Why does nobody mention that BUSH threatened to VETO the $87 BIL?

[UdoKier]

Meanwhile, the White House threatened Tuesday to veto the bill if it contained anything other than direct grants. It was the administration's strongest statement yet on the loan issue and came as U.S. officials prepared to meet with foreign ministers at a conference in Madrid intended to encourage international assistance for Iraq.

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/politics/7069183.htm?1c

Does nobody remember this?

Kerry was holding the line on deficits by trying to repeal the rich f*ck tax cut, and make part of it into loans to Iraq, but Bush INSISTED that the $87 billion be added to the deficit, or our troops could drop dead with no body armor for all he cared.

He was resolute- in his stand FOR deficit spending.

[featherman]

1. Amen to that... I keep waiting to hear it from somebody

[democratreformed]

3. ME TOO n/t

[On the Road]

2. Kerry's Response on This Wasn't the Strongest

but the end result showed it wasn't necessary.

BEFORE Kerry's comment "I may have made a mistake in talking...", he should have said: "I supported the version of the bill that was funded. President Bush supported the version that was unfunded and was against the funded version." Or something like that. It would have clarified the issue for a lot of people.

[UdoKier]

4. kick

nt

[chelaque liberal]

5. Kick

[Eric J in MN]

6. Respond to Bush Deceit about the $87 billion

MoveLeft Media

http://www.moveleft.com/moveleft_essay_2004_07_22_respond_to_bush_deceit_about_the_87_billion_for_Iraq.asp

[UdoKier]

7. Sorry for kicking this again...

but everyone should have this FACT in their arsenal.

[K-W]

8. I was surprised Kerry didnt use this.

When Bush used the bill against Kerry.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

9. I'm not surprised Kerry didn't use everything available to him in the

first debate. He has a town hall debate left and needs to be able to have something left....he's using his info on Bush like K rations

[TheDonkey]

10. Yep, and bush sent the troops to Iraq w/ out the gear they needed!!!

ridiculous.

[Crago]

11. Nov.3,is too late.

Debate:

Bush : My opponent says help is on the way, but what kind of message does it say to our troops in harm's way, "wrong war, wrong place, wrong time"? Not a message a commander in chief gives, or this is a "great diversion."
As well, help is on the way, but it's certainly hard to tell it when he voted against the $87-billion supplemental to provide equipment for our troops, and then said he actually did vote for it before he voted against it.
Not what a commander in chief does when you're trying to lead troops.


Lehrer: Senator Kerry, 30 seconds.
Kerry : Well, you know, when I talked about the $87 billion, I made a mistake in how I talk about the war. But the president made a mistake in invading Iraq. Which is worse?
I believe that when you know something's going wrong, you make it right. That's what I learned in Vietnam. When I came back from that war I saw that it was wrong. Some people don't like the fact that I stood up to say no, but I did. And that's what I did with that vote. And I'm going to lead those troops to victory.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now as Conason has said, why did't Kerry say:

Question: What about your vote on the $87 billion appropriation for the war?
You said you voted for it before you voted against it. Weren?t you having it both ways?

Kerry: You?re asking all my favorite questions tonight. But I hope you will ask the
President why he repeatedly threatened to veto that same $87 billion bill. I suspect
most Americans still don?t know about his veto threat.

He told us he would veto the $87 billion if we tried to share the burden with the Iraqis by
making a loan instead of a grant. He said he would veto that bill if we allocated money to
provide medical care for our veterans, and for our National Guard and Reserve families.
He threatened a veto unless we agreed to add that $87 billion to the deficit, rather than
reduce his most profligate tax cuts.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Donkey, I was beggin my TV - please Kerry whip it out on this one, Bush keeps hitting and hitting you, with this well-worn out message. When is Kerry going to fight all the shit they are throwing at him? Nov.3,is too late.

[UdoKier]

13. A problem with a lot of Washington Insiders

They read pablum like The Nation, when they should be reading columnists like Conason and Lyons, and The American Specator.

[Kipepeo]

12. kick

I didn't know this.

We should be hitting back with this every time they brnig it up.

[Katherine2]

14. I slam my head

into the wall every time some Republican says that "Kerry bragged about voting against the $87 billion", or "Kerry voted against supporting our troops". Why don't the Democrats respond EVERY time with "Bush threatened to veto the bill"? And I know it's silly, but I called and e-mailed the Kerry campaign, and asked what was wrong with them. And I wrote on one of the letters asking for money that I wouldn't send them any more money until they started saying that Bush threatened to veto the bill. I just don't get it. And sorry for rambling on, but why don't they respond to the charges of Kerry voting to cut funding and weapons with the fact that Defense Secretary Cheney recommended those cuts? My head just spins with what the Republicans get away with. Dick Cheney stands there and criticizes Kerry for voting for cuts that HE recommended. Don't people burn in hell for that kind of stuff?

[crickets]

15. I also wish they'd mention the medical benefits

http://blog.johnkerry.com/rapidresponse/archives/002347.html#002347

As part of the $87 billion emergency supplemental appropriations for security and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2003, the Senate passed an amendment that provided an additional $1.3 billion for improved medical benefits for reservists and veterans. OMB Director Josh Bolten wrote to the Congressional Appropriations' Committees, stating, "The Administration strongly opposes these provisions, including Senate provisions that would allocate an additional $1.3 billion for VA medical care and the provision that would expand benefits under the TRICARE Program. ...If this provision is not removed, the President's senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill."

~~

*'s hypocrisy toward the military is appalling.