President Bush gets heated with Martha Raddatz over Afghanistan
By SilentPatriot Monday Apr 28, 2008 5:11pm
President Bush got hit with a curveball today as Martha Raddatz opted to ask about the deteriorating conditions in Afghanistan instead of the economy. A visually agitated Bush went into an impassioned diatribe of how important it is to stick to our guns in Afghanistan and help secure the country. I have to say that I agree fully with the President on this one. It's just too bad he's virtually forgotten about the effort there, diverting vital resources to Iraq instead.
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Q Can I just add to that, a couple weeks ago --
THE PRESIDENT: No, you can't. This is the second follow-up. You usually get one follow-up, and I was nice enough to give you one. I didn't give anybody on this side a follow-up, and now you are trying to take a second follow-up.
Q Can I just say --
THE PRESIDENT: They just cut off your mic. You can't, no.
Q A couple weeks ago you said --
THE PRESIDENT: Now she's going to go without the mic. This is awesome.
Full transcript below the fold..
I'm pleased with the Afghan army, that when they're in the fight they're good. I wish we had completely eliminated the radicals who kill innocent people to achieve objectives, but that hasn't happened yet. And so I think it's very much in our interests to continue helping the young democracy. And we will.
Yes. Obviously you've got a follow-up.
Q But do you think we're winning? Do you think we're winning?
THE PRESIDENT: I do, I think we're making good progress. I do, yes.
Q Can I just add to that, a couple weeks ago --
THE PRESIDENT: No, you can't. This is the second follow-up. You usually get one follow-up, and I was nice enough to give you one. I didn't give anybody on this side a follow-up, and now you are trying to take a second follow-up.
Q They didn't try.
THE PRESIDENT: I know you try.
Yes.
Q Can I just say --
THE PRESIDENT: They just cut off your mic. You can't, no.
Q A couple weeks ago you said --
THE PRESIDENT: Now she's going to go without the mic. This is awesome. (Laughter.)
Q A couple weeks ago you said that in Iraq, in 2006, you said we were winning and the strategy was working to keep up troop morale.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
Q How can we believe that you're not doing the same thing here?
THE PRESIDENT: You tried to ask me that question before. It's a repeat. Look, I said --
Q No, I'm talking --
THE PRESIDENT: Can I finish, please? The question you asked me before at the exclusive I gave you on the ranch was: You said that we were winning in the past. I also said that there was tough fighting. Make sure you put the comments in place.
So what I'm going to tell you now is, we're making progress in Afghanistan, but there's tough fighting. I'm under no illusions that this isn't tough. I know full well we're dealing with a determined enemy. I believe it's in our interest that we defeat that enemy. And so, yes, we're making progress. But it's also a tough battle. We're facing people who are willing to strap bombs on themselves and walk into places where the innocent dwell, or the innocent shop, and kill them.
Is it in our interest to confront these people now, whether it be in Afghanistan, or Iraq, or Europe, or anywhere else? And the answer is, absolutely, it's in our interest. And the notion that somehow we can let these people just kind of have their way or, you know, let's don't stir them up, is naive or disingenuous, and it's not in our nation's interests. We are in a global struggle against thugs and killers. And the United States of America has got to continue to take the lead.
And so in Afghanistan, yes, we're making progress. Does that mean that it's over? No, it doesn't mean it's over. We're in a long struggle, as I've told you many a time, against these jihadists. You defeat them ultimately by the advance of democracy. See, this is an ideological struggle. These aren't isolated, law-enforcement moments. We're dealing with a group of ideologues who use asymmetrical warfare -- that means killing innocent people -- to try to achieve their objectives. And one objective is to drive us out of Afghanistan, Iraq, the Middle East, or anywhere else where we try to confront them.
And so, yes, I mean, look -- is it tough? Yes, it's tough. Is it difficult? Absolutely. Is it worth the fight? In my judgment, yes, it is.
How presidential. Did he conclude with "PWNED!"
Holy shit. Who does this person think she is? Lord High Poobah doesn't have to say a damn thing. It's not like he's a servant of the people or anything.
This behavior is proof that herr dubyah actually believes he doesn't have to answer to the American people.
It's hard work.
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I love when Bush tells reporters what their question is.
His meds must be working today.
I a-a-a-am the Decider! You will shut the fuck up!
I saw this exchange this morning during the live broadcast, and I was floored at the way he treated the press corps. It was obvious that he had very little respect for these journalists. If they weren't properly deferential, he'd pull this sort of stuff on them. I've seen press conferences where he's done it before.
He tried to cut her off from asking for a clarification on her first question by claiming that had been her follow-up. The "are we winning" part was in the first question, and he didn't answer it, so she asked for a clarification. Then she went for her follow-up, and Bush saw what she was trying to do and wanted to cut her off.
Good on her to point out the administration's sunshine politics (don't worry, everything is fine, we're working really hard on it) as the farce that they are. You just can't trust anything that comes out of anyone in this administration.
He gets his manners from the big giant head.
I have to say I loathe stephie 'fat boy' harper but if this fuckstick was the leader of my country I'd weep daily in complete despair and embarrassment.
The Constitution is well equipped to protect our rights as we monitor the most corrupt criminal unconstitutional illegal Administration in our Nation's History.
Our Founding Fathers Understood. This Union, our Contract with each other, is bigger than any White House, Contractor, Wall Street or Lobbyist
As we saw the country we love, deteriorate, we went on a search of web sites that were truly trying to understand what is happening to our country.
What drew me to this site was the level of truth that it was trying to communicate.
Thank you Crooks and Liars… everyone.
Whenever I thing of the word "ignoramous" in the future.....this pathetic excuse of a "decider" will pop right into my mind.
What a f*cking idiot!!
We are so proud of you dubya....you total buffoon. So disgusting that the USA could be led by such a clown.
Wow, what a rude piece of shit. Proof that money doesn't buy class.
...
Everytime I think "What a f***ing arrogant PRICK" couldn't possibly come to mind anew anymore...
What a child. Obviously he feels that people can't handle the truth.
There is no "winning" against a guerrilla insurgency. Never has been, never will be. Just ask the Russians.
well, bush pounded the podium, so he must be right
thismachinekillsfascists @ 15:
or the israelis, or the brits, or the cubans
fact is bush has set it up so that the insurgencies in both iraq and afghanistan can continue, because his philosophy collapses if america doesnt continue to have an enemy
How long before the White House changes the transcript to make Bush seem less angry and make Raddatz look as impolite and out of control as possible?
Maybe I've missed it before, but this time I detect a bit of brain damage in the man. I used to think it was just a mish-mash of arrogance, stupidity and tunnel-vision. But no, I think it may be more than that. Some of the upstairs gears appear to be stripping out before our eyes.
If we all look back at all the presidential elections since 1789,
I think there is an answer to all of this in History somewhere.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election#Preside...
We cant believe -- how could such a small corrupt group
of people undermine our entire country and justice.
We will never forget when we saw a picture of the american flag flying in a distress position on the Capitol.
Our Founding Fathers are weeping.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC1EZcrZEIs
History is repeating.
Thankfully also, so do the good teachers and good men who have always spoke at the crucial time.
The time is now.
I saw this exchange this morning during the live broadcast, and I was floored at the way he treated the press corps. It was obvious that he had very little respect for these journalists.
And they LOVED it! It was stunning to watch. There were also a number of planted "journalists" who asked Gannon-esque questions. What do you get when you cross a delusional President with an ineffectual Press? DISASTER!
worst.
evah.
JohnMcCainLovesViagra @ 13:
But it does buy an election...
...or two.
What an ass. Just like Ashcroft. Just like Rove. Just like Rumsfeld. Just like Cheney. They're bullies to all serious questioners.
I think we're all missing the point here. With the exceptions of a) how he was a flaming baby in how he responded to the reporter and b) his trying to tie in Iraq to the equation: he is dead on. You cannot placate jihadists, and this objective to eliminate these extremists is worth the fight. Afghanistan is the right place to do it, and you can't just walk away from that country. We should walk way from Iraq, but not Afghanistan.
What has it come to that I agree with this guy? oof...must be a cold day in Afghanistan.
C'mon - where have you folks been for the last eight years? What on earth did you expect Alfred W. Newman to say? You use your time and your web log to point out what petulant wanker our President is, again, and again, and again, to what end? Hey all of you out there - does this post bring any new information to your minds, and if so where have you been since 2001? Sheesh already...
Hence, his name on the Stephanie Miller Show: President Pissy Pants Cuckoo Bananas.
Martha Raddatz is one of the most respected jounalists in the business. The troops LOVE her, because she reports the truth about what is happening in Bush's war. Little George really shows us what kind of stuff he's made of in this clip. Petulant, insecure, afraid of being asked a question he hasn't rehearsed with an acting coach.
that magnificant douchbag!!!!
Annette @ 25:
But they're in Pakistan.
I think her follow up should have been:
"How do you feel about the fact that all through your business, political and personal life, whatever you've touched has tuned to shit"?
It would be nice indeed if, as bush has said in the past: " I hope we can get to
the bottom of the answer." What a total joke/clown/fool we have in the W/H.
Bush seems to be rather concerned with his place in history; Mr. President, if you're reading this, I've got good news.
Your place in history has been established:
You're a punchline.
oh god i misspelled magnificent
What a complete A@@ and petulant child. I am so ashamed of where we have devolved to over the last 8 years. Word cannot describe how worthless this POS is in terms on moral fiber or anything.
El Cid @ 27:
That's a keeper. Have to use the from now on. And you can change "pissy" for "prissy" and it still works.
theWalrus @ 30:
You don't think there are jihadists in Afghanistan? There are. Who do you think we're fighting there? Fluffy bunnies?
What is that man trying to say ? In junior bush 's fantasy world we are making progress in Afganistan. Go tell that to karzai the ruler of kabul who almost got killed last sunday.
Two words:
Douche Bag.
Annette @ 37:
All they guys who attacked us on 9/11 died while carrying out their mission. Those that planned and plotted *that* crime are currently in Pakistan.
"ideologues who use asymmetrical warfare that means killing innocent people"
Of course, U.S. forces don't use asymmetrical warfare.
U.S. forces don't kill innocent people
B2 bombers and UAVs are obviously not asymmetrical.
Pure unadultered propaganda.
Go for it BushCo.
Invade Canada, Venezuela, and Russia.
We'll see who wins.
If this a "Global struggle against thugs and killers," then why do we treat it like an AFTERTHOUGHT??
Good God, man. People are dying. Take it serious and do something to support those troops who are spilling their blood for YOU and ME!!
Get serious, sit down at you desk....take the reports...hour by hour.... not in the morning as you putt your golf ball in a glass......or go to some party and dance with the visiting band....
You don't think it is that serious.... These MEN and WOMEN are looking to YOU...to do the HARD WORK!!!....and bring our people home!
So that makes him a jihadist as he defined.
vince @ 7:
Ha! He hasn't been the same since his puppeteer Rove left his side. The question should be why is he allowed to give a press conference. He's a lame frickin' duck & totally irrelavent to the political process with many incumbent reps running for cover since his job approval rating started tanking (5) years ago.
His last official act will be hugging McBush in Minneapolis, sure to be a Kodak moment :)
Oh I forgot, he still has to pardon scooter!
Like totally awsum!
This person masquerading as the president of the US has lost all credibility. It pisses me off to no end that he constantly lies and pretends he knows what he talking about. He's a complete moron. A total embarrassment to the good people of this country.
Silent patriot said,"
"I have to say that I agree fully with the President on this one."
I say prove it and enlist ...take a few friends with you. ...good luck!
What an ass! With a guy like this in charge of the country for the last seven years, is it any wonder we're circling the drain? ...and honestly, for a country that put this fool in office not once, but TWICE--knowing full well what a tool he is--can we really say we didn't deserve everything we're getting now?
MargeAggedon @ 23:
True. And it can buy oil companies that you can run into the ground.
I don't mind watching this - much better than seeing him avoiding the questions with non-answers or pointing fingers. Getting McCain riled like this will be the best way to defeat him this fall.
JohnMcCainLovesViagra @ 49:
But that's ok because there's always war profiteering and corporate welfare to fix it.
I personally do NOT support the war in Afghanistan for this reason. The vast majority of the people on the planes responsoble for crashing them into the WTC were Saudis god dammit. NOT Afghanis. The Afghan war is all about an oil pipeline from the Caspian central republics of the old Soviet Union. Period. The Taliban would not play ball so georgie used this as an excuse to try and oust them. Bin Laden may or may not have ever been there, but I would be willing to bet he IS in Saudi Arabia somewhere by now. So fuck Bush. He lies every time he opens his mouth
It makes you wonder why the helper-monkeys of the press continue to carry water for this idiot.
Bruce @ 31:
I'd kiss the person who had the balls to ask him that question.
thismachinekillsfascists @ 15:
Ask the Russians? What is that supposed to mean? Like a war with a simple little country like Afgahnastan could bankrupt a nation and bring about the downfall of a world superpower? Cmon.
Hey did anyone see 'Charlie Wilson's War'? Pretty cool right? Silly U.S.S.R. Hey.........uh........ohhhh. Dammit!
The Smiths @ 11:
UNFORTUNATELY we have ENABLERS in the Democratic Party who have trampledon the US Constitution by allowing the bush crime family to continue with their crimes.
Annette @ 37:
These fluffy bunnies have beaten the Brits and the Russian and are on their way to beat us too. Why? It's their country and they don't want us there. No matter how much smack we buy from their cousins, they will never like us. This war, and the one over to the west from there, the wars we never legally declared as the Constitution insists, are lost and we will lose our money, our sons and daughters, our reputation there because of Chimpy McFlightsuit's screw-up from the get go. Worst. Prezden. Ever.
Why be floored? The press has been letting him get away with anything he likes...in so doing, they disrespected us, the people, by failing to hold these tools accountable! Bush can walk up to these so-called journalists and shit on their heads for all I care!
He is so over his head. But, then again, he was as governor, ball club owner and oil company exec, also.
I hope he was a good cheerleader.
I think like Britney Spears said, we should trust the President because it's the right thing to do. If GWB thinks were winning and in doing so defending the "dwellers", than gawdarnit, we are winning the fight for the right to dwell now and for those who will dwell in the future, and in the lands were people like to dwell,... or shop.
America = bush's new Arbusto.
enor @ 59:
Nah. He probably fell down a lot, fucked up routines...
Charlieboy @ 57:
Perhaps we should use the holy hand grenade.
milquetoast @ 47:
HA!HA!HA!HA!HA!
I agree 100%!
theWalrus @ 40:
...I thought all the hijackers were from Saudi Arabia (lets attack there)
...arent jihadists in Iran? (lets attack there)
...some in Indonesia too (there?)
...Syria.........maybe Egypt?
Tubular tie, Bush. I mean, aaaawesome. WHOAH! Don't lean s'far out! Y'might fall over the podium! Wait! Smurf! [pound!] Y'got it, Bushy! Yeehaw!
...*...
Stupid fucking inarticulate slapnut idiot.
Wow. Someone aside from Helen Thomas stands up to Bush? I'm amazed.
please dont irritate the prez if he injured his hand he may have to get us to spank his monkey for him !!!arrrggggh
What a big baby. He knows he can't answer the question truthfully so he has a little hissy fit. Good Lord canhe just leave now?
Gross to have an idiot yelling at the audience. An imbecile.
Lets get ready for America's next imbecile in the Whitehouse John McCain.
I watched part of the press conference today & it appeared that GW was being fed answers through a hidden ear piece. He would hesitate to talk (listening to what someone was telling him) & then blurt out some barely coherent statement. Anyone see it that way? And by the way, he is a national disgrace.
theWalrus @ 40:
That is wrong. The Taliban in Afghanistan financed and hosted the bin Laden cabal for years before 9/11. This is not to say that there aren't any bad guys in Pakistan (or Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Morocco, Spain, Iran or Iraq as well).
The Ambassador of Af. came and spoke at our school and encouraged all of us to believe in the mission to bring about peace to the country and to rid the country of the Taliban and other extremists.
What gets me is many people on this site as well as the majority of my friends have hyper-politicized Afghanistan due to Iraq. Mind you these are the same people who were all supportive of Clinton's actions in Somalia and the former Yugoslavia. The irony is completely lost here...I don't think I could lay enough FACTS to change anyone's mind here.
Martha Raddatz will always rock in my book because she's the one who took the picture of Chimpy playing guitar at a fund-raising stop in CA when he should've been in NoLA during Katrina.
As I recall, he was playing an open G chord...on the fourth fret. If you're a musician, you know what I'm talking about. My musician friends refer to that as "the W chord," and it sounds like sh*t.
Thanks, Martha.
Spoon banging fuckwit...
enor @ 59:
He's still a cheerleader. He's been cheering on a bloody, mindless, evil occupation since some idiot handed him a megaphone at ground zero in NY. The trick is to get him to shut the fuck up.
Annette @ 72:
did anyone ever show you the mountains in afganistan ? the thousads of ambush sites ? the fact that the britts and russhians got thier ass handed to them by the afganys out to give you that fighting gurellias in afganistans a fools dream!
"this is awesome."
like the pope's speech?
JohnMcCainLovesViagra @ 13:
You said it... it can't by intelligent debate either, from what this fucktard says...
He is so easy to dislike/despise. No agenda, other than war, for the past seven years, and now we've got to listen to what he says about anything? Don't think so. He forfeited that right a long time ago.
From the Thug and Killer in Chief.
Bush: "Comeon! Aren't ya gonna ask me how I don't sweat? how come yall don't ball-tickle me like you do my successor "McShitFerBrains, hyuck, hyuck" "
George W. Bush, the first US President to lose two god damn wars. A disgrace as President and totally pathetic as a man the cost of 4,052 US Troops, 500,000 Iraqi's and $2 trillion dollars has been a steep price to pay for our sorry ass nation at the hands of this imbecile.
I work as a manager in a factory in the middle of Republican redneck land. My coworkers are all now former Bush admirers who detested my opinions over the last seven years under their shit stained leader. Four dollars a gallon has a way of turning gun toting, pick-up driving hillbillies into venomous back biters.
The only good thing to come out of Bush's disastrous two terms is that he has effectively killed the Republican Party. None of my former Bush blowing coworkers will admit to even belonging to the Republican Party let alone to have voted for Dumbya. Traitors.
Now if we can only find that same special candidate destined to destroy the lame Democrat Party there will be hope that we can yet save our nation.
Go Hillary Go !!!
Hulk @ 12:
Well, I personally think you'd do better thinking of "ignoranus" - because Bush is both dumb as shit AND an asshole.
So, let me get this right. The bush doctrine is to go out into other countries and confront anyone who thinks differently than us. To confront them and kill them if they stand up and tell us to go back to our country and mind our own business.
Nice.
And he wonders why he is the most hated person in the world.
Yes... even more than the little dick who sits next to him in the potty room.
OOPS did I say POTTY?
I meant "party".
right.
Is our journalists learning Patriotism?
Was he drunk in this video? He sure seemed to slur an awful lot....
Annette @ 72:
Annette @ 25:
Annette: How exactly do you eliminate Jihadism in Afghanistan when their Shiva and Ganesha worshiping ancestors whaled the shit out of Alexander the Great? Let's remember Ol' Alex went from Macedonia to the Indus with a tiny army, and they still kicked the crap out of him! No army has ever won in Afghanistan. No army has ever occupied Afghanistan. I doubt we will win there, not when one side of the Cold War tried (the USSR) and failed. Bill Clinton's activities in Somalia and Yugoslavia were also deplorable. I notice you forgot to mention President Clinton's two adventures in Iraq. But unlike Herr Dubya, Clinton at least left the place. So did Dubya's dad. But, the person who said the 19 hijackers were Saudi is correct. If we should have gone after any power, Saudi Arabia should have been it, in a perfect world where bombs falling on Mecca and Medina wouldn't make every Muslim from Bosnia to Indonesia hate us.
tyree @ 76:
Not just Britons and Soviets, Ghenghis Khan (you know, the dude that forged most of Eurasia into an empire, that Ghenghis Khan) and Alexander the Great and Tamerlane all failed as well.
How very presidential of him. Really, I believe displays like this will contribute greatly to earning back the respect we seem to have lost in the eyes of the world.
I also believe in the tooth fairy.
The man is not just dumb - he has no class.
Somebody give him a drink.
By the way, we already know his talking points. Why not ask about impeachment. What will his defenses be? Will he try to pardon himself?