GOP: the party of diversity

Everyone remember that talking point from the convention? "Our party is so diverse that we're putting all kinds of different opinions on stage!" Well, maybe they're right, maybe they are the party of a wide range of perceptions of reality. Let's look at the situation in Iraq, for example, and see what Republicans are saying about it:

Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE): "The worst thing we can do is hold ourselves hostage to some grand illusion that we're winning. Right now we're not winning, things are getting worse. Measure that by any measurement you want -- more casualties, more deaths, oil pipeline sabotage -- you pick the measurement standard and it's worse than where it was six months ago or 12 months ago." (09/16/04)

President George W. Bush: "This country is headed toward democracy. There's a strong prime minister in place. They have a national council. And national elections are scheduled for January. It wasn't all that long ago that Saddam Hussein was in power with his torture chambers and mass graves. And today, this country is headed towards elections. Freedom is on the march." (09/16/04)

Sen Richard Lugar (R-IN): "[This is] exasperating for anybody look[ing] at this from any vantage point." (09/16/04)

President George W. Bush: “We’re making progress there. I’m impressed -- I’m impressed by Prime Minister Allawi. He’s a strong guy who believes that democracy is the future of Iraq, and he’s got hard work to do. It wasn’t all that long ago that people were brutalized by Saddam Hussein. But we’re making progress.” (09/09/04)

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC): "[I]t is going to be a tough sled. And we need to be more direct and more honest about how difficult it will be." (09/16/04)

President George W. Bush: “We talked about Iraq, the way forward in Iraq, the way to help the Iraqis get to elections. We’re making progress on the ground.” (08/23/04)

-- Michael

Comments

[D MEYERS]

At least it is other people saying different things than our candidate instead of the Candidate itself issuing contradicting statements on Iraq on a weekly basis.