Candidates clash over war and spending
Posted on 08/02/2002 3:20:44 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP
Candidates clash over war and spending
Cornyn wants Iraqi leader removed; Kirk urges caution
08/02/2002
HOUSTON - Senate candidates John Cornyn and Ron Kirk clashed Thursday over prospects for the overthrow of Saddam Hussein and federal spending.
At a joint appearance before the Greater Houston Partnership, Mr. Cornyn, the Republican attorney general, said he advocated removing the Iraqi leader from power. Democrat Kirk, the former mayor of Dallas, said while Mr. Hussein is evil, he didn't favor sending troops to Iraq now.
"The problem we are living in this day and time is we can either wait for the enemy to bring the battle to us or we can take the battle to the enemy," Mr. Cornyn said. He said Mr. Hussein has been financing terrorism and building weapons of mass destruction.
"All that needs to happen is those weapons need to get into the hands of someone who is willing to commit suicide while blowing up innocent civilians of this country. I think we simply have to remove Saddam Hussein from power to remove that threat, or I believe we can never be safe."
Mr. Kirk urged caution.
"It's an extraordinary decision to commit American blood," he said. "If we're going to go into that war against Iraq and I think Saddam Hussein has to be stopped I'm concerned right now we don't see the consensus among our allies when we fought the war the last time.
"The last time we only had to shoulder 20 percent of that cost. It looks like now we would have to bear all that burden alone."
On the federal spending issue, Mr. Kirk praised President Bush for signing and Congress for passing a corporate accountability law but suggested the government ought to look at itself. "It isn't going to be enough for political leaders to point the finger at corporate leaders and say: 'Clean up your act,' " Mr. Kirk said.
"Let me tell you, the poster child for cooking the books is your federal government," he said. "If you want the corporate community to be responsible, you should expect no more of your leadership in Washington."
Mr. Cornyn called Mr. Kirk's statement "a remarkable overstatement."
"The truth is, our president is doing a great job and we are at war," he said. "We unfortunately are at a time where our economic condition has declined. That slide had started before George Bush became president."
Excerpt:
At a joint appearance before the Greater Houston Partnership, Mr. Cornyn, the Republican attorney general, said he advocated removing the Iraqi leader from power. Democrat Kirk, the former mayor of Dallas, said while Mr. Hussein is evil, he didn't favor sending troops to Iraq now.
"The problem we are living in this day and time is we can either wait for the enemy to bring the battle to us or we can take the battle to the enemy," Mr. Cornyn said. He said Mr. Hussein has been financing terrorism and building weapons of mass destruction.
"All that needs to happen is those weapons need to get into the hands of someone who is willing to commit suicide while blowing up innocent civilians of this country. I think we simply have to remove Saddam Hussein from power to remove that threat, or I believe we can never be safe."
Mr. Kirk urged caution.
"It's an extraordinary decision to commit American blood," he said. "If we're going to go into that war against Iraq and I think Saddam Hussein has to be stopped I'm concerned right now we don't see the consensus among our allies when we fought the war the last time.
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No, you don't HAVE to be a Texan to get on this list!
Honestly, I can't say with authority, but I'm sure he's not a gun control type......
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