary of State. Any deviation from White House foreign policy would be harmful, not helpful.
FWIW.
We did not go into Iraq because we thought he had weapons of mass destruction, we went in because he had violated UN resolution after UN resolution and to enforce the 1991 Gulf War cease fire agreement. I am so sick of the MSM and other liberals re-writing history.
Saddam was blocking inspectors, he was firing on US and British aircraft trying to enforce the no-fly zone, and would not account for know weapons and weapon materials. After 9/11 the entire country (including Dave Letterman and Dan Rather) were in agreement that we could not risk another known enemy of the US to defy our sovereignty and risk our security.
Thomas DeFrank of the NY Daily News says differently. Ford told Bush he supported the war:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1759333/posts
Uh, I don't see any criticism by Ford against the war. The MSM is spinning it that way, but if you read closely, he is pretty much saying that there was plenty of justification for whacking Saddam besides the WMD reason.
Nor did Bush evr say that WMD was the ONLY reason for ridding Saddam.
Oh, brother. Another Woodward book. Well, let's see, he's written one essentially saying the Iraq war was brilliantly handled, followed by one claiming it was incompetently handled. So what's left for book number three? Woodward flip-flops as bad as John Kerry, and is even more likely to attribute key claims to unidentified or unconfirmable sources.
Key words bolded.
It seems to me that President Ford did not oppose the war in Iraq, as much as he opposed the reasoning behind it that was presented to the American people. It looks like his words are being twisted.
}:-)4
Whats wrong with this? I could come to agree with it myself. Ford isn't saying it was wrong to invade, but that too much emphasis was placed on the WMD. You know what? In retrospect, he might be right, and I could, as a good conservative, potentially agree.
So much knee jerking going around these days, FR needs an in house orthopedist..
Tell me how you sleep at night.