Posted on 07/22/2003 7:06:10 PM PDT by PhiKapMom
Countdown to Victory '04 is Free Republic's daily action center for the grassroots campaign to re-elect Bush-Cheney in 2004 -- the place to visit to find out the latest from the campaign and how you can help TODAY!
Please take time to write your two Senators and tell them you support President Bush on Iraq. Move-on has been doing a letter campaign urging Senators to attack Pres Bush -- time we do the opposite!
White House Statement on Uday and Qusay Hussein
Statement by the Press Secretary We were pleased to learn from the Department of Defense of today's action against Uday and Qusay Hussein. Over the period of many years, these two individuals were responsible for countless atrocities committed against the Iraqi people and they can no longer cast a shadow of hate on Iraq. U.S. military forces and our intelligence community, working with an Iraqi citizen, deserve credit for today's successful action. While there is still much work to do in Iraq, the Iraqi people can see progress each day toward a better and more prosperous future for their country. # # #
Excerpts from The Los Angeles Times; July 21, 2003
WASHINGTON — Emboldened by a popular president, key fund-raising advantages and an opposition party plagued by divisions, Republicans are heading into the 2004 campaign eyeing a goal that extends far beyond the election: They want to establish political dominion for years to come.
With the GOP now controlling the White House and Congress, next year's vote looms as a test of whether this Republican reign is an interlude or the start of an enduring period of political supremacy on par with Democrats' hegemony for much of the 20th century ... ... They are laying claim to issues – such as improving education and health benefits – traditionally associated with Democrats ...
And they are building up campaign treasuries that dwarf the Democrats' ... ...
The effort may not succeed, but the sheer exuberance of the GOP drive stands in stark contrast to the pessimism that pervades Democratic circles. "This is a tough year," said a senior official of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "We had a depressing election in 2002. It would be foolish not to admit that recruiting candidates and raising money is twice as hard." Republicans appear in especially good position to increase their narrow congressional majorities. Contested Senate races will be fought largely on terrain favorable to the GOP. And analysts surveying House races give Democrats little chance, as of now, of winning a majority ... ...
If Republicans do manage to usher in an era of durable GOP majorities, it would upend the balance of power that prevailed for much of the 20th century. Building on Franklin D. Roosevelt's landslide presidential triumph during the Great Depression, Democrats controlled the House for all but four years from 1932 to 1994. They also dominated the Senate during most of that time. The Democratic grip began to break in 1980, when Republican Ronald Reagan's presidential victory helped the GOP obtain a majority in the Senate.
But that was a false summit in the climb to GOP ascendancy: Democrats regained the chamber in 1986. The entire Congress did not fall into Republican hands until 1994. A Democrat in the White House – Bill Clinton – served as a check to GOP lawmakers through 2000. And in that year's election, which produced Bush's cliffhanging victory and a Congress split almost 50-50, the parties battled to a virtual draw. But now, Republicans see signs that the nation's balance of political power is beginning to break their way.
Polls find that almost as many people identify themselves as Republicans as they do Democrats – culminating a steady narrowing of the gap between the two parties. And for the first time since 1952, more state legislators are Republican than Democratic. Karl Rove, Bush's political advisor, argues that a GOP realignment may have begun with the 2002 election, when Republicans defied historical trends by picking up seats in the House and Senate. Traditionally, the president's party loses congressional seats in midterm elections.
Republicans clearly benefited from some ephemeral factors – such as a well-organized turnout effort and strong candidates. But Rove said in a speech shortly after the election, "I think something else more fundamental is happening ... but we will only know it retrospectively in two years or four years or six years [when we] look back and say the dam began to break in 2002."
Bush aides, House and Senate campaign officials and other GOP leaders are already meeting regularly to plot strategy for the 2004 election. Democrats will be hard-pressed to achieve such focus and unity until their party settles on a presidential nominee early next year. Until then – and perhaps even after – the party is likely to continue battling over its best message for running against Bush.
The prospects are bright for the GOP to expand its Senate majority, in part because only 15 Republican seats are up for election in 2004, compared with 19 held by Democrats. Also, seven of the Democratic seats are in states that Bush carried by 5 percentage points or more in 2000 – such as North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia ...
CBS “Exclusive” Features Iraqi Men Who Are Killing U.S. Soldiers
Jul 22, 2003
File under “Journalist First, American Second.” Monday’s CBS Evening News featured an “exclusive” report from David Hawkins in Iraq where, at an undisclosed location with their weapons on display, he talked to several disguised men who are actively hunting down and killing U.S. servicemen. Hawkins relayed how the enemy operatives maintained “they're not doing it for love of Saddam -- but instead for God and their country.”
It’s doubtful, to put it mildly, that Hawkins has or will do anything to help the U.S. track down the men who are actively trying to kill as many U.S. soldiers as they can.
Hawkins prompted the men who wore scarves over their faces: “So this is a religious war? It's a holy war?" Through a translator, they agreed: “Yes, yes. We are farmers. We're Iraqis. This isn't about politics." Hawkins followed up: "Why do you fight? Why do you attack American soldiers?" A man mimicked the Western opposition to the U.S. action: “This is occupation, so we fight against the occupation."
Hawkins concluded with an ominous warning: “Threats from these men won't frighten away anyone, but their fanaticism and fervor suggests they'll put up a fight for some time to come.”
Back from a multi-week vacation, Dan Rather introduced the July 21 story: “So who is behind these attacks? As CBS's David Hawkins reports in this exclusive report, it's not necessarily and always Saddam.”
In the desert with a few of their rocket-propelled grenade launchers on display, David Hawkins, through a translator, relayed the propaganda of three or four men wrapped in white from head to toe.
Hawkins to the men: “So these are the rocket-propelled grenades that you used to attack the American vehicles?”
Translator: “Yes they are.”
Hawkins: “And how many of these do you have?”
Translator: “A huge quantity. Everybody has one.” Hawkins explained: “In an exclusive interview with CBS News, three men who claim to have participated in several recent and deadly attacks on U.S. soldiers say they're not doing it for love of Saddam -- but instead for God and their country. U.S. officials blame 'remnants of Saddam's regime' -- 'dead-enders' they call them -- for the unending attacks. Hawkins to the men: "Are any of you former Saddam loyalists? Work for Saddam? Love Saddam?"
Translator: “No, we just follow the instructions of he holy Koran.”
Hawkins: “"So this is a religious war? It's a holy war?"
Translator: “Yes, yes. We are farmers. We're Iraqis. This isn't about politics."
Hawkins: “They claim to be the ones who attacked a military convoy last week west of Baghdad, an attack that killed one American soldier. We were led to these men by a Baghdad gun-runner.” Hawkins to the men: "Why do you fight? Why do you attack American soldiers?"
Translator: “This is occupation, so we fight against the occupation."
Hawkins to the men: “You're very upset the Americans are here. Are you glad that Saddam is gone?"
Translator: “We feel happy now because we can speak freely, but at the same time we don't want Saddam or America. We just want the American soldiers to leave our country."
Hawkins: “The Iraqi fighters chose this meeting spot in the middle of the desert -- in the middle of nowhere really, because they felt safe there. They say they know the territory well and the Americans don't.”
Translator: “All of them will die here. We advise them that they have to leave Iraq before they die here." Hawkins ominously concluded: “Threats from these men won't frighten away anyone, but their fanaticism and fervor suggests they'll put up a fight for some time to come. David Hawkins, CBS News, in the desert west of Baghdad.”
For the online version of this story, which features a couple of still shots of Hawkins with the enemy operatives: www.cbsnews.com
For a bio of Hawkins, a New York Times veteran: www.cbsnews.com
Please visit Media Research Center for the remainder of today's Cyber-Alert at: Cyber Alert for July 22, 2003
Even if you have two RAT Senators, WRITE THEM! Tell them to put American 1st for a Change!
If you didn't, you may be in for the shock of your life; I certainly was.
During the first segment, none other than Bill Clinton called in to the show to talk to and about Bob Dole.
During his phone call, he actually DEFENDED George W. Bush and the sixteen words. He said that a lot of stuff comes across your desk when you are president and you do the best you can; he said "we all make mistakes" and he did NOT trash Bush at all.
In fact, he said that we all needed to get behind the president, especially after today, and to bring stability to Iraq.
And he insinuated that the Democrats were making a BIG MISTAKE going after Bush on that issue.
I damn near fell off the sofa.
Don't believe me? Listen yourself on the LKL rerun at midnight EDT.
As I was channel surfing tonight, I came across King's tribute show to Bob Dole. I caught Clinton's phone call and was surprised just like you were.
He didn't mention the stuff that come under his desk that he also did.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1!
Even Clinton, making a phone appearance on LKL for Bob Dole's 80th birthday, was gracious about todays events and the intelligence snafu. He said we all need to be pulling for the Iraqis and our troops. He also said that honest disagreements can exist about how to best achieve peace but the past isn't really material. He knew that there were unaccounted for WMD in Iraq when he left office. As for the British intelligence he said more than once that Bush quoted British intelligence but maybe it was a mistake to include it as Rice had said. He didn't consider it a big deal. I was quite shocked.
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