phillyTIM
Golden Member
Look at Bush dropping to his knees. Let the retribution of repentence begin for he and his corrupt Regime.
Bush says 'Bring 'em on' was error
He said his '03 remark had unintended consequences.
By Chris Mondics
Inquirer Washington Bureau
http://www.philly.com/mld/inqu...ews/front/10640407.htm
WASHINGTON - President Bush yesterday acknowledged that he had made a mistake in 2003 when, in a moment of bravado, he challenged Iraqi insurgents with the words "Bring 'em on."
Those words brought sharp denunciations from Democrats, who accused Bush of inviting Iraqi fighters to attack U.S. troops, and now apparently has triggered second thoughts by Bush himself, who usually is loath to acknowledge past missteps.
"Someone asked me the other day about mistakes and all that, and I think one of the things that I have learned is that sometimes words have consequences that you don't intend," Bush said in a White House interview with The Inquirer and reporters from 14 other newspapers. " 'Bring 'em on' was a classic example. I was really trying to rally the troops and make it clear to them that I fully understood what a great job they were doing."
Bush said he had similar second thoughts about his vow to capture Osama bin Laden "dead or alive."
"I can remember getting back to the White House and Laura saying, 'What did you say that for?' "
Of his acknowledgment that the remarks were ill-advised, Bush said: "I don't know what you would call that - a concession, a regret, a something."
Bush met with reporters in the Roosevelt Room of the White House to talk about his second-term agenda, which he has been promoting in recent weeks and which he is expected to discuss in greater detail in his State of the Union address early next month.
He spent much of the hour-long interview stressing the need to revamp Social Security by allowing younger workers to invest portions of their Social Security taxes in personal investment accounts. Bush said those workers would never collect benefits unless Congress acts to shore up the system.
"We are looking at an $11 trillion unfunded liability, and the longer that Congress delays in addressing it, the worse the problem will get," Bush said. "There are a lot of young people who do not believe they will see a dime, and therefore they expect government to do something about it. This is an issue you can quantify."
Polls show that Americans are concerned that the Social Security trust fund will run out of money in the coming decades but are uncertain about the advisability of privatizing part of the system.
If the government privatized a portion of Social Security, it would be forced to borrow trillions of dollars to replace the younger workers' money, currently paid into the system, that would be diverted into private retirement accounts. Under the Social Security system, current workers pay for the benefits of retired workers.
Borrowing of that magnitude likely would be a tough sell for the President and his Republican allies on Capitol Hill, so Bush has been emphasizing that the system faces collapse unless aggressive steps are taken. Although Democrats contend the system's problems are not so profound and can be fixed with a targeted mix of benefit cuts and tax increases, Bush insisted yesterday that the longer Congress waited, the harder the problem would be to fix.
"You have a whole Social Security Administration that has analyzed this and it makes it very clear when the problem begins," he said. "The reason why the system [faces troubles] is because it was designed in the 1930s, when life expectancy was much shorter and women stayed at home. In the 1950s, there were 16 workers [paying Social Security taxes] for every retiree. Today there are three, and soon there will be two.
"The way the system is designed, it cannot take the heat."
Bush also sought to highlight his initiative to restrict liability lawsuits, arguing that changes in the laws and a restructuring of the tax system would make the nation more competitive in the world economy.
On Iraq, he said that U.S. National Guard troops, many of whom have complained about unanticipated tour extensions, would be given more-certain departure dates.
"I fully understand that there needs to be as much certainty in rotations as possible, and the Pentagon is working toward that goal," he said.
Bush has periodically brushed off questions about whether he has made any mistakes or regretted any of his actions as President, notably during a rare White House news conference last April when he seemed unable to recall anything that he might have done differently. At one point he said:
"I hope - I don't want to sound like I have made no mistakes. I'm confident I have. I just haven't - you just put me under the spot here, and maybe I'm not as quick on my feet as I should be in coming up with one."
He began in that vein yesterday, seemingly unable to think of anything that he regretted.
"Biggest regret, first term, hmm, let's see," he said. "What was the other [question]? Have I changed? Well you better ask my wife that question. They say my hair is grayer. But I come from a pretty white-haired gene pool. At least half of it is. And I'll get back to you on the regret. I am not a regretful person. I am a look-forward, get-things-done type of person."
Later, toward the end of the interview, when pressed, the President said it would have been rude not to answer the question and then detailed his second thoughts about the Iraq remarks.
Bush says 'Bring 'em on' was error
He said his '03 remark had unintended consequences.
By Chris Mondics
Inquirer Washington Bureau
http://www.philly.com/mld/inqu...ews/front/10640407.htm
WASHINGTON - President Bush yesterday acknowledged that he had made a mistake in 2003 when, in a moment of bravado, he challenged Iraqi insurgents with the words "Bring 'em on."
Those words brought sharp denunciations from Democrats, who accused Bush of inviting Iraqi fighters to attack U.S. troops, and now apparently has triggered second thoughts by Bush himself, who usually is loath to acknowledge past missteps.
"Someone asked me the other day about mistakes and all that, and I think one of the things that I have learned is that sometimes words have consequences that you don't intend," Bush said in a White House interview with The Inquirer and reporters from 14 other newspapers. " 'Bring 'em on' was a classic example. I was really trying to rally the troops and make it clear to them that I fully understood what a great job they were doing."
Bush said he had similar second thoughts about his vow to capture Osama bin Laden "dead or alive."
"I can remember getting back to the White House and Laura saying, 'What did you say that for?' "
Of his acknowledgment that the remarks were ill-advised, Bush said: "I don't know what you would call that - a concession, a regret, a something."
Bush met with reporters in the Roosevelt Room of the White House to talk about his second-term agenda, which he has been promoting in recent weeks and which he is expected to discuss in greater detail in his State of the Union address early next month.
He spent much of the hour-long interview stressing the need to revamp Social Security by allowing younger workers to invest portions of their Social Security taxes in personal investment accounts. Bush said those workers would never collect benefits unless Congress acts to shore up the system.
"We are looking at an $11 trillion unfunded liability, and the longer that Congress delays in addressing it, the worse the problem will get," Bush said. "There are a lot of young people who do not believe they will see a dime, and therefore they expect government to do something about it. This is an issue you can quantify."
Polls show that Americans are concerned that the Social Security trust fund will run out of money in the coming decades but are uncertain about the advisability of privatizing part of the system.
If the government privatized a portion of Social Security, it would be forced to borrow trillions of dollars to replace the younger workers' money, currently paid into the system, that would be diverted into private retirement accounts. Under the Social Security system, current workers pay for the benefits of retired workers.
Borrowing of that magnitude likely would be a tough sell for the President and his Republican allies on Capitol Hill, so Bush has been emphasizing that the system faces collapse unless aggressive steps are taken. Although Democrats contend the system's problems are not so profound and can be fixed with a targeted mix of benefit cuts and tax increases, Bush insisted yesterday that the longer Congress waited, the harder the problem would be to fix.
"You have a whole Social Security Administration that has analyzed this and it makes it very clear when the problem begins," he said. "The reason why the system [faces troubles] is because it was designed in the 1930s, when life expectancy was much shorter and women stayed at home. In the 1950s, there were 16 workers [paying Social Security taxes] for every retiree. Today there are three, and soon there will be two.
"The way the system is designed, it cannot take the heat."
Bush also sought to highlight his initiative to restrict liability lawsuits, arguing that changes in the laws and a restructuring of the tax system would make the nation more competitive in the world economy.
On Iraq, he said that U.S. National Guard troops, many of whom have complained about unanticipated tour extensions, would be given more-certain departure dates.
"I fully understand that there needs to be as much certainty in rotations as possible, and the Pentagon is working toward that goal," he said.
Bush has periodically brushed off questions about whether he has made any mistakes or regretted any of his actions as President, notably during a rare White House news conference last April when he seemed unable to recall anything that he might have done differently. At one point he said:
"I hope - I don't want to sound like I have made no mistakes. I'm confident I have. I just haven't - you just put me under the spot here, and maybe I'm not as quick on my feet as I should be in coming up with one."
He began in that vein yesterday, seemingly unable to think of anything that he regretted.
"Biggest regret, first term, hmm, let's see," he said. "What was the other [question]? Have I changed? Well you better ask my wife that question. They say my hair is grayer. But I come from a pretty white-haired gene pool. At least half of it is. And I'll get back to you on the regret. I am not a regretful person. I am a look-forward, get-things-done type of person."
Later, toward the end of the interview, when pressed, the President said it would have been rude not to answer the question and then detailed his second thoughts about the Iraq remarks.
