This Headline Makes Me Nuts !!

Associated Press:
"Bush Escalates Bitter Iraq War Debate"

Since when is defending oneself against critics "escalation"?

So, the Dems can mouth off 24/7 but if Bush starts taking them down a notch by throwing Dems' own statements back in their faces, then that's "escalation"?

Typical for the AP, but it still makes me nuts.

Liberal media probably won't put up a transcript, so go here, or here. White House has a transcript.

"Reasonable people can disagree about the conduct of the war –­ but it is irresponsible for Democrats to now claim that we misled them and the American people. Leaders in my Administration and members of Congress from both parties looked at the same intelligence on Iraq –­ and reached the conclusion that Saddam Hussein was a threat."

"The truth is that investigations of the intelligence on Iraq have concluded that only one person manipulated evidence and misled the world –­ and that person was Saddam Hussein."

"Some of our elected leaders have opposed this war all along. I disagree with them, but I respect their willingness to take a consistent stand. Yet some Democrats who voted to authorize the use of force are now rewriting the past. They are playing politics with this issue and sending mixed signals to our troops and the enemy. That is irresponsible."

"Let me give you quotes from three senior Democrats: First, quote, “There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons.” End quote. (Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va.)

Here’s another one, quote, “The war against terrorism will not be finished as long as [Saddam Hussein] is in power.” End quote. (Sen. Carl Levin D-Mich)

And here’s the way another Democratic leader summed it up, quote, “Saddam Hussein, in effect, has thumbed his nose at the world community. And I think that the President's approaching this in the right fashion.”

""They spoke the truth then and they're speaking politics now," Bush charged.

Terence Hunt, AP: "President Bush escalated the bitter debate over the Iraq war on Monday, hurling back at Democratic critics the worries they once expressed that Saddam Hussein was a grave threat to the world."

Well, the Dems can hurl, but don't like it when it's hurled back at them. They're the ones who escalated "Bush lied" ad nauseum. It's the only agenda they have -- bash Bush.

Howard Dean is too chicken to go one on one with Ken Mehlman.

"Bush went on the attack", and it's high time.

John McCain: "But I want to say I think it's a lie to say that the president lied to the American people."

WaPo: "The administration's overarching point is true: Intelligence agencies overwhelmingly believed that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, and very few members of Congress from either party were skeptical about this belief before the war began in 2003. Indeed, top lawmakers in both parties were emphatic and certain in their public statements."

Milbank and Pincus suggest and imply the intell was "exaggerated", and that the PDB had the "most sensitive intelligence".

Here's Bush "Setting the Record Straight: The Washington Post On Pre-War Intelligence"

Who Is Lying About Iraq?

The Dems can't handle the truth.

--LynZee