we've released the actual budget numbers for the fiscal year that ended on September the 30th. These numbers show that we have now achieved our goal of cutting the federal budget deficit in half, and we've done it three years ahead of schedule.But by all means, let's us Conservatives stay home to protest profligate Republican spending....
Plus a statement about North Korea and a plea for us to see the big picture in Iraq: Sunni tribal leaders pledging to work with the Maliki government to drive out al-Qaeda; the de-certification of the corrupt Iraqi 8th brigade; a joint operation over the weekend.
The reason I bring this up, these examples up, is that there's a political process that's going forward, and it's the combination of security and a political process that will enable the United States to achieve our objective, which is an Iraq that can govern itself, sustain itself, defend itself, and be an ally in this war on terror.
Probably the yummiest part was when he put NPR, Pelosi & Kerry in their places in one fell swoop.
Let's see. Yes, sir, Mr. NPR. Welcome to the front row. Yes, it's good.
Q Thank you. It's good to be here. Appreciate it. Following up on that answer, one of the things Democrats complain about is the way you portray their position --
THE PRESIDENT: Oh, really?
Q -- in wanting to fight the war on terror. They would say you portray it as either they support exactly what you want to do, or they want to do nothing. We hear it in some of your speeches. Is it fair to portray it to the American people that way?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think it's fair to use the words of the people in Congress or their votes. The vote was on the Hamdan legislation: Do you want to continue a program that enabled us to interrogate folks, or not? And all I was doing was reciting the votes. I would cite my opponent in the 2004 campaign when he said there needs to be a date certain from which to withdraw from Iraq. I characterize that as cut and run because I believe it is cut and run. In other words, I've been using either their votes or their words to characterize their positions.
Q But they don't say cut and run.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, they may not use cut and run, but they say date certain is when to get out, before the job is done. That is cut and run. Nobody has accused me of having a real sophisticated vocabulary, I understand that. And maybe their -- their words are more sophisticated than mine. But when you pull out before the job is done, that's cut and run as far as I'm concerned. And that's cut and run as far as most Americans are concerned. And so, yes, I'm going to continue reminding them of their words and their votes.
Heh. Earlier, he'd put James Earl Carter and his preposterous self-serving NYT op-ed the other day away too.
bilateral negotiations didn't work. I appreciate the efforts of previous administrations. It just didn't work.
That's exactly right. I don't share the talk-show hosts' piling on Clinton/Carter for their Norko expedition --it was worth a shot. But it didn't work. What I fault them for is pretending it did and that Bush somehow messed it all up. At any rate, later he returns to this point.
It says volumes about a person who signs an agreement with one administration and signs an agreement or speaks about an agreement with another administration and doesn't honor the agreement. It points up the fact that these are dangerous regimes and requires an international effort to work in concert.
Translation: Jimmy Carter has no idea what he is talking about.
Bush also takes the opportunity here to explain why he's committed to 6 party talks, and --although he has to ask himself the question-- the difference between Norko, Iran & Iraq. I note also in his comments about Norko and again in a question about the border fence, Bush's interest in human rights and dignity --the overarching concern of his foreign policy.
