December 13, 2006
Hotline After Dark -- Subtle Digs At Obama Watch
Pres. Bush postponed his speech to the nation on Iraq dominated TV coverage last night.
CNN's Dobbs: "The White House today said President Bush will delay the announcement of any changes in his Iraq strategy until the new year. The White House announcement had been expected before Christmas. A top White House official insists the delay is not a sign of trouble, but simply a sign of the president's determination" ("Lou Dobbs Tonight," 12/12).
FNC's Baier: "Administration officials say the president also wants to wait until his new Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, who will be sworn in Monday, has a chance to travel to Iraq, to, quote, kick the tires with commanders on the ground" ("Special Report," 12/12).
CNN's Henry: "People familiar with the deliberations are now telling CNN that the president is actively considering sending more troops to Iraq, a controversial move that White House aides just will not confirm or deny" ("AC 360," 12/12).
Newsweek's Alter: "My feeling about these consultations he's having with a lot of Democrats and military experts is, better late than never. But it sure is late. ... They should have been reassessing this policy and making these adjustments, creating a new policy, really, at least three years ago" ("Countdown," MSNBC, 12/12).
CNN's Bash: "If the president wants patience from Democratic leaders, it's pretty clear he's not going to get it. The incoming Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, blasted the president for delaying his announcement of this new Iraq policy, even appeared to chide him on this so-called listening tour that he's on" ("Situation Room," 12/12).
"Hannity & Colmes" also ran the second part of its interview with Defense Sec. Donald Rumsfeld.
Rumsfeld, on the current situation: "The military is doing a superb job. They're doing everything that military people can do. The problems here are political, and they're going to require diplomacy. They're going to require progress on that front for the military to succeed. So we're in that unusual circumstance where there's no way our military can lose a single battle, here or around the world; there's also no way the military can win alone" (FNC, 12/12).
MAKING THE ROUNDS
Several WH '08ers also made TV appearances.
Ex-Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) and his wife, Elizabeth, played "Hardball."
Edwards, on Bush: "I do not trust him. ... I think that skepticism and cynicism is well-deserved. I think the president has shown a complete inability to change, a complete incompetence in the management of the war in Iraq. ... And now he tells us it's going to be January before he takes any different course? It's just not acceptable. It's not leadership. That's not what America needs."
On the advantages of having already run for pres.: "Running before makes you focus on something different. Instead of focusing on how crowds respond to you and what everybody seems to love of you. That's not the test for being president. The test for being president is are you the best person to occupy the Oval Office and be the leader of the free world? Because literally the future of the world is at stake here. This is not about popularity and excitement."
Asked if Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) is receiving too much hype: "No, I think it's -- listen, he's an exciting, charismatic guy and I think he would add something to the race if he decided to run for president. And then the real test, as those of us who've been through enough" (MSNBC, 12/12).
Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) was in the "Situation Room."
Kucinich, on Iraq: "My position and my run-for the presidency is about consistency. It's about a quest for integrity. It's about saying the money is there to bring the troops home, so let's bring them home. What are we waiting for?"
CNN's Blitzer: "So you're saying this is not simply an ego trip for Dennis Kucinich?"
Kucinich: "Was it an ego trip to stand up in 2002 and say there was no basis for this war, when no other person was willing to do that? ... I chose a career in public life ... not just to do well, but to do good. And I chose a career where I can manifest this integrity and to stand up and speak on behalf of the people. ... We have to bring those troops home. We have to rededicate the purpose of our nation to something other than war.
And my candidacy is about doing just that" (CNN, 12/12).
Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) also stopped by the "Situation Room."
Brownback, on Bush waiting to make an announcement in 1/07: "This is a big course correction, if you want to call it that, a course adjustment that he's making, and I think he needs to take every bit of time that he needs to have."
Asked if he would support ex-NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani as the '08 GOP nominee: "Oh, I think so. I believe in a big tent party. I believe in a party that binds people together even though we don't agree on all of the topics, and so I think I could do that. But I think I'm going to be the nominee and not Rudy Giuliani" (CNN, 12/12). [KATHERINE LEHR]
Posted at 08:10 AM
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