Posted on 08/11/2004 7:23:26 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - President Bush on Wednesday pushed back against John Kerry's criticism of his handling of Iraq, saying, ``I know what I'm doing when it comes to winning this war.'' Bush used a re-election rally to sharply reject Democratic challenger John Kerry's proposal to begin to withdraw troops from Iraq within six months of taking office.
``We all want the mission to be completed as quickly as possible. But we want the mission completed,'' the president said. ``The mission is not going to be completed as quickly as possible if the enemy thinks we will be removing a substantial number of troops in six months.''
Military commanders should be deciding troop levels, Bush said.
``I know what I'm doing when it comes to winning this war, and I'm not going to be sending mixed signals,'' he said.
Kerry spokesman Phil Singer said Bush will ``say or do anything to avoid a discussion about his failed policy in Iraq.''
``One thing we know for sure is that the troops are going to be in Iraq for a lot longer under George Bush than they will be with John Kerry as president,'' Singer said.
Bush also responded to rising criticism, some from fellow Republicans like Nancy Reagan, of his decision three years ago this week to cap federal funding for stem cell studies. Reagan has lobbied for more government funding for the research, which she says could yield a cure for Alzheimer's.
The president said he would not relax his policy, though he acknowledged that it is ``sad'' when parents believe a cure for their children's ailments could be within reach.
``The policies I made were on the one hand trying to help as best as we can move science forward, and at the same time keep an ethical balance so that we promote a culture of life,'' Bush said.
``The decision I made, in my judgment, was the right decision,'' he said.
Bush's remarks came at the start of a campaign swing through New Mexico and Arizona, two states he and Kerry have been contesting most fiercely. He lost New Mexico by just 366 votes and Wednesday marked his eighth trip.
After showing Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., his Texas ranch Wednesday morning, Bush headed out for a second day of campaigning with the war hero and one-time Bush rival. McCain did not say anything at the New Mexico rally, in contrast to their trip through Florida Tuesday, where he introduced Bush at each stop.
The two men then went to Arizona, which Bush narrowly won in 2000.
McCain revved up his hometown crowd in Phoenix, telling a Bush rally that ``because of what we did in Iraq, the world is safer and America is safer.''
``President Bush has not wavered, he will not waver,'' McCain said. ``We will win this war on terror.''
In New Mexico, Bush spoke in one of his favorite campaign forums, which the White House bills as a town hall forum and calls ``Ask President Bush.''
The president roamed a square about the size of a boxing ring inside an aircraft manufacturer. One jet was left on the plant's floor, its nose pointing straight at Bush. Bush joked that he and McCain, both former fighter pilots, would take the plane out for a spin.
The event allowed fervent Bush backers to ask the president questions. But in keeping with Bush's custom, most of the event was devoted to a speech by Bush and then to testimonials from people hand-picked by the White House extolling the virtues of his policies.
The queries put to Bush in the question-and-answer session were never hard-hitting, and were often not questions at all.
Sample questions on Wednesday:
- Can I take a picture with you?
- Can I introduce you to my wife and mother in law?
- I want you to know that I'm praying for you.
When several of Bush's questioners predicted he would win re-election in a landslide, Bush said he'd be happy to win narrowly. ``Let's win the thing. Let's just win it,'' he said.
No bias here.
Bush: Kerry Troop Stance Threatens Iraq Mission
Wed Aug 11, 6:36 PM
By Caren Bohan
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (Reuters) - President Bush (news - web sites) on Wednesday attacked John Kerry (news - web sites)'s pledge to bring large numbers of troops home from Iraq (news - web sites) within a year, saying it would embolden the Iraqi insurgency and jeopardize the mission.
For a second day in a row, Bush sought to undercut Kerry's war-leadership credentials, accusing the Democratic presidential candidate of sending mixed signals over Iraq.
"We all want the mission to be completed as quickly as possible, but we want the mission to be complete," Bush told an "Ask President Bush" event here.
"The mission is not going to be completed as quickly as possible if the enemy thinks we're going to removing a substantial number of troops in six months," he said.
Kerry said on Monday that reducing U.S. troops in Iraq by next August was an "appropriate goal," and that if he wins, he would seek to pull out a large number of troops within six months of taking office next January.
The Massachusetts senator and decorated Vietnam veteran said he believes he could do a better job than Bush of enlisting the help of countries in Iraq, which would ease the burden for U.S. troops.
Bush has said the U.S. military would remain in Iraq as long as needed to ensure stability and as long as their presence is requested by the Iraqi government.
Kerry campaign spokesman Phil Singer accused Bush of distorting the senator's words. Kerry stressed that achieving the goal of fewer U.S. troops would depend on international assistance and greater stability in Iraq, Singer said.
Bush's criticism on troop levels came a day after the president accused Kerry of "switching positions" on the need for war in Iraq.
"MIXED SIGNALS"
Echoing that theme on Wednesday, Bush said: "I know what I'm doing when it comes to winning this war. And I'm not going be sending mixed signals."
The New Mexico event was held at a Eclipse Aviation, a company that designs executive jets. The setting was intended to highlight Bush's attempt to pitch his economic agenda as "pro-entrepreneur."
But the Iraq issue loomed large.
From the audience, a mother with a son in the Marine Corps bound for Iraq asked Bush to pray for her son.
"You're going to be nervous and I know you are. And you should be," Bush said as he sought to assure the woman of the importance of her son's contribution.
With Bush as he headed West as part of a five-day campaign tour was Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record) of Arizona, a onetime rival. Bush treated McCain to a tour earlier in the day of his Crawford, Texas, ranch and on the stump he eagerly touted the Arizonan's support.
McCain, known as a maverick, is popular with many swing voters.
Bush lost New Mexico to Democrat Al Gore (news - web sites) by only 366 votes in 2000. The contest is tight once again, with Kerry leading 49 percent to 48 percent in a recent Zogby poll.
Bush later flew to Arizona, also a battleground state.
He was to visit Nevada on Thursday, two days after Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry lambasted him there over the 2002 decision to use the state's Yucca Mountain as a burial site for radioactive refuse from nuclear power plants and weapons.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan defended the Yucca Mountain decision as based on "science, not politics" and said the administration was taking care to put in place safety measures.
(Additional reporting by Steve Holland)
Info ping!
Bump!
This Scott Lindlaw is so full of bias in every article he writes. Here is a campaign rally article but he must cite "rising criticism," "failed policies" & Q&A sessions with no questions.
I'm going to quit reading his articles like I had to quit suffering thru Maureen Dowd's ramblings. It's not good for my blood pressure.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.