I'd like to answer that question but first, let me avoid it.
Tim Russert with Ted Kennedy on Meet the Press:
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MR. RUSSERT: You talked about Iraq. There's a big debate now about whether or not the data, the intelligence data, was misleading and manipulated in order to encourage public opinion support for the war. Let me give you a statement that was talked about during the war. "We know [Iraq is] developing unmanned vehicles capable of delivering chemical and biological warfare agents...all U.S. intelligence experts agree they are seek nuclear weapons. There's little question that Saddam Hussein wants to develop them. ... In the wake of September 11th, who among us can say with any certainty to anybody that those weapons might not be used against our troops, against allies in the region? Who can say that this master of miscalculation will not develop a weapon of mass destruction even greater--a nuclear weapon. ..."
Are those the statements that you're concerned about?
SEN. KENNEDY: Well, I am concerned about it, and that's why I believe that the actions that were taken by Harry Reid in the Senate last week...blah, blah, blah.
Blah, blah, blah blah...and that is what the Democrats stood for on the floor of the United States Senate last week. That was a bold stroke, one that has the overwhelming support of the American people. It's about time they get the facts on it. They haven't got the facts to date. They deserve them, and they'll get them.
MR. RUSSERT: But, Senator, what the Democrats stood for on the floor of the Senate in 2002--let me show you who said what I just read: John Kerry, your candidate for president. He was talking about a nuclear threat from Saddam Hussein. Hillary Clinton voted for the war. John Edwards, Joe Lieberman, John Kerry. Democrats said the same things about Saddam Hussein. You, yourself, said, "Saddam is dangerous. He's got dangerous weapons." It wasn't just the Bush White House.
SEN. KENNEDY: The fact is--and I voted against the war, because every military--I'm in the Armed Services Committee, and every military leader highly decorated, military leader, said that it was foolish to have a military intervention at that. General Hoar, with the Marines--General Hoar, who has more Silver Stars than you could possibly count said if we go into Baghdad, it'll look like the last five minutes of "Private Ryan," so we know we had enough information to vote against it, I believe.
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I don't know this General Hoar but he evidently saw the G rated "Private Ryan" where the Germans got their asses pounded into the ground and ran away like girly men. Does he have a bazillion Silver Stars?!?!?!?!? I'm pretty sure I can count that high if you give me enough time.
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SEN. KENNEDY: It is time now to--we are going--the end of this year, Tim, we find that our mandate has expired in the United Nations. The president has to go back to the United Nations for a new mandate....blah, blah, blah.
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Oops, see my earlier post, the mandate was unanimously passed. Can you count to Unanimous Senator Kennedy?
UPDATE: I misread Kennedy on the "Private Ryan" reference. I was thinking he said the first 5 minutes but he said the last. Wasn't that when the old dude was visiting the cemetary?
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