George v. Harry

"President Bush, comparing himself to President Truman and the war
against Islamic radicals to the Cold War. Speaking at West Point the
other day, the president said in both cases, we have been fighting
"followers of a murderous ideology that despises freedom, crushes all
descent, has territorial ambitions and pursues totalitarian aims."
"In comparing himself to President Truman, Mr. Bush pointed to the
ways both have responded to threats to the United States. There is
one difference worth noting, however. That would be that President
Truman didn't invade anybody the way President Bush invaded
Iraq." - Jack Cafferty, CNN Anchor

Let the Bush-Truman debate begin...

Bush: I glance at the headlines, just to get kind of a flavor. I
rarely read the stories.

Truman: A president either is constantly on top of events or, if he
hesitates, events will soon be on top of him.

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Bush: Facing clear evidence of peril, we cannot wait for the final
proof, the smoking gun that could come in the form of a mushroom cloud.

Truman: In the circumstances, alarm is justified. The man who isn't
alarmed simply doesn't understand the situation---or he is crazy. But
alarm is one thing, and hysteria is another. Hysteria impels people
to destroy the very thing they are struggling to preserve.

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Bush: We found the weapons of mass destruction. We found biological
laboratories...for those who say we haven't found the banned
manufacturing devices or banned weapons, they're wrong, we found them.
um......
There's theories as to where the weapons went. They could have been
destroyed during the war. Saddam and his henchmen could have
destroyed them as we entered into Iraq. They could be hidden. They
could have been transported to another country, and we'll find out.

Truman: He's one of the few in the history of this country to run for
high office talking out of both sides of his mouth at the same time
and lying out of both sides.

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Bush: The FISA law was written in 1978. We're having this discussion
in 2006. It's a different world. And FISA is still an important tool.
It's an important tool. And we still use that tool. But also...and
we...look, I said, look, is it possible to conduct this program under
the old law? And people said, it doesn't work in order to be able to
do the job we expect us to do.

Truman: It's plain hokum. If you can't convince 'em, confuse 'em.
It's an old political trick. But this time it won't work.

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Bush: Because the... all which is on the table begins to address the
big cost drivers. For example, how benefits are calculate, for
example, is on the table; whether or not benefits rise based upon
wage increases or price increases. There's a series of parts of the
formula that are being considered. And when you couple that, those
different cost drivers, affecting those...changing those with
personal accounts, the idea is to get what has been promised more
likely to be...or closer delivered to what has been promised. Does
that make any sense to you? It's kind of muddled.

Truman: Why, this fellow don't know any more about politics than a
pig knows about Sunday.

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Bush: There are some who feel like that if they attack us that we
may decide to leave prematurely. They don't understand what they are
talking about if that's the case. Let me finish. There are some who
feel like that the conditions are such that they can attack us there.
My answer is bring 'em on.

Truman: Some day I hope to meet you. When that happens you'll need a
new nose, a lot of beefsteak for black eyes and perhaps a supporter
below.

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Score: Bush 0 Truman 6


"I don't give 'em hell, I just tell the truth and they think it's hell."
- Harry Truman

Bush, no doubt will always be in need of a cure for foot in mouth disease.