The Kennedy-Rumsfeld Showdown
If the Karl Rove story had not consumed so much blog attention yesterday, I think the Kennedy-Rumsfeld showdown (which Jayson posted here) would have been the big story. I watched excerpts of the exchange on Brit Hume’s Special Report and was absolutely riveted. It is video that must be seen to be believed. I will post a link to the video when I find it.
I will also post more later on some statements made by others during the hearing that deserve discussion.
UPDATE: The following is part of the exchange that was shown on Special Report:
“This war has been consistently and grossly mismanaged,” Sen. Edward Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, told Rumsfeld. “And we are now in a seemingly intractable quagmire.”“Our troops are dying. And there really is no end in sight. And the American people, I believe, deserve leadership worthy of the sacrifices that our fighting forces have made, and they deserve the real facts. And I regret to say that I don’t believe that you have provided either,” Kennedy added.
“Well, that is quite a statement,” Rumsfeld, flanked by top U.S. commanders, responded. “First let me say that there isn’t a person at this table who agrees with you that we’re in a quagmire and that there’s no end in sight.”
“The suggestion by you that people — me or others — are painting a rosy picture is false,” Rumsfeld.
“The fact is from the beginning of this we have recognized that this is a tough business, that it is difficult, that it is dangerous, and that it is not predictable,” Rumsfeld added.
Another memorable exchange that is not mentioned in the story linked above was one that took place with Gen. Abizaid, who explained to the Senators in no uncertain terms that their mischaracterizations of what is taking place in Iraq definitely affects the morale of the troops and is not helpful to the war effort.
UPDATE II: I did not see Lindsey Graham on the television report of the hearing, but this quote from the Fox News story makes me glad I didn’t.
“Public support in my state is turning,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. “People are beginning to question. And I don’t think it’s a blip on the radar screen. We have a chronic problem on our hands.”
I do believe that the President has not done a good enough job explaining to the public the things that we have accomplished in Iraq, but has it occurred to Graham that when the media feeds Americans a steady diet of quagmire and Vietnam redux that public opinion polls will reflect that? Lindsey, stop trying so hard to emulate your hero, “The Maverick” John McCain, and stand up to Ted Kennedy and others when they make statements that are not supported by fact. Maybe if more Republicans in the Senate did that the public opinion polls would begin to show it.
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