Brokaw interview with Bush in France 6/6 (excerpts & link for transcript)

[TLDHOME99]

Here is the link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5146260/

I would love to hear DU reaction to this . . .

Interesting excerpt #1:

Brokaw: “You're here in France for this great feeling, especially in Normandy, for the Americans as a result of what they did 60 years ago. But throughout Europe, even your friends will say big-time American businessmen, who are over here a lot, they've never seen anti-Americanism so high or the personal feelings against you so high as well. Is that important for you to remedy?”

Bush: “You know, look. It's important for people to know what --that I've got a future, that I believe in a future that's peaceful based upon liberty. And I remember my predecessor who's life we mourn, Ronald Reagan, they felt the same way about him.

“Tom, that doesn't mean a fella like me should change my beliefs. I'm not going to. I'm not trying to be popular. What I'm trying to do is what I think is right. And what is right is to fight terror. And what is right is to spread freedom. And what is right, to stand on the -- is to stand on the values that my country and our country upholds. And I will continue to do so. In the meantime, I work hard to build alliances. And you know, we've got good relations with countries in Europe. And the countries in Europe like Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, have been strong supporters of our mutual policies.”

Interesting excerpt #2: (I was watching, and there was lots of hemming and hawing and hesitation in Bush response.)

Brokaw: “If you're a member of the American public, and you're looking at what's going on in Iraq with Americans being killed almost every day by this continuing insurgency, and no weapons of mass destruction have been found, and George Tenet, the director of the CIA, has quit in the middle of this war, and Ahkmed Chalabi, who was a principal source of information to the United States now has been removed, and he is under investigation, would you as an ordinary citizen out there in America say, ‘Man, I don't know what's going on here, but I don't like it at all?’”

Bush: “If I didn't see a positive end, I would be thinking that. Whereas if all I thought was happening is-- was that there was, you know, civil war -- perhaps civil war … And I would be saying, you know, what's going on here? On the other hand, the American people are beginning to see that there is a positive end.

“And the end is a free Iraq. And the American people have got to understand that part of winning the war on terror is to encourage the habits of liberty in parts of the world that need the habits of liberty. I mean, winning the war on terror requires more than just doing in al-Qaida, which we are actively doing, by the way. We're searching and finding.

“But it also means installing governments that don't necessarily look like America. They won't look like America, but that our government that has embraced the habits of freedom in places like Afghanistan and in Iraq, which will in turn, strengthen places like Pakistan and Turkey.”

[happyending]

1. "I've got a future"

Yes, George, you do indeed have a future - that will be showing up drunk for gatherings of ex-Presidents, spouting off and, then as now, making no sense whatsoever.

[flpoljunkie]

2. Great interview. Every citizen ought to read it before they vote in Nov!

A terrific and revealing interview of the shortcomings of the current occupant in the White House.

[MallRat]

3. Here's the tally, folks.

Free or freedom: 4 times.
Liberty: 3 times.
War: 4 times.
Terror: 3 times.

Wow. That might be a record- in answering just two questions, * managed to fit in FOURTEEN of his keywords.

-MR

[in_cog_ni_to]

4. Comparing himself to Reagan.

The man is a damn idiot. Reaganomics. Trickle down economics. Out of touch with reality. More poverty. The rich become richer, the poor become poorer.


Installing....Governments????????????????? Who's next you bastard?

[TLDHOME99]

5. Reagan comparison a bit over the top

"And I remember my predecessor who's life we mourn, Ronald Reagan, they felt the same way about him."

People did not hate Reagan overseas like they do Bush.

Reagan stunk, but compared to Bush he was a saint.

This is a must-read for anyone who would consider voting for Bush. If you had watched the interview, he stammered and hesitated so much it seemed as if he had speech impediment. He was a mess. His face was composed but not his voice.

[in_cog_ni_to]

6. I can't believe his handlers

let him go on that trip. He's not intelligent enough to deal with foreign leaders and foreign affairs.

I wonder if he was drunk for that interview? :shrug:

[TLDHOME99]

7. you crack me up incog.

"He's not intelligent enough to deal with foreign leaders and foreign affairs."


Did you ever think you would hear yourself saying such a thing about the POTUS?

So sad, so sad.