DEMS PLAY FOLLOW THE LEADER--FOR YEARS KEY DEMS RECOGNIZED WMD'S--NOW DEAN HAS CHANGED THEIR MINDS

Dean On Dems: “‘All these guys running say how terrible Iraq is,’ Dean told Iowa voters … ‘Where were they four months ago when we really needed them to stand up to the president of the United States?’” (Jeff Zeleny, “Potential For War Troubles Field Of Democratic Hopefuls,” Chicago Tribune, 1/20/03)

Dean Accused Sen. John Kerry Of Being “Dean Lite.” “Speaking to the crowd minutes later, [Dean] added, ‘I appreciate Sen. Kerry saying we don’t want Bush lite, and we don’t. But Sen. Kerry, we don’t want Dean lite, either.’” (Joel Siegel, “Sen. Kerry Throws His Weight Around Upstate,” Daily News [New York], 6/1/03)

Dean Lite: Noun Or Adjective: “Dean is pulling the Democratic Party hard to the left - throwing red meat to liberal activists … polarizing the electorate.” (Deborah Orin, “Kerry Follows Dean’s Lead,” The New York Post, 7/17/03)

Dean Campaign Accused Kerry Campaign Of Plagiarism. ‘“You get the feeling they’re hiring Jayson Blair to write their speeches,’ said Dean campaign manager Joe Trippi, referring to the New York Times reporter who had to quit because of plagiarism.” (Deborah Orin, “Kerry Follows Dean’s Lead,” The New York Post, 7/17/03)

December 16, 1998: Said Any Delay In Attacking Iraq Would Give Saddam Time To Build WMD. “[W]e believe that the President has made the correct decision to undertake military action against Iraq at this time. Any delay would have given Saddam Hussein time to reconstitute his arsenal of weapons of mass destruction and undermine international support for our efforts.” (Rep. Gephardt and Sen. Daschle, Joint Statement On Military Action Against Iraq, 12/16/98)

October 11, 2002: Said “We Must Do Everything In Our Power.” “‘September 11 has made all the difference,’ Gephardt said. ‘We must now do everything in our power to prevent further terrorist attacks and ensure that an attack with a weapon of mass destruction cannot happen.’” (Craig Gilbert, “Congress OKs Force In Iraq,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/11/02)

* July 20, 2003: Reports Indicate Dean Thought War Was “Mistake.” “He [Dean] also has said the questions about the prewar intelligence and the continuing postwar violence have made it ‘more and more clear ... what a mistake this administration made in launching a preemptive war in Iraq.’”(Ronald Brownstein, “Criticism Of War Seen As Risk For Democrats,” Los Angeles Times, 7/20/03)

Two Days Later: Gephardt Said Administration Has Made Us “Less Safe.” “I’m running for president because I believe George Bush has left us less safe and less secure than we were four years ago… I’m seeking the presidency because foreign policy isn’t a John Wayne movie, where we catch the bad guys, hoist a few cold ones, and then everything fades to black …” (Representative Richard Gephardt, Remarks At The San Francisco Bar Association, 7/22/03)

December 16, 1998: Called For Regime Change In Iraq. “I hope that today’s strike is the beginning of a sustained effort to move from containment of Saddam Hussein’s regime to its replacement.” (Sen. Bob Graham, “Statement About The United States’ Strike On Iraq,” Press Release, 12/16/98)

June 23, 2002: Called WMD Threat And Merger With Terror Groups “Ultimate Nightmare Scenario.” “What we’re concerned about with Iraq is its intention and capabilities to develop weapons of mass destruction, and the merger of that capability with terrorist groups, that is the ultimate nightmare scenario…”(Fox News’ “Sunday,” 6/23/02)

* July 10, 2003: Dean “Convinced More Than Ever” War Resolution Was Mistake. “‘I am now convinced more than ever that it was a mistake to have given this administration a blank check to engage in this war, as too many in Congress did when they supported the Iraqi war resolution,’ Dean’s statement said.” (Scott Shepard, “Democrat Kerry Demands Bush ‘Tell The Truth’ About Iraq War,” Cox News Service, 7/10/03)

Four Days Later: Graham Suggested Potential Need For Impeachment Proceedings Against President Bush. “If the standard of impeachment that the Republicans set for Bill Clinton - a personal, consensual relationship was the basis for impeachment, would not a president who knowingly deceived the American people about something as important as whether to go to war meet the standard of impeachment?” (Ken Thomas, “Graham’s Criticism Of Bush Misses The Count,” The Associated Press, 7/14/03)

February 23, 1998: Said Saddam Used WMD In Past And Had Intent “To Continue To Do So.” “Saddam Hussein has already used these weapons and has made it clear that he has the intent to continue to try, by virtue of his duplicity and secrecy, to continue to do so. … It is a threat with respect to the potential of terrorist activities on a global basis.”(Sen. John Kerry, Press Conference, 2/23/98)

October 10, 2002: Described Iraq’s WMD As A “Real And Grave Threat” To US. “Mr. Kerry, a Vietnam War veteran and potential 2004 presidential contender, said Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction posed ‘a real and grave threat’ to the United States.” (Dave Boyer, “Key Senators Of Both Parties Back Bush On Iraq War,” The Washington Times, 10/10/02)

* March 17, 2003: Dean Called War In Iraq “Mistake.” “Mr. President, we think this war is a mistake … This is the wrong war at the wrong time.” (Howard Dean As Quoted In Christopher Graff, “Howard Dean Says He Will Back Troops, But Not War Policies,” The Associated Press, 3/17/03)

Two Weeks Later: Kerry Called For “Regime Change” In America. “‘What we need now is not just a regime change in Saddam Hussein and Iraq, but we need a regime change in the United States,’ Kerry said in a speech at the Peterborough Town Library.” (Glen Johnson, “Kerry Says Us Needs Its Own ‘Regime Change,’” The Boston Globe, 4/3/03)

February 5, 1998: Recognized “Saddam Hussein Leaves Us Little Choice” But “Use Of Force.” “[C]learly the intransigence on the part of the Iraqi government and Saddam Hussein leaves us little choice at this point … So I would think that, if nothing changes, the use of force at some point would be inevitable.” (William Neikirk, “Congress Talks Tough On Iraq,” Chicago Tribune, 2/5/98)

September 25, 2002: Decried “Accusations” Over “National Security.” “We ought not politicize this war. We ought not politicize the rhetoric about war and life and death. … We have to rise to a higher level. … It is not too late to forget the pollsters … the campaign fundraisers … [the] accusations about how interested in national security” different parties are. (Senator Tom Daschle, Congressional Record, 9/25/02, p. S9187)

* March 5, 2003: Dean Called War In Iraq “Appalling.” “It’s appalling. They [the Bush Administration] are putting us in harm’s way because of their obsession with Iraq, which does not now and is not going to have nuclear weapons.” (Howard Dean As Quoted In John Whitesides, “Dean Says Bush Putting U.S. ‘In Harm’s Way,’” Reuters, 3/5/03)

Two Weeks Later: Daschle Said He’s “Saddened” Over Administration’s Diplomacy. “I’m saddened, saddened that this president failed so miserably at diplomacy that we’re now forced to war. Saddened that we have to give up one life because this president couldn’t create the kind of diplomatic effort that was so critical for our country.” (Senator Tom Daschle, Remarks At The American Federation Of State, County And Municipal Employees Conference, 3/17/03)

Excellent work! I have a few more. They are't running for office but I think it's important to keep the hypocritical quotes together:

"[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs." -- From a letter signed by Joe Lieberman, Dianne Feinstein, Barbara A. Milulski, Tom Daschle, & John Kerry among others on October 9, 1998

"Saddam's goal ... is to achieve the lifting of U.N. sanctions while retaining and enhancing Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programs. We cannot, we must not and we will not let him succeed." -- Madeline Albright, 1998

"The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retained some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare capability. Intelligence reports also indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons, but has not yet achieved nuclear capability." -- Robert Byrd, October 2002

"What is at stake is how to answer the potential threat Iraq represents with the risk of proliferation of WMD. Baghdad's regime did use such weapons in the past. Today, a number of evidences may lead to think that, over the past four years, in the absence of international inspectors, this country has continued armament programs." -- Jacques Chirac, October 16, 2002

"The community of nations may see more and more of the very kind of threat Iraq poses now: a rogue state with weapons of mass destruction, ready to use them or provide them to terrorists. If we fail to respond today, Saddam and all those who would follow in his footsteps will be emboldened tomorrow." -- Bill Clinton in 1998

"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al Qaeda members, though there is apparently no evidence of his involvement in the terrible events of September 11, 2001. It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons. Should he succeed in that endeavor, he could alter the political and security landscape of the Middle East, which as we know all too well affects American security." -- Hillary Clinton, October 10, 2002

"I am absolutely convinced that there are weapons...I saw evidence back in 1998 when we would see the inspectors being barred from gaining entry into a warehouse for three hours with trucks rolling up and then moving those trucks out." -- Clinton's Secretary of Defense William Cohen in April of 2003

"Iraq is not the only nation in the world to possess weapons of mass destruction, but it is the only nation with a leader who has used them against his own people." -- Tom Daschle in 1998

"I share the administration's goals in dealing with Iraq and its weapons of mass destruction." -- Dick Gephardt in September of 2002

"Iraq does pose a serious threat to the stability of the Persian Gulf and we should organize an international coalition to eliminate his access to weapons of mass destruction. Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to completely deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power." -- Al Gore, 2002

"We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of mass destruction." -- Bob Graham, December 2002

"We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction." -- Ted Kennedy, September 27, 2002

"As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, I am keenly aware that the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons is an issue of grave importance to all nations. Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process." -- Nancy Pelosi, December 16, 1998

"Even today, Iraq is not nearly disarmed. Based on highly credible intelligence, UNSCOM [the U.N. weapons inspectors] suspects that Iraq still has biological agents like anthrax, botulinum toxin, and clostridium perfringens in sufficient quantity to fill several dozen bombs and ballistic missile warheads, as well as the means to continue manufacturing these deadly agents. Iraq probably retains several tons of the highly toxic VX substance, as well as sarin nerve gas and mustard gas. This agent is stored in artillery shells, bombs, and ballistic missile warheads. And Iraq retains significant dual-use industrial infrastructure that can be used to rapidly reconstitute large-scale chemical weapons production." -- Ex-Un Weapons Inspector Scott Ritter in 1998

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