Quote:
Originally posted by techweenie
Did Bush politicize a national holiday? If so, that merits a poltiticized response. If he did not, then his opponents should refrain as well.
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Yes, he did and has done for year after year.
I have been reading Bush's Memorial Day speeches for the past 5 years.
In 2003 he said that our troops have proven that the moral force of democracy is mightier than the will and cunning of a tyrant. An allusion to bringing democracy to Iraq and deposing the tyrant Saddam. He also suggested that the Iraq war is was a simple question of good versus evil.
"The widow of one of our Marines in Iraq made this point very simply. "There is good and evil in the world." she said, "That's what's going on. And he was the good.""
In 2004 he said that after we were attacked, American soldiers have banished two terror regimes, made us safer, and brought freedom to 50 million. Notice the implication that Saddam supported terrorism and was involved in the 9/11 attack, a claim which Cheney was at the time making explicitly.
"Since the hour this nation was attacked, we have seen the character of the men and women who wear our country's uniform. In places like Kabul and Kandahar, in Mosul and Baghdad, we have seen their decency and their brave spirit. Because of their fierce courage, America is safer, two terror regimes are gone forever, and more than 50 million souls now live in freedom. (Applause.)"
In 2005 he repeated the line about banishing two "terror regimes", bringing freedom to Iraq, and making America safer.
"(Applause.) The war on terror has brought great costs. For those who have lost loved ones in Afghanistan and Iraq, today is a day of last letters and fresh tears. Because of the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform, two terror regimes are gone forever, freedom is on the march, and America is more secure. (Applause.)"
In 2006 he dropped the stuff about bringing democracy and freedom to Iraq, instead arguing that our soldiers fight in Iraq to prevent attacks in the US.
"brave Americans like these, who volunteer to confront our adversaries abroad so we do not have to face them here at home."
In 2007 he went back to saying that the war will bring liberty to millions, in addition to repeating that invading Iraq has made the US safer. He also said that US soldiers are fighting in Iraq today so that our sons won't have to.
In every Memorial Day speech at Arlington National Cemetery, for the past 5 years that this war has been going on, Bush has sold us this war.
Every single such speech has featured, right in its center, a sales pitch. This war is bringing liberty and democracy to millions, keeping America safe, overthrowing tyrants and terror regimes, avenging the 9/11 attacks, etc. His speechwriters put these sales lines in the midst of heartbreaking anecdotes about brave soldiers and grieving families. Right where no-one dares question them, or even question the President, for fear of being cursed at for daring to politicize a memorial.
Who's politicizing Memorial Day? It's pretty darned obvious.