Dean is an ass
Howard Dean has blamed the Madrid bombings on President Bush.
Nedra Pickler, Associated Press, 3/17/2004
WASHINGTON -- Former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean said yesterday that President Bush's decision to send troops to Iraq appears to have contributed to the bombing deaths of 201 people in Spain.
I guess it's too much of a stretch to blame the bombings on, you know, the terrorists who planted the bombs. Rank Jackassery. Kerry's people rapidly backpedaled from the claim, made on a conference call organized by the Kerry campaign. Asked about the comment on his campaign plane Wednesday, Kerry said, "It's not our position." Well gee, that's good.
Dean clarified his comment last night, saying belatedly that there is no justification for terrorism and called the Madrid bombing, "a despicable act." If that's the case, why blame it on Bush in the first place?
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I think part of Dean's
I think part of Dean's problem is that he forgets to say the obvious part of his thoughts. I've seen him speak live and off the cuff, and I've seen it happen. He seems to start from a fairly rational base-- say, that the bombings in Spain are a terrible tragedy, but forgets to say that part in his rush to get to the other parts.
It's as if in his head he says "The bombings in Spain are a despicable act by deranged partisans for which there is no excuse. This act must not go unpunished..." and then OUT LOUD says the contrarian thought that alone sounds callous and deranged... "But we should ask ourselves what part our invasion of Iraq played in creating this tragedy."
Not quite the rank jackassery you accuse him of, but pretty dumb nonetheless. When asking questions based on a contrarian premise, it's usually good to state what that premise is first. It's called context. Dean, context. Context, Dean. The pleasure's mutual, I'm sure.
Nothing like the "art of the
Nothing like the "art of the context-free quote", huh?
Dean referred to the videotape when asked whether he was linking US troops in Iraq to the deaths in Spain.
"That was what they said in the tape," Dean said. "They made that connection, I'm simply repeating it."
Are we not allowed to discuss what terrorists say? Setting aside the right or wrong of Bush's war in Iraq, what if terrorists were pushed out of Iraq by American action and decided to move to Spain. There, they commit terrorist acts.
Can we then say that the war in Iraq has been a factor contributing to terrorism in Spain? I think we can. Can we say that the War in Iraq is the _cause_ of terrorism in Spain? Nope, that doesn't really follow. But a factor? Yes.
Dean has a habit of making
Dean has a habit of making statements like this, and then saying that he is "repeating" what others say. It's cheap. I'm glad he's gone.