Posted on 05/13/2004 7:38:12 PM PDT by RWR8189
ARLINGTON, VA -- Bush-Cheney '04 Campaign Chairman Marc Racicot delivered the following remarks on the Bush Cheney '04 conference call today:
"Thank you Steve. Good morning. I'd like to begin our discussion this morning with an excerpt, I'd like to share an excerpt with you of an interview that the President gave on Monday to Armed Forces Television. It's brief but I think very telling, and offers a remarkable contrast between how it is that the president is focused upon the performance of his responsibilities, and the political imperatives that continually demonstrate themselves as a result of the efforts of the Kerry campaign. So let me begin with that quote first of all:
That's what people have got to understand. It's tough at times. But we're winning. And what matters is determination, and will, and steadfast leadership from the United States. And you know, the Iraqis are sitting there, watching this election process of ours, and it's an important process, obviously. I mean democracy is essential in my judgment for a peaceful world. And we're leading democracy on the face of the Earth. We're the leading democracy on the face of the Earth. But as they watch this, they're wondering whether or not, you know, I've got what it takes to stand up to the political pressures, and do what I think is right, which, you know, is follow through with our strategy to win this war and make sure they're free. They've got to hear this. And our troops must hear this. I don't care what the politics are like in America. We're doing the right thing. And we will. We will finish the task. Because I understand how important the task is for the future of this country.
"Now these comments of the President stand in stark contrast to the approach that Senator John Kerry has taken. Political attacks come at a price for the military. And yesterday, John Kerry blamed the prison abuse in one of 25 or 26 institutions in Iraq on 'America's overall arrogance.' What John Kerry must not understand is that to blame the prison abuse on the President and US arrogance is to blame all of America for the disgusting actions of a few.
"And it's striking to see the ease with which John Kerry thrusts an important moment for our country into the campaign's daily spin cycle compared to the President's steady leadership and focus upon doing what he believes is right. At a moment when America and Americans stand strong behind our troops on the battlefield, John Kerry is attacking President Bush and the military and seeking to divide along party lines. If there was ever a time to refrain from partisan politics, this is it; but all we see from the Kerry campaign and from John Kerry is political exploitation for political gain.
"John Kerry either chose to ignore or didn't follow yesterday's testimony. Officials made it very clear that the abuse is not the policy of the US military, but the result of the actions of a few.
"At the same time that John Kerry was blaming prison abuse on American 'arrogance,' Kerry's chief surrogate and political mentor Ted Kennedy compared the United States military to Saddam Hussein, saying, and I quote, 'Shamefully, we now learn that Saddam's torture chambers reopened under new management - U.S. management.' Kennedy's comments echo Kerry's own call for a 'regime change' in the United States last year and are an appalling affront to the tens of thousands of military personnel in Iraq who are taking tremendous risks and making ultimate sacrifices to honorably serve our nation.
"Throughout this campaign, John Kerry has relentlessly played politics with the War in Iraq. He voted to send troops to war and then voted against giving them essential equipment such as body armor. When Kerry faced a challenge from the left during the Democrat primaries, he declared himself an anti-war candidate and attacked our allies as, quote, 'window dressing,' unquote. This past week, Kerry was even raising donations online through a letter on the prison abuse photos. Americans are looking for steady leadership on the War in Iraq, and that's what there getting from President George W. Bush, and Senator Kerry, in contrast, is offering only political attacks."
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