Chuck Schumer: “Mr. President, we can do both: fund the troops and change our mission in Iraq. That is what this supplemental does, and…”

“Mr. President, we can do both: fund the troops and change our mission in Iraq. That is what this supplemental does, and we urge you, Mr. President, to look into your heart, reconsider, and sign it. The American people, bipartisan majorities in both Houses of Congress, military experts, and the Iraq Study Group all agree the only way to succeed is to change our mission. Only President Bush and his small band of advisers think we should stay the course. What is more, the President wrongly thinks the only way to support our troops is for everyone to rubberstamp his policies. That is not what the American people want. The American people want a change in mission. They want a new direction, not more of the same failed policies. I have talked to generals and to NCOs. They do not want us to rubberstamp the President's policies. They want a debate because everyone knows the present direction is failing. Everyone knows we need a change of mission--except the President and his small group of advisers who are clustered down there at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and refuse to listen--stubbornly refuse to listen--to the experts, to the American people, and to so many others.”