Majority Leader Demands Apology
washingtonpost.com
By Jim Abrams
The Associated Press
Wednesday, September 25, 2002; 11:56 AM
WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle on Wednesday
accused President Bush of seeking to politicize the debate over war
with Iraq and demanded that he apologize for implying that Democrats
were not interested in the security of the American people.
"That is wrong," Daschle said in an impassioned speech on the Senate floor.
"We ought not politicize this war. We ought not politicize the
rhetoric about war and life and death."
"You tell those who fought in Vietnam and World War II they are not interested
in the security of the American people" because they are
Democrats, Daschle said. "That is outrageous. Outrageous."
Daschle cited a string of actions by the administration including a
comment by Bush that the Democratic-controlled Senate is "not
interested in the security of the American people."
Daschle made his comments as congressional leaders negotiated in private
with the administration over the terms of a resolution that would
authorize the president to use force to eliminate Saddam's weapons of mass destruction.
Despite misgivings by some rank-and-file Democrats, Daschle and House
Democratic leader Dick Gephardt have both signaled support for
such legislation, to be passed before Congress adjourns for the midterm elections.
At the same time, Democratic political strategists have expressed concern that
the national debate over Iraq is overshadowing domestic issues
in the campaign.
The quote Daschle referred to came during a political stop that Bush made
earlier this week in Trenton, N.J.
Speaking on the issue of homeland security before a fundraiser for Republican
Senate candidate Doug Forrester, the president said, "The
House responded, but the Senate is more interested in special interests in Washington
and not interested in the security of the American
people. I will not accept a Department of Homeland Security that does not allow
this president and future presidents to better keep the
American people secure."
Bush was speaking to reporters in the Oval Office at the same time that Daschle
leveled his criticism Wednesday. The president said he is
determined to battle terrorism on two fronts - Saddam's Iraq and Osama bin
Laden's al-Qaida network because "they're both equally as bad,
and equally as evil, and equally as destructive."
In his remarks, Daschle referred to several comments by Republican political
strategists and White House officials that discussed the war
debate in political terms.
"Now even the president," Daschle said, citing Bush's comments in Trenton.
"The president ought to apologize," Daschle said. "He ought to apologize
to the American people. That is wrong. He ought not politicize this
war. We ought not politicize the rhetoric about war and life and death."
Asked at a White House picture-taking session whether he is politicizing the war,
Bush did not respond directly, but said Americans
"understand that life has changed here in this country ... that this country
must deal with the true threats."
"My job is to protect the American people," Bush said ahead of an Oval Office
meeting with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. "And I will
continue to do that regardless of the season."
On Tuesday, Daschle, D-S.D., said he hoped to reach a compromise by the end
of the week with the administration on a resolution giving
the president the authority to use whatever means necessary to deal with Iraq.
He said his party, seeking to return attention to the economy
before the election, wants a quick vote on the Iraqi resolution.
© 2002 The Associated Press
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