Lugar steps up and further promotes his defection from his party's support of Bush's occupation

June 26, 2007

SEN. RICHARD LUGAR (R-IN) EXPLAINS DEPARTURE
FROM PRESIDENT’S IRAQ POLICY AND MOTIVATION BEHIND MONDAY’S SPEECH

ON NPR NEWS MORNING EDITION
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 2007


TRANSCRIBED EXCERPTS BELOW;
AUDIO AVAILABLE WEDNESDAY MORNING AT NPR.ORG


June 26, 2007; Washington, D.C. – Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) explains why he doesn’t think the President’s Iraq policy is working. He outlined those views on the Senate floor Monday night. In an interview with Steve Inskeep airing tomorrow on NPR News’ Morning Edition, Senator Lugar discusses his concerns about the White House policy on Iraq, and says that time for a bipartisan discussion of what to do next is running out because of an early political campaign season. Senator Lugar says, “If we are not thoughtful and careful, the president may believe that he can simply continue on with or without the Congress, but I think he is wrong in that assumption. And my fear is that at some point we will have a withdrawal from Iraq that is very disorderly and not very well planned. That would be a tragedy for the troops, a tragedy for Iraq, a tragedy for us with regard to all of the neighborhood out there. They could become very, very volatile.”

Transcribed excerpts of the interview are below. All excerpts must be credited to NPR News’ Morning Edition. The interview airs tomorrow morning, Wednesday, June 27. Local station’s air time of the program is available at npr.org/stations. Audio of the interview will be available at npr.org.

Excerpts from the interview:

On what Congress can do to influence the President on his Iraq policy:

“Well, Congress could offer at minimum a Sense of the Senate resolution. They do not have the affect of law but they clearly indicate how the country feels through its representatives, and that we really have not come to do simply because we have not really wanted to be ambiguous as a nation with regard to our foreign policy.”

On calling for a renewed dialogue in Congress regarding the U.S. policy on Iraq:

“In other words, before we have these arbitrary resolutions, we really need to have a very serious dialogue as to what is doable and would bring about safety for everybody involved.”

On whether the White House is listening to what he has to say:

“Yes, I think so. In response to other reporters, I have indicated that I have heard from the White House and that I will be having a meeting this week, at least with a representative or a representative of the White House.”


http://www.npr.org/about/press/2007/062707.lugar.html

Of course they could provide a car accident as well I suppose

I don't think so Dick.

"I will be having a meeting this week, at least with a representative or a representative of the White House.”

A representative or a representative of the White House? What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Richard Luger is a long serving Senator from a solidly republican state who is a ranking committe member and the best they can do is a chat with "a representative or a representative of the White House"?

Yeah Dick, I'd take that as a real good sign that they're listening to you. Don't you think if they had any interest in what you had to say that you'd get a meeting with the President or at least with Mr. Bush?

The Executive ship is sinking and they're looking for their own way off. They are the ones who can move Bush off of his occupation. The republicans have enabled it with their obstruction and obstinacy, and they can end it with their refusal to play along any more. The WH is listening, whether they'll admit it or not.

think about these senior Senators they just do not care, and Cheney did say it, they don't care what the Repigs think or the fate of the Republican party, they just don't care, and all the more reason to kick these bastards to the curb.

They have proved over and over again that the Republican party is more important than the country to them. I just can't trust any Republicans any more. They made their own bed.

Don

but we shouldn't ignore the divisions either, They should be exploited. I think these expressions (defections) should be welcomed and encouraged . . . with admonitions, of course, about putting them into action.

Kind of like Hagel.

Don

they're defections can and should be exploited instead of just responding to their calls with cynicism and dismissal. *Don't be afraid.

twice, when the funding bill contained non-binding timelines (with Gordon Smith)--it cost him dearly in terms of his re-election chances here in Nebraska. Lugar has said he has no intention of voting with Dems on Iraq. Big, big difference there. Hagel was NOT "smoke-and-mirrors" on Iraq--I will make sure he gets credit where credit is due.