MAKING MINNESOTANS PROUND: SENATOR DAYTON CALLED "THAT OTHER PERSON" BY PRESIDENT BUSH
Bush writes off Dayton's claims
He also downplays inaugural remarks on ending tyranny
President Bush dismissed Sen. Mark Dayton's accusation that his administration has lied "repeatedly, flagrantly, intentionally" about Iraq, telling reporters Wednesday, "there are 99 senators other than that person."
Bush's remarks came at a White House news conference where the president also declared that his soaring inaugural vow to expand freedom and end tyranny around the world wasn't a major shift in U.S. foreign policy.
His comment about Dayton came after a reporter noted, "You had a Democratic senator (Dayton) basically call your secretary of state nominee a liar."
That occurred Tuesday, as the Senate debated whether to confirm Condoleezza Rice as secretary of state. Speaking on the Senate floor, Dayton, D-Minn., charged that Rice and the Bush administration had a record of "lying to Congress, lying to our committees and lying to the American people" concerning Iraq.
Asked about it, Bush replied: "Well, there are 99 senators other than that person. And I'm looking forward to working with as many members as we can. Condi Rice is a fine, fine public servant, greatly admired."
Calls and e-mails flooding Dayton's office Wednesday were "overwhelmingly" in support of his statement, said spokeswoman Chris Lisi. However, she added, "We have received a handful of phone calls that Senator Dayton is a racist because he's opposing an African-American woman."
Republicans in both Minnesota and Washington were quick to criticize Dayton, who is up for re-election in 2006. The Minnesota Republican Party ripped Dayton's "wild-eyed rants against Condoleezza Rice on the Senate floor."
At the news conference, Bush downplayed a statement in his inaugural address last week that future American relations with "every ruler and every nation" would depend on their observance of human rights. On Wednesday, he said, "I don't think foreign policy is an either-or proposition," and contended that human rights is but one U.S. concern among many other practical objectives.
Bush's remarks amplified efforts by lower administration officials that began the day after the inauguration to correct the widespread impression that he'd proclaimed a new manifesto that, if followed, could put America at odds with repressive governments that are also key U.S. allies in the war against terrorism and other global priorities.
The president also mourned the deaths of 30 Marines and a sailor in a helicopter crash Wednesday in western Iraq. Source: Pioneer Press, January 27, 2005
He also downplays inaugural remarks on ending tyranny
President Bush dismissed Sen. Mark Dayton's accusation that his administration has lied "repeatedly, flagrantly, intentionally" about Iraq, telling reporters Wednesday, "there are 99 senators other than that person."
Bush's remarks came at a White House news conference where the president also declared that his soaring inaugural vow to expand freedom and end tyranny around the world wasn't a major shift in U.S. foreign policy.
His comment about Dayton came after a reporter noted, "You had a Democratic senator (Dayton) basically call your secretary of state nominee a liar."
That occurred Tuesday, as the Senate debated whether to confirm Condoleezza Rice as secretary of state. Speaking on the Senate floor, Dayton, D-Minn., charged that Rice and the Bush administration had a record of "lying to Congress, lying to our committees and lying to the American people" concerning Iraq.
Asked about it, Bush replied: "Well, there are 99 senators other than that person. And I'm looking forward to working with as many members as we can. Condi Rice is a fine, fine public servant, greatly admired."
Calls and e-mails flooding Dayton's office Wednesday were "overwhelmingly" in support of his statement, said spokeswoman Chris Lisi. However, she added, "We have received a handful of phone calls that Senator Dayton is a racist because he's opposing an African-American woman."
Republicans in both Minnesota and Washington were quick to criticize Dayton, who is up for re-election in 2006. The Minnesota Republican Party ripped Dayton's "wild-eyed rants against Condoleezza Rice on the Senate floor."
At the news conference, Bush downplayed a statement in his inaugural address last week that future American relations with "every ruler and every nation" would depend on their observance of human rights. On Wednesday, he said, "I don't think foreign policy is an either-or proposition," and contended that human rights is but one U.S. concern among many other practical objectives.
Bush's remarks amplified efforts by lower administration officials that began the day after the inauguration to correct the widespread impression that he'd proclaimed a new manifesto that, if followed, could put America at odds with repressive governments that are also key U.S. allies in the war against terrorism and other global priorities.
The president also mourned the deaths of 30 Marines and a sailor in a helicopter crash Wednesday in western Iraq. Source: Pioneer Press, January 27, 2005
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home