Oy.
"It's absolutely essential that eight weeks from today, on Nov. 2, we make the right choice, because if we make the wrong choice then the danger is that we'll get hit again and we'll be hit in a way that will be devastating from the standpoint of the United States."
VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY
"Dick Cheney's scare tactics today crossed the line."
SENATOR JOHN EDWARDS
Um, not that I have done a whole lot of research here, but Cheney does seem to be a little "Anxiety Closet" for my tastes. Is he really suggesting that a switch in the executive office would encourage a terrorist attack because the terrorists would want to test the new kid in class?
Really? Please tell me it ain't true.
"It's absolutely essential that eight weeks from today, on Nov. 2, we make the right choice," Mr. Cheney told a crowd of 350 people in Des Moines, "because if we make the wrong choice then the danger is that we'll get hit again and we'll be hit in a way that will be devastating from the standpoint of the United States."The International Herald Tribune has a similar article. Posted by tripp at September 8, 2004 06:23 AMHe also said if Mr. Kerry was elected the nation risked lapsing to a "pre-9/11 mind-set'' where attacks are viewed as criminal acts, not part of a war against terrorism.
Mr. Kerry's running mate, Senator John Edwards, promptly said Mr. Cheney had "crossed the line."
"What he said to the American people,'' Mr. Edwards said, "was that if you go to the polls in November and elect anyone other than us, then another terrorist attack occurs, it's your fault. This is un-American.''
Anne Womack, a spokeswoman for Mr. Cheney, said that the vice president's comment was taken out of context, and that he was addressing policy differences.
"Whoever is elected is going to face the prospect of another terrorist attack,'' Ms. Womack said. "The question is whether we will have the right policies in place to protect our country." Mr. Kerry plans to speak on Wednesday about mistakes in Iraq from the restored train station in Cincinnati. That is where Mr. Bush laid out his argument nearly two years ago that President Saddam Hussein of Iraq was amassing large stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction and might soon be able to strike the United States.
No evidence of weapons of mass destruction has surfaced in Iraq.
Was this in a speech, or just said on the fly? Maybe it was misinterpreted, but dang, he's the Vice President of the United States, you would think he'd have someone look over what he plans to speak about and say so they could point out things like this.
I hate to accuse anyone of this sort of thing, but I think it is exactly what he meant to say. It makes no difference if someone comes behind him and says, "oh that's not really what he meant by that statement," because the thought itself is still put in the heads of the American people and can not be erased by an "oh, sorry" statement. People are already scared enough.
Posted by: Beth at September 8, 2004 07:40 AMHe said it at a town hall meeting. Last night, before his press sec. made the "clarification", Rep. Dreir (sp) of California said he agreed with the VP. Then mid interview the Press Sec. made the clarification, and Rep Dreir was like...that is what I meant.
Anywho...Elizabeth Edwards forshadowed this event during an earlier interview with Keith Olbermann...here is what she said...I agree 100%"
"'I don’t think there’s a single American, regardless of our party, who wouldn’t give everything possible to keep us safe,” Mrs. Edwards told me. “It ought not be a part of the dialogue. Someone is going to be president next January. And I don’t want any American, Democrat or Republican, feeling that person doesn’t have every bit of the will to protect us that they need.'”
Posted by: justin at September 8, 2004 08:27 AM