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Amy Sheehan
Editor-in-chief

It has always got to be about race for some people.....black caucus

gimme a break

We don't need anyone's permission
NOT the statment of a wimp.

Previous Thread- 48- Guess you ran out of looted candy from the convenience store you thugs ramshackled yesterday. Guess Mom and Dad are watching a True Leader and have left you alone at the keyboard.

50- President Bush is just clarifying what WILL be done. He WILL do what he has stated! Iraq will be invaded and Saddum removed. Reread your copy of the Faxed DNC talking points while clicking your heels together three times. You guys keep Underestimating them!

53- Whipped Puppy? Hah, Don't think so. This Dog will HUNT and Bring back it's prey!

Actually these questions amount to softballs--any good prep would have thought of all of these. If ntohing else the "opposition" press questions are each giving Bush his first opportunity in one formal setting to lay out his case.

Remember his answers are news to many people out there.

This is not the time for saber rattling and noise and banging of drums.

Count you blessings--Helen Thomas is no where around; she wuldn't have the sense to pick up on the atmosphere Bush created.

When it comes to our security, we really don't need anybody's permission. You tell 'em Mr. President!!

Ah, but it gives him a chance to speak of faith. Still good.

This is what I was waiting to hear:
When it comes to our national security, we don't need permission from the U.N.

Go Pres. Bush!!!

I missed the actual quote about "we don't need permission to protect ourselves" ... can someone please put it here if you remember it?

While I dislike _____-caucuses, it's a good question.

"I pray for peace".

I for one think he is doing a great job in this pit of vipers
what a great answer re his prayer

Count me as one who prays for GWB daily.

What a jackass. Asking Bush if he worries the idiots are right. Shoot him secret service.

'When it comes to our security, we really don't need anyones permission...'

He is talking about 'praying for peace', and how he is humbled that people he'll never know have prayed for him. I am one of them, Mr. President.

Most of you folks have got it real right.

Some of you have it so wrong, you're off the charts.

You wanted Bill Clinton, maybe? Biting his lip?

I give up. I just flat give up and quit.

Pretty easy to spot the dims in the crowd and spare us the "I am a staunch Republican" line. You are much too obvious - a dim failing.
The more GW speaks, the more I am convinced that decisions to go have been made. Now that twit from cnn wants to know if peaceniks are going to be notified. I hope he is kidding - I could give less of a damn if they get smacked around.

Some of these questions are SOOOOOOOOOO stupid. President Bush is handling himself very very well. He is quiet, but VERY determined, you can see that on his face. God Bless and guide and protect him. AMEN!

I love this man. Picture next year at this time. Saddam will be gone, the economy will be humming along, the Democrats will have disintegrated, the UN building will be refurbished condos for sale, It will be a wonderful world.

I feel disappointed. Ever since this past weekend I've been in a bummed-out mood thinking that they were finally going to go in and take control of Iraq. Combat is ugly, and no one wants to get the Iraqi population killed, but I want to get it over with already. But I also think they're going to spring some sort of surprise when they do it.

W.'s manner, responses, attitude is a tour-de-force. Amongst the press in attendance, all seems to fall back before him: he takes their questions -- including the hostile and sneering ones -- and swallows them whole.

What an amazing man to have all the power he does, talk about the prayers of others for him being a humbling experience, and to care about those who do care about him.
God Bless our President.

Hutcheson - why is the press representing only the attitude of the pussies?

Journalists - if you're there - leave! I love that line.

Chen - this will cost a lot of money - well, duh.

If President Bush had given a speech, he could not have possibly woven it together to answer all of the questions people have. The media and those against the war would ignored what he said and criticized topics that he didn't cover. This format was a brillant idea, because he is speaking directly to every objection. He's not hiding from the tough questions and he's not relying on others to get his message out.

I don't think I can recall a more ill mannered, disrespectful bunch of WH correspondents. I'd like to slap Terry Moran's eyes straight.

His answer about cost is quite moving. And ANOTHER question about N.Korea. Geez.

It is real interesting to see all the
*new* posters here tonight....hmmmm, wonder why??
That said, I have a calmness tonight that I
have not had in awhile....things are under
control with this Pres.
He says what he means, and Means what he says...plain and simple.

he should point out what Clintons inaction has cost us. He's too nice to that scum.

I was hoping for a forceful speech to fire up the American people. What we are getting is a President who is speaking from his heart, and I think he has made up his mind and things are in the work. The liberal pundits are going to rip him to shreds, but I think the American people who really listen to what the President is saying,will understand the need to take the course of action we are. He is doing a great, though low key job, tonight.

Bush is doing a great job. He is sober, and thoughtful. This is such serious stuff. He is dealing with this issue as it should be dealt with, he is addressing it with appropriate solemnity. He's not acting as if this is about him, like a Clinton would do.

I hate the press.

It seems like they just keep asking him over and over "shouldn't Saddam get one more chance?"

OMG--How many times over 12 years say last chance? I mean, are we just supposed to roll over like Klintoon did when Saddam kicked out the inspectors?

Again I must say, I hate the press.

The news clowns keep asking the same dreary questions over and over. On my journalism-school listserv, a classmate who is now an editor at Newsweek was yukking it up about what a dummy he thought Bush was.

That is what our president is up against.

Of course, the "ol Vietnam cannard!

President Bush says he sees, "a gathering threat," to our freedom following the attacks on 911 & the costs of that act of terrorism are immeasurable in countless ways.

"Our mission in Iraq is very clear: disarmament." "It is very clear what we intend to do."

I thank God constantly for this President. Count me as one who prays for President Bush.


I am glad that he is bringing up the lessons of September 11, 2001. I think that now is the time for the newscasts, documentaries, and memorials to be shown again on television. Some people HAVE forgotten the emotions and events of that awful day. They need a visual kick in the pants more than ever.

I tell you this, if there is ever a pro-USA rally near my home, one of my signs will sport a full-sized color photo of the towers on fire, and the words, ''What Part of This Don't You Understand???''

I am a steadfast supporter of the President, but I have to sort of agree with some of the posters here: not a great performance tonight. Hard to take in fact. Some people will lap it up no matter how the speech goes, and that's fine. He has delivered many, many stirring speeches before. In my opinion this was not one of them.

Doesn't mean I support him any less. Everyone has an off day.

No Helen Thomas!!!!!

I pray for President Bush. Thank GOD for this man. He, and he alone, has the responsibility of preventing another attack on America. I'm chilled to the core thinking that his opponent could have been easily elected president. If so, things would be so different. The dims would have been explaining that terrorism we were experiencing daily "is something we have to live with." Please everyone pray for this great president. He is out there ensuring that your children are safe and grow up in a free and prosperous United States!

'When it comes to our security, we really don't need anyones permission...'


Thanks for that.

So very true.

In a way, that's what all of this, all of it, is about. Real Americans vs. those within and without who want us to sell out to the Socialist/Statist/Appeaserist UN

This press conference sucks. Bush is flat. Blahblahblahblah. Just go in and do it if it's as important as you've been saying it is for the last 12 months. Very frustrating. Clinton had the right idea: to hell with the UN.

It's not just the disarmament... it's the fact that we cannot ignore weapons being developed by enemies that can be delivered by terrorists...

Name one invader in the history of the world that has invaded, conquered, then left.

Just one in the history of civilization, other than the United States.

Hmmm, DNC script readers went away after the first thread. Guess a second click was too difficult (requires thinking for ones self).

He's done - and so is Saddam

Thank you, President Bush.
And thank you, Lucianne for this wonderful forum.

Exactly! The Viet Nam question was uncalled for, and the reporter knew it!

President Bush's voice is hushed, somber. Stylistically he's underplaying it. But have any of the whipped puppy brigade ever heard TR's famous quotation? Bush doesn't need bombast because he's got the biggest stick in the world, a big stick the blew the Taliban out of Afghanistan and has got the Islamist world on the run. Saddam is about to become extinct. Shouting and breastbeating is worthless. Just do it.

Again I repeat, 33, I don't need for Bush to have made a 'stirring' speech tonight.

I'm not in this gig to be entertained.

I care about one thing and one thing only: whether and how the job gets done. If there are nice

Good post #19.

Looky,Looky..Lots of new posters claiming to be republicans,bashing President Bush...the DNC is worried folks!!!!

GO W!!!!

I tuned into this press conference to see a leader.

I failed to see one.

There are important reasons for us to go to war.

Those should have been forcibly iterated by the President

But he did not.

At this critical juncture, we need a leader who will clearly point out the road we need to take.

GWB has not done that.

If I was Saddam I would be wondering if GWB had the cajones to send the troops in.

A pitiable performance.

GWB showed only weakness.

And as a result, more Americans may die because our enemies will not be terrified of us.

This is the worst speech, at the worst time.

If GWB does not get some testosterone shots soon, Hillary will be in the Oval Office in '05.

His next speech will be to announce the liberation of Iraq has started. I expect tomorrow Saddam will refuse to destroy any more missiles, saying we are 'threatening war'. There was no threat tonight, it was a PROMISE!

Terry Moran certainly upheld the grand tradition of UBC- Unamerican Broadcasting Company.

#49 has figured out how to cut and paste direct from the DNC fax. Way to go! Maybe tomorrow you'll figure out how to print!

This is not a speech, as such. This is a press conference in which President Bush solemnly and clearly answered questions, clearly summarizing the facts which now require freedom loving people to defend & protect America's liberty & security. There can be no doubt that President Bush will keep his oath of office to protect America. The gravity of this situation forced upon him by the enemies of liberty weighs heavy, but this President will no be detoured.
God bless President Bush & all defenders of freedom.

This was not the time to have vision or "stiring speech". My God, he has the responsibility of ordering troops into battle. He KNOWS he is going to console mothers of sons and daughters that died in battle. Of course he's somber. He wants to scare Sadam out of Iraq. Folks this man hates war and wants to avoid it. However, he hates 9/11 much more. Sadam has less than 30 days.

#47 made me cry. And I'm a pretty big guy.

Thank you very, very much.

'When it comes to our security, we really don't need anyones permission...'

==========

Also, whoever wanted POTUS to come out with pom poms and be a cheerleader, while he's deciding the fate of the the future of the world, is too lost to debate with further.

Thanks for the thread, Amy and Lucianne!

This was low key and I think very effective. It was a PRESS CONFERENCE and not an declaration of military action.
He repeated things that needed repeating. He answered the questions that needed to be answered. He put the stick to Blix.
Saddam has been at war for 35 years ... for the last 12 years there has been a truce (which he has broken) ... we will just be finishing the war Saddam started long ago.
This was NOT wimpy, not with 300,000 troops in the ME. Thank God this man is our President.

There are important reasons for us to go to war.

Those should have been forcibly iterated by the President.

Dot, we've been through these.
He's already made his case.
To reiterate the case once again after it has so thoroughly been laid out would be redundant at best and would set us back in the timeline at worst.

The American people support the President in this. I don't think most who tuned in were looking for a rationale for military action against Iraq. We covered that two months ago.

This was more of a "logistics and loose ends" before the battle begins kind of thing.

You're still talking about "making the case"?

Any MACHISMO that Saddam whacks off of this speech will be QUICKLY and decisively diluted when the ACTION begins and the words have finally ended. Rest assured.

Aunt Dot, your blatant hatred of President Bush is showing through. Still sore about poor ol' Al Bore?

Jim Angle from FOX gets it.

I am not sure of the reason for this press conference. I was certainly hoping for something more - wanted to see him with that fire in the belly that I have seen so many times.

For anyone who has ever been here before to imply that I am a Democrat or an imposter certainly means those making the comments are pointing the finger at themselves.

Perhaps it is because all of you who think this was a great speech have never worked for a campaign and had to tell your candidate that his speech was flat. I love Dubya as much as anyone perhaps save Laura and Barbara - but this speech seemed to be something morose that the ugly Karl Rove prepared.

Fire Rove and get Karen Hughes back before it's too late.

Well President Bush made it very clear, even to those who are hard of hearing (Martin Sheen, and company were you listening) that his job is first and foremost to protect and defend the United States of America, he is standing by the oath he took, he meant it when he took the oath and by golly nobody, nothing, no organization will stand (UN are you listenint) in the way of him protecting and defending the Constitution and the people of the United States of America. A sidenote is that many in the world will benefit in the peace and protection of the United States.

Well I for one and glad he was calm and in control. He was being the adult. I did not want to hear a "Come to Jesus" talk tonight.
I feel better after having listened to him.
God Bless G W

I don't care if he delivered his remarks in a monotone -- or an Academy award caliber performance.

All I want to know is that W is doing what he believes, and the majority of us believe is the right thing to do. I saw it in his eyes -- I support him 100%.

Keep him and our men and women in the armed forces in your prayers.

#49 This really takes the cake.. My husband is one of the ones who has deployed and I couldn't have been more proud that President Bush is his commander in chief. Good grief.

Is #49 the staunch Republican or the broken glass Republican? She just doesn't give up. Maybe the democrat lines are down tonight.

Why.. Looky,Looky..Lots of new posters claiming to be republicans,
bashing President Bush(seminar posters are out in full force tonite)...the DNC is worried folks!!!!

Lets Roll!!!...GO W!!!!

Since you are going to repeat yourself #49, so will I. This was not a speech and never was billed as one. It was a press conference. If anyone didn't get their question answered, blame the press. They had the opportunity to ask useful questions. Some wasted their opportunity, don't you think?

To those of you who say Bush wasn't at his best, wasn't forceful enough, didn't get his point across...you must have been watching a different press conference than I.

He was quiet and straightforward and serious, and he meant everything he said. As a previous poster said, he is speaking softly but his stick will be the biggest one Saddam has ever seen.

I was impressed with our President tonight, as I am every time he opens his mouth. He is a tough, forthright, brilliant, Christian leader.

God Bless America and God Bless and protect this President.

61,

you're not listening.

Or perhaps you are willfully avoiding.

I haven't seen many posters saying, "This was the most inspiring speech ever."

What I have seen posters say is that we don't need this speech to be some fire in the belly performance.



Some folks need to look for stimulation elsewhere. . . expecting Pres. Bush to buck you up is loserspeak.

#49, 'dot:

Try to think of it this way:

-- Tonight was a press conference and an indicator to the UN and Sadam that they need to do what's right tomorrow.

-- If the UN doesn't (and they won't) you WILL get to see President Bush as a Leader LEADING our nation into War ... just like he did on October 7 2001 when he announced our action in Iraq.

Stay tuned. You are judging too soon, ok?

I don't know about anyone else, but I clearly saw Helen Thomas picking up her coat and leaving as the cameras scanned the crowd after the speech.

Take that, you shriveled-up hag!

I have to agree with previous posters about the Presidents performance. He appeared uncomfortable. He tried to hard to "act" serious and solemn. He was too self conscious and stuck to the script. At the fear of risking backlash, I must admit I'm an actor and I wish he would engage his instincts more often. When Bush is talking from the heart, it reaches straight through the TV screen and grabs a hold of you. He started loosening up at the end.

For those of you who only care about the message, Reagan knew better. He sold every speech.

I don't think he was like a ''whipped puppy'' at all. I think he was displaying ''the calm before the storm''. And I also think he displayed immense courage and dignity in the face of the insulting questions by the press. What is happening here? Do we have L Dotters shifting their alliance to the LEFT? Well, if that is the case, I say ''GOOD RIDDANCE''. Go to the Dem Underground, and spout your dis-allegiance to our country and our President. We don't need it, nor do we want it!

Please - you new posters - quit accusing AuntDot and me of being new posters - we have both been here long before you finger pointers.

It is time to realize that without Dubya being forceful, the anitchrist from Chappaqua could be moving back into the White House.

# 89 doesn't seem to realise this was a press conference. That means questions and answers -- it was not to present a great speach but to affirm our right to disarm Saddam ---to declare the decision is his and the responsibility.
Just try an get one of your liberal buddies to make such statement
He isn't given to all talk and no substance. He is stopping the buck --something the UN and our allies are incapable of or to corrupt to do.
We know how corrupt our Democrat obstructionists are don't we.

This was not a speech. It was a press conference. There is a world of difference. Fire and brimstone has no place in a press conference. A calm and rational presentation of answers and facts is called for and that is exactly what he gave them (and us). The expection he was going to announce we are invading Iraq was clearly something ginned up by the press and played to the hopes of some. Get real, folks. He did a good job. I guess Helen was in the cave brewing up some more lip gloss.

It was a time to soberly answer questions from the press, not a tine to go rah, rah.

I almost cried when Bush was talking about God and prayer and how he knows that thousands of people lift him up in prayer every day. I am one of those thousands, and I am grateful that GWB is our President. Like a previous poster, I pray that God places a hedge of protection around him, his family, our solders and sailors, our pilots, and that this war is won quickly and decisively.
I remember reading a Tom Clancy book years ago, the one where a plane crashes during the Joint Session where Jack Ryan has just been sworn in as vice-president. I would read what the new president did, and how he did it, and I would say "Wow, I wish we had a president like that!" I think now we DO have a president like that.

President Bush is a serious man for the serious times in which we live.

I'm convinced that if he pulls this off, a movement will spring up to add his image to Mount Rushmore.

He is leading in a time without real historical precedent. He is a genuine, shrewd leader in whom I place an enormous amount of trust and good will.

The United States can thank God Almighty that he is the man at the helm, at this point in time.

God Bless him, his entire family, and all of the brave and selfless Marines, Pilots, Infantrymen, Sailors and all who aid in the prosecution of the war, when and if it occurs.

No matter what anyone say, the United States of America is the greatest experiment in self governance in human history, and I must discount any opinion that denies that truth, and I love this country more than I can say.

Word is bond, Mr. President and thank you!

Oh, and anyone who thinks Rhonda is a Demonrat shouldn't be on this thread.

I'm one of those thousands (more like millions, actually). Most every day.

# 69, did you work in Lott's campaign? I remember you avidly supporting him.
Personally, I am very comfortable with a calm serious speech. I don't need a lot of hallelujahs.

I thought he was wonderful. It was a press conference, not a speech. He handled the hostile questions with grace and dignity. I love this man and he just gets better and better. Very impressive.

You saw Helen, she was in one of the backrows. President Bush gave a good press conference. You who want performance, go to the theatre. He let us know that he's gonna do what he hasta do for the safety and security of the United States. That is uppermost in his mind. So knock off this performance gig stuff and get real, we have a real person in the White House, doing a job that none of us would want to be doing. He took his oath of office seriously, it's not a game, performance or anything else you want to conjure up, he knows and many others know this if life and death and freedom.

The President acknowledged that the battleground includes America.

The "anti-war" organizers are anti-America. Period. I want to hear the President acknowledge that they present a clear danger to our Nation from within.

I want them stopped before they turn to stirring up the millions and millions of ILLEGAL aliens. They're not getting the numbers they had during the Vietnam war but they are getting wall-to-wall media coverage, of course.

To get the numbers they will have to stir up trouble among the ILLEGAL aliens IMO. I cannot begin to describe what chaos that will cause.

Remember the hand wringing just before Afganistan. In a few short months this will all be over. WMD will be discovered daily in Iraq, many with Made in Germany and France labels. Germany and France will be cut out of any contracts to rebuild or develop the newly emerging Iraqi government out of self-determination. The Iraqi Republic will have nothing to do with the nations that refused to assist removing Sadam. The American economy will be well on its way to a robust recovery.

I was very proud of our President!
He was calm, cool, and collected
He expressed himself as clear as a bell.

Saddam has just been dealt a hand of aces and eights....here in Texas known as a ''dead man's hand.''

Gary Hart is foisting his drivel on Bill O'Reilly as I type...sheeshh!

To Reply 55 - Posted by: amereagle:
The picture was drawn by a 17 yr. old girl!
Mommy Liberty acks a Gun

Dollars to donuts says that within 24 hours we'll see a nifty column from Peggy Noonan on tonight's press conference. I can't wait. If anyone sees her as a pundit on Fox or elsewhere tonight, tell us how she was.

Good point CEP, if you want performance, go to the theater. We had performance with the last president, or as my 8-year-old says, "that other guy who used to be president". I wouldn't have expected the president to "give a speech". He wasn't there to "give a speech". This was a press conference for heaven's sake..

Remember folks, the wimpy nations refer to GW as a cowboy. Tonight he proved that he is a thoughtful, intelligent MAN.
To me, he showed how very human he is, and reluctantly he prepares for war. NEXT week, he'll be on again and he will rally the ----out of every loyal American as he announces the liberation of Iraq has begun. Flags will be flying everywhere again.
Brilliant strategy.

In a "Poker" sense the President has a top hand and still holds it close to his chest. Mmmmm. The only reason I can think of doing that is to grow the pot a little bit. He has a lot of Irons in the fire and wants this investment to come out the best. He is a manager. He deserves far more than what he is being paid. All that we can give him is our prayers and our respect. He is eaning those.

#49- This was not a speech tonight. You will get to hear the President give a speech in due time. That time will come when he addresses the United States citizens from the Oval office saying that we have launched an attack on Iraq and during the last 3 hours of the assault, we have successfully liberated the people of Iraq and disposed of Saddam Hussein and his regime.

Rumsfeld had a great quote about engaging his mind before engaging his mouth. That is true, but Bush tends to have long awkward pauses. His face show lots of indecision. At first he looked like he would have liked to have been anywhere except a press conference. He's a great president, and visionary who's leadership is going to make the world a better place for everyone, not only Americans. I love the man.

President Bush was being...PRESIDENTIAL. He wasn't in front of a crowd of supporters. He was in front of a bunch of (mostly) media whores who pester the heck out of him with snarky questions all the time.

The case has been made and you know it. All you had to do was listen to that frickin' madman tell Dan Blather, ''I have no weapons, what weapons?''

Twelve years - eight of which Bill Clinton did zip. He used our military might, without the UN backing, and it was to deflect criticism from HIMSELF!

The President thanks us for our prayers and he was touched, it showed in his eyes.

I'm in awe every day, as I go to work on a military installation, of the respect our Reservists have for their CIC. We DESERVE a President who wears the mantle of responsibility of his Office as well as George Bush does.

Wimp? Save that description for Hans Blix and his lapdogs in the UN.

Re: #83 - Maybe the president will consider a "call and response" style speech/press conference for the razzle dazzle-deprived amongst us. Dubya can go into full black preacher mode a la algore way back when, and Rummy and Cheney can stand on either side of him and punctuate his every sentence with "That's right!," "Tell it, brother!," or repeat whatever he just said.

92 gets it bigtime.

And thanks Ghost!

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