The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #74351   Message #1298525
Posted By: McGrath of Harlow
16-Oct-04 - 02:09 PM
Thread Name: BS: neither candidate is an asshole
Subject: RE: BS: neither candidate is an asshole
How about this for a lie?

From transcript of the third presidential debate:

KERRY: When the president had an opportunity to capture or kill Osama bin Laden, he took his focus off of them, outsourced the job to Afghan warlords, and Osama bin Laden escaped.

Six months after he said Osama bin Laden must be caught dead or alive, this president was asked, "Where is Osama bin Laden?"

He said, "I don't know. I don't really think about him very much. I'm not that concerned."

We need a president who stays deadly focused on the real war on terror.

SCHIEFFER: Mr. President?

BUSH: Gosh, I just don't think I ever said I'm not worried about Osama bin Laden. It's kind of one of those exaggerations.


But in fact this link to CNN on March 13th 2002 has Bush saying that.

Q: Mr. President, in your speeches now, you rarely talk or mention Osama bin Laden. Why is that? [...]

BUSH: ... I don't know where he is. Nor -- you know, I just don't spend that much time on him really, to be honest with you [...]

Q: Do you believe the threat that bin Laden posed won't truly be eliminated until he is found either dead of alive?

BUSH: As I say, we hadn't heard much from him. And I wouldn't necessarily say he's at the center of any command structure. And, you know, again, I don't know where he is.

I'll repeat what I said: I truly am not that concerned about him.


Though strictly speaking Bush used an old politicians trick there - he didn't say "I never said that", he said "I just don't think I ever said..." So when he's pinned down he can blame his Reaganite menmory.

(This comes via this site - Mark A. R. Kleiman - A Fair and Balanced Weblog)