Warning: “I don’t know where bin Laden is…” Quote

[HydroAddict]

“I don’t know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don’t care. It’s not that important. It’s not our priority.” - G.W. Bush, 3/13/02

I’ve seen this quote posted many times here at DU. I was going to use it in a debate with some intellectual RW’s (I know oxymoron). These are the kind of guys that demand backup links to everything. I did this same write up last night, but it was buried in a thread and not too many folks got to see it.

After googling for an hour or so the only thing I could come up with is a press conference Bush* did on 3/13/02. As far as I can tell, the actual quote should read…

“So I don't know where he is. You know, I just don't spend that much time on him, Kelly, to be honest with you. I'm more worried about making sure that our soldiers are well-supplied; that the strategy is clear; that the coalition is strong; that when we find enemy bunched up like we did in Shahikot Mountains, that the military has all the support it needs to go in and do the job, which they did.”

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020313-8.html

The entire press conference, however, is still pretty damning from today’s perspective.

Now unless there was another conference that day, or the White House site has changed the transcript, this quote is false. It is worthy of a Snopes entry, IMO. Please correct me if I'm wrong, because the shortend form of the quote would make a damn good bumper sticker.

[Deb]

1. Here ya go Hydro

http://www.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/03/13/Bush.news.conference/

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush said Wednesday he is "deeply concerned" about Iraq, not that concerned about Osama bin Laden and plans to keep all options on the table -- including nuclear weapons -- to protect the United States from any attacks.

.........

"By contrast, Bush downplayed concern on the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden, saying the accused terrorist mastermind is on the run and "I truly am not that concerned about him."

[thebigidea]

2. CSPAN has the video, I've used that line in collages