Posted on 01/13/2005 5:47:28 PM PST by Indy Pendance
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush says he regrets sending the wrong impression of the United States by using phrases like "Bring 'em on" and "dead or alive" in his first term and has pledged to be more diplomatic.
In an interview with ABC's Barbara Walters to be broadcast on Friday, Bush said some of his past remarks were too blunt.
"'Bring it on,' was a little blunt," the president said in a transcript of the interview released on Thursday.
"I remember when I talked about Osama bin Laden, I said we're going to get him dead or alive. I guess it's not the most diplomatic of language," Bush said.
The president in July 2003 used the phrase "Bring 'em on" when speaking of insurgent attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq. The comment was widely interpreted as a challenge to the insurgents but Bush said his intent was to rally U.S. troops.
Days after the September 11, 2001, attacks, Bush said he wanted to catch Osama bin Laden "dead or alive," a phrase that reinforced the U.S. president's international image as a cowboy.
Bush said his wife, Laura, disapproved and "chewed me out right after that."
"So I do have to be cautious about, you know, conveying thoughts in a way maybe that doesn't send wrong impressions about our country," he said.
Asked about bin Laden, who remains at large, Bush reiterated his vow to "bring him to justice."
Bush's expressions of regret over his use of language contrasted with his comments at a news conference in April 2004, when he struggled for an answer to a reporter who asked him to name his biggest mistake since the September 11 attacks.
In another mea culpa, the president said he felt his administration had done a poor job bolstering its image in the Muslim world.
"Our public diplomacy efforts aren't ... very robust, and aren't very good, compared to the public diplomacy efforts of those who would like to spread hatred and ... and vilify the United States," Bush said.
But he said he thought U.S. efforts to aid victims of the December 26 Indian Ocean tsunami would help improve Washington's image abroad.
Turning to domestic politics, Bush played down expectations that his brother Jeb, who is governor of Florida, would someday run for president.
"I don't think he's interested in running," the president said.
In a separate interview in USA Today, Bush said he was concerned about the Education Department's decision to pay conservative commentator Armstrong Williams to promote his "No Child Left Behind" law, which sets accountability standards for U.S. public schools.
He said he wanted to prevent another such incident.
"There needs to be a clear distinction between journalism and advocacy," Bush said. "All of us, the Cabinet, needs to take a good look and make sure this kind of thing doesn't happen again."
live interview, heard the banshee herself talking about it earlier today
"Bush used the phrase in July 2003 to say U.S. troops would not be scared off by Iraqi insurgents' attacks. During the presidential election campaign, his rival, Democratic Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, used the line to criticize administration policy. "If the White House wants to make this election about national security, I have three words they understand: 'Bring, it, on!' "
One of my biggest laughs came from deadpan ,deadman Kerry trying to rally his troops with that phrase..Lame.
If you are, you're 111 years old, you old coot.
And I didn't give you a single bit of marital advice. Go back and read it with your spectacles on.
I said I hope you don't have a wife (because you think that a man's valuing his wife's opinion makes him henpecked, and that's idiotic).
Now go back to your rocking chair, quit calling me names and saying stupid (and very wrong) things about me.
You assault people with your insults, but cry like a baby when anyone stands up to you. Is that the advice you give to your great-grandchildren when you try to teach them how to grow up and be mature adults?
Who said there was nothing wrong with this presidency? Who said he was perfect? Who said any of those things you just said?
Can you even read? Do you just make things up with everyone you talk to? Sheesh!
Anyone in public office needs to be careful of what he says. That's just plain obvious.
And, have you been in Europe or the Middle East lately? Do you seriously think that the enemy has not done a better job of getting their message of anti-American hatred out than we have the truth about us (remembering that our own press is anti-American)?
You think we can't do a better job of diplomacy anywhere? C'mon!
You guys are making something out of nothing here.
He knows we're at war, he knows the costs, and he's strong enough to keep up the fight no matter what anyone says.
I agree with whoever it was that said he was throwing a bone to the press here.
It's not an apology or retraction of anything, and certainly not a change in policy.
We are upto our neck diplomacy. I have lived and travelled all over the world, including the Middle East. Here is something Bush should understand. The rest of the world understands power. They toed the Soviet line because of Soviet military and covert capabilities. This is the same reason why the world now sucks up to Islamic fundamentalism. No matter how diplomatic and how nice we become, that will not change how the rest of the world looks at us. This is sort of like the NYT syndrome. No matter how nice conservatives are, the TImes will never say one good thing about you. Bush needs to understand that the way we get respect in this world is pushing right back. Except, we are Americans and we should only use power to do things that are just and serve our best interest.
I'll give you that quote as mistaken, but I'm not sure that it's being backed by any change in policy.
I think we're carrying a pretty big stick in the world right now, and with the switch from Colin Powell to Condi Rice, we're not going to get any softer, that's for sure.
get a grip yourself.
the first lady has NO elected office.
got it dingy?
I said I hope you don't have a wife (because you think that a man's valuing his wife's opinion makes him henpecked, and that's idiotic).
Whatever you say, Bob. I was SO sure that the First Lady was elected.
Dang it! I hate being wrong about these complicated political things. I guess I should leave politics up to smart men like you and stop pretending I understand what it's all about.
And I guess Laura will have to stop talking to her husband for the next four years, so old cranks like you will stop calling her husband henpecked. I'll write her a letter tomorrow.....
btw, I haven't drooled for at least 54 years, and I'm quite sure that you drool far more than I. Most 111 year old men do.........hehe.
And give those great grandkids a hug for me, after you wipe away your tears from being treated so badly by a drooling, dingy, idiot, half your age, 'wet behind the ears soccer mom,' (did I miss anything??), OK? :o)
Too bad, no time to post any more.
Have some fun, sweetie.......life is good. :o)
Don't you have someone to go henpeck?
Run along now.
Now WHO is a liar?? Not me, Bob.
If you want my REAL psychoanalysis of you, I'd say you're just jealous because you look lousy in a flightsuit.
(Please don't show me a picture though, whether I'm right or wrong......I might drool either way).
read later...this don't sound good.
Thanks for pointing out where I thought you were making stuff up. You are clearly right there, and I was wrong.
Regardless, Laura needs to keep her mouth out of our foreign policy decisions.
I must also say, I seriously doubt your qualifications as a psychologist... but not as a psychotic.
Now, you can go drool over your flightsuit pictures... since somehow you think it helps you give out such quality marital advice.
roflmao.
bye bye
You actually thought his comments were reckless (I'm assuming that's the word you meant to use) and conveyed the wrong impression?
Pelosi: 'Having Admitted Error of His Words, President Must Admit Error of His Ways'
Fri Jan 14, 2:19 PM ET
To: National Desk
Contact: Brendan Daly or Jennifer Crider, 202-226-7616, both of the Office of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi
WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 /U.S. Newswire/ -- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on remarks by President Bush in an interview with regional newspapers yesterday in which he said he regretted saying "bring 'em on" in reference to insurgents in Iraq who wanted to attack our troops:
"The President has finally acknowledged that his taunting the Iraqi insurgents by saying 'bring 'em on' has had unintended consequences, likely increasing the dangers faced by our troops in Iraq. Although unintended, the consequences of such remarks were all too predictable.
"It was also predictable that creating a chaotic security situation in Iraq would make the country what it was not before the war -- a 'magnet for terrorists,' a result recently confirmed by the National Intelligence Council.
"More than two years ago, senior military experts such as General Eric Shinseki warned against sending too small a force to Iraq, in part because they knew that any security vacuum created by the fall of Saddam Hussein would be filled by elements united only by the desire to kill Americans. One of the many mistakes of the Iraq war is that the President did not have a plan for preventing Iraq from becoming a hotbed for terrorists. We will be paying the price of that mistake for years to come.
"Having admitted the error of his words, the President must admit the error of his ways."
If you're replying to me, it might be helpful to discuss what I've said, not what someone else said that I never even mentioned. Just a thought.
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