Comments on: Did George W. Bush Actually Ever SAY That Our Mission Was Accomplished?

Question: Did George W. Bush Actually Ever SAY That Our Mission Was Accomplished?

anastasiav — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 05:41:40 -0800

Debating politics with a (conservative) friend last night, we got to talking about the whole "mission acomplished" thing. He has challenged me to come up with a single quote where Bush says anything similar to "Our mission in Iraq has been accomplished" (as opposed to just standing in front of a sign that says it). Can anyone provide such a quote, with a link to back it up?

By: luser

luser — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 05:46:57 -0800

I don't believe you'll ever find that. As I recall, the Bushies tried to distance themselves from the sign immediately after the event, claiming that it was conceived and put up by enthusiastic military personnel, and that the Bush event planning team had nothing to do with it. That was pretty much laughed down, of course.

By: FreezBoy

FreezBoy — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 05:50:51 -0800

In that particular speech, the phrase was:
"Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed. And now our coalition is engaged in securing and reconstructing that country."
full transcript here

By: josh

josh — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 06:00:52 -0800

I mean, you said that the point is that, by standing in front of the sign, he was effectively saying something he wouldn't dare to say out loud, right? If he'd given the whole speech holding up a sign that said "Mission Accomplished," would it still have been acceptable?

Your friend, by choosing to take everything in as literal a way as possible, is completely missing the point.

By: jessamyn

jessamyn — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 06:01:47 -0800

Some more info on the flap over the sign. And there is this quote which was in USA Today from last June

"America sent you on a mission to remove a grave threat and to liberate an oppressed people, and that mission has been accomplished,"

By: anastasiav

anastasiav — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 06:08:52 -0800

I mean, you said that the point is that, by standing in front of the sign, he was effectively saying something he wouldn't dare to say out loud, right?

He maintains that the MA phrase applied only to the specific deployment of that particular ship, and that Bush "never intended" to send the message that the entire Iraq mission was accomplished.

By: zsazsa

zsazsa — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 06:12:56 -0800

Link to USA Today story jessamyn mentioned.

By: Space Coyote

Space Coyote — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 06:25:16 -0800

If you let the argument hinge on Bush uttering two particular words at that one time, you've lost, because you've let him set the frame. Everyone knows the purpose of pulling that flight-suit stunt wasn't to inform the troops that they've got a 'long hard slog' ahead of them.

By: mkultra

mkultra — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 06:38:10 -0800

It depends on what your definition of "is" is.

Space Coyote is right on. Your friend has set up a rhetorical trap, hinging his argument on a technicality. Your only resource is a good cockpunch.

By: lasm

lasm — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 08:02:34 -0800

A fantastic site for audio of Bush is the George W. Bush Public Domain Audio Archive. If he said it, you can probably find it there. Hell, even if he didn't say it, there's enough material there to make him say nearly anything with a little audio cut and paste.

By: fletchmuy

fletchmuy — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 08:31:27 -0800

Metafilter: Your only resource is a good cockpunch

By: inksyndicate

inksyndicate — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 10:52:29 -0800

You also have to look to the things he says through subordinates, who denied for months that there was an insurgency.

By: Blue Stone

Blue Stone — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 11:22:58 -0800

You could always bring him toward you, look him in the eyes, tell him what a wonderful and treasured friend of yours he is, how you enjoy his company, and despite your political differences you've always respected him as a person and value the time you spend together.

Infront of a big sign saying that he sucks donkey cock.

And then challenge him to quote you said anything even remotely unpleasant about him.

By: bachelor#3

bachelor#3 — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 11:26:52 -0800

O'Reilly also claimed that Bush never used that phrase. Mediamatters.org refutes that.

I do believe, however, that Bush has never used the word "cockpunch." Then again, I haven't checked the transcripts : )

By: pitchblende

pitchblende — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 13:48:35 -0800

Blue Stone, you reminded me of this bizzare anecdote:

The moderator of the debate, Bob Moore, of the El Paso Times, told me that Bush actually grabbed him just before the debate: "In the hallway, Bush did grab me by the lapels, pull me close to his face, and say, 'Bobby, you clean up real good.' Typical Bush."

From the Atlantic Monthly...

By: five fresh fish

five fresh fish — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 14:53:11 -0800

What does "you clean up real good" mean? I've never heard it used as a threat. Well, except by mothers to their grotty children before suppertime. I simply can't imagine what it's supposed to mean when applied against a moderator.

By: squirrel

squirrel — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 21:05:31 -0800

Ah, FFFish, that kind of chummy frat-boy playfulness is what has given millions of Americans the idea that the president is really just a good ole boy, never meanin' no harm.

Someday the moutains might get 'im, but the law never will.