Dean on radio address calls Bush out on his "my way or the highway" rhetoric.

[madfloridian]

The Saturday radio address from the DNC, transcript and audio

Dean: We Will Do What the American People Have Asked Us To Do and Bring Our Troops Home

As Americans, we are united in our support for our troops. And because we support our troops, Democrats have put forward a plan for success in Iraq. A plan to get us out of Iraq.

We have made it clear that we will work with the President to find a solution. In response, the President continues to say "my way or the highway," and Vice President Cheney uses divisive rhetoric to question the patriotism of members of Congress who disagree with him. That's not what the country needs right now.

It is time for the President and Republicans in Congress to stop try to bully their way through this and work with Democrats to end the war. It's time for the President to show respect to the American people, who voted overwhelmingly to leave Iraq.

President Bush and his Republican allies did not have a clear plan when they misled our nation into this war and they do not have a clear plan to get our troops out. The Republicans sent our brave men and women in uniform to Iraq without proper body armor, equipment or training.

Our military is now stretched to a breaking point. Just this week, the Army announced they will send large division units back to Iraq without giving them at least a year's rest at home, as the Pentagon's standards require. Because our forces have been so badly depleted, the Pentagon just yesterday announced they are deploying an additional 12,000 National Guard reserves to Iraq.

More at the link.

[youngdem]

1. Every time I read or hear something by Dr. Dean, I wish again he were running

I guess we didn't deserve him.

In a way, he is doing more important work, growing the party, but I do wish we were gearing up for a Dean reelection right now.

[Cha]

12. Dean took the journey he had to

make it to be where he is now; in this spectacularly, suited for him, elavated postion of DNC Chairman. Where he is making Dem inroads no Dem has gone before(lately anyway).

[Anwen]

14. I feel the same way!

Oh, how I wish he was running...

[Vidar]

19. He certainly sounds more presidential than anyone running.

[madfloridian]

2. Headlines: "Dean accuses president of `bullying"

http://www.ksby.com/Global/story.asp?S=6338750

Very true.

[tulsakatz]

4. Bush veto threat...........

...reading this article, reminded me of Bush's threat to veto any legislation with a date for withdrawal.

So now I'm thinking, why doesn't he just issue another one of his many signing statements? I mean, why go to the trouble to veto something when you can just state that you're going to ignore part of the legislation?

[madfloridian]

3. Blair this week told Bush to back off....

the hostage situation. Calling Bush on his actions is happening more.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/4/7/23219/60595

"From today's Guardian, we learn that the Bush administration wanted to escalate tensions with Iran after the 15 British sailors were seized two weeks ago. How predictable; for Bush and Cheney, any resort to diplomacy is a token of weakness. Bush offered to use American naval forces provocatively in order to threaten Iran.

Instead, Blair told them to stay out of it. He also asked Bush & Co. to tone down the rhetoric while Britain tried to free the hostages without provoking a war.

Hence Bush's closest ally in his Middle East fiasco has concluded that he cannot be trusted with any sensitive issues. No wonder that the success of the British negotiations has sent Bush's apologists into orbit. It's an insult to everything their guy stands for, not to give war a chance."

[dragonlady]

5. Say what you will about Tony Blair

he does seem to care more about his troops than Bush/Cheney care about ours.

[madfloridian]

6. Yes, he does.

Bush has put down a lot this week, and he is too dumb to know it.

[Vidar]

20. Maybe he'll pee on Bush's leg like a rebellious poodle.

[madfloridian]

7. One last kick before it disappears.

This was a great address today.

[Cha]

8. Very Good that the DNC has

their own radio address. Dean is doing great work here..


"We have presented this plan to President Bush, but he stubbornly refuses even to discuss it.

We intend to see that the troops get what they deserve and we will not give President Bush a blank check for a war without end.

Contrary to what President Bush says, Democrats are funding priorities that Republicans have long ignored. We are providing $96 billion to ensure troops have the resources they need. We're providing $4.3 billion to make sure they receive the health care they deserve and we're providing $2 billion to secure our ports, mass transit and airports. That's what President Bush calls pork. We call it supporting our troops."

"Ire" statements by Dean.

[madfloridian]

9. Here's a link to the past ones...

http://www.dnc.org/a/press/audio/radio_address/

I think the various committees choose the one to give the address.

This is a powerful one today.

[Cha]

10. Thanks, mad~ That's perfect timing

for Dean to be the one this week with all this Pertinent Information.

I hate to bring up bad news but I bet carville et al are freakin' out with This AND Dean speaking to the Yalies and getting such a great response.

Thank you, Dean, for being who you are and taking us further down the Principled Dem Road than we would ever be without ya.

Not to say there aren't some equally awesome Dem Leaders out there..I'm just thanking this particular one.

[Larkspur]

11. Thank Goddess for Howard Dean

Don't ever let LIEberman give the Dems radio address again.

[madfloridian]

15. I just noticed something.

I don't see the Lieberman address up there yet.

[Ghost in the Machine]

13. off to the greatest!!

Dr Dean can speak for me any day...

[tn355]

16. Go Howard

Two of the week's most memorable images for me were George ordering the "Democrat party" to bring him legislation he could sign, contrasted with Nancy Pelosi showing up the entire, Draconian administration in Syria.

[newyawker99]

17. Hi tn355!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[madfloridian]

18. Nice sensible headline from The Hill.

Dean calls on Bush to work with Democrats

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean Saturday called on President Bush to work with Democrats on Iraq war policy and accused the administration of endangering U.S. troops by sending them to war without a clear mission.

“We’ve made it clear that we will work with the president to find a solution,” Dean said. “In response, the president continues to say, ‘My way or the highway.’”

“President Bush and his Republican allies did not have a clear plan when they misled our nation into this war and they do not have a clear plan to get our troops out,” Dean said. “Republicans sent our brave men and women in uniform to Iraq without proper body armor, equipment or training.”

Dean blamed the administration for straining America’s armed forces, citing Friday’s Pentagon announcement that 12,000 additional National Guard units will be deployed to Iraq. Dean also offered recent scandals over veterans’ health care as “an appalling example of the way that President Bush and the Republicans in Congress have failed our men and women in uniform.”

[cascagraphic]

21. Dean is the best political agitator alive today.

[madfloridian]

22. He does seem to be that.

He has to walk a fine line. He does it better than I could, because I am still too angry at the right wing.

[madfloridian]

23. Just did a google blog search. Media may not be covering this...

but the bloggers are. It is an important address...