Posted on 05/09/2007 5:55:32 PM PDT by kellynla
TIM RUSSERT, NBC NIGHTLY NEWS: Brian, all eyes on the Republican party. How long will they support the president's position on the Iraq War? Yesterday may have been a defining, pivotal moment.
At two-thirty in the afternoon, in the private quarters of the White House, the Solarium Room, eleven Republican congressmen had a private meeting with the president, the secretary of defense, the secretary of state, the chief political advisor Karl Rove, and the White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, and others.
This delegation was headed by Mark Kirk of Illinois and Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania. It was, in the words of one of the participants, the most unvarnished conversation they've ever had with the president.
Another member has said he has met with three presidents and never been so candid. They told the president, and one said, quote, "My district is prepared for defeat. We need candor, we need honesty, Mr. President."
The president responded, "I don't want to pass this off to another president. I don't want to pass this off, particularly, to a democratic president," underscoring he understood how serious the situation was.
Brian, the Republican congressmen went on to say, "The word about the war and its progress cannot come from the White House or even you, Mr. President. There's no longer any credibility. It has to come from General Petraeus.
The meeting lasted an hour and fifteen minutes, and was, in the words of one, " remarkable for the bluntness, and no holds barred honesty and the message delivered by all these Republican congressmen.
BRIAN WILLIAMS: And Tim...how did the president react and how did this then affect the instructions for VP Cheney heading off to Iraq?
RUSSERT: One congressman said, "How can our daughters and sons spill their blood while the Iraqi parliament goes on vacation? The president responded, "The Vice President is over there to tell them, 'Do not go on vacation.'"
Developing...
Saudi Arabia has been the principal funding source for the Jihad movement over the past 20 years. They are NOT our friends and never have been. They are the SOURCE of the “WOT”. Their government acts as an ally purely to use our military force against their religious enemies - the Shia.
According to our troops in Iraq, the media reporting here is nothing like what's going on in Iraq. It's like the media here lives in their own make believe world.
You're right about Bush using the bully pulpit. The democrats are making this war about Iraq alone, rather than part of the total war against Islamofacism. Bush needs to remind people what we're actually fighting against. Iraq is just a part of it.
Ughh...I had long thought of Carter as the Democrats' Hoover.
The difference between Bush and Carter is that Bush had 2 terms--and his first one (IMO) was phenomenal.
This “problem” is one of the Republican congress’s own making.
When the Dem’s lied about “Bush’s war for oil”, did they defend Bush and call out the lie? NO!
When the Dem’s said “Bush lied, people died”, did they defend Bush and call out the real lie? NO!
When the Dem’s said it was an illegal war, did they defend Bush and call out this lie? NO!
The list could go on and on. The point is that these cowards thought they could ride out the storm, and survive the next election cycle. Some did. Many did not.
Now they’re at the White House telling the President how difficult it has become for them!?! TOO BAD! If they’d had any spine over the past 2 years, they wouldn’t be in today’s trouble, and the Dems would still be in the minority.
Occasionally you need a good house-cleaning that serves to drive a party back to its roots ... conservative roots in this case.
I wish that someone would tell the members of congress that this is one war they can’t walk away from like Vietnam.
GOOD for you!
BUT...don’t vote for the ‘Rat.
I’m going to stay at home on this vote.
I hate what has become of this state.
I’m giving up on it.
The first job, the primary duty, of a politician is to get re-elected. If a lame duck president does not have the ability and skill to articulate why we're in Iraq, the politicians will look their primary duty and abandon the sinking lame duck in droves.
Leaders will act differently, but they are an endangered species today.
The lack of PR skill is, as others have said here, a great failing of this president.
“For better or worse, he’s now all in favor of that idea.”
For worse. We don’t have the money. And if other nations around the world aren’t buying into the endeavor, why should we? if a nation gets out of line, we pound them. You feed the entire world for one day, they will be hungry the next. Time for them to feed themselves. We can assist with solutions, but we can’t own the solutions.
and another thing,
If we truly are in iraq to nation-build, why aren’t we nation-building in Darfur? Sudan? Somalia? We need to get of that hypocritical horse.
If there is no return for national security or wealth, don’t engage in it. Or is this a “feel good” project? There is no bringing democracy to murdering scum. the murdering scum have to be killed off first, or kicked out.
Two words of advice for free: Adjust Meds
I can’t believe it!
12,466 hits, 451 posts, two days later and you guys are still at it? LOL
“I hope the meeting was positive for all who attended.”
I do too, and, according to Rep Ray LaHood, it was. You can watch his appearance on C-SPAN this morning here (I think “peoria US policy” is a typo):
http://www.c-span.org/videoarchives.asp?CatCodePairs=,&ArchiveDays=100
Rep. Ray LaHood (R-IL), 18th District
Rep. Ray LaHood (R-IL), 18th District, Peoria, Jacksonville, Springfield, talks about peoria U.S. policy in Iraq and his meeting with President Bush along with other Republican moderates Wednesday.
5/11/2007: WASHINGTON, DC: 14 min.
“He use to work in Intelligence while in the Reserves. “
Still does! Im going to kick him in the nuts next time I see him.
“He’s wrong, but I’ll cut Kirk a bit of slack based on his service.”
I wont. His “service” during the war consists of being an armchair warrior back in the pentagram pushing paper around and listening to civilians stroke their beards and opine (most non-political civilians in the DoD, like CIA and State are liberal Bush haters).
Not denegrating serving in DC - somebody has to. But it aint like he’s been “up agin it” in fallujah. He’s a squid intel weenie for pete’s sake!
I think we’re in agreement. No?
We should get involved in other nations when we have a compelling national interest to do so. Whether it’s fighting terrorism, destroying threats to our security, or securing a stable supply of vital natural resources doesn’t matter
I can’t think of any national interest we have in Darfur, Sudan, or Somalia. What’s in it for us?
I can think of plenty of reasons to fight in Iraq. Alas, the current administration has not articulated those to the public and I’m predicting withrdrawal and disaster thereafter.
When these congressmen put the reelection ahead of winning war their true colors are revealed. Hey Kirk get a real job. I hope you lose.
When these congressmen put the reelection ahead of winning war their true colors are revealed. Hey Kirk get a real job. I hope you lose.
Imagine if we tried to implement the Marshall Plan in 1943. You defeat the enemy first.
His refusal to take off the kid gloves and fight for VICTORY rather than simply trying not to lose, is a great failure... almost as great as the lack of PR skills.
Now that’s just off, Kelly. I had just started...lol....
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