Dean: Bush is to blame for the 200 deaths

[madape]

absolutely unbeleivable

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean said Tuesday that President Bush's decision to send troops to Iraq appears to have contributed to the bombing deaths of 201 in Spain.

A growing international investigation is focusing on Islamic militants possibly linked to al-Qaida as the culprits in the Madrid train bombings last Thursday.

European intelligence agencies are trying to identify a purported al-Qaida operative who claimed in a videotape that the group carried out the bombings to punish Spain for backing of the U.S.-led war in Iraq. The tape was discovered in a trash bin near Madrid's largest mosque on Saturday after a telephone tip to a Madrid TV station.

Dean referred to the videotape when asked whether he was linking U.S. 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."

Dean's comment came as he was defending former rival John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, from a Bush campaign ad accusing Kerry of turning his back on U.S. soldiers fighting in Iraq.

Dean said it is the president who has not supported the troops. He said Bush sent soldiers to Iraq unequipped, misled the country on the reasons for war and made the United States less safe by focusing on a target that wasn't a threat. And, he said, "The president was the one who dragged our troops to Iraq, which apparently has been a factor in the death of 200 Spaniards over the weekend."

Dean issued a statement later to The Associated Press that said, "Let me be clear, there is no justification for terrorism. Today I was simply repeating what those who have claimed responsibility for the bombings in Spain said was the reason they carried out that despicable act."

Dean was speaking on a conference call arranged by Kerry's campaign. Campaign spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said, "We aren't in a position to say that Spain's support for the war in Iraq made them a target."

"Governor Dean was simply repeating what's already been reported by news organizations about a group that claims responsibility for the enormous tragedy in Spain," she said. "It's clear that what happened in Spain is a painful reminder that the war on terror is far from over and the nation would be better off if this administration took the time to rebuild our alliances rather than engaging in political attacks."

[Drbio]

good grief. what a moron.

[kg_veteran]

Isn't this the same guy they were making fun of about a month or so ago on "Inside the NBA"?

Oh yeah, it is.

YEEEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!

[MavKikiNYC]

Keep talkin', Howie.

Talk loud, talk proud, for John "Scary" Kerry.

Btw, there is no 100% incontrovertible proof to my speculation that HOWARD DEAN HAS SUFFERED BRAIN DAMAGE FROM ILLICIT DRUG USE!!!!!
It's merely my opinion, which I am offering here for discussion.

Then again, there's no proof that he hasn't either.

[dude1394]

Wonderful people to have supporting you isn't it. Howie Dean, Michael Moore, Al Gore, Clintoon, etc.... Salt of the earth.

[reeds]

That Dean guy is a very smart man

[dude1394]

YEEEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!

[sike]

Originally posted by: reeds
That Dean guy is a very smart man

......or is he a very dumb man pretending to be a very smart man? This question should be answered. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[Mavdog]

Kerry repudiates Dean, although it's a good guess if he can keep Dean from further self-inflicted stupidity
-------------------------------------------
Kerry Doesn't Share Dean's View on Spain
1 hour, 29 minutes ago Add Politics - AP to My Yahoo!

By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Presidential candidate John Kerry (news - web sites) said Wednesday he does not share fellow Democrat Howard Dean (news - web sites)'s position that President Bush (news - web sites)'s decision to send troops to Iraq (news - web sites) appears to have been a factor in the Spanish train bombing.

The chairman of Bush's re-election campaign called on Kerry to repudiate the comment that Dean made during a conference call arranged by the Kerry campaign.

"The president was the one who dragged our troops to Iraq, which apparently has been a factor in the death of 200 Spaniards over the weekend," Dean said as he defended Kerry from a Bush television ad that accused Kerry of turning his back on U.S. soldiers fighting in Iraq.

Asked about the comment on his campaign plane Wednesday, Kerry said, "It's not our position."

Bush campaign chairman Marc Racicot said Dean blamed the deaths on Bush and the war on terror when they were caused by a global terror network.

"If Senator Kerry understands the nature of this threat and the need to take on terror, then he should immediately repudiate these troubling comments, and stop all efforts on behalf of his surrogates to blame America for these attacks," said Racicot, former governor of Montana.

A growing international investigation is focusing on Islamic militants possibly linked to al-Qaida as the culprits in the Madrid train bombings last Thursday. A man who identified himself as an al-Qaida spokesman said on a videotape found in a trash bin that the bombings were in retaliation for Spain's backing of the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

Dean, who ran unsuccessfully against Kerry in the Democratic primary and is now supporting his campaign, said he was simply repeating the connection made on the tape. In a statement issued Tuesday night, Dean clarified his comment by insisting there is no justification for terrorism and calling last week's bombing "a despicable act."

Ed Gillespie, chairman of the Republican National Committee (news - web sites), said Dean was "replacing facts with rumors and fiction."

"We cannot allow presidential candidates or their surrogates to become mouthpieces for terrorists," Gillespie said in a statement.

[MavKikiNYC]

That's pretty bland as repudiations go.

But anyone want to lay odds on how long it is before Kerry denies he contradicted Dean?

[Chiwas]

...which apparently has been a factor...

Not apparently, it was a factor. Many things were factors. But a factor isn't necessarily a reason to blame someone. If it were the case, the builders of the WTC should be blamed first, or the Wright brothers for their historic flight, or Franco for dying too soon.

Or Howard Dean, for not winning the presidency.

[madape]

Originally posted by: Chiwas

Not apparently, it was a factor. Many things were factors. But a factor isn't necessarily a reason to blame someone. If it were the case, the builders of the WTC should be blamed first, or the Wright brothers for their historic flight, or Franco for dying too soon.

Or Howard Dean, for not winning the presidency.

But Howard Dean did not mention the Wright Brothers. He mentioned Bush. It was a "despicable" suggestion... one that I think smacks of terrorist sympathizing. With this statement, Dean comes close to treason as one can without actually committing treason. If he had any credibility, I would consider him a threat to this country throw him in the slammer. But he lost his credibility months ago. For now, I'm actually happy that he's out there making a fool of himself and his party. In addition, there are a number of severely misguided individuals in this country who's beleifs still fall in line with the crap that Dean continues to spew. The more light that is shed on his lunacy, the sooner these people can be shuffled away from madness and into a realistic political debate.

[dude1394]

Raw meat for reeds.