The President's Speech - Live Thread

carton253

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

The transcript is probably already up. I was so happy about his absolute calm and certainty - couldn't keep up. (^:

I have asked for this time to keep you informed on America action in the war on terror..

 

These months have been a time of new responsibilities and sacrifices and national resolve..and great progress.

 

Nearlty 2/3rds of Al Qaeda known leaders have been captured or killed.

 

We've exposed terrorist front groups, seized terrorist accounts..

 

Where the former regime sponsored terror, possessed and used WMDs..

 

In one of the swiftest and most humane military campaignes  in history...

 

Terrorists and their radical allies attacked innocent people in the Middle East and beyond...terrorists became convinced (free nations ) were decadent and weak..

 

History has taken a different turn. We have carried the terrorist fight to the enemy.

 

This work continues.

 

Together we are transforming a place of torture chambers and mass graves into a nation of law..

 

The Middle East will either become a place of progress and peace, or it will become an exporter of terror..

 

The terrorists survive on the support of tyrants.

 

Everywhere that freedom takes hold, terror will retreat.

 

That is why, 5 months after we liberated Iraq a collection of killers is desperately trying to (cause trouble).

 

Most, but not all of these killers operate in one area in the countrty - between Baghdad and (Tikrit - Saddam's former stronghold).

 

North of Iraq is generally stable..the same trends are evident it  the south..

 

The terrorists and Saddam loyalists have done great harm..

 

There is more at work in these attacks than blind rage...they want us to leave Iraq before our work is done.

 

In this they are mistaken.

 

2 years ago I told the congress and the country that the war on terror would be a lengthy war.

 

We will do what is necessary. We will spend what is necessary..to promote freedom, to protect our nation.

 

First, we're taking direct action against the terrorists in the Iraqi theater.

 

Anyone who seeks to harm our soldiers can know that our soldiers are hunting for them.

 

(To UN for the resolution)...a multi-national force - to be led by America.

 

Terrorists in Iraq have attacked representatives of the civilized world.

 

We will depart as liberators.

 

Our strategy in Iraq will require new resources. ..I will soon submit to Congress a request for 87 billion...

 

This budget request will also support our committment (in Afghan +...)

 

"Now, and in the future, we will support our troops and we will keep our word."

 

All of our men and women serving....our on the front lines of freedom.

 

Americans are responding with courage and confidence.

 

We are serving freedom's cause, and that is the cause of all mankind.

[ohioWfan]

It doesn't really matter if you think Jimmy Carter was a good man or not.

He was a weak man, and George W. Bush is a man of strength.

There is no parallel between the two, regardless of how desperately you want there to be one, so you can excuse your dislike of this good, GOOD man......

[Dog]

Patience....

I know they have definitaive WMD information.

We will get that report....patience.

[billbears]

I will, when the Republican party returns to conservative principals and not the PNAC's version of conservatism. That goes for domestic spending as well as foreign policy. How is one supposed to 'change from within' if all we do is fall lockstep behind someone who isn't by definition conservative?

[mtbopfuyn]

Yes, very lucky 9/11 didn't happen a year sooner. And very lucky we don't have Gore to lead us.

[cajungirl]

Hon, if you are voting third party or sitting out the next election, I don't have time for you and your silliness.

[FreeReign]

Who's keeping count of the number of "terrorism" "terrorists" mentions in the speech? I lost count at around 10.

When he gets to 3000 let me know. That would be one mention for each of my 3000 dead neighbors at WTC.

[kitkat]

***Peach, are we twins or what? We agree on everything!!***

Make that triplets. I love reading what you and Peach have to say.

[BlessedByLiberty]

Sorry, they need her to balance out the more intelligent people around her. Have you noticed how often she tries to spin whatever the Dems are publically saying by cadging it with, "except for..."so and so..."no one's saying that." In this case it was Kucinich saying we need to get out of Iraq.

She makes women look like we can be led around by the nose!

[mass55th]

Would you rather have to pay untold billions to repair this country from future terrorist attacks, or would you rather send billions overseas in an attempt to prevent those attacks from happening on our shores? You can either send the money overseas, or you can spend the money here...but one way or the other, you're going to have to pay.

[firewalk]

Thanks for the ping

[Maigrey]

I share your frustrations. Keep fighting and working for resolution. (I didn't say peace...)

You'll get your chance shortly, and I quake with fear when that day comes. It won't be pretty or light.

[YaYa123]

MSNBC with Chris Mathews :

David Gergen calls it "a brave speech"...putting the big number out..on what it will cost.

Frank Luntz says this speech will play well with voters because he asks us to be better than ourselves, to stay the course.

Howard Fineman says "we must be strong" "tough political language" the president used tonight...

Nora O'Donnell The president showed strength and steely resolve...but a shift in tone.. this speech was so different from the aircraft carrier speech. Pentagon briefed Capital Hill last week, 1100 wounded and that number is classified, even from republican senators....

O'Donnell says the congress will "swallow the 87 billion". they will get behind it and support it.

Fineman says Dean will challenge the speech, the demo candidates will redouble their assault on President Bush.

[Eala]

I agree -- great speech!

But I am so steamed... the talking heads on the local station (Seattle's KOMO 4, just so there is no mistake -- and it was a choice between them, Dan Blather, and some other national joker whose name I forget because I haven't watched him in years) bore such dramatic frowns before and after, you know they were unhappy.

And if that wasn't bad enough, they got so busy beforehand misrepresenting a poll on Bush (4 choices: Excellent, Good, Fair and Poor lumped together in their presentation as Excellent/Good equals okay, Fair/Poor equals dismal) that they switched to him after he was into his speech.

Really, really poor form for Seattle's KOMO 4 TV. But then, well, they're liberals -- what else could one expect? Decency? Honesty? Fairness...? Nah...

[Faith-Hope]

I firmly believe that Iraq will pay their fair share if and when the oil starts to flow at a normal pace.

[Robert_Paulson2]

yes... all true points.
I don't get it either.
explain it to me...

[alnick]

all I can say is: that WMD evidence needs to be forthco

There's plenty of WMD evidence. Anyone who can put two and two together knows that Saddam had WMD, and more importantly, ambitions to use them against us.

[billbears]

I said he may be not so good now. But he was good then. Or do you not remember the Egyptian/Israeli peace treaty? Was that not a good thing? I truly believe he was a good Southerner that was put into a position that he was not ready for. If that changed him so be it. I didn't say I respected him now though

[SwinneySwitch]

Thanks for the text!

God bless GW!