"Hold on for a second, please."

Here are some excerpts from President Bush's press conference this morning. He needs to do more of this.

(emphasis added)

Excerpt 1 (the first question and rude interuptions are from the Old Bat, Helen Thomas:

QUESTION: I'd like to ask you, Mr. President — your decision to invade Iraq has caused the deaths of thousands of Americans and Iraqis, wounds of Americans and Iraqis for a lifetime.

Every reason given, publicly at least, has turned out not to be true. My question is: Why did you really want to go to war? From the moment you stepped into the White House, your Cabinet officers, former Cabinet officers, intelligence people and so forth — but what's your real reason? You have said it wasn't oil, the quest for oil. It hasn't been Israel or anything else. What was it?

My goodness! Look at the hatred and Liberal anger in that bunch of questions! Does Helen Thomas not realize that millions and millions and millions of lives have been saved? That thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands more lives were lost in WWI and WWII? This war has been remarkably bloodless compared to other wars, and just as justified. Really, the way Libs argue about war, we shouldn't have been in WWI or WWII. No one ought to have been. But, let's let the President respond to the Old Bat:

BUSH: I think your premise, in all due respect to your question and to you as a lifelong journalist — that I didn't want war. To assume I wanted war is just flat wrong, Helen, in all due respect.

QUESTION: And ...

BUSH: Hold on for a second, please. Excuse me. Excuse me.

No president wants war. Everything you may have heard is that, but it's just simply not true.

My attitude about the defense of this country changed on September the 11th. When we got attacked, I vowed then and there to use every asset at my disposal to protect the American people.

Our foreign policy changed on that day. You know, we used to think we were secure because of oceans and previous diplomacy. But we realized on September the 11th, 2001, that killers could destroy innocent life.

And I'm never going to forget it. And I'm never going to forget the vow I made to the American people, that we will do everything in our power to protect our people.

Part of that meant to make sure that we didn't allow people to provide safe haven to an enemy, and that's why I went into Iraq.

(CROSSTALK)

BUSH: Hold on for a second. Excuse me for a second, please. Excuse me for a second. They did. The Taliban provided safe haven for al-Qaida.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

BUSH: Helen, excuse me.

That's where — Afghanistan provided safe haven for al-Qaida. That's where they trained, that's where they plotted, that's where they planned the attacks that killed thousands of innocent Americans.

I also saw a threat in Iraq. I was hoping to solve this problem diplomatically. That's why I went to the Security Council. That's why it was important to pass 1441, which was unanimously passed.

And the world said, Disarm, disclose or face serious consequences. And therefore, we worked with the world. We worked to make sure that Saddam Hussein heard the message of the world.

And when he chose to deny the inspectors, when he chose not to disclose, then I had the difficult decision to make to remove him. And we did. And the world is safer for it.

Amen, George W! Great answers to stupid, redundant questions. The Libs have been going on and on about these same things for at least three years without proving anything. What President Bush said is right on target. They just don't want to hear it. They don't want to report it. They don't want it to be true, because then they would be wrong, but it is and they are.

Excerpt 2 (I believe this question is from Fox News Reporter Carl Cameron):

QUESTION: Thank you, sir. On the subject of the terrorist surveillance program, not to change the bipartisanship, but there have been now three sponsors to a measure to censure you for the implementation of that program.

The primary sponsor, Russ Feingold, has suggested that impeachment is not out of the question. And on Sunday, the number two Democrat in the Senate refused to rule that out pending an investigation.

What, sir, do you think the impact of a discussion of impeachment and censure does to you and this office and to the nation during a time of war and in the context of the election?

BUSH: I think during these difficult times — and they are difficult when we are at war — the American people expect there to be an honest and open debate without needless partisanship. And that's how I view it.

I did notice that nobody from the Democratic Party has actually stood up and called for the getting rid of the terrorist surveillance program. You know, if that's what they believe, if people in the party believe that, then they ought to stand up and say it. They ought to stand up and say, the tools we're using to protect the American people shouldn't be used. They ought to take their message to the people and say, vote for me. I promise we're not going to have a terrorist surveillance program.

That's what they ought to be doing. That's part of what is an open and honest debate.

I did notice that, you know, at one point in time, they didn't think the Patriot Act ought to be reauthorized — they being at least the minority leader in the Senate. He openly said, as I understand — I don't want to misquote him — something along the lines that, we killed the Patriot Act.

Now, if that's what the party believes, they ought to go around the country saying, We shouldn't give the people on the front line, who are protecting us, the tools necessary to do so.

That's a debate I think the country ought to have.

Excellent points. If you believe something, stand up for it. The Libs act like they are so very tough and hard on the President, but their actions are quite the opposite. They make grand gestures, but fail to follow through with their stances. If they are against something, then they ought to say they are against it and go full out. The reason some are for censuring the President is because they want to look like they are doing something, so they would disappoint all the crazy Moonbats they represent. They really don't have the guts to say "I'm against the surveillance program" because the majority of the American people are for it. They don't want to look even softer on the terrorists than they already are. You can't have it both ways, however.

Expose the Left has film of the President's exchange with Helen Thomas. Definitely worth a look.

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