Bush stands by aircraft carrier speech Defends declaring major conflict over in words to troops

The Boston Globe ^ | September 27, 2004 | Patrick Healy

[kingattax]

President Bush said in a television interview airing tonight that he does not regret flying to an aircraft carrier in May 2003 and announcing an end of major combat in Iraq -- under the banner "Mission Accomplished" -- despite the subsequent deaths of some 900 US military personnel from ongoing turmoil in that country. ADVERTISEMENT

According to excerpts of the interview with Fox News's "The O'Reilly Factor," Bush said twice that he would "absolutely" still don a Navy flight suit and make the declaration if he had to do it over again -- a comment that Democratic rival John F. Kerry attacked yesterday in hopes of tripping up Bush with his own words by depicting him as a leader who refuses to admit, or learn from, his mistakes.

"I'm saying to the troops, on this carrier and elsewhere, thanks for serving America," Bush told Fox News. "And by the way, those sailors and airmen loved seeing the commander in chief. . . . These kids had been on a very long cruise. They'd been on a cruise to both, in two theaters of war now, Afghanistan and Iraq. I flew out there and said thanks. Thanks on behalf of a grateful nation. You bet I'd do it again."

[SocietyDweller]

I noticed the other day that on Kerry Edwards banners appearing at his get togethers that they put on the slogan "Victory 2004".
Is this just a little pre-mature or just wishfull thinking?

[grobdriver]

a comment that Democratic rival John F. Kerry attacked yesterday in hopes of tripping up Bush with his own words by depicting him as a leader who refuses to admit, or learn from, his mistakes.

The thing that hacks me off about the lib's attacks are that they all depend on perfect 20/20 hindsight.

[Dr. Frank fan]

The idea that he should "regret" saying that is stupid. People who make an issue of this are morons. Everyone who is sincere understand that he was "declaring an end to major combat operations", not an end to all violence in Iraq for all time.

A more nuanced point, seemingly lost on lefties, is that to some extent such an event was about managing the perception of the conflict to our advantage. Bush "declared an end to major combat" - as a result, no longer would it be glorified by the term "war" - after all, everything afterward was part of the "insurgency", and our enemies were mere "insurgents". Such perception became self-fulfilling as the occupation became a fait accompli. This helped us.

Yes this was to some extent a phony punctuation that's the whole point. What are lefties saying, they don't want our C-in-C managing the perception of a war to our country's advantage?

[pghkevin]

How many naval personnel have been killed since the Mission Accomplished sign was displayed?

The killing of our brave soldiers are from the marines and army branches.

[genefromjersey]

Now if that had been John Kerry, do you think he would have:

(Choose One) 1.Windsurfed out to the carrier ______________

2.Arrived the the helm of a Swift Boat ______________

3.Pulled a Ted Kennedy and swam there ______________

[nutmeg]

... or piloted Scaramouche out to meet the carrier... ;-)