Cheney Wants Security To Top Election Agenda
Cheney wants security to top election agenda
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsAr...archived=False
Mon Jul 17, 2006 7:31pm ET
DES MOINES, Iowa (Reuters) - Vice President Dick Cheney told Republicans on Monday to keep security issues prominent ahead of November's elections and condemned Democratic calls for a timetable on troop withdrawal from Iraq as "a bad idea."
"As we make our case to the voters this year, it is vital to keep issues of national security at the top of the agenda," Cheney told donors at an Iowa fund-raiser for Republican congressional candidate Jeff Lamberti.
"The president and I welcome the discussion because every voter in America needs to know where the president and I stand -- and where every candidate for federal office stands -- when it comes to the war on terror," Cheney said.
Cheney's comments on security issues echoed White House political adviser Karl Rove, who has called Democrats weak on national security and urged Republicans to stress President George W. Bush's leadership in the war on terrorism ahead of November's congressional elections.
"Either we're serious about fighting this war or we are not. With George Bush leading this nation we are serious and we will not let down our guard," Cheney said, adding America's enemies were "still lethal and still desperately trying to hit us again."
Republicans hold a narrow advantage over Democrats on security issues in some polls, although growing public doubts about the war in Iraq have helped depress Bush's approval ratings.
Cheney singled out Democratic Rep. Jack Murtha of Pennsylvania for criticism after his call for a speedy withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. Cheney rejected setting a timetable for withdrawal.
"There's a vigorous debate taking place right now about the way forward in Iraq. A number of well-known Democrats have been talking about setting a firm deadline for withdrawal," Cheney said.
"That's a bad idea. Americans and our Iraqi allies need to know that decisions about troop levels will be driven by conditions on the ground and by the judgments of our military commanders, not artificial timelines set by politicians in Washington," he said.
