NEW YORK, Oct. 1, 2006
Bob Woodward: Bush Misleads On Iraq
Tells 60 Minutes About His Book 'State Of Denial'
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State Of Denial
In an exclusive interview with "60 Minutes" correspondent Mike Wallace, veteran reporter Bob Woodward accuses the Bush Administration of failing to tell the truth about the level of violence in Iraq.
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Woodward On Iraq, Kissinger
Bob Woodward tells Mike Wallace the White House has misled the American public on the war in Iraq. He also reveals that Henry Kissinger regularly offers advice to President Bush.
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Wallace's Reporter's Notebook
Only On The Web: Mike Wallace talks about his interview with Bob Woodward. The veteran reporter said the Bush administration has not been honest about the level of violence in Iraq.
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Bob Woodward, left, talking with Mike Wallace. (CBS)
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Bob Woodward (CBS)
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"He’s back," Woodward says. "In fact, Henry Kissinger is almost like a member of the family. If he’s in town, he can call up and if the president’s free, he’ll see him."
Woodward recorded his on-the-record interview with Cheney, and here’s what the vice president said about Henry Kissinger’s clout: "Of the outside people that I talk to in this job I probably talk to Henry Kissinger more than just about anybody else. He just comes by and I guess at least once a month," Cheney tells Woodward. "I sit down with him."
Asked whether the president also meets with Kissinger, Cheney told Woodward, "Yes. Absolutely."
The vice president also acknowledged that President Bush is a big fan of Kissinger.
"Now, what’s Kissinger’s advice? In Iraq, he declared very simply:
'Victory is the only meaningful exit strategy.' This is so fascinating. Kissinger’s fighting the Vietnam War again. Because in his view the problem in Vietnam was we lost our will. That we didn’t stick to it," Woodward says.
He says Kissinger is telling the president to stick to it, stay the course. "It’s right out of the Kissinger playbook," Woodward says.
In his book, published by CBS sister company, Simon & Schuster, Woodward reports that the first President Bush confided to one of his closest friends how upset he is that his son invaded Iraq.
"The former President Bush is said to be in agony, anguished, tormented by the war in Iraq and its aftermath," Wallace says.
"Yes," Woodward replies.
Asked if the former president conveys that message to his son, Woodward says, "I don’t know the answer to that. He tells it to Brent Scowcroft, his former national security advisor."
"You paint a picture, Bob, of the president as the cheerleader-in-chief. Current reality be damned. He’s convinced that he’s gonna succeed in Iraq, yes?" Wallace asks.
"Yes , that’s correct," Woodward says.
Woodward interviewed President George W. Bush for the first two books for hours.
"And do you know what? There are people who are gonna say, look Woodward is savaging President Bush because he wouldn’t see him for this book," Wallace remarks.
Woodward says that's not true. "He did not, and I asked. And I made it very clear to the White House what my questions were, what my information was. What could he say? That the secret chart is not right?" Woodward says. "That these things that happened in these meetings didn’t occur? They’re documented. I talked to the people who were there. Your producer, Bob Anderson, has listened to the tapes of my interviews with people to make sure that it’s not just kind of right, but literally right. This is what occurred."
And Woodward says that no matter what has occurred in Iraq, Mr. Bush does not welcome any pessimistic assessments from his aides, because he’s sure that his war has Iraq and America on the right path.
"Late last year he had key Republicans up to the White House to talk about the war. And said, 'I will not withdraw even if Laura and Barney are the only ones supporting me.' Barney is his dog," Woodward says. "My work on this leads to lots of people who spend hours, days with the president."
"And in most cases they are my best sources. And there is a concern that we need to face realism. Not being the voice that says, 'Oh no, everything’s fine,' when it’s not," Woodward adds.
©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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See all 936 CommentsShocked, because we all know CBS would NEVER try to hurt a Republican just before a major election. Never
Thanks for helping the Republicans yet again.
And sorry wingnuts, but this is news only because Woodward drank the kool-aid long ago. His mewing is too little and too late to salvage his obsequious neocon-loving reputation.
If his mindnumbingly obvious observations about the mess in Iraq make your heads explode then I have fears for your general sanity. Because when we libs take over in November we intend on holding your crooked leaders responsible for their crimes.
Are either of you disputing the content of this piece? If so, let's hear your point and see the facts. It sounds as if the both of you are just repeating the talking points. As a registered Republician I'm ashamed and tired of the lies. I for one can't wait for the full report on Sunday. Thank you.
Or we could just pull out and let them kill each other. After we take the oil fields and pump all the oil we need to pay for this stupid war. That is our best option. Otherwise we will see WWIII and it will be based on religious beliefs.
Actually it already is.
Ask yourself, Did Dan Rather attempt to help or hurt Bush? Did Wallace look like a wimp interviewing Iran's dictator? He sat across from a man who denies the Holocaust. We know
his liberal bias. You're toast, Mike.
Republicans will carry the day in Nov America's smart thinking people know we are safe with Bush as our Watchman Simple as that
I have mixed feelings about this wat, but I cringe when I hear politicians say things like this. It makes them feel real tough, but it isn't Bush who will have his legs blown off by a roadside bomb. If he wants to talk like this, he should be required to send his daughters to fight in Iraq.
BTW - Of the 535 representatives on the Hill, only 5 have kids serving in Iraq. I don't think Bush or his cabinet have any.
also, the elder Wallace is appeasing fellow liberals who still seeth from his son's recent Clinton debacle
People are so blinded because Bush says he is a Christian, well the Bible also says judge a man by his fruit, does his life truly exemplify the Christian walk. I have my opinion, but the American public needs to wake up and truly see the big picture.
Even though we have a non-traditional enemy, we should handle this in a traditional manner. We will unilaterally pull out immediately, and I mean immediately. In return, we require a cease-fire. If we're attacked, we will attack in kind as we pull out. In return for withdrawal, we have the unilateral expectation of no attacks on US interests by Islamist Terrorists. If we're attacked, we'll blast them, no questions asked. We did not lose the war. We were assured by their own people that there was WMD, and that they could take over once Saddam was out. They failed. It's time to cut our losses. We proved that if you're a crazy dictator, we can take you out, note to Iran. Let's retool our Military and be prepared for the future.
Using the number 900/week this is 46,800 per year.
Come on now, there are enough anti-Bush media types to report this number just by observation.
2) We did lose a war in Vietnam because we didn't
stick to the SouthEast Treaty Organization (SEATO)
which we signed. (Anybody remember SEATO?) So much for our word which is what is what those gangsters in Iraq are and they've told us they are counting on. We show no guts to continue to support democratic efforts.
3) Please Woodward, CBS President Bush is not running again. Our deaths in Iraq are running less then 2 per day. Are you aware that all other non Iraq fatalities of the 1.3 million active US milatary is 3 per day? Homocides, suicides, illness, all run 3 per day vs 2 in Iraq. Acceptable numbers when it comes to keeping those gangsters from thinking they can exterminate the US.
4) What Rules of Engagement? and why should I?
CBS uses covert "pretexting" from Maples to Woodward, why should I be honest?
Kissinger and Rumsfeld--both have had their day... and now both are trying to re-do their younger days history as older men guiding the IRAQ war. Like Bush or not... I do like him in many ways... our military deserves better... and the American public needs more information... sure sounds like a repeat of the Viet Nam war by officials.. including Pat Buchanon calling last week (and in his book) for the President's impeachment (way out there, but Buchanon said it)... and for similar reasons.. mishandling of IRAQ.
I don't think I'm being the least bit cynical.
Cheney/Bush are the only two who actually think Iraq is a wise idea. Cheney is the 'decider'. Until Congress cuts the funds, as was done in Vietnam (remember the domino theory, if we lost Vietnam its the end of civilization as we know it ...) ... its only going to get worse.
Hopefully enough voters will overcome their disgust with politics to vote for change in November.
Hey amsjoe, 6000+ Americans have died because our "watchman" was asleep at the switch. Bush is so weak and ineffective it's laughable - absoulutely laughable. He's Barney Fife, cringing in fear of the "terraists".
I gave up on Bush long before his failure to capture Osama. His wimpyness was disgusting when he begged the Chinese to give back our spyplane. Remember that? "Oh please, oh please give it back"
Pathetic.
Even if he dislikes the Bush admin he should not give the enemy insurgents the pleasure of seeing him (Woodward) undermine HIS OWN President and country. This is a time of war Mr. Woodward we need to stick together..... not cause discord in our own ranks. Shame on you
And to whine about CBS 60 Minutes with the 24-hour a day Republican News Network (RNN or Fox News as its called) spewing the Repub agenda all day and all night is a joke. Hard to believe Chris Wallace and Mike Wallace are related. At least one of them hasn't sold out.
My only gripe with this report from Woodward is that he, along with Judith Miller, were pawns and accomplices to get us into this quagmire in the beginning...Bush must be saying to himself in his Texas drawl "Et Tu Woodward?"
Kissinger and Rumsfeld--both have had their day... and now both are trying to re-do their younger days history as older men guiding the IRAQ war. Like Bush or not... I do like him in many ways... our military deserves better... and the American public needs more information... sure sounds like a repeat of the Viet Nam war by officials.. including Pat Buchanon calling last week (and in his book) for the President's impeachment (way out there, but Buchanon said it)... and for similar reasons.. mishandling of IRAQ.
You're a sicko. So it's ok that Bush may be misleading us. It's ok that the war is supposed to get worse and cost more lives. It's ok that the reasons given to us for going to war have been constantly changing as each one was proven wrong. Just don't speak up, or you will be "giving comfort to the enemy".
You're an idiot.
Thought you faux conservatives believe in taking responsibility? Where is the accountability in this administration?
If Cheney and Rummy were in the private sector the shareholders would have had their heads by now.
No go run along-your Oxycontin pied piper is about to begin
If you really feel that by reporting facts that the media is helping the democrats, then I guess it just proves that we ought to vote for them. You certainly convinced me of it.
And Mike Wallace would do the interview, praising Bob for doing it.
Why doesn't CBS do something useful?
What's the point?
Er, Bob, we are fighting a war in Iraq, so isn't it reasonable to expect that we would be under constant attack? Duh!
As for Kissinger's statement that "we lost our will in Vietnam" so we lost, he is dead on. If you think I'm wrong lefties, go check out what General Giap of the NVA said. He said they were beaten as an armed force, but were banking on the American public to be worn down.
Eureka! It's happening again.
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