BLAME AMERICA FIRST? ON THE EVE OF WAR, DASCHLE TRIES TO GAIN PARTISAN ADVANTAGE

Republican National Committee ^ | 17 March 2003 | RNC Research

[PhiKapMom]

RNC Research

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BLAME AMERICA FIRST? ON THE EVE OF WAR, DASCHLE TRIES TO GAIN PARTISAN ADVANTAGE

With American Troops Poised To Fight, Daschle Blames Potential War Casualties On President Bush

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SENATOR TOM DASCHLE: “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 International Association Of Firefighters Conference, 3/17/03)

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BEFORE LAST NOVEMBER’S ELECTION, DASCHLE SUPPORTED USE OF FORCE IN IRAQ AND RECOILED AT POLITICIZING DEBATE

Senator Daschle Voted For The Resolution “To Authorize The Use Of United States Armed Forces Against Iraq” Last October. (H. J. Res. 114, Roll Call #237: Passed 77-23: R 48-1; D 29-21; I 0-1, 10/11/02, With Daschle Voting Yea.)

Last Fall, Daschle 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. … [I]t 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)

Daschle Said “Never Once” Did He Politicize The War In Iraq In 1991-92, And Hoped We Would Have the “Same Level Of Debate This Time.” “I can recall in 1991 and 1992 … when President Bush made the decision he did. I can recall several of my staff coming to me, suggesting that we say this or that. But never once did I have someone on my staff … refer to the politics of the war with Iraq. … We need that same level of debate this time …” (Senator Tom Daschle, Congressional Record, 9/25/02)

IN 1998, DASCHLE SUPPORTED USE OF FORCE IN IRAQ AND CALLED FOR BIPARTISANSHIP

Daschle Recognized That “Saddam Hussein Leaves Us Little Choice” But “The 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)

Daschle Wanted A “United” And “Bipartisan” Message That “Iraq Must Comply.” “Iraq must comply. There is no choice. We stand united in our determination to do whatever is necessary … The United States has the resolve to ensure that compliance and we stand united today in an effort to articulate that very clear message as loudly, as unequivocally, and in as much of a bipartisan way as we can.” (Senator Tom Daschle, Congressional Record, 2/12/98)

Daschle Called For “Immediate Iraqi Compliance” Or “Threat By Force” Would Be “Required.” “[A]bsent immediate Iraqi compliance … the security threat doesn’t simply persist – it worsens. Saddam Hussein must understand that the United States has the resolve to reverse that threat by force, if force is required.” (Senator Tom Daschle, Congressional Record, 2/12/98)

SO WHY, ON THE EVE OF WAR, HAS DASCHLE CHANGED HIS TUNE?

A Publication of the RNC Research Department

[jwalsh07]

I didn't think Thune or Janklow could beat him. I'm not so sure of that anymore. He stepped on it bigtime today. Even the older cowboys ain't gonna be happy with this disgraceful appearance on the eve of war.

[Paleo Conservative]

SO WHY, ON THE EVE OF WAR, HAS DASCHLE CHANGED HIS TUNE?

In 2004 South Dakota needs to change to Thune!

[PhiKapMom]

The link works fine! I just checked and this is now under Top Stories. I get these in email but they are now always posted at RNC.ORG or the new URL -- GOP.com

[TSgt]

They didn't elect him:

Fraud suspected in S.D. Indian voter drive
By Dave Boyer
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
October 15, 2002

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20021015-31793199.htm

Federal and state investigators are probing accusations of voter-registration fraud on South Dakota's Indian reservations, which are Democratic strongholds, weeks before a crucial Senate election.

Excerpt

[FourPeas]

Due to Free Republic's "rules of play" I can't include Mr. FourPeas' comment regarding this -- and he was much nicer than I.

[cardinal4]

I just sent an email to Daschle, reminding him of his statement in 1998 and subsequent comments last September and questioned the difference between Clintons phony, distracting wag the dog speech, and George W Bush's resolve. I also asked him when he was going to get tired of being led around by the nose by Hillary Clinton.

[PhiKapMom]

I saw O'Reilly! I couldn't believe daschle said this on the eve of war! He should be removed as Minority Leader. What Lott said pales in comparision to this!

[RightOnline]

Duck Faschle.

[PhiKapMom]

LOL!!!! I got angrier when I was posting this also as it didn't want to post right and kept leaving our paragraphs. I finally left out all but basic HTML. I gave up on underlining, etc. The longer I went the more I had to read this and the madder I got! Words that were being said are not fit to print on here either!

[nicollo]

Lots of comparisons here of Daschle to the French.

Actually, he's alot dumber than the French. He's using the same strategy as the French, and it will get him just as far, but, while Chirac is playing to his constituents, Daschle is shooting himself in the gut.

Daschle and Chirac will be the biggest losers out of this. Both will probably get Nobel awards. They'll both probably invest the money in Halliburton.

[MoscowMike]

Howdy

You forget, senator daschle said on a Sunday morning talk show that an anti war movement would be beneficial to the USA, thus heartening the Taliban, on the very day that American servicemen were killed in combat in Afghanistan.

I was outraged that a top American political leader would have such callous disregard for the lives of American servicemen engaged in combat on his behalf, as to inform our enemy on the field of battle that if they can just hold out and kill a lot of American soldiers, tom dashle would work to create an "anti war" domestic ally for them.

I thought tom daschle deserved a speedy trial, a conviction for treason, and death before a firing squad for that outrage, and I am banned for life from the Washington post for saying so publicly.

It matters to me not one whit that the taliban had neither the attention span for the means to partner with daschle's then nonexistent domestic anti American protest movement, he was then and is now a real and present danger to the men and women who offer their service, and their lives, that we may be free of megalomaniacal terrorist states and state sponsors of mass murder.

In any event, giving aid and comfort to people dedicated to crushing the life from innocent civilians and shooting American soldiers is nothing new for tom daschle.

It is his way.

[PhiKapMom]

I certainly hope they don't elect him again -- this needs wide distribution in the State of South Dakota -- maybe like letters to the editor, etc.

[Torie]

I don't see how he can defend filibustering Bush court appointments either really in SD. The problem for Daschle is that he has become too national a Dem, and that is not very helpful when you are out of your zone, and that other zone is becoming more repellant to this rather squishy type as time goes by. There doesn't seem to be much sense of responsibility over on the dark side at present. It seems more akin to opportunistic demogoguery, and rather ineffectual demogoguery at that.

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

Explain to me why I should not believe this man is truly Anti-American...

You would need to explain yourself if you believed anything but the FACT that he is anti-American. The people of the State of South Dakota has much to answer for in regard to his presence on the national scene. Boycott South Dakota until Daschle either resigns or the people toss him out of office!

[IncPen]

I've been here since day one and I've never used a perjorative in a post.

Fuck Daschle.

Pull it down, Mod, but I'll be damned if I'll pass without saying this.

[Zon]

SO WHY, ON THE EVE OF WAR, HAS DASCHLE CHANGED HIS TUNE?

There's a possibility that he fits in the below explanation -- looking to gain political advantage anywhere he can get it.

When there's more than one big kid (government) on the block people (countries) take sides with the one the feel has the most to offer in curtailing the power of the other big kid on the block. When there's just one big kid on the block and he's far more powerful the little guys want desperately to control the big guy by whatever means is feasibly possible. They fear that the big kid on the block may one day pressure them in a manner that they will lose some of their power. They gang up not to attack but to curtail the big kid's power regardless even when that power is justified to stop perhaps the world's most tyrannical "leader".

If not siding with United Sates putting down that most tyrannical leader, what's their alternative -- besides the one mentioned above? That the little guys take sides with the world's most tyrannical guy on the block? In effect that's what they're doing. Saddam Hussein is their ally in their desperation to curtail the biggest kid on the block's power.

[JulieRNR21]

O'Reilly (dressed in green) is on fire tonight!
Anyone see him tell Bayh to tell Da$$hole to SHUT UP!

[SeeRushToldU_So]

Done

[gov_bean_ counter]

It was Daschle -- RNC has a record of everything he has said. Just a shame he pulled out of the race for President! Hope that the newspapers in South Dakota cover this. Maybe we should all free them this article!

Will not matter. He along with Pelosi have already nationalized the 2004 Congressionals.