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| Gephardt Attacks Bush Foreign Policy as ’Machismo’ |
| 2003-07-22 |
| One of the dwarfs speaks: SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful Richard Gephardt on Tuesday condemned President Bush’s foreign policy as "machismo" and "arrogant unilateralism," saying his clumsy diplomacy on Iraq had shattered U.S. foreign alliances and endangered America. Unlike the subtle yet strong diplomacy by Madeleine and Bill C? Bwahahaha In an attack on Bush’s diplomacy since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the Missouri congressman said Bush had treated allies "like so many flies on America’s windshield" and should immediately seek U.N. and NATO help in stabilizing Iraq. I like that analogy, and don’t consider that a bug, but a feature "Foreign policy isn’t a John Wayne movie, where we catch the bad guys, hoist a few cold ones, and then everything fades to black," Gephardt, who supported the war in Iraq, said in remarks prepared for delivery to the San Francisco Bar Association. "Diplomacy matters. Burden-sharing matters. Follow-through matters. And yes, sustaining the peace is harder, more complex, and often costlier than winning the war itself," he said. "No matter the surge of momentary machismo -- as gratifying as it may be for some -- it’s short-sighted and wrong to simply go it alone." Gephardt, one of nine Democrats vying to challenge Bush for the White House in 2004, said he would not apologize for supporting the war. But he said he was running for president "because I believe George Bush has left us less safe, and less secure, than we were four years ago." Gephardt was the Democratic leader in the House during the Iraq debate, and he is one four Democratic presidential contenders who supported the resolution authorizing military action, along with Sens. John Kerry of Massachusetts, John Edwards of North Carolina and Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut. He has been criticized by some Democrats, including rival and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, for failing to ask enough questions about Bush’s plans before backing the resolution. But Gephardt said he helped change the war resolution so that it called on Bush to work with U.S. allies and the United Nations, and develop a real plan to stabilize a post-war Iraq. Bush ignored those principles, he said. "Instead, guided by arrogant unilateralism and a deeply flawed ’pre-emption" doctrine’, he has brought us to where we are today in Iraq," Gephardt said. Wonder how many states this crap would carry? Massachusetts? The District of Columbia? |
| Posted by:Frank G |
| #20 nice jab Christopher, and nice blog too Frank |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-7-22 6:57:16 PM |
| #19 Okay. Dick supported the war and won't apologize for it. But he thinks that the President, the one he supported, was too macho. Even though he supported him. This is an interesting electoral strategy for Gephardt. He's trying to position himself as the only Democratic candidate in the race courageous enough to break ranks with himself. |
| Posted by: Christopher Johnson 2003-7-22 6:32:14 PM |
| #18 gephart is so pathetic...the man will never learn...at times he seems to in the middle then he opens his mouth! |
| Posted by: Dan 2003-7-22 5:38:27 PM |
| #17 Gephart reminds me of the "Sensitive Policeman from Blagulon Kappa" in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: "Now see here, guy! You're not dealing with any dumb two-bit trigger-pumping morons with low hairlines, little piggy eyes and no conversation, we're a couple of intelligent caring guys that you'd probably quite like if you met us socially! I don't go around gratuitously shooting people and then bragging about it afterwards in seedy space-ranger bars, like some cops I could mention! I go around shooting people gratuitously and then I agonize about it afterwards for hours to my girlfriend!" |
| Posted by: Mike 2003-7-22 5:31:18 PM |
| #16 There's that word "unilateralism" again.... Wonder where Dick was last week, when none other than Tony Brair.... I think he's from UK and not US, was speaking about the war in Iraq, and about the UK and other allies being there, right there in buddy Dick's own House! Oh -- Dick wasn/t there? Didn't hear that speech? hummm..... understandable, since he never seems to show up anymore -- particularity after that 2002 November beating the Demos had with him as it's "head!" Poor guy.... |
| Posted by: Me 2003-7-22 4:44:10 PM |
| #15 All of the above comments are on the mark. As a linguist, I find it amazing that the Dems still find solace in using "arrogance" and "cowboy" in describing our actions. They've been reading Le Monde way too much. We've been multilateral, gave the Weasels plenty of time to come around, gave Saddam 17 resolutions before going in. The world is safer, Dick. Saudi is finally taking action. That's better, don't you think? I could go on. Class time. |
| Posted by: Michael 2003-7-22 4:33:10 PM |
| #14 U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful Richard Gephardt on Tuesday condemned President Bush’s foreign policy as "machismo" and "arrogant unilateralism,".. Why is this guy bringing this "unilateralism" bullshit up again? |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2003-7-22 3:09:54 PM |
| #13 "Machismo"? Well, there goes the Hispanic vote... |
| Posted by: mojo 2003-7-22 3:06:58 PM |
| #12 CC--I agree. You could add, "Bush is dangerous to burglars," to your list, while you're at it! |
| Posted by: Dar 2003-7-22 1:52:01 PM |
| #11 "Bush is macho". "Bush is John Wayne." "Bush is a cowboy." Why are any of those bad things? I like the fact that Bush is macho, decisive and ready to meet the challenge. Since when is a cowboy bad? As a kid, cowboys were my here and I still greatly admire cowboys for their forthrightness, tenacity and willingness to face the threat at hand. I say "Let's have more cowboy diplomacy!" |
| Posted by: ColoradoConservative 2003-7-22 1:42:49 PM |
| #10 Come on now, lets weigh foreign policy stands by the parties in a "fair and balanced" way. Republican Machismo, where the country actually takes action to defend its citizens and their interests. OR Democrat Arrant Cowardice, where interns huff and puff and blow the President down, we apologize humbly for our very existence and the Tranzis put us all in little padded closets with IV feeding and VR for entertainment. Hmmmmm..... |
| Posted by: Hodadenon 2003-7-22 1:36:25 PM |
| #9 By the way, and to continue stirring things up - did you know that while little Dick has been out selling his soul for the Dem nomination, he's missed 90% of House votes? 90%! His constituents should demand a refund of his salary, then recall the SOB |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-7-22 1:23:25 PM |
| #8 "because I believe George Bush has left us less safe, and less secure, than we were four years ago." Defeating the Taliban and Hussein makes us less safe and secure? To paraphrase this same dimwit from last week, when they were giving out the grades for |
| Posted by: Raj 2003-7-22 1:19:44 PM |
| #7 Next on Fox: "When Conservatives Ululate!" I'm just trying to imagine what my neighbors would do if I actually did this? ;-) (probably ignore it, since it'd sound like a house alarm...) |
| Posted by: snellenr 2003-7-22 1:14:00 PM |
| #6 "Foreign policy isn’t a John Wayne movie, where we catch the bad guys, hoist a few cold ones, and then everything fades to black." If all goes right Dick that is exactly what happens! Dick I like that bug on the winsheild comment. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2003-7-22 1:07:43 PM |
| #5 I'm left wondering who explained the concept of "machismo" to him... |
| Posted by: snellenr 2003-7-22 1:06:48 PM |
| #4 What's in a name...."Dick"? |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-7-22 1:02:33 PM |
| #3 Unfortunate, that he shot off his mouth on the same day we got/may have gotten Uday and Qusay. I feel so machismo. I think I'll hoist a cold one and fade to black, before I got outside and ululate at the bug slats. |
| Posted by: Fred 2003-7-22 12:57:08 PM |
| #2 Oh, and this little gem from AtlanticBlog hilariously describes how some California Democratic state legislators discussed blocking a state budget deal to further their political agenda (while blaming the Republicans for the budget deal delay, of course) over an open microphone! There's a link to the LA Times article, but they require registration. |
| Posted by: Dar 2003-7-22 12:56:08 PM |
| #1 People's Republic of California? I find it perfectly ironic that this is released just as we're getting the juicy details on Saddam's evil little s**ts. Nice timing, Dick! |
| Posted by: Dar 2003-7-22 12:49:02 PM |