Posted on 04/21/2003 5:47:01 PM PDT by jagrmeister
Clinton And Dole On North Korea Apr 20, 2003 8:08 pm US/Eastern
In the latest in a series of two-minute debates for CBS News 60 Minutes, former President Bill Clinton and former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole talk about North Korea. Following is a transcript of their debate:
PRESIDENT CLINTON: With America's victory in Iraq, President Bush has the time and increased leverage to resolve the nuclear standoff with North Korea. The North Koreans have missiles that can reach our shores, and the capacity to build several nuclear weapons a year.
They probably won't use them -- it would mean their certain destruction -- but they'll be tempted to sell them for food and energy since they can't produce either.
I believe we can get an agreement that ends all their bomb and missile programs, subject to international verification, in return for the U.S. and North Korea's neighbors providing food, energy, and a non-aggression pact -- which of course would be void if they committed a hostile act against South Korea or Japan.
President Bush is in a strong position to resolve this crisis, and I hope he will.
SENATOR DOLE: President Clinton, you used to spin North Korea as a foreign policy victory, remember? I do. You even worried that President Bush has squandered your diplomatic triumph. In return for promises immediately broken, your administration gave North Korea boatloads of aid, and even threw in two nuclear reactors.
Surprise! Guess What? Communist North Korea lied. They snookered us, took the loot and kept working on nuclear weapons. Should the Korean peninsula be nuclear-free? You bet.
Today, wishful thinking does not control our foreign policy. President Bush proved that in Iraq and North Korea got the message. Amazing how leadership works!
PRESIDENT CLINTON: Now Senator, Colin Powell said, "Lots of nuclear weapons were not made," because of the 1994 agreement. The present crisis started with a different and much smaller nuclear program.
When the administration refused to talk to North Korea, they started the big one again. Now that the administration has changed its position and agreed to negotiate, I think we'll be successful.
SENATOR DOLE: President Clinton, excuse me, but the truth is you left Colin Powell and George Bush with a mess to clean up. Really, how many nuclear weapons are you willing to trust North Korea with?
You know, the only thing the Bush administration has changed is your legacy of patty-cake diplomacy. North Korea understands it and so does President Bush.
It's about time Republican leaders took the gloves off regarding Clinton, Bush 43 included.
If he did, I think many of the Democrats following the Daschle/Kennedy/HRC line would fold. Then I believe Bush could get his judicial appointments moving, as well as other items on his agenda. With their support he wouldn't have to wait until the '04 elections and the potential uncertainties there for sufficiently larger congressional majorities.
Seeing some outspoken backbone on the part of Republicans would make the "little-guy" Democrat senators see that they could find a dependable haven to protect them if they stray from the party line. They don't have to change parties, just see the reality of the Daschle et. al, disaster brewing and boost their own re-election chances by joining up with Bush's program.
I agree. Also, wasn't Dole part of the reason why Hillary-care stalled long enough to that it could be discredited? If so, then the man has truly served his country well beyond his military service.
I don't know, but they don't have seniority going back to the election.
SMACKDOWN!
Don't be so sure. Bubba is getting 100K per show. For that kind of money I'm sure he's more than happy to put up with 2 minutes of verbal flogging every week. He loves the attention, even when it is negative.
Dole has always had a strong sarcastic streak. His campaign managers had him hold back for fear that he'd look mean. Big mistake. This is the Dole I'd hoped to see in '96.
Did clinton's face turn really beet-red when Senator Dole said this? Did the veins running through his temples look as if they were about to burst? With lines like this one, the VRWC could be accused of trying to give clinton a stroke on national television. Kudos to the writer of Dole's lines.
Yep, most of them would be dead.
Swish!
My thoughts exactly.
Clinton was probably not up for the debate because he was taking penicillin.
More of the ol' 'crisis' spin? Didn't work then, won't work now...
This is not about freepers being happy to see Klinton staked, but about Dole the jerk that never stops giving in the Senate or the OLD GOP.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.