Bush Offering ‘Back-Channel’ Political Advice To Democratic Candidates: Stay In Iraq

[deminks]

In an interview with GQ correspondent Robert Draper for his book Dead Certain, President Bush described his Iraq strategy as “playing for October-November.” He explained that his hope was to “get us in a position where the presidential candidates will be comfortable about sustaining a presence,” and, he said, “stay longer.”

In an interview with the The Examiner’s Bill Sammon for his book The Evangelical President, Bush goes even further, explaining that he is actively “providing back-channel advice” to the Democratic presidential candidates on Iraq. According to White House chief of staff Josh Bolten, Bush is urging the candidates to remain flexible enough in their rhetoric so that they can maintain a long-term occupation of Iraq:

White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten said Bush has “been urging candidates: ‘Don’t get yourself too locked in where you stand right now. If you end up sitting where I sit, things could change dramatically.’”

(snip)

Sammon reports Bush “has been sending advice, mostly through aides,” aimed at convincing candidates not to speak too forcefully about a complete withdrawal from Iraq. “Asked by The Examiner whether the Democrats were reluctant to have private contacts with the administration, the White House official replied: ‘No, I think they sort of welcome conversation.’”

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/24/bush-dems-strategy/

[MadMaddie]

1. Illegal Wiretapping anyone?

[Jim Sagle]

2. This is just a crocka chickenshit bullshit from chickenshit bullshit artist Bill Sammon.

[deminks]

3. I absolutely agree. Why would anyone listen to the Smirkster on how to be pretzeldente?

nt

[Canuckistanian]

4. Notice it's "stay longer", not "win the war"

I don't think he had any intention whatsoever to win this "war".

[deminks]

5. Bushco could never define what we won, or how we would know if we won, or what to do after we won.

No exit plan = no exit.

[bluestateguy]

6. I like this line:

To that end, Bush is institutionalizing controversial anti-terror programs so they can be used by the next president.

“Look, I’d like to make as many hard decisions as I can make, and do a lot of the heavy lifting prior to whoever my successor is,” Bush said. “And then that person is going to have to come and look at the same data I’ve been looking at, and come to their own conclusion.”

As an example, Bush cited his detainee program, which allows him to keep enemy combatants imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay while they await adjudication. Bush is unmoved by endless criticism of the program because he says his successor will need it.

http://www.examiner.com/a-953145~Bush_quietly_advising_Hillary_Clinton__top_Democrats.html

Yes, I'm sure that the Freepers will be content with President Hillary Rodham Clinton having the full powers to declare people "enemy combatants" and the full powers of the Patriot Act at her fingertips.