Bush defends effort against terror before nation
In a rare news conference last night, President Bush sought to reassure Americans about the volatile mission in Iraq and the war on terror. What were your reactions to the press conference?
in today's globe: Bush vows he'll stick to Iraq plan
Complete transcript of press conference
Page 10
Could someone please send a clue to Janine and Mike? Kerry couldn't handle Iraq? How could anyone possibly do a worse job with the situation than Bush has? Maybe someone who has actually fought a war would take sending American kids into battle under false pretenses a little more seriously than W the draft dodger. And how is Kerry dishonest? I don't recall him lying to get us into an unnecessary just to settle an old grudge his dad had. Wishy washy? Like refusing to let Rice testify until the public pressure to do so was too much?
Dave, Watertown
1. Why perpetuate the ruse of the press conference? Isn't it obvious that it is a farce? It is an insult not only to the reporters, but to the public, who receive evasive rhetoric and rehashed slogans in response to thoughtful pertinent analysis. 2. On a larger scale, with the frequency of equivocal public testimonies, how can anyone in the public be expected to trust a congressional committee investigating anything? It may not be outright lying, but avoiding answering is indirect deception and is most often preceived as such. We are not that naive.
chad, upton
It is ridiculous how the media and public want to blame someone for what happened on 9/11. There is still hurt and fear among Americans, and they want some finite answer as to why it happened to ensure it won't happen again. Of course everyone is going to go after the President as the scapegoat, because they just can't admit that America is capable of being infallible some of the time. They are forgetting how much money terrorists actually have, and for the right amount and the right elaborate plan, you can fool anyone. Had the Clinton administration not been so tied up in scandals like Whitewater and Lewinsky, they might have had time to deal more with terrorism issues. I have every confidence in George Bush as well as his administration that had they known something as horrifying as the events of 9/11 were actually going to happen, they would have done anything and everything to stop it, just like any other warm-blooded American. Americans (including an American President) just don't have the same beliefs as suicide bombers...they don't find ways to murder people on their own soil. It just is such a double standard, because you know had George Bush done nothing after 9/11, there would be some commission set up as to why he didn't fight back. Whether Saddam Hussein played a role in 9/11 or not, I'm glad that man is out of power, and we have George Bush and his adminstration to thank for that. He might have just been a figurehead dethrowned for the cause of war on terrorism, but he is a good start. Bin Laden is next, you can bet. Like George Bush said, it won't be a short fight, but if it means getting rid of people who put together and carry out elaborate plans like 9/11, I'm with him all the way.
Andrea, Wilmington, MA
What did we learn last night? First, it's clear that President Bush is an extremely poor orator, is that new to any of the Boston.com reader? because they are acting like it is. What I saw was a President that genuinely went to war based on the evidence he was provided with and the desire to protect his country from future attacks. As a result the war on terror's front lines are now in Iraq and not on our soil, with our soldiers and not our civilians. By all indications, most of the insurgents in Iraq have been foreigners, i.e. terrorists. I know many of the PC Boston.com readers want to 'understand' the terrorists and negotiate peace with them, but how can you rationalize with peolpe that believe you are the devil and want to kill you? But I guess this is what I should expect from the readers of the most liberal newspaper in the most liberal state in the country.
Joe, Medford
I was stunned to read in the NY Times this week that Bush has been to his ranch in Texas 33 times during his presidency, adding up to a grand total of 8 months away from the White House. After watching last night's press conference, I can now see that too much leisure time has affected his ability to think straight.......or to think at all. How did this man get elected?!
Deb, Framingham
President Bush admitted that the PDB provided new information on HIJACKING THREATS. Yet he and his team did nothing. He then complains that there was no specific information about them being flown into buildings. So the safety of the American flying public meant nothing to him and his leadership team. New and REAL HIJACKING THREATS were not acted on. The result of the PREDICTED HIJACKINGS was 9/11. He is at fault for 9/11 and should be voted out of office.
RJ, Cambridge, MA
Appalling. The "deer in the headlights" look from the leader of the free world at every question was frightening. People say he speaks with conviction but of what use is that when his conviction is based upon ignorance? The guy is just flat out clueless.
Deb, Norton
Brett from DC. Calm down. I said KERRY's service means little to me. I was not insulting or trivializing the service of many brave Americans who have fought for this country to defend it from harm's way. Kerry keeps telling us how great a leader he will be in 2004 because of his service in Vietnam. It's great that he served his country, but that does not mean he will know how to deal with the modern terrorist. If we want war heroes or military people in the Oval Office then let's put McCain or Wesley Clark. The brave men and women who have fought for this country have my utmost respect and that includes Kerry, but that doesn't mean I want him to be President. All veterans deserve our respect. I hope you respect the current men and women fighting.
Chas, Boston
Bush's speech revealed that he and his administration really have no plan for Iraq, or really no plans in general. I was once on the fence between Bush and the democrats (after 9/11, not recently), but the guy just doesn't seem to know what he's doing at all. I keep reading things criticisms of Kerry regarding his changing his mind on issues (over a 15 yr time span)-god bless someone who can grow, learn from their mistakes, and change their mind on what the appropriate course of action is. We have a group in the White House who sets a course of action and will not even investigate if they are doing the right thing. The worst part of it is that they never even seemed to give much consideration to what the end result is of their actions. Great, invade Iraq, then what? We've had no plan, except that we hand over the govt on June 30-to whom, there's no one weilding any power their, or it's simply ceremonial, because we're keeping 3000+ people in the embassy-sounds more like a govt than an embassy. From what I can tell, our plan rested on the assumption that the Iraqi's would love us, drop their guns, and it would be a big love fest-was their no plan B because I sure don't see any. Same thing on the economy-great, cut taxes, now what? It's frustrating to see what this man (or the people behind him) has done-totally destroyed our reputation in the world community, gotten us into a war without much of an ending in sight, done nothing to stimulate the economy except give the rich tax breaks, gotten the religious right to encroach in everyone else's business, and the list goes on. Come on independents-stop listening to the news bites and actually examine what he's doing for this country.
John, Marblehead
Judging from all of the involvement in false information as well as lack of informing people in an ongoing manner, what does it take for Tenet to get fired. His personal connection with the Bush family is far less important than the fact that he simply is not behaving in the best interests of the citizens of this country. There are just too many people in this administration who are both incompetent and protected, and he is one.
betty, havre de grace, md
