Vince Avedon – 9/21/04

This page was last updated on September 24, 2004.

Emperor’s clothes unraveling; Vince Avedon; Beaver County Times; September 21, 2004.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., said President Bush’s reconstruction plan of Iraq ‘does not add up, in my opinion, to a pretty picture - to a picture that we’re not winning.’

“But it does add up to this: an acknowledgement that we are in deep trouble. We have an emergency problem now.

“And we had one in July, and we had one before that.

“U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., spoke with Hagel at a hearing on the Bush administration’s request to transfer $3.46 billion from reconstruction funds to beef up security in Iraq.

“‘You have inherited a mess, gentlemen,’ said Hagel.

“The emperor’s clothes are unraveling. Members of the Republican Party are pointing out Bush’s failures. I wonder why we don’t hear these interviews on the fair and balanced network.”

[RWC] This is news? There have always been some Republican critics of the Iraq War, just as there have always been Democrat supporters.

Assuming Mr. Avedon is talking about Fox News Channel (“fair and balanced network”), FNC did cover the issue. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) expressed similar sentiments on Fox News Sunday on September 19, 2004.

“Not only does Bush not get it when it comes to governing America, but he’s not going to get it when it comes to my vote. There is too much at stake to entrust our future to someone who wants to smoke ‘em out, and round ‘em up and to someone who has no clue as to how to win the peace.”

[RWC] I was wondering when the “win the peace” phrase would pop up. Will someone explain what this “too cute by half” phrase means?

I’m really surprised President Bush won’t get Mr. Avedon’s vote. After all, until now Mr. Avedon has said so many nice things about President Bush. <g>