Bill Schneider: Osama wants Bush to lose

http://mediamatters.org/items/200409200007

When asked to comment on House Speaker Dennis Hastert's (R-IL) September 18 remark that the terrorists would prefer a Senator John Kerry presidency, Schneider echoed Hastert's sentiment.

From the September 19 edition of CNN Live Sunday:

SCHNEIDER: Well, I can guarantee you, they don't like George Bush. Do they think there's a difference? I think Osama bin Laden, the Al Qaeda network, who I am certain follow American politics, look at the messages coming out on their tapes. They seem to follow politics very closely. They would very much like to defeat President Bush. But the question is: Can they pull off the same trick that they pulled off in Spain? What Dennis Hastert said is, "They'd better not try that. It won't work here." And my guess is, he's right about that.


And MoveOn is asking people to email CNN to protest:
http://www.moveon.org/mediacorps/cnnschneider_dash.html

except for those foolish folks who don't

from Tora Bora? :shrug:

Most of the time he lives in the coWard's fantasyland.

about who did the bombing and tried to blame another group and they got caught. And still no arrests in that one too, right? Amazing how no one can capture these guys.

Some shortly after the event, IIRC.

They would very much like to defeat President Bush.

How does Schneider know this? There is only one possible explanation: he has a direct line to Osama bin Laden and the al-Qaeda network. Someone call the FBI immediately, Schneider must be taken in for questioning.

Al Queda endorsed Bush. They really gotta a lot of gall to claim that we've been so negative on them when they claim Al Queda wants Kerry.

"We'll stop telling the truth about them, when they stop lying about us."
Adial Stevenson

The thrust of Bush's entire message: vote for me or die. Bush would love another terrorist attack that would get the public scared and cheering the chest-pounding monkey in the White House.

Schneider is trippin': "...But the question is: Can they pull off the same trick that they pulled off in Spain?..."

And the Anzar government in Spain was not very popular according to pre-election polls. That's why his government was defeated. The Spanish people were about 90% against the Iraq war and Anzar knew his days were numbered for going against the will of the people.

and if we had truth in reporting they should identify those people who
are members of Cheney sponsored organizations etc.

Do these Republicans really think that al Qaeda would let the American people know who they prefer? If they said they wanted Bush out, that would simply make more people vote for Chimpy. Having the opposite effect of their desire.

Or maybe, that's what they want us to do... Maybe their actually afraid of Sen. Kerry and are just trying to throw the election to our our incompetent Commander in Chief.

Or maybe, they think that we will know what they know and that we will not do what they though we were going to do and that we'll all vote for Nader.

Bill is biased belonging to a right-wing think tank like American Enterprise Institute along with other notables like Lynne Cheney, Newt Gingrich, Michael Ledeen, Furth, Perle, Kristol, and the list of Zionist neocons goes on.......

This is really one pathetic thing to say.

Please email CNN, they have been really over the top lately, and that's saying something.




I found Mr. Schneider's comments regarding Osama bin Laden and Al-queda and the upcoming Presidential election shocking, unprofessional and blatantly biased.

From the September 19 edition of CNN Live Sunday:

SCHNEIDER: Well, I can guarantee you, they don't like George Bush. Do they think there's a difference? I think Osama bin Laden, the Al Qaeda network, who I am certain follow American politics, look at the messages coming out on their tapes. They seem to follow politics very closely. They would very much like to defeat President Bush. But the question is: Can they pull off the same trick that they pulled off in Spain? What Dennis Hastert said is, "They'd better not try that. It won't work here." And my guess is, he's right about that.

First of all, what is Mr. Schneider basing this statement on? Osama's arrest? Al Qaeda's lack of success in creating havoc in Iraq? George Bush's expressed lack of interest in bin Laden's whereabouts in direct contradiction to previous statements about "dead or alive"? bin Laden is free and on the loose with Bush in office, and all his dire warnings about a Western takeover of the Islamic world have come to fruition under this administration. Anyone could easily argue that a second Bush term is bin Laden's deepest desire.

Secondly, this statement is nothing more than a parroting of the Bush campaign's lines of attack on Kerry: Osama wants Kerry, you will be less safe with Kerry in the White House, a vote for Kerry is a vote for a strengthened Al Qaeda, Osama wants to effect the outcome of our elections and get Kerry in office. It is outrageous and transparent. It's too bad that Mr. Schneider's affiliation with Republican think tanks such as the American Enterprise Institute isn't as transparent on your network, as he continues to be presented as a simple "poll analyst".

I'm eagerly awaiting your exclusive interview with Osama...

:eyes:

Bill Schneider responds:

I am not a Bush supporter or a Kerry supporter. I have done plenty of stories critical of both candidates.

In answering a question about Speaker Hastert's remarks, I was trying to make the point that, if al Qaeda wants to defeat President Bush, another attack on the U.S. would probably do just the reverse. I entertained the possibility that an attack might allow Democrats to argue that Bush's policies have made the U.S. more vulnerable. But I think the immediate reaction -- fear and anger -- would drive voters to Bush. The terrorists might believe otherwise because of their misreading of what happened in Spain.

I was arguing by analogy to the 1980 campaign, when the Iranian hostage-takers aimed to defeat President Carter. I do not believe their goal in 1980 was to elect Ronald Reagan. It was to defeat the President of the United States because of his symbolic value, not because of any partisan preference. The day Carter left office and Reagan took over, the hostages were released.

I believe al Qaeda may have similar goals: to defeat the President of the United States because of his symbolic value, especially one who has waged war against two Muslim regimes. Some viewers took that to mean al Qaeda favors Kerry -- something I did not say and do not believe. I never imagined I was making any kind of partisan statement and would not intentionally do so.

--Bill Schneider

"I never imagined I was making any kind of partisan statement and would not intentionally do so."

Heavens to betsy, who could even imagine such a thing??

the day Kerry takes office will be the day Osama puts down his weapons and runs home crying to mama.

Oh, that's right. We don't know, and Bush doesn't care. He said so himself.

That Bush is destined to win unless "the terrorists" do something to sway the election? Implying, as well, that we should do the opposite of what the terrorists want and keep Bush?

Certainly Osama want bush to win. I mean, it's like the French Underground wanting Colonel Klink to remain head of Stalag 13.

Bill she Shill.

I thought Bill Schneider was a political analyst - not a BC'04 campaign spokesperson. OBL wants Bush out -- I think not. If Bill were honest, he'd be talking about facts not fiction. He'd be talking about how grateful Osama Bin Laden is to the Bush administration for letting him escape from Tora Bora, for diverting resources to Iraq to ensure I wouldn't be captured, and for letting my relatives escape from US after 9/11. I were OBL, I'd do everything to keep Bush in power. You know - kind of like Schneider is doing. Even though you say it with a smile Bill, it is still a sin to lie.