Betty Joins Military Moms, Wives and Veterans to Support Security at Home and a Real Solution for Iraq

Betty joins military moms, wives and veterans to support security at home and a real solution for Iraq

Saturday, September 25, 2004

It is an honor to be here with strong, courageous women-women who love their families, love their country and who want their husbands and sons and daughters who are serving our country, with honor and at great sacrifice. We pray your brave loved ones all come home safely.

The news from Iraq gets worse every day. Our brave troops are overstretched and they lack a clear mission. I have traveled to Iraq twice in the past year, sadly President Bush still has no vision, no clue and no plan to succeed in Iraq or to successfully bring our sons and daughters, husbands and wives home.

The truth is Iraq is a dangerous mess and this president has failed the American people, failed our troops and has failed the Iraqi people. The Bush administration's incompetence and shameful negligence in Iraq has allowed terrorists around the world to gain strength and America to lose focus.

America's families are more at risk today from a terrorist attack than we were before this war of choice in Iraq. George Bush's failed policies have put America's families at risk.

We need John Kerry to do the job Bush has failed to do.

And here at home, every family should ask themselves: Why has this president put American troops in a deadly quagmire in Iraq, while at this moment, Osama bin Ladan roams free and al Qaeda networks are operating in 60 countries?

This election is a test and as terrorism tests our nation, we need a president who is himself a warrior, tested in battle and determined to keep our families safe and to make the war on terrorism America's top national security priority.

We don't need a president who fails to even show up for the exam.

We need John Kerry as our president, as America's commander-in-chief, to keep our families safe.

In Congress, I represent thousands of families, including troops in Iraq and their families here at home - who I admire tremendously for their courage.

But, unlike George Bush, I cannot and I will deceive you by saying the situation in Iraq is alright, its going fine, its looking good and democracy is right around the corner…
if we "stay the course" because that is the same empty, delusional rhetoric of a president who has misled us into this disastrous preemptive war of choice.

We must elect John Kerry because the future of our families and our national security is at stake.

John Kerry will get our nation get back on track, back to fighting a determined, focused war on terrorism, side-by-side with our international allies, fighting to keep our families safe and our world more secure.

Finally, I want to say one last thing.

The essence of our democracy is under attack in this election when President Bush, Vice President Cheney, the Speaker of the House and Senators like Orin Hatch, embrace al Qaeda as a campaign weapon to target John Kerry and all of us who speak the truth.

To say that legitimate, honest criticism of this administration is "emboldening the enemy," is vile and is itself intended to be an act of political terrorism.

For each and every one of us - al Qaeda is the enemy of all Americans - Democrats and Republicans. To use al Qaeda in vicious attacks against John Kerry is using a political weapon that attacks the heart of America's democracy - exceeding all standards of civilized political discourse and undermining our country's core values.

When John Kerry and these families speak the truth and George Bush and the Republican leaders use al Qaeda as their weapon of political destruction it must be condemned.

But these attacks will not deter us. I am proud to stand with John Kerry, John Edwards, these brave women and their loved ones - to defend our families and keep our nation secure and strong…from all enemies and those who seek to undermine the democracy we cherish.

Thank you.