Bush just raised the question in responding to the stem cell issue that is relevant to the area where Bush seems to have no corresponding deep hesitation: in Iraq. Bush said that science and ethics should be balanced. But no such hesitation to continue on a destructive, life-taking , violent, unorganized, “say the course” debacle in Iraq. NO such respect for life exists in the Bush administration there.
They chose to invade Iraq based on a pre-disposed impulse to do so, and sought evidence to support that, and manufactured evidence and deceived the American people about the evidence. They clearly had the intention of going into Iraq and used 9/11 as a way to pass off this intent as an extension of the war on terror, when it is now clear that this was far from the truth.
Bush just said to Kerry “it IS that simple. You’re either for it or against it”. (How do even the conservative pundits with an ounce of integrity let him off on that one— I’d be embarassed). Kerry had just explained that there are contextual circumstances (discussing abortion and stem cell resesearch and the ethical issues), and Bush replied “I’m trying to decipher that” and I said to the TV, “Don’t strain yourself Bush, you apparently won’t get there. Too ‘nuanced’ “.
Bush was just asked “What are the three biggest mistakes you made?” Bush mumbled off , “maybe some appointments” (which were all matters he considers “betrayal by others” and not personal responsibility), and then said “I know this queston is about Iraq, and let me say, that was not a mistake, it was the right decision”, and that this was “confirmed” by the report of the CIA (which said there were none — or no capacity to do so—, and Bush instead focused on how Saddam was hown to have the desire and the intent ) … well DUH, we Know he has desire and intent. Many imprisoned criminals also have the desire and intent, but if we have them contained and imprisoned, we don’t add to their sentence because they have DESIRE. The report said that Saddam had been “incapable” since the first Gulf War. Basically, the sanctions had him pinned down. Yeah, Saddam obviously was TRYING to undermine them. The report concluded that he had NOT come close to succeeding. The Presdient is grasping at straws. Tonight, he showed he can do no different. The denial is palpable.