BACKGROUND: WAR AND POLITICS

	September 27, 2002
	Margaret Warner looks back at the week's war of words in Congress. Follow-up Discussion: Shields and Brooks

MARGARET WARNER: Sharp political divisions on the Iraq issue surfaced this week, culminating today with a senior democrat taking on the President. ( Applause ) MARGARET WARNER: Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy began his remarks today by saying the country deserves a vigorous and civil debate over going to war in Iraq. SEN. TED KENNEDY: In this serious time for America and many American families, no one should poison the public square by attacking the patriotism of opponents or by assailing proponents as more interested in the cause of politics than in the merits of their cause. I reject this, as should we all. (Applause) It is possible to love America while concluding that it is not now wise to go to war. MARGARET WARNER: And now is not the time to go to war, he said, not until other reasonable alternatives have been exhausted. SEN. TED KENNEDY: There is clearly a threat from Iraq, and there is clearly a danger, but the administration has not made a convincing case that we face such an imminent threat to our national security that a unilateral preemptive American strike, and an immediate war, are necessary. The President's challenge to the United Nations requires a renewed effort to enforce the will of the international community to disarm Saddam. Let us follow that course and the world will be with us, even if in the end we have to move to the ultimate sanction of armed conflict. MARGARET WARNER: Kennedy said unilateral military action against Iraq would undermine the international coalition needed in the war against al-Qaida-- a war he said the U.S. has not yet won. SPOKESMAN: The President of the United States, George W. Bush. MARGARET WARNER: The President, campaigning in Denver, said he was ready to work with the UN to force Saddam to disarm, if the UN will act. PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: He can disarm; there's no negotiations, by the way, with Mr. Saddam Hussein. There's nothing to discuss. He either gets rid of his weapons, and the United Nations gets rid of his weapons... (applause) ...he can either get rid of his weapons and the United Nations can act, or the United States will lead a coalition to disarm this man. (Applause) I'm willing to give peace a chance to work. I want... I want the United Nations to work. I want him to do what he said he would do. But for the sake of our future, now's the time. Now's the time. I appreciate both Republicans and Democrats in our country understanding this issue. I want you to know that behind the rhetoric for war is a deep desire for peace -- that I believe that by remaining strong and diligent that we can achieve peace-that we can achieve peace not only for America but peace around the world. MARGARET WARNER: It was the latest exchange in an escalating debate over whether, and how, Congress should endorse the President going to war. Mr. Bush sent a broadly-worded proposed resolution to the Hill last week, asking Congress to authorize him "to use all means that he determines to be appropriate, including force" to enforce UN resolutions on Iraq, defend U.S. interests against Iraq and restore peace to the region. There was little initial opposition from leaders on Capitol Hill, but this week, some prominent Democrats began raising concerns. In a speech in San Francisco Monday, former Vice President Al gore warned of grave consequences for the antiterror coalition if the U.S. Proceeded unilaterally to war. He also questioned the administration's timing. AL GORE: Rather than making efforts to dispel these concerns at home and abroad about the role of politics in the timing of policy, the President is on the campaign trail two or three days a week, often publicly taunting democrats with the political consequences of a "no" vote. MARGARET WARNER: That same day, Mr. Bush, on a campaign stop in New Jersey, attacked the Democratic- controlled Senate for stalling the homeland security bill. PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: But the Senate is more interested in special interests in Washington and not interested in the security of the American people. MARGARET WARNER: On Wednesday, the Republican National Committee sent an e-mail to two million Republican supporters, quoting the President's line that "the Senate is not interested in the security of the American people." An irate Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle went to the Senate floor to demand an apology for what he called the President's "outrageous" remark. SEN. TOM DASCHLE: That is wrong. We ought not politicize this war. We ought not to politicize the rhetoric about war in life and death. MARGARET WARNER: White House spokesman Ari Fleischer denied the President was politicizing the issue. ARI FLEISCHER: The President's remarks were not about the democratic Senate, as people may have been led to believe. The President's remarks were not even about the war in Iraq. The President's remarks were about homeland security. MARGARET WARNER: The President did not apologize, but yesterday, he had conciliatory words for a bipartisan group of lawmakers who came to the White House. PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: Congress will have an important debate, a meaningful debate, an historic debate. It will be conducted with all civility. It will be conducted in a manner that will make Americans proud and Americans to understand the threats to our future. We're making progress. MARGARET WARNER: Both Democrats and Republicans have been circulating alternative resolutions that would impose some limits on the authorization the President seeks.