'Acts Of War': Bush Steps Up Rhetoric, Calls Attacks 'Acts Of War' (posted 9/12/01)

CBSNEWS ^ | Wednesday, September 12, 2001 | [Liberal] Commentary By CBS News Senior Political Editor Dotty Lynch

[JohnHuang2]

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 2001

AP
President Bush addresses the nation Tuesday night.

(CBS) In her latest Political Points commentary, CBS News Senior Political Editor Dotty Lynch takes a look at President Bush's response to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

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President George W. Bush ratcheted up his rhetoric Wednesday calling the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon "acts of war" — a much tougher George Bush than appeared in the Oval Office address on Tuesday. Last night he was somber and reassuring, reciting the 23rd Psalm. Wednesday's talk was of retaliation and action. Surrounded by two men who helped his father carry out the Persian Gulf War, Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Colin Powell, he said the acts were "more than acts of terror, they were acts of war" and vowed the U.S. "would win this war."

In the immediate aftermath of Tuesday's shocking and confusing events, happening at a time when both the president and Secretary of State were out of Washington, there was a vacuum in administration voices reacting to the attacks. President Bush was whisked from Florida to Louisiana to Omaha making a short videotaped statement at midday. For a time, the White House seemed to be caught off guard about what to say and who should say it. Responding to criticism Wednesday about the president's slowness in returning to Washington, Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said it was because they had "credible evidence" that both the White House and Air Force One may have been targeted.

While there was no sweaty and shaken version of Alexander Haig claiming to be "in charge", many in government (including some key administration advisors) were critical that Bush was under cover and that no one in the Bush foreign policy chain was making public statements. The airwaves were dominated by former Clinton administration officials: Madeleine Albright, Sandy Berger, Tony Lake, James Woolsey and Richard Holbrooke. Members of Congress were also giving interviews but many were in the dark since formal briefings were postponed until the president was back and had been briefed.

By Wednesday morning the Bush administration was taking pains to show it was back in stride. The day started with the president's statement at his Cabinet meeting and there were briefings by all the key Cabinet officials: Powell, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Attorney General John Ashcroft, FBI Director Robert Meuller, FEMA Director Joe Albaugh.

The overnight polls showed that the public by 2-1 believes this was "another Pearl Harbor" and by the same margin they believe the attacks would result in the U.S. going to war. Sixty-six percent said that the United States should retaliate.

While the public, the Congress and the world community are coming together to condemn the action, there are undercurrents of criticism and concern. The public believes that the attacks could have been prevented and that U.S. intelligence should have known about the plans in advance. Both Democrats and Republicans in Congress seem prepared to give President Bush the political and financial support he's asked for and to reserve criticism for a later day.

For now, President Bush seems to have carte blanche to take retaliatory measures and spend whatever it takes to restore order and prevent further attacks. But, the new president and his administration are under intense scrutiny and a nervous public is watching and praying that they will be up to the task of restoring the confidence of the American people.


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[LasVegasMac]

Leave it to CBS (Can Blather Spew), and probably the rest of the liberal news networks as well, to call our President's words - in this time of grave national crises - Rhetoric They usually have nothing more than Drivel to spout, anyway. LVM

[JohnHuang2]

Exactly. The flipside: Everything which spewed from the orifice of their darling golden boy, X42, was GOSPEL

[plain talk]

The airwaves were dominated by former Clinton administration officials: Madeleine Albright, Sandy Berger, Tony Lake, James Woolsey and Richard Holbrooke.

Well, well, well. Who selects these people? The media. I wondered about this too. Why did the press interview Sandy Berger? Answer: liberals interview liberals whenever they can. They can anticipate the answers better so it flows better and makes for a better presentation.

[america-rules]

These idiots were on the TV because they don't have jobs.

The Bush team was at work and the freekin press needs to say this.

[plain talk]

LOL!

[First_Salute]

Bump.

[YOUGOTIT]

If CBS does not call the attacks an act of war then they must have an IQ lower than whale manure. CBS is a left-wing organization that is keeping with its agenda to put a left-winger in power. While by doing so they are committing treason by giving aid and comfort to the enemy; in this world war of survival for free people. For if the terrorist win there will be no freedom and come to think of it no CBS either. So I would guess that they are trying to bring on their own destruction.