Snip from FTN transcript today about leaving Iraq.

[madfloridian]

I posted this just now in a GD thread, but I think it is important with all the outrage here today by those saying Dems need a plan to pull out. Maybe they do, but that was NOT just the issue today. Schieffer was being very demanding, just like they were on the Social Security plans....sort of irritating. The old "Democrats have no plan meme" they have been using. I snipped that part. Dean put the burden back on this administration where it rightly belongs.

It has been an odd day here at DU. Our chairman was absolutely outstanding on Face the Nation. He really handled John Harris's questions well, and did not back down from Schieffer. When he misquoted Howard, he corrected him right then. I have been amazed at the criticism here because he did not unequivocally say Democrats have a plan.

You know how so many here call us one issue because of our belief that women need birth control rights, and the right to choose an abortion? Well, the people who are just as one-issue on the war totally overlooked the way the chairman of the party made us proud, and they have made the forums unpleasant. Dean gave in on his "staying" there stance, but that did not seem to matter either.

I hope this helps.
Here is the transcript page...it is in pdf. I will post more snips for those who don't read pdf if you wish.
Transcript of Face the Nation

SCHIEFFER: Well, I'll go back and ask you about that in a minute, but I know the president
said, and I think it was just this week, giving a timetable for leaving Iraq would be the worst
thing we could do because it would just tell the people who oppose us there, `Look, all we have to do is hang in till they leave, and then we're OK.'

Dr. DEAN: We need to leave. We're not going to be there forever, I hope. We're not going to be there forever. So the question is: What is a reasonable way to get out? And that's--we have no answers from the president on that at all. He keeps saying--well, his administration appears to be divided. Some of the generals have said, `Well, we can withdraw some of the troops, perhaps as many as 30,000, after the elections.' We have others saying, `Well, we're not going to leave.' These people do not know what they're doing. They didn't know what they were doing when we got in, they had no plan then. They have no plan now. They do not know what they're doing.

SCHIEFFER: Why do you suppose it is, though, Governor, that while people are losing confidence in the president's handling of the war that--and every poll suggests that--why do you suppose that people are not buying what Democrats are saying? They don't seem to be taking too much to the Democrats on that.

Dr. DEAN: I think they are buying what Democrats are saying. I think people believe that we
need a plan to get our troops to come home. I think that people do understand now...

SCHIEFFER: But if may say so...

Dr. DEAN: Sure.

SCHIEFFER: ...I mean, saying we need a plan. I mean, sure, you need a plan, but do you
have a plan? Is anybody working on a plan? What would you propose?

Dr. DEAN: Well, Bob, the president of the United States is commander in chief. It is up to
him to come up for a plan. You can't expect a congressman and senators who don't have the
same access to intelligence as the president does to come up with a plan to withdraw our troops from Iraq. We look--the president got us into Iraq 'cause people were willing to trust the president, even some Democrats were willing to trust the president in assuming he knew what he was doing. The problem is now that there's ample evidence to say that they didn't understand what they were getting into and they still don't know what we're doing there.
They changed their goals. The troops are still not properly equipped. The constitution looks
like it may take away freedom from the Iraq people, at least half of them, instead of added to
them. What we need is a plan from the president of the United States. You can't expect a
particular senator or particular congressman to have a plan. Only the president can do that."

[Cha]

1. Thank you!

Bookmarking for tomorrow!

[Fridays Child]

2. Crooks and Liars has some of the video from his FTN appearance.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/

Scroll down.

[KoKo]

3. I heard the whole interview and didn't have a problem with it,

and this is coming from an Anti-Iraq Invasion protestor who is one of those Far Lefties.

I don't know what the fuss was about, wasn't here to read it, but I thought he was excellent. Straightforward and didn't let Schieffer box him in. Do I wish he could say we need to get out of Iraq tomorrow? YES! But, I know he can't say that because it would play right into the Repugs hands and he and we Dems would become the issue just when the Chimp and his thugs are getting the pressure.

The time for Democrats to stand together and call Bush on his lies has come and gone. It should have been done in the Election Campaigning. Howard Dean at least is honest in his statements. And he's the DNC Chair and can't be doing Bush's work for him by putting out some plan that wouldn't even get his own Parties support at this point.

Thanks for posting the transcript.

[madfloridian]

4. Thanks.

There has been so much criticism that it was a shock. It was an interview with straight honest talking.

I have been shocked today.

[radio4progressives]

6. I'm right there with - what problem? I'm as left as they come and I've got

no issue with how Dean handled this interview. I didn't see it live but i read the transcript in full - (imagining how it might have been delivered live) I have no problem, and didn't realize anyone else did at DU. I've been focused on Crawford almost exclusively today.

[madfloridian]

7. The ones with the problem said he should have a plan.

OR that he should have said the Democrats will come up with a plan. It is one group especially whose goal is out of Iraq right now.....and there is no compromise.

Dean pointed out, and it did get confrontational, that the president bungled it. It was his job.

It was pretty bad from a few here, and a few at Kos. Like a concerted effort that nothing Dean said today was enough.

[CarolNYC]

9. Well, hopefully,

nobody went off half-cocked on him without having first seen, heard or at least read the transcript of the interview. That would make them look kind of ridiculous, I would think. ;)

As for my take on the interview, I didn't see, hear or read the full transcript, but from what I've heard it sounds like he did fine to me, with my limited perspective on it.

[madfloridian]

5. Here's the permalink from Crooks and Liars.

This shows the way Schieffer got pushy about this issue. Dean let him know this was the president's bungled war, and he should be the one to get us out.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2005/08/14.html#a4456

[bklyncowgirl]

8. The good old circular firing squad strikes again

This "you must agree with me on every single issue and use the language that I think you should use or you are total sellout and I am through with you forever" attitude on the part of many progressives is one of the reasons that the Democrats are unable to form a platform of ideas that is philosophically coherent and comprehendable to the average voter. That and of course the pro-corporate Democrats on the other side who loate any mention of the fact that the vast majority of people in this country are getting screwed.

I give Dean alot of credit for trying to herd this crowd of squalling cats into a viable political force. He may not be perfect, but at least the guy seems determined to put up a fight and for that reason I support him.

[madfloridian]

10. Kick

:kick: