Daschle: Dems Will Buck Bush on Iraq Attack

NewsMax.com ^ | 12/07/01 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

Sen. Majority Leader Tom Daschle said Thursday he expected Democrats to oppose President Bush if Bush decides to go after Iraq's Saddam Hussein, who many terrorism experts believe financed and helped train hijackers for Osama bin Laden's 9/11 attacks on the U.S.

Daschle, appearing on Fox News Channel's "Hannity & Colmes," predicted that Democrats would publicly turn against the president as soon as they disagreed with his management of the war effort.

ALAN COLMES: You've been very supportive of the president and the way this war's being conducted. At what point do you think, could you see Democrats taking issue with some of the way the war might be conducted? For example, if there's a foray into Iraq or expansion of the war, can you see a time when there's less agreement on Capitol Hill?

DASCHLE: Oh, absolutely. Obviously, we got into quite a bit of disagreement about foreign policy last summer. But that is because we disagreed. Right now I think the administration is doing the kind of job that warrants agreement, that warrants support. (End of Excerpt)

But despite his clear statement that he would "absolutely" oppose any foray into Iraq, moments later the top Democrat seemed to hedge his bets.

COLMES: If they go after Saddam Hussein, if that's the next step, will you be against that? Will there be more dissention about that?

DASCHLE: Well, I don't want to get into hypothetical situations at this point, Alan. I don't think it's very productive. Obviously we're going to take each call one at a time. We'll make our decisions - support those that we can support and oppose those that we're going to be required to oppose.

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Bush Administration
DNC

[NELSON111]

With the latest polls showing that 70+% of the people support blowing Iraq to Kingdom Come...and only 10-15% against...I say bring it on dems.

[hsszionist]

To keep this short, Daschle is a marginal leader concerned only with the socialist agenda of the Demoncrats.

[sanchmo]

what a saddamized little dashole !!

[Destructor]

"Sen. Majority Leader Tom Daschle said Thursday he expected Democrats to oppose President Bush if Bush decides to go after Iraq's Saddam Hussein, who many terrorism experts believe financed and helped train hijackers for Osama bin Laden's 9/11 attacks on the U.S."

I hope they do! This will show the Dimocrats for what they really are-- partisan oppositionists!! Dimocrats don't care one bit about the good of the country, or the good of the American people. This is all about the 2002, and 2004 elections. The Dimocrats can't see beyond their own reaquisition of power!!!

[BOBTHENAILER]

Lieberman and McCain, two powerful liberal Democrats say otherwise, polls say otherwise. As we saw in Leaky's hearing yesterday, these fools start getting weak in the knees when they get whacked upside the head by a poll. Remains to be seen if we do go after Iraq however.

[OldFriend]

Makes you wonder if this man is sane. The dems have been beating up former President Bush endlessly on the fact that he didn't go all the way to Baghdad. Are they betting that we have all lost our memories. Now they suddenly like Saddam Hussein?

[mlocher]

thanks for the post.

daschle is speaking from his heart, not what others in the democratic party will do. he is not representing all democrats.

it is sad he is speaking from his heart -- he means it. and he means to sow the seeds of division. this man is very jealous.

he will lose his credibility as a leader if other dems are ok with the war and the evidence shows it. now, THAT will be good for america

[KansasConservative]

To keep this short, Daschle is a marginal leader concerned only with the socialist agenda of the Demoncrats

Agreed! I wish someone would put him in his place. He needs to lose "big time" on both the defense bill and the stimulus bill.

[Huck]

Where does he say he will buck Bush on Iraq? Far be it from me to defend the pooftah, but all he said was he doesn't want to get into hypotheticals. What's he supposed to do? Write a blank check?

[kinghorse]

Not to worry. The enemy will most likely have the last say in the direction of our public policy. The domestic enemy, democrats, keep firing blanks when they try and latch on to a cause. Railing agianst tribunals (as their trial lawyer masters have told them they must) is going to definitely be a loser at the polls. Dornan said it last night, if military justice is good enough for our fighting men (remember it's the same code) then it damn well good enough for foreign agitators.

[SuziQ]

Daschle, appearing on Fox News Channel's "Hannity & Colmes," predicted that Democrats would publicly turn against the president as soon as they disagreed with his management of the war effort.

What's he talking about? They've already lost any semblance of 'bi-partisanship', so any turning against has already been done!

[kinghorse]

It's trial lawyers trying to flex their incredible muscle within the dem party. If the party follows them, the party is going to be sorry :).

Leahy is nothing more than Alan Dershowitz's lapdog. What a lawyer beholden scumbag that Leahy.

[tomahawk]

If the Dim-ocrats are going to oppose carrying the war to Iraq, which is building weapons of mass destruction for ultimate use against the American people, then they will be seen as being weak on national security during a time of war, a sure recipe for long-term minority status. Daschle is a Dim-wit.

[Lazamataz]

Sen. Majority Leader Tom Daschle said Thursday he expected Democrats to oppose President Bush if Bush decides to go after Iraq's Saddam Hussein, who many terrorism experts believe financed and helped train hijackers for Osama bin Laden's 9/11 attacks on the U.S.

I said it before; I'll say it again: Before one years time passes, liberals and the left will be FULLY IN FAVOR of the Septmeber 11 World Trade Center attacks.

[randita]

With the latest polls showing that 70+% of the people support blowing Iraq to Kingdom Come...and only 10-15% against...I say bring it on dems.

I second that. When the Bush Administration presents clear and unrefutable proof (and I'm sure such proof does exist) that Iraq was complicit in the 9/11 attack, Americans will climb on board, if they aren't on board already.

It's a dangerous proposition for Democrats to buck the President during the execution of a just war, but if Daschle wants to be the lead buck, I say go for it.

[zarf]

Dasshole has learned from George Mitchell....smile, be mild mannered, come across as bipartisan....then stab the prez in the back. Mitchell was the most ruthless SOB I've ever seen operate in Congress. You could never tell.....he was a great poker player. Ask Bush Sr.

[Lazamataz]

Makes you wonder if this man is sane. The dems have been beating up former President Bush endlessly on the fact that he didn't go all the way to Baghdad. Are they betting that we have all lost our memories. Now they suddenly like Saddam Hussein?

Yes. Yes they are betting we lost our collective memories.

And we usually do, too, especially in their rank-and-file. Democrat leaders can commit any number of crimes and the Democrats whistle merrily -- and maybe a little insanely -- as they pull that Good Ole Democratic Voting Lever...

[silmaril]

This is not terribly good reporting on the part of NewsMax. It takes a great deal of parsing to interpret this as a flat-out refusal to support an Iraqi war; a more reasonable reading is that Daschle is answering Colmes's question about supporting/opposing war conduct in general.

Flame on.

[OldFriend]

Other than Zell Miller, I doubt there is a demonrat who wouldn't stab President Bush in the back. Sadly, there are those like John McCrazy would do the same.

[Blood of Tyrants]

They opposed evidence in the x42 impeachment trial. The one thing you can count on is that the DemoNAZIS would disown their mother's if it would gain them more votes than it lost. This may be a losing strategy for them. They ought to stay with what they are good at; lying, buying votes, and fixing elections.