DNC Fact Check: President Bush Said We Can't Win

12/8/2005 1:13:00 PM

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To: National Desk, Political Reporter

Contact: Karen Finney of the Democratic National Committee Staff, 202-863-8148

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following was released today by the Democratic National Committee:

The RNC got it wrong. Today, they falsely claimed that President Bush has always predicted victory in the War on Terror, and argued in a release that "President Bush Never Said We Couldn't Win." In fact, last summer, on the first day of his convention, President Bush told Matt Lauer on NBC's "Today Show" that he didn't think "we can win it."

NBC, "The Today Show", 8/30/04

MATT LAUER: You said to me a second ago, one of the things you'll lay out in your vision for the next four years is how to go about winning the war on terror. That phrase strikes me a little bit. Do you really think we can win this war of ter--on terror? For example, in the next four years?

PRESIDENT BUSH: I have never said we can win it in four years.

MATT LAUER: No, I'm just saying, can we win it? Do you say that?

PRESIDENT BUSH: I don't--I don't think we can win it.