The Media is ALL OVER the "Up In The Air" Gaffe

[ruggerson]

I don't think the NYT explosives story or the idiotic Wash Times piece will have the traction that "Up In The Air" will have.

Remember, the media is moronic. Bush says something newly moronic and they will latch on to that. The NYT story is too nuanced for them.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

1. What is "up in the air"?

[bigwillq]

4. That's what I would like to know

Never heard of it. But I stopped watching cable news last Monday.

[Mugsy]

24. Yet again, Bush says to War on Terror can't be won.

In late August, President Bush admitted to "Today"s Matt Lauer that the War on Terror probably could not be "won", only to spend the next few days clarifying "what he really meant".

Then when Senator Kerry quoted Bush Sr's former National Security Advisor:

“There is going to be no peace treaty on the battleship Missouri in the war on terrorism, but we can break its back so that it is a horrible nuisance and not a paralyzing influence on our societies.” - Brent Scowcroft, national security adviser to George H.W. Bush, in a speech to the US Institute of Peace on Sept 5, 2002. Senator Kerry quoted Scowcroft in a New York Times article last Monday, which President Bush attacked him for, despite making a near identical argument himself on the August 30th edition of the "Today" Show.

...Bush blasted Kerry.

But on Saturday in an interview with Fox's Sean Hannity, Bush again repeated:

<...>
"Whether or not we can be ever fully safe is up -- you know, is up in the air. I would hope we could make it a lot more safe by staying on the offensive," he said.
<...>

(from "Bush Says U.S. Safety from Terror 'Up in the Air'")
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=PR0LBI45ALMHMCRBAELCFFA?type=topNews&storyID=6590369

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[kentuck]

5. whether or not we will win this "war on terror"....

One of Kerry's first acts should be to declare victory on the war on terrorism. That would blow them all away!!!!!!!

[msongs]

2. ummmm what media is all over this?

havent heard it on cbs news radio broadcasts.

Msongs
Riverside cA

[ruggerson]

9. I've seen it on Fox and MSNBC

I imagine it will be a Mary Cheney-like deluge tomorrow

[aquart]

3. What gaffe?

[high density]

6. Newsflash: Bush is not keeping us safe from terrorism

ALAMOGORDO, New Mexico (Reuters) -- President Bush said it is "up in the air" whether the United States can ever be fully safe from terrorism, prompting an attack from Democrat John Kerry's campaign that Bush was sending a mixed message.

Bush's comment, made in a television interview, surfaced as he campaigned in New Mexico, a state he lost narrowly to Democrat Al Gore and is in a tight contest this year for its five electoral votes.

Bush told the Fox News Channel's "Hannity and Colmes" show, taped Saturday and released Sunday, that U.S. security was "much better" since the September 11, 2001, attacks.

"Whether or not we can be ever fully safe is up -- you know, is up in the air. I would hope we could make it a lot more safe by staying on the offensive," he said.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/10/24/bush.sunday.reut/

[ruggerson]

7. This GAFFE:

Bush Says U.S. Safety from Terror 'Up in the Air'

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1896&u=/nm/20041024/us_nm/campaign_bush_dc_50&printer=1


And Kerry's wonderfully quick response to it:

Kerry Ridicules Bush on Terrorism Remark

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041024/ap_on_el_pr/campaign_rdp_10

[Sparkly]

11. You beat me to it -- allow me to quote....

Kerry Ridicules Bush on Terrorism Remark

1 hour, 47 minutes ago

By TOM RAUM and NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writers

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - President Bush (news - web sites) and Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites) stayed on the offensive in swing states Sunday as the presidential race entered its final full week. In a television interview, Bush said it is "up in the air" whether the nation can ever be fully safe from another terror attack and suggested terrorists may still be contemplating ways to disrupt the election.

Kerry ridiculed Bush's statement, suggesting it echoed an earlier assertion — later withdrawn — by the president that the war on terror could not be won.

"You make me president of the United States, we're going to win the war on terror," Kerry said at an evening rally in Boca Raton, Fla. "It's not going to be up in the air whether or not we make America safe."

C'mon, Chimpy -- don't make it so easy!!

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=703&e=1&u=/ap/20041025/ap_on_el_pr/campaign_rdp

[LiberteToujours]

8. It's true, though

Both Kerry and Bush have said that the war on terror can never be fully won and both have jumped down each other's throats for saying it. I think all of us here are smart enough to know the truth of it. But whatever makes good soundbites, I guess...

[Sean Reynolds]

14. But Bush is running on the belief he'll keep America safer...

Whereas Kerry won't.

So if he's coming out saying it's up in the air, how is he REALLY going to keep us more safer than Kerry?

[Sparkly]

17. You're more likely to get in a car accident

No, we can't ever be safe from car accidents if we drive.

We can't ever be safe from chemicals if we eat, drink or breathe.

We can't ever be safe from "terror."

But for God's sake, the point is for them to DO something about it and not just keep freaking people out about it! Chimp runs on fear of terrorism, then brags about his achievements, then runs on fear again...

Not gonna do it, Georgie.

[atre]

20. I agree; this isn't a gaffe, but a rare moment of candor

I hate that we are using this soundbyte game, but it certainly doesn't create a manifest injustice since those guys have been playing that game for years.

[Lilli]

10. Bush said our security was up in the air

...In the Fox News interview, the president also said he was not sure whether the war on terrorism he declared after the September 11, 2001 attacks would ever completely stamp out extremist violence, saying that was "up in the air."

"America is safer under the course of action we've taken, but not yet safe. Whether or not we can be ever fully safe is up, you know, is up in the air," said Bush, who drew fire in August when he said the war might not be winnable...

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=3&art_id=qw1098635401968U213

[unfrigginreal]

12. Kerry needs to tone it down over that comment

yeah, use it but headlines are being written "Kerry ridicules Bush." He doesn't need that now, we've got this thing and there's no need to turn people off by appearing condescending.

[Gloria]

15. I dread to see that this pissing match will come back to haunt us

in about 3.5 years during the next election cycle.. Honestly, no matter what we do, we can always be it by some sort of terror attack.

I think you can say that you will do a better job than Bush that will make us "safer" but realistically, it's a big country and something could slip through....

I also cringe when I hear our guys do that "we'll KILL them" bit -- overcompensating?

[montana500]

18. totally disagree

"
yeah, use it but headlines are being written "Kerry ridicules Bush." He doesn't need that now, we've got this thing and there's no need to turn people off by appearing condescending"



Bush is going to be trying to hype up the terror war and scare people for the next week. What better way to diffuse that than with this comment?

It's a gift from the heavens.

[RafterMan]

21. I'm with you.

It could be a big stick, since it undermines everything Bush has been saying.

But even if it isn't, there are a lot of people who lean Bush but are very suspicious of him just now (the devil you know...). If this could be the last straw for a few hundred or a few thousand of them, go for it. I don't see Kerry's comment as crossing any lines that would move people the other direction.

[unfrigginreal]

23. Nope...there's nothing to be gained by ridicule

the gift from God is the front page NYT article about the missing explosives. Kerry can use that story in a serious manner and accomplish much more than going hyper over another stupid comment from shrub.

[Cocoa]

13. Katie Couric is with Bush on this one

she was skeptical when Kerry said it was possible that the Terra War could end at some time. She said, "come on, stop pulling our legs" or something like that.

[senseandsensibility]

16. Katie Couric

is with * on every one.

[gumby]

19. Tin Foil Alert

Is Bush telegraphing the October Surprise?

He really does let these hints out from time to time.

So, we're NOT so safe now? What does he have in mind?

[DemFromMem]

22. None of these stories will have the lead on the Today Show...

The NASCAR plane crash will IMHO. And expect the stupid Ashley Simpson lipsync screw up on Saturday Night Live to be up there (though probably not on NBC). The plane crash story is sad, but in the grand scheme of things, not nearly as important as the Iraq story.