Posted on 09/03/2004 1:55:34 AM PDT by kattracks
Gov. Pataki suggested last night that the Clinton administration's timid response to Osama Bin Laden's attacks resulted in the 9/11 catastrophe."Bin Laden declared war on America, and then came the attacks - the first World Trade Center, the embassies, the USS Cole - hundreds dead, thousands injured," Pataki told the GOP convention.
And then came the finger-pointing.
"How I wished the administration at that time, in those years, had done something. ... But they didn't do it," he said.
Pataki's scorching attack on the Dems, which he delivered while introducing President Bush last night, came as he actively considers a run for the White House four years from now.
Bush, in contrast, moved decisively and swiftly after the Sept. 11 attacks were launched by the terrorists, Pataki said. "There's only one thing they didn't bank on," the governor said to wild cheers. "They didn't bank on George W. Bush."
Pataki was quickly chided by the state Legislature's top Democrat, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who said, "It's unfortunate the governor chooses to politicize the events of Sept. 11" while letting Bush off the hook for "failing to give New York its fair share" of anti-terror funding.
But Democrats also have played the blame game with the Sept. 11 attacks, pointing to an intelligence warning they say Bush ignored in August 2001 that said Bin Laden was planning to use hijacked planes to hit America.
Pataki also had a new riff on the GOP's mantra that Kerry's positions change with the wind.
"This is a candidate who has to Google his own name to find out where he stands," the governor zinged. He also said the GOP will "win one for the Gipper" while Democrats "lose one with the Flipper."
Originally published on September 3, 2004
Pataki hasn't a chance at winning the GOP nomination, though he had some great lines and loved he signaled out the Clintons. They deserved it.
Hey, did anyone make a bumper sticker, "Can Flipper - Keep America Safe" ?
Don't know about a sticker, but that great Pataki quote is now my tag line!
With the exception of singling out the klintons it sounded like his scriptwas a piece-meal of all the other scripts. and he didn't come off natural like Rudy. He could've mentioned that klinton never visited the families of the first tower bombings who lost people.He could've mentioned that klintoon in a speech in Joisey said that the first bombing was no big deal.
he didn't come off natural like Rudy
I think it was content that counted the most and what he said was excellant, he told it like it is.
Yes but he seemed forced. Some are better speakers than others. I didn't claim that the content didn't count.
Pataki is not a great speaker, but that's the best speech I've ever seen him give.
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