Bush Takes a Poke at Howard Dean

[papau]

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-politics-bush.html

Bush Takes a Poke at Howard Dean
By REUTERS

Filed at 3:58 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush broke his own rule against being drawn into early political exchanges on Monday when he took his first direct poke at anti-war Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean.<snip>

Dean has riled Republicans in recent weeks by tossing out a theory that Bush had advance warning from Saudi Arabia of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, suggesting Bush knew what was going to happen and did nothing to stop it

When asked about the theory, Bush at first stuck to his formulation that "there's time for politics" later and that he has a job to do first. But then he could not resist rejecting the theory.

"It's an absurd insinuation," said Bush, his eyes narrowing.<snip>


"There will be ample time to have the debate about whether or not it's the right strategy or not. I look forward to the debate. I look forward to making my case to the American people about why America is more secure today, based upon the decisions that I've made," he said.<snip>

[Skittles]

1. he looks forward to a debate??

BULLSHIT!!! Where are the WMD, George? Where are the jobs, George? Why can't you get your head out of your ass, George?

[Homer12]

5. You read GW statement all wrong Skittles.

He really didn't mean debate, me meant that their is plenty of time to masterbate.

[Guaranteed]

52. [snort]

:)

[PaDUer]

42. Are they going to have..

an earpiece telling him what to say or a teleprompter with the replies?

[MODemocrat]

56. Ted Koppell will probably be the moderator

and the questions will all be loaded in favor of one liner Bush.
:thumbsdown: :crazy:

[Clark4Prez]

65. I'll write his first question...

"Can I ask everyone who thinks Howard Dean can beat George W Bush to raise their hands?" :dunce: (BTW, the dunce is for Koppel, just to keep me out of Dutch with the mods)

It'll go down hill from there, just like the last one.

[ithacan]

2. America is more secure??!!

Yet another lie falls from the mouth of the shrubster...

[HuckleB]

3. Karl must be fuming!

The debate has begun in earnest! Can the media really ignore Dem answers to Bush on this now?

[knight_of_the_star]

23. If they do at first

Then we'll just have to say it again LOUDER!

[Qutzupalotl]

4. Great!

"There will be ample time to have the debate about whether or not it's the right strategy or not. I look forward to the debate. I look forward to making my case to the American people about why America is more secure today, based upon the decisions that I've made," he said.

That'll give Howard Dean ample time to make the case that Bush's policies are making us less safe!

[xxqqqzme]

6. ok it's absurd?...

but he's not going 2 deny it either. I too am looking forward to hearing how much safer we all R, especially after the budget cuts 2 1st responders.

[LuminousX]

7. Doesn't that pretty much seal Bush's fate if we have another domestic

terrorist attack?

[hametzpay]

59. seal his what? his election?

Sorry, thats just too much rhetoric and not enough perception.

How do you think this whole thing got started, anyway? With Dubya doin' education? (well, actually, he was addressing the Florida 4th graders when the towers started tumbling down...)

Just what he needs is another chance to "shock and awe", only this time (God forbid) it will be atleast a tactical NUCLEAR RESPONSE.

WE REALLY DON'T WANT OSAMA TO PUSH THERE DO WE?

[SeveneightyWhoa]

8. Here's the video of this:

http://dc.indymedia.org/usermedia/video/10/9_11.mpg

Look at him stumbling around nervously, angrily. He looks like someone just kicked him in the testes. Nervous about something, Mr. Bush?

[sendero]

9. He got..

...testes? When?

[SeveneightyWhoa]

12. That doesnt seem to be working..Try this:

http://images.indymedia.org/imc/washingtondc/media/video/6/9_11laugh.mpg

[frylock]

14. was he shaking the cobwebs out, or what?!

I haven't seen anything like that since the video of shrub at the wedding reception.. only in 'merka, only in 'merka. He looked loaded!

[robbob]

29. Not loaded

He looks like he is lying through his teeth. He can barely get the words out ("That's an absurd insinuation..."). Say what you will against Reagan, at least he could read the script and lie with a straight face. b*'s whole body language in that clip screams out his guilt.

[Dommael]

30. It's true what they say...

D.C. is really Hollywood for ugly people.

::smoke::

[silverweb]

10. Hehehe...

Poke away, George, if you think you're prepared to be poked back.

Dean has said more than once that when he's pushed, he tends to push back. I'll wager that goes for "poked," as well.

:evilgrin:

[xray s]

11. Dean should poke right back

Why are you hiding your intellegence briefings leading up to 9/11?

Why did you ignore the report the Clinton administration left you on the dangers of bin Laden?

Why did your father and Ronald Reagan support Hussein in the 80's?

Why did they sell him precurors to WMD and give him satellite intellegence in 1984?

Why did your fathers spokesman, April Glaspie, tell Hussein the US had no opinion about border disputes between Iraq and Kuwait in the summer of 1990, shortly before he invaded Kuwait?

Why was your Sec of Def in Baghdad shaking Husseins hand in 1983?

How can you sleep at night?

[candy331]

15. Why didn't he say

"Bring it on" Dean keep on with your keeping on.

[lostnfound]

67. Too funny! He won't say that when it's his own interests at stake n/t

[petrock2004]

13. without reading the whole story...

this:

"I look forward to the debate. I look forward to making my case to the American people about why America is more secure today, based upon the decisions that I've made..."

actually seems like the most coherent statement i've heard dumbya make. color me surprised.

[Racenut20]

16. Just remember what they consider as debate

$200,000,000.00 of one sided paid advertisements. Scare tatic phone banks into senior citizen and poor hispanic neighborhoods.

[Malva Zebrina]

17. right and remember

how he "debated" McCain.

[David Zephyr]

18. Bush's Statement Now Makes "Bush Knew" An Issue of Debate.

Kudos for Howard Dean.

[tom_paine]

19. Yep. Nice going, Howard...

Take it to the bastards...

[knight_of_the_star]

22. Took him awhile to respond, didn't he?

Clark was already reaming him about this and he said nothing. This should be fun if all NINE decide to jump in on this. CHUM BUCKET IN A SHARK TANK!!!

[Dommael]

31. "chum bucket''

Nice one!

::toast::

[knight_of_the_star]

48. Thank you!

Have one on me!

:beer:

[goforit]

34. All 9 jumpin???.....wouldn't this mean unity????

LOL!!!!

The Dems united!!! has yet to be seen!!!

[knight_of_the_star]

49. That would be so nice if it happened!

Just Clark and Dean hitting Bush is causing damage, imagine if all NINE jumped into the brawl!

[Lisa]

61. tag team!

This is basically what's happened with Canada's NDP (now jumped to 2nd place, or "official opposition party", in the polls).

They just had a leadership contest this fall. It was potentially divisive, but the new leader (Jack Layton) reached out and created a "team" atmosphere ... his former leadership rivals now have top policy positions in the party. Paul Martin just glanced up and realized that there are 9 pairs of eyes locked on him ... and because they're all going to the same meetings, they ALL know what Jack knows.

Now, Martin's an experienced parliamentarian, so he's not going to freak out and run away (though he HAS been taking a lot of swings at the NDP lately, so they're sure having an effect on him).

Bush, though ... the sight of what appeared to be a fragmented Democratic Party suddenly focusing on him "like a laser" ... he'd dive into Saddam's spider-hole!

[lostnfound]

68. hmm..maybe Dems can't unite isn't cuz they're disorganized; it's because..

they've got a LOT of spoilers. Like Lieberman.

[Minstrel Boy]

38. you know it:

Take it to the bastards...

Nobody's better at turning their spin against them.

[joeunderdog]

46. maybe he should ask Shrub to give his feedback on this...

http://www.takebackthemedia.com/true911.html

[drfemoe]

55. You would hope

that the other candidates would also challenge res on 'what he knew and why he's not talking' or co-operating with the investigations .. from what I've heard from the talking heads, the other DEM candidates are using this to attack DEAN!! .. :shrug:

[lostnfound]

69. That is SO stupid. n/t

[DieboldMustDie]

20. Insinuation?

Wow! That's a really big word for little Georgie ;)

[tlcandie]

21. Actually, I think he must be taking lessons from Condi on the

nervous ticks and eyeball movement... :eyes:

[janx]

25. Yeah. Condi's not exactly what one would call

a pokerface.

[proud patriot]

24. Notice he didn't deny it ..

just said it was absurd that is not a denial

[Cronus Protagonist]

32. Exactly. If someone had posed that question to an innocent party

Surely it would be time for some of that righteous indignation Bush is so famous for, but no, all we got was wavering and a non-denial. He's really squirming. I think he dumped a load into his daiper during that question.

FUCK BUSH Buttons, Stickers & Magnets

[janx]

26. That headline is really funny!

It implies that Bush* is a wimp.

[CalProf]

27. Who was that idiot who asked the question?

"Do you agree or disagree with the RNC that this sort of this borders on hate speech?"

Spout RNC talking points, throw the moron a softball, and he whiffs! Couldn't even answer it!

[lostnfound]

71. Actually, that may have been a clever way to ask a question..

that couldn't be asked otherwise or that would have gotten him fired and made a laughingstock in mainstream circles.

He managed to capture the president's uncensored reaction without seeming to be attacking from the fringes. He couched it in a pretty wrapping but the danger was still there.

[Malva Zebrina]

28. I hope he keeps poking because that will be his downfall

he cannot resist the adolescent impulse to "bring em on" and act like a tough guy.

Let him poke to his heart's content--he will lose simply because he does not have the brains or the intelligence to rise to the occasion. May he continue to poke--indeed we should irk and annoy him more, so that he will not be able to resist the poke and reveal himself as the idiot that is missing from the village in Texas.

[truthisfreedom]

33. i like this. dean is drawing him out.

fun!

[goforit]

35. Bush never said "thanks" to Dean congratulating him on Saddam.

Oh well.........Dean must be getting under his skin.

[PartyPooper]

43. Whoever said Bush was well-bred with manners and decorum?

He belongs in the pigsty at Crawford.

[nini]

36. BRING IT ON W

You will make a major fool out of yourself.


and why didn't you DENY it? hmmm

[DinahMoeHum]

37. Bring it on, George Bush, bring it on (boom boom)

n/t

:kick:

[Minstrel Boy]

39. That clip is chilling

The body language, the paaaause, the choice of words. It clearly caught him unprepared, and that was not the reaction of an innocent man.

Bush and 9/11 is on the table, and this is a very good thing. Perversely, 9/11 has been Bush's greatest asset. This can be denied him and even be made his greatest liability.

[lightbulb]

40. Agreed, it really gives me the creeps

You can feel the walls closing in on him. I've been showing this to people and everyone reacts the same... "OH MY GOD."

[monobrau]

50. He does know something

Looked like he was busted to me. I saw a man grit his teeth and tell a bald faced lie.
where is our Ellsberg?

[DisgustedTX]

41. I smell the innocent cowpoke BS angle starting early

Dumbya - ignorant fool for the masses.

It worked in 2000 - it will work again with a brownshirt media brigade.

[Manix]

44. Is this guy not good at anything..he's even a lousy liar!!!! LOL

nt

[stickdog]

45. That's it from these folks. The big lie followed by the big lie followed

by the big lie.

[PurityOfEssence]

47. Izzums a widdoe...SCARED?!

Poor Junior. Plays a trump and can't even cash in in retailerville.

Three point in the polls. Ooooh. Some stock rally, too...

Much as I don't like Dean, he can't even be mentioned in the same sentence as Junior; Dean gives a fuck about people.

It might be interesting for a Dean/Bush fight for this, if nothing else: Dean will provoke Smirky to show the vengeful ugliness and selfish rage that boils within. If the American people see Junior as a real pissy little creep, it'll obliterate so much of the image that it may turn the tide.

[petrock2004]

54. i have to disagree...

only because i have a very good friend who happens to be a repub. in fact, he is very closely related to somebody who was recently listed in the top 10 conservative idiots. and he said something to me along the lines of "looks like this is going to turn into an ugly smear campaign." here, i thought he was talking about all the hate ads about dem. candidates, but when i asked him he said he meant all the mean nasty things everybody is saying about bush.

that made me wanna :puke:. people tell the truth, and all the dittoheads can do is say how mean they are for insulting such a great man...

i predict sympathy from the walmart masses. shame, isn't it.

[mac56]

72. This is why they also have to attack Rove.

If they won't accept criticism about the chimp, maybe they will about the organ grinder.

Don't underestimate the "Wal-Mart masses", by the way. They're more savvy about this than they get credit for.

[Blade]

51. How the hell did Dubya...

make this country more secure?????

[CWebster]

53. This is the thing I love about Dean

He stays right in Chimpy's face.

With all the fanfare over Saddam's "capture" and the political posturing and triumphant media, with all the hysteria and resignation that Bush would surely win the election now and it was over for Dean - Here it is a few days later and already Bush's momentum slows and Dean is back on the front page of the NYTimes calling the Chimp's bluff again.

[Chomskyite]

58. He's Harry Truman part 2

If the Dean campaign leadership and the campaign himself have not been reading lots of biographies of Truman, I'll eat my own hat. This is precisely what Truman did in his campaigns. He was aggressive from beginning to end. He responded to every single thing tossed at him and he did it early and often.

We've not seen a campaigner like this since 1948. Whether you're for Clark, Kerry, Kucinich or any of the others (all good people except Leiberman), it has to be a pleasure just to watch Dean and his people work.

To see that it's taking a mental toll on Bush this early is not surprising, but it is a very very GOOD thing.

He's going to be under continued, sustained pressure like he won't believe.

[Chomskyite]

57. If I'm Karl Rove, I keep Bush as far from a debate against Dean

. . . or Clark if either is to be nominated. He would not survive a single debate with either of them.

[0007]

60. Dean's gettin under junior's skin, I think!

[Blaze Diem]

62. DEAN nor CLARK will be quieted by Koppel....

They are both too bright and know what they are talking about. They will never play a submissive role in the face of a pansy-ass media whore. They both LOVE this game and know how to play Bush. They both would love to seize that precious moment...to stuff the little tyrant Bush into total public humiliation....un-decypherable Bush-sputtered verbage. YA, BRING ON THE LITTLE GRUNT_BOY!! Bring along those college transcripts too, you stupid little shit!! Can't wait.

[Myra]

64. Bush has taken a poke at both of them in the past few days.

A good sign for them!

[Blaze Diem]

63. Bush debates Dean???...Pass the Popcorn

Did Bush even take a "debate" course in College?? Bet Future President Dean did...and I bet he excelled..Bring it on bugger-nose Bush.

[King_Crimson]

66. I've said it before...

and I'll say it again...operatives in the Democratic party need to start attcking Rove, if nothing else, for being the deranged misfit that he is....ANYTHING to divert his attention into a self-defense mode so Numbnuts won't have anyone whispering in his ear!

[pinniped]

70. Debate? I bet Pres. Chimpy will have an earpiece hidden...

somewhere near his earwig ridden ear.

POS' gonna get smaked down in the debates.