Democrats mostly pleased but give no credit to Bush

GoGov ^ | SFGate

[BJungNan]

Democratic presidential candidates welcomed news Sunday of Saddam Hussein's capture, saying the arrest of Iraq's former dictator marked a great day for U.S. soldiers, the people of Iraq and of the world.

"I supported this effort in Iraq without regard for the political consequences because it was the right thing to do," Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt said in a statement from Sumter, S.C., where he was campaigning. "I still feel that way now, and today is a major step toward stabilizing Iraq and building a new democracy."

Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, who supported the Iraq war but has become increasingly critical of its aftermath, also looked to the future.

"Capturing Saddam Hussein and ensuring that this brutal dictator will never return to power is an important step toward stabilizing Iraq for the Iraqis," Kerry said in a statement from Iowa.

He also urged the Bush administration to involve more U.S. allies in the rebuilding of Iraq and criticized a Pentagon memo that prohibited companies from countries that did not provide troops for the war from bidding on lucrative reconstruction contracts there.

"We need to share the burden, bring in other countries and make it clear to the world that Iraq belongs to the Iraqi people," Kerry said.

Former Gen. Wesley Clark said Saddam's arrest, Saturday night in a town several miles from his hometown of Tikrit, could help squelch the postwar violence.

"I hope this will see a diminishing in the violence against American soldiers in Iraq," Clark said as he arrived in the Netherlands. Clark was on his way to The Hague, to testify in the war crimes trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.

Howard Dean, one of the most critical candidates of Bush's policy, said in West Palm Beach, Fla., that he expected the capture to change "the course of the occupation of Iraq."

"I think the first order of business is to say this is a great day -- I congratulate the Iraqi people -- and to say that this is a great day for both the American military and the American people and for the Iraqi people."

Asked for his reaction, Sen. Joe Lieberman said: "Praise the Lord."

"This is something that I have been working on with a lot of other people, advocating and praying for, for more than 12 years since the Gulf War of '91," he said on NBC's "Meet the Press." Lieberman also called it a "day of triumph and joy for anybody in the world who cares about freedom and human rights and peace."

But Carol Moseley Braun said that while it was good news, Saddam's arrest "does not change the fact that our troops remain in harm's way and we are no closer to bringing them home."

[bootless]

Oh, good grief! Now I need another shower. Good for PeteNYC for at least trying to acknowledge how GOOD this is - shame on the cynical parsemeisters.

Speaking of which (segue alert), I got this in the email from a friend of mine down in Lampassas, TX - a World War II P-38 ace:

"Have you heard what the troops are calling the Sikorsky Blackhawk helicopter Hillary Clinton used on her Iraq tour?

"Broomstick One"

:-)

[NittanyLion]

This is what happens when I party's only chance of success is for the nation's current endeavors to fail. It must be hard rooting against everything American.

[NittanyLion]

That is, when A party's...

[Thoro]

Lieberman and Gephart show some good grace, the rest, screw them and the Arabian horses they rode in on.

They're the only two that have some semblance of recognition of the big picture and long term effects; the rest only care about immediate power. Sadly, neither of the somewhat normal two have a snowball's chance in heck of winning their party's nomination.

[NYC Republican]

Sen. Joe Lieberman said: "Praise the Lord." I always liked that guy, even though I never saw eye to eye with his politics. I agree with you.

Lieberman is a SCUMBAG, just like the other dems. The only difference is his support for the war. He;s a two-faced hypocrite, who talks moderate (for a Dem), but when push comes to shove, he's a snake in the grass... Note how he did a 180 during the '00 elections. Note how he also blames Bush for being a total failure.

Like I said, he's a SCUMBAG.

[MrsEmmaPeel]

What is all that crap? And why is it here?

[bootless]

Yep - it's like selling short every day...

Democrats: The Party of Pessimism (new symbol: a half-empty glass)

[bootless]

Apt, I'd say!

[NittanyLion]

Yep. Unemployment's down...bad news. Saddam's been captured...more bad news. No more terrorists have attacked the US...horrible news.

What a miserable outlook on life.

[Maceman]

What is all that crap? And why is it here?

Because I get a kick out of the idiocy at DU, and on a day when they are all on suicide watch, I think a lot of other Freepers would benefit from seeing how the lunatic Democratic base is responding to good news for America and Bush.

[MrsEmmaPeel]

I think a lot of other Freepers would benefit from seeing how the lunatic Democratic base is responding to good news for America

Why does that anti-American crap deserve any kind of bandwidth here? It should be ignored. If people want to read that garbage, they are free to go to the source. It shouldn't be thrust in our faces, here.

[Maceman]

Why does that anti-American crap deserve any kind of bandwidth here? It should be ignored. If people want to read that garbage, they are free to go to the source. It shouldn't be thrust in our faces, here.

Well, I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.

[MainFrame65]

I think the democrats have planted a new kind of grape. It ferments directly to vinegar, with nothing palatable along the path to its corrosive climax. And worst of all, their fields are barren of any other crop.

[Joy Angela]

Next Capture:

HILLARY

[stratman1969]

Because I get a kick out of the idiocy at DU, and on a day when they are all on suicide watch, I think a lot of other Freepers would benefit from seeing how the lunatic Democratic base is responding to good news for America and Bush.

Thanks for posting these. It is a reminder to see how the Rats and posters on DUh are the enemy within and hate America.

[BJungNan]

What is all that crap? And why is it here?

I agree. If I want to see DU posts I will go there (I'll have to wash out my computer after I do). A reference suggesting a look with a link is all that should be posted.

[thesummerwind]

To be honest, I saw Dean on TV a few minutes ago(it was taped from earlier today), and he was very decent. Very decent on the capture. It was refreshing!

[thesummerwind]

Dean; "I think the first order of business is to say this is a great day -- I congratulate the Iraqi people -- and to say that this is a great day for both the American military and the American people and for the Iraqi people."

Dean also gave direct, gentlemanly congratulations to the President, this was neatly left out of this article.

I only mention this to be fair to him. He's usually a jerk, but today he was the best of the candidates on the capture - Kerry bringing up the back.......what a slug!

[MrsEmmaPeel]

Thank you.