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Home Front
Dean not yet ready to pronounce Bin Laden guilty
2003-12-26
EFL - Hat tip to Drudge
Asked about the futures of Iraq and Afghanistan, Dean said the Bush administration must work harder in both countries to achieve peace and a stable, democratic government.
"must work harder in both countries to achieve peace" = "Hell, I don't know!"
Criticizing the president for "turning four-fifths of the country over to warlords," Dean said winning the peace in Afghanistan would require "a much more serious investment in troops, time and money."
Uhhh... Howard? The warlords, with our able assistance, took 4/5ths of the country away from the Taliban, and now Bush (via Karzai) is bringing the warlords under control
Afghanistan is a model for Iraq in one sense, though, Dean said: Afghanistan’s indigenous system of representation, the loya jirga, has street credibility that will lend legitimacy to the constitution now under construction. The Bush administration, Dean said, must devise a way for Iraqis to elect an interim government to write a constitution. The election doesn’t have to be American-style, Dean said, but it must be "a natural, local selection process" that will be viewed as legitimate.

Dean said Iraq is "probably the best place" for Saddam to be tried, but "I’m willing to be flexible about that because I don’t think it’s essential to the security interests of the United States." The Monitor asked: Where should Osama bin Laden be tried if he’s caught? Dean said he didn’t think it made any difference, and if he were president he would consult with his lawyers for advice on the subject.
"he would consult with his lawyers for advice on the subject" = "I dunno. Whuddyou think?"
But wouldn’t most Americans feel strongly that bin Laden should be tried in America - and put to death? "I’ve resisted pronouncing a sentence before guilt is found," Dean said. "I still have this old-fashioned notion that even with people like Osama, who is very likely to be found guilty, we should do our best not to, in positions of executive power, not to prejudge jury trials. So I’m sure that is the correct sentiment of most Americans, but I do think if you’re running for president, or if you are president, it’s best to say that the full range of penalties should be available. But it’s not so great to prejudge the judicial system."

Asked to discuss his lack of foreign policy experience, Dean said he knows his way around foreign policy more than his rivals give him credit for - he’s visited 50 countries and met foreign leaders on trade missions as governor. But the larger point, Dean said, is that all presidents listen to advisers with expertise in particular areas. "The question is how to pick apart the advice and figure out what the right course is, based on the various arguments that people are making," he said. "That’s what I’ve done as governor."

Asked how he would beat primary rivals with more experience on foreign policy, Dean said he would keep reminding Democrats that he was the only major candidate who opposed the Iraq war, despite polls showing the vast majority of the American public supporting the invasion at the time. "The bottom line is, what kind of foreign policy experience do you want in Washington, in the White House?" he said. "Do you want the kind of foreign policy experience that was willing to vote for the Iraq war, or not?"
Absolutely.
Posted by:Frank G

#22  Dave, too funny!
Both he and YGB would benefit from a rigorous course of electroshock therapy to be followed by a cold can of Spud beer.
Whoa, Spud!
Posted by: Jennie Taliaferro   2003-12-26 10:16:34 PM  

#21  Uh... Frank? TF doesn't need "a life"; he needs Thorazine. Lots of it. :)
Posted by: Dave D.   2003-12-26 9:51:53 PM  

#20  Aside from the fact that this reveals what a little asshelmet Coward Dean is and that should he be the Dim candidate that Bush will beat him like a red-headed stepchild, there is the reality of Clintoon's 8-year reign of terror and the reason he wouldn't go after OBL, even though he had about 12 opportunities: Clinton, ever the legal man, would hold off grabbing Osama or hitting him back because there "wasn't sufficient proof that would hold up in a court of law."
Posted by: Jennie Taliaferro   2003-12-26 9:40:37 PM  

#19  glad to see you here though :-)
Posted by: Frank G   2003-12-26 9:38:55 PM  

#18  Dave - I've gotta agree on all 3 points: BQ is distracted with real life, YGB and TF need to get one
Posted by: Frank G   2003-12-26 9:33:02 PM  

#17  Whadda dummy....he had the photo-op of a lifetime, and the chance to even the polls....all he had to do was quote the Old Cowboy and say, "Oh, he'll get a fair trial alright, first we'll try him fair, then we'll hang him fair."

No imagination, that Dean...whatta dumkopf.
Posted by: Rivrdog   2003-12-26 9:24:30 PM  

#16  The really, really, really good thing about Dean is that the hard core Demo's think he actually has a chance. My New Year's Prayer: "Please, God...don't burst Demo-Dean bubble."
Posted by: ScottAK   2003-12-26 8:58:46 PM  

#15  Frank G:

I kinda gave up on DailyPundit; too little of Bill Quick anymore, too much of YGB and TF. I still check in there daily, but seldom comment.
Posted by: Dave D.   2003-12-26 8:55:27 PM  

#14  Uggghh..this idiot is to much. He's going to get wiped out (if anyone is paying attention).
I may be looking ahead too much but '08 is what I'm worried about.
Posted by: JerseyMike   2003-12-26 8:46:12 PM  

#13  SSSSsssshhhhhh
Dave D's right ;-)

Dave, you still commenting at Bill Quick's too?
Posted by: Frank G   2003-12-26 8:06:37 PM  

#12  From your keyboard to God's ear.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2003-12-26 5:17:11 PM

2004 is gonna be soo much fun.
Posted by: badanov   2003-12-26 7:10:21 PM  

#11  Which might explain why Rove et al. have been doing so little counterpunching.
Posted by: Matt   2003-12-26 6:51:52 PM  

#10  "From your keyboard to God's ear."

Yeah, but I'm not too comfortable with Dean's iridescent idiocy making a blowout election inevitable: if the mental image of a shotgun-toting Karl Rove grinning broadly as he stands over a barrel of fish gains too much currency among the Democratic Party leadership, they might ditch Howlin' Howard and trot out Hillary instead. And then we've got a serious fight on our hands.
Posted by: Dave D.   2003-12-26 6:38:02 PM  

#9  OBL is innocent because the Deanuts all think Dubya/Big Oil©/the Knights Templar really were behind 9/11.
Posted by: 4thInfVet   2003-12-26 5:45:38 PM  

#8  Karl Rove, wherever you are, have another glass of champagne and send Fred the bill. This is like watching a guy throw a hanging curve ball to Hank Aaron.

"I still have this old-fashioned notion that even with people like Osama, who is very likely to be found guilty, we should do our best not to, in positions of executive power, not to prejudge jury trials."

What exactly is the good doctor saying here? He seems to be saying that OBL, if he's not in hell, is entitled to all the protections afforded American citizens by our legal system. But if that's what he means, then to be consistent, he's got to take it further and say that OBL is presumed innocent, just like any citizen.

Go ahead, Dr. Dean, make my day: tell the world that Osama is presumed innocent.
Posted by: Matt   2003-12-26 5:41:19 PM  

#7  I like Howard's comments, I can't even make shit up to make them look dumber lol
Posted by: Frank G   2003-12-26 5:21:58 PM  

#6  
What the hell is this clown trying to do, give Bush a 50-state landslide next year?
From your keyboard to God's ear.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2003-12-26 5:17:11 PM  

#5  So I’m sure that is the correct sentiment of most Americans

Unbelievable. This guy is nuts, he goes to 'meet ups' with other leftwing nuts, and they all reinforce eachother with their insanity. This idiot has no idea how Middle America feels, and in any case, he tunes out what he doesn't want to hear.

If this jackass somehow did become president, every city in the U.S. would be just like Tel Aviv and we'd be going to prayer 5 times a day.

Just keep talking, howie, you're digging deeper.
Posted by: 4thInfVet   2003-12-26 4:26:36 PM  

#4  What the hell is this clown trying to do, give Bush a 50-state landslide next year????

Um...yes?
Posted by: Val   2003-12-26 4:06:12 PM  

#3  I keep waiting for Dr. Dean to begin his movement toward the center- but he ain't doing it.

Somehow I can't reconcile this:

Dean said he would keep reminding Democrats that he was the only major candidate who opposed the Iraq war, despite polls showing the vast majority of the American public supporting the invasion at the time.

with this:

"Do you want the kind of foreign policy experience that was willing to vote for the Iraq war, or not?"

given the continuing public support for the war, especially after Saddam's capture.

What the hell is this clown trying to do, give Bush a 50-state landslide next year????
Posted by: Dave D.   2003-12-26 3:54:01 PM  

#2  Asked how he would beat primary rivals with more experience on foreign policy, Dean said he would keep reminding Democrats that he was the only major candidate who opposed the Iraq war, despite polls showing the vast majority of the American public supporting the invasion at the time.

"The bottom line is, what kind of foreign policy experience do you want in Washington, in the White House?" he said. "Do you want the kind of foreign policy experience that was willing to vote for the Iraq war, or not?"

Um, Mr. Dean - ANSWER THE F*CKING QUESTION!!!

Asshat...
Posted by: Raj   2003-12-26 3:53:30 PM  

#1  Good for you, Howard! Fair play for everybody!
Can't wait until you're president and they eat us afuckinlive!
Posted by: tu3031   2003-12-26 3:48:29 PM  

00:00