Matthews Milbank & Buchanan discuss Bush's "wag the dog" options with Iran

[JohnnyCougar]

http://mediamatters.org/items/200603180001

Summary: On Hardball, Chris Matthews, Dana Milbank, and Pat Buchanan discussed what they agreed were the likely political benefits to President Bush and congressional Republicans if he were to launch a pre-emptive war against Iran.

On the March 15 edition (7:00 p.m. ET hour) of MSNBC's Hardball, host Chris Matthews, Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank, and MSNBC political analyst Pat Buchanan discussed what they agreed were the likely political benefits to President Bush and congressional Republicans in November 2006 if Bush were to launch a pre-emptive war against Iran. Buchanan posited: "I don't think he's going to do it for political reasons, but if he did do it for political reasons, you'd do it in October," because "you'd get right up the polls ... you'd win the election." Matthews, who confessed to being "staggered by the possible truth" in Buchanan's comments, invited Milbank to comment. Milbank noted that "here is undoubtedly a rallying effect," but, according to Milbank, the question regarding a possible war against Iran launched partially -- or purely -- for political gain is: "Exactly when do you do the action, and exactly how long do you stay up at the top of the heap here?"

The transcript of this exchange is not available on the MSNBC website, nor is it available in the Nexis or Factiva databases. The transcript of the March 15 (5:00 p.m. ET hour) edition of Hardball, which featured Buchanan opposite former Clinton White House chief of staff Leon Panetta, is available on MSNBC.com and on Nexis and Factiva. The transcript below was drawn from Media Matters for America's archive and from the Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy weblog.

This is scary.

[Virginia Dare]

1. So whats the ratio?

How many thousands of lives equals how many points in the polls?

:puke:

[babylonsister]

2. Why would attacking Iran increase poll numbers? Every poll I've

seen lately has dimson in the toilet because of the way he's handled Iraq. I don't get the thinking here. I would hope people would see right through this, though I've lost lots of faith in at least half the country. :-(

[JohnnyCougar]

5. I don't mean to disturb you further,

but a Gallup poll was just released saying close to 40% of this country still thinks Saddam Hussein had something to do with 9/11.

So in other words, you can't trust a giant chunk of the public to have any sense at all. :scared:

[bahrbearian]

3. War in October = $5.00 a gallon Gas in November

Its Win -Win for the Neocons

[SeattleGirl]

4. I watched that segment and was blown away by it.

I mean, my God, talking about yet ANOTHER pre-emptive war as a way to gain political capital? Un-fucking-believable! :wow:

[BlueManDude]

7. The fact that they can seriously speculate about this

without all coming to the conclusion that Bush should be impeached is telling.

[JNelson6563]

10. No kiddin', since it's worked so well so far

More of the same!

These guys really need a ride on the Clue Bus.

[ginnyinWI]

6. people are fed up with war--they'd just get madder at the repubs.

Throw conventional wisdom out--this isn't going to work, and they'd be stupid to try it. The deaths, the costs--this country has had enough. And the WH has zero credibility--none left for selling it with.

[bahrbearian]

8. In the words from our glorious War Chimp,

"I make the decision to go to war ,not the American people."

[BlueManDude]

9. I agree

people all over this country from the reddest of the red to the bluest of the blue have come face to face with the reality that the War on Terror/Iraq could conceivably go on forever - unless THEY put an end to it. Many deluded themselves (or were duped into believing) that there would be clean and clearcut "victories" that we could achieve and then we could return to "normal." What they see now is that the Bush Admin has thrust our arm so deep into the hornet's nest that just getting out (forget about "winning" whatever that is) will be difficult enuf.