Being unable to reply to your response below, replying here instead:
I welcome you to dig deeply in search of this supposed quote. I have done that, and provided documentation, via actual WH archives, and video that Bush did not make the statement you attribute to him on the date claimed, nor can it be found on any other date.
And I welcome the integrity that a retraction would represent.
As I said, Bush said many things, things which you could cite to make your point. However, in context, and even in isolation, they do not make nearly as strong a case.
I am not implying anything, nor am I being disingenuous--I made no statement about what Bush's priorities may or may not have been. I'm simply informing you and your readers that the supposed quote you site is false, and should not be used by anyone making Informed Comment(ary), as it undercuts your credibility, and calls into question whether other statements made elsewhere are accurate.
The statement may or may not be an accurate assessment of Bush's mindset--that's a judgment you may make. But that does not mean it should be placed inside quotation marks, next to a date, and presented as an accurate or honest quote.
He said many things. But to be clear, he NEVER said regarding OBL "...I have no idea and really don’t care. It’s not that important. It’s not our priority",on 3/13/02, or any other date.
And to present it as a legitimate quote on a site that is about "Informed Comment(ary)" makes one seem uninformed about what is accurate and real, and what is not.
I'm convinced that the reason this inaccurate "quote" is so often cited is that either a.) the person using it is uninformed, since they can't be bothered to fact check it themselfs, or b.)they feel it is somehow "better" or more compelling to make their point than what he REALLY said, and for that reason, it calls into question the honesty, integrity, and agenda of those who use it to make a case.
Only someone with a real sense of humor could title a story "Top Ten Myths about Bin Laden’s Death" and claim, as support Bush wasn't really looking for OBL, a quote that itself is a fake, and a myth!!!
ROTFLMAO
>>> In fact, Bush said in 2002 that capturing Bin Laden was not a high priority: “I don’t know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don’t care. It’s not that important. It’s not our priority.”
- G.W. Bush, 3/13/02<<<
I'm almost certain that the following quote is fake
"The most important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. It is our number one priority and we will not rest until we find him." - Sept 13, 2003
I often see it attributed with this quote, which Bush also did not say
"I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority" -- 3/13/02
After an exhaustive search, I can't find any official transcript that shows Bush said this. It seems to be a recycled internet quote, mainly found on anti-Bush sites or anti-Bush forums. -- 166.70.155.27 23:34, 11 Mar 2004
Being unable to reply to your response below, replying here instead:
I welcome you to dig deeply in search of this supposed quote. I have done that, and provided documentation, via actual WH archives, and video that Bush did not make the statement you attribute to him on the date claimed, nor can it be found on any other date.
And I welcome the integrity that a retraction would represent.
As I said, Bush said many things, things which you could cite to make your point. However, in context, and even in isolation, they do not make nearly as strong a case.
I am not implying anything, nor am I being disingenuous--I made no statement about what Bush's priorities may or may not have been. I'm simply informing you and your readers that the supposed quote you site is false, and should not be used by anyone making Informed Comment(ary), as it undercuts your credibility, and calls into question whether other statements made elsewhere are accurate.
The statement may or may not be an accurate assessment of Bush's mindset--that's a judgment you may make. But that does not mean it should be placed inside quotation marks, next to a date, and presented as an accurate or honest quote.
He said many things. But to be clear, he NEVER said regarding OBL "...I have no idea and really don’t care. It’s not that important. It’s not our priority",on 3/13/02, or any other date.
And to present it as a legitimate quote on a site that is about "Informed Comment(ary)" makes one seem uninformed about what is accurate and real, and what is not.
I'm convinced that the reason this inaccurate "quote" is so often cited is that either a.) the person using it is uninformed, since they can't be bothered to fact check it themselfs, or b.)they feel it is somehow "better" or more compelling to make their point than what he REALLY said, and for that reason, it calls into question the honesty, integrity, and agenda of those who use it to make a case.
Juan Cole is such a cut-up
Only someone with a real sense of humor could title a story "Top Ten Myths about Bin Laden’s Death" and claim, as support Bush wasn't really looking for OBL, a quote that itself is a fake, and a myth!!!
ROTFLMAO
>>> In fact, Bush said in 2002 that capturing Bin Laden was not a high priority: “I don’t know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don’t care. It’s not that important. It’s not our priority.”
- G.W. Bush, 3/13/02<<<
Out here, in reality, that quote is fake.
Official WH archive of that day's statement, confirming by conspicuous absence he never said it:
http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020313-8.html
CNN video of that press conference. Notice the words "I have no idea and really don’t care. It’s not that important. It’s not our priority" are never said?
http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/03/13/Bush.news.conference/index.html
(1/3 of of the way down, in the gray box)
Informed debate about the quote, by people who actually care about whether the quote is accurate, and have done some looking, instead of parroting fake quotes:
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Talk:George_W._Bush#Fake_quotes.3F
"Fake quotes?
I'm almost certain that the following quote is fake
"The most important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. It is our number one priority and we will not rest until we find him." - Sept 13, 2003
I often see it attributed with this quote, which Bush also did not say
"I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority" -- 3/13/02
After an exhaustive search, I can't find any official transcript that shows Bush said this. It seems to be a recycled internet quote, mainly found on anti-Bush sites or anti-Bush forums. -- 166.70.155.27 23:34, 11 Mar 2004
That Juan Cole, he's a funny guy.