FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 26, 2003
Governor Dean Calls For Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz To Resign
'Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz Must Go' To Restore Credibility
WASHINGTON--This afternoon, Democratic presidential candidate Governor Howard Dean, M.D., called for the resignations of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz.
Following his comments, Dean for America announced that it was launching a petition drive to demonstrate the national support for the resignations of Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz. The petition is available at www.deanforamerica.com/mustgo.
In making his statement, Governor Dean cited the "long line of problematic statements from the highest levels of the Administration, from the discredited line in the President's State of the Union address regarding Iraq's supposed attempts to acquire uranium from Niger to the Vice President's claim that Iraq had reconstituted its nuclear program to Secretary Rumsfeld's claim that he had 'bulletproof' evidence of ties between Iraq and al Qaeda. This pattern of deception is but one major reason that this Administration deserves to be fired by the American people."
"For officials at the highest levels of this Administration to exploit the emotions of the American people regarding the attacks of September 11 to achieve their political objectives is unacceptable," Governor Dean said.
He also cited the "abject failure of planning for the post-war period in Iraq. There is no need to wait until the next election to hold the major architects of this disaster responsible for their gross incompetence. The time has come for the President to fire them. To get Iraq on track, it is vitally important that the Pentagon begins the task of restoring credibility not only in the world community, but here at home as well. That is not possible under the continued leadership of Secretary Rumsfeld and Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz. They must go."
"A decision to send our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters to war is the most solemn decision any president can make. As president, I will not hesitate to send our military anywhere in the world to defend the United States and its key interests, but I will never do so without telling the American people the truth. The American people expect and deserve the truth from their leaders--especially an Administration that purportedly took office to 'restore honor and dignity' to the White House. But we have seen something very different from this Administration," Governor Dean said.
His complete statement is available at www.deanforamerica.com and on the campaign's official weblog, www.blogforamerica.com.
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More responses on Dean wowing the CA Dems
Regular DeanBlog contributor Carl Withak has a long post full of photos (and video?) from the convention floor about Dean's speech:
With each line the Governor completed the audience became more energized. By the time he had completed the above statement he had at least 80% of the crowd off their seats, screaming and waving Dean signs! No other speech before or after received anything like this. At best, a speaker could count on 30-40% of the crowd to get off of their seats and applaud. This show of support was deafening.
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As the good Doctor began to wrap things up he seemed to feed off the audience. His face become red, nearly the entire convention on their feet, screaming his praise, Governor Dean bellowed, "I want my country back! We want our country back!" From the looks of it, California is definitely Dean Country among the party faithful.
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Outside the convention doors hordes of delegates converged on the Dean booth snatching up whatever Dean material...
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