Political Quotes

“I return to the President's August 21 news conference. That sets the tenor for how we should address this debate not only in the Senate but across the land as we direct our attention to this important subject. The President concludes another paragraph in that news conference: And so we will continue to speak out in a respectful way, never challenging somebody's love for America when you criticize their strategies or their point of view. That is the context in which I wish to address the Senate this afternoon and have tried to do so in a respectful way, just as the President said. I turn to another part of the letter I referred to, written by the Democratic leadership, in which they say: We also think there is one additional measure you can take immediately to demonstrate that you recognize the problems your policies have created in Iraq and elsewhere, consider changing the civilian leadership at the Defense Department. Everyone has a perfect right to do that. That has been stated in this letter. We go back to the basic strategy of this great republic, as laid down by our forefathers in the Constitution. The President was given the responsibility as Commander in Chief, as President, to assemble the Cabinet of his choosing--or her, in the future, if we have a female President. He has exercised that. This Senate has given its advice and consent, as is required under the Constitution for each of the Members, including Secretary Rumsfeld.…”