Bush flip-flops on bin Laden

By
John Breneman

One of President Bush’s tough-guy soundbites is biting him
in the bum today.

After 9/11, the president promised to nail the terror kingpin
"dead or alive." But not long after he botched a
chance to do just that — "outsourcing" the job
to Afghan warlords, as his opponent keeps pointing out —
Bush changed his tune.

With the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks still at large, Bush
was asked at a March 13, 2002, White House press conference
why he never mentions bin Laden anymore. The president, by
then laser-focused on a guy — Saddam Hussein — who did not
attack us, had lost interest in the man who did.

"You know, I just don’t spend that much time on him,"
he responded. "I don’t know where he is. … I truly
am not that concerned about him."

Fast forward to last night’s debate.

Kerry called Bush on his remarks about bin Laden: "Six
months after he said Osama bin Laden must be caught dead or
alive, this president was asked, ‘Where is Osama bin Laden?’
He said, ‘I don’t know. I don’t really think about him very
much. I’m not that concerned.’"

The president’s response can be added to his staggering rapsheet
of misleading statements and outright lies: "Gosh, I
just don’t think I ever said I’m not worried about Osama bin
Laden. It’s kind of one of those EX-AGG-ER-A-TIONS."

But his blatant and pathetic attempt to flip-flop on his
own remarks is contradicted by reality.
The
president’s March 13, 2002, remarks about bin Laden can be
seen here at the White House website.

In a damage-control statement released today, the president
said "of course" he knows bin Laden, not Saddam
Hussein, attacked the U.S. and "of course" he is
trying to catch him in time for the election.

Plus, he said, his favorite President Bush action figure
has killed a hapless Osama bin Laden action figure literally
dozens of times in Oval Office play sessions.