Democrats mostly pleased but give no credit to Bush

GoGov ^ | SFGate

[BJungNan]

Democratic presidential candidates welcomed news Sunday of Saddam Hussein's capture, saying the arrest of Iraq's former dictator marked a great day for U.S. soldiers, the people of Iraq and of the world.

"I supported this effort in Iraq without regard for the political consequences because it was the right thing to do," Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt said in a statement from Sumter, S.C., where he was campaigning. "I still feel that way now, and today is a major step toward stabilizing Iraq and building a new democracy."

Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, who supported the Iraq war but has become increasingly critical of its aftermath, also looked to the future.

"Capturing Saddam Hussein and ensuring that this brutal dictator will never return to power is an important step toward stabilizing Iraq for the Iraqis," Kerry said in a statement from Iowa.

He also urged the Bush administration to involve more U.S. allies in the rebuilding of Iraq and criticized a Pentagon memo that prohibited companies from countries that did not provide troops for the war from bidding on lucrative reconstruction contracts there.

"We need to share the burden, bring in other countries and make it clear to the world that Iraq belongs to the Iraqi people," Kerry said.

Former Gen. Wesley Clark said Saddam's arrest, Saturday night in a town several miles from his hometown of Tikrit, could help squelch the postwar violence.

"I hope this will see a diminishing in the violence against American soldiers in Iraq," Clark said as he arrived in the Netherlands. Clark was on his way to The Hague, to testify in the war crimes trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.

Howard Dean, one of the most critical candidates of Bush's policy, said in West Palm Beach, Fla., that he expected the capture to change "the course of the occupation of Iraq."

"I think the first order of business is to say this is a great day -- I congratulate the Iraqi people -- and to say that this is a great day for both the American military and the American people and for the Iraqi people."

Asked for his reaction, Sen. Joe Lieberman said: "Praise the Lord."

"This is something that I have been working on with a lot of other people, advocating and praying for, for more than 12 years since the Gulf War of '91," he said on NBC's "Meet the Press." Lieberman also called it a "day of triumph and joy for anybody in the world who cares about freedom and human rights and peace."

But Carol Moseley Braun said that while it was good news, Saddam's arrest "does not change the fact that our troops remain in harm's way and we are no closer to bringing them home."

[BamaFan]

The one democrat who acknowledges the difference beteen right and wrong, both re: Clinton and now. He seems to be the only RAT worthy of public office.

[Joe Boucher]

That wasn't a horse a horse my kingdom for a horse, it was a whore a whore, a kingdom for a whore.

[Lazamataz]

Please edit thsse quotes down to a more manageable size and add them to my DU watching thread here.

[expatpat]

Yes -- they're already starting to agree on the Sunday morning shows. Of course, there's no way the Iraqis are going to give him up to the Euroweenies, who would just slap his wrist -- the Iraqis want justice and vengeance.

[mabelkitty]

Doesn't matter.
Bush will be on national television right around the time every white male in America will be checking the tv guide for football schedules.
Dean's love of NASCAR fans won't sway them on who is responsible for the capture, nor that the war was just.

Buh-bye Election 2004. And 2008. And 2012.

If Gore was setting himself up for a run, he sure set himself up but good - for a return to retirement.

[mabelkitty]

They have political instincts.
They are in the best position right now, but sadly, if either get the nomination, nobody will send a Dem to do a Bush's job.

[BenLurkin]

Democrats react to Saddam's Capture

[VOA]

Democrats mostly pleased but give no credit to Bush

Meet "The Axis of Domestic Evil"

OK, that's too extreme, let's make it
"The Axis of Domestic Weasels"

[3catsanadog]

The only way the Dem's would've credited Bush was if Dubya himself opened the spider hole door and dragged Saddam out personally.

[Free_at_last_-2001]

...and flying ashtrays!

[Right_in_Virginia]

The only way the Dem's would've credited Bush was if Dubya himself opened the spider hole door and dragged Saddam out personally.

Nah, they would have called it a "photo op".

[bdeaner]

Dean is keeping pretty quiet. He's screwed.

[bdeaner]

Exactly.

Case in point is Saudad's post at DU:
"In my view, what is good for GW Bush politically is almost necessarily bad for America and the world."

That about sums up the Democratic party today, in a nutshell.

[TechJunkYard]

Very telling that the current theme on CNN is "this won't stop the attacks against American troops... etc."

Everybody else is celebrating the event.

[Toidylop]

and... sound of china hitting walls also overheard.

[CyberAnt]

It really does show you how SMALL the democrats are when they cannot even congratulate their own president for doing a good thing.

France and Germany have called President Bush and CONGRATULATED HIM on the news. But .. our own democrats cannot bring themselves to say anything good about President Bush. Believe me .. the American people are taking notice!

[bootless]

When I woke up, the radio was already on, and I heard this, my eyes just shot open and the adrenaline poured in.

This is WONDERFUL!

TDIDS.

So, here's what I got in my email box this morning. I subscribe to a loony left newsletter (from CLG - but it's fun and informative to know what those in Bizarro World are thinking). Here's their take"

***
"Saddam Hussein captured alive --Ousted Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein has been captured alive by coalition forces after a manhunt of more than eight months, US civil administrator Paul Bremer said in Baghdad on Sunday. [None of this changes the fact that Bush is a war criminal who needs to be tried, convicted, and sentenced for war crimes.]"

Just saw one of the panelists on Fox - don't know his name, but he is of M-E extraction:

"It's a good day to be an American, and an even better day to be an Iraqi."

Also loved Bremer's intro: "We got him!" And the journalists erupted into cheers! A couple of guys even stood up!

Boy, are the Deanie Weanies going to look foolish!

Woo Hoo! And thank God!

[ozzymandus]

Is it true Saddam was wearing a "Dean for President" button when captured?

[Digger]

senator clinton didn't release any statements however there were sounds of smashing furniture from her offices.

She did release a statement & it went like this, "you know, you know, you know, you know ..........."

[Paul Atreides]

Their Party mascot isn't a jackass for nuthin'!