[Vision2020] 10-21-04 LA Times: Bush Foresaw No War Casualties, Robertson Recalls

[Art Deco aka W. Fox]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-robertson21oct21.story
THE NATION
Bush Foresaw No War Casualties, Robertson Recalls
The president was the 'most self-assured man I ever met' during a 2003 
encounter, televangelist says. The White House says he's got it wrong.
By Peter Wallsten and Edwin Chen
Times Staff Writers

October 21, 2004

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. - Democrats trying to portray President Bush as too headstrong 
when he decided to invade Iraq got help this week from an unlikely source: 
televangelist and Bush supporter Pat Robertson.

Appearing on CNN on Tuesday night, Robertson recalled a private meeting with 
Bush before the Iraq war began, at which he said the president asserted there 
would be no casualties.

"I warned him about this war. I had deep misgivings about this war, deep 
misgivings. And I was trying to say, Mr. President, you better prepare the 
American people for casualties," Robertson told CNN's Paula Zahn.

But Bush said, " 'Oh, no, we're not going to have any casualties,' " Robertson 
related.

During the meeting, Bush "was the most self-assured man I ever met in my life," 
Robertson said. "You remember Mark Twain said, 'He looks like a contented 
Christian with four aces.' He was just sitting there, like, 'I'm on top of the 
world.' "

Robertson's comments quickly became an issue in the presidential campaign and 
put the White House in the awkward position of denying comments from one of 
Bush's most prominent supporters.

"I think he must have either misunderstood, misheard or been confused about what 
the conversation was because I've never heard the president say anything of the 
sort, and he wouldn't have," Karen Hughes, a senior Bush advisor, told 
reporters. White House spokesman Scott McClellan said: "Of course the president 
never made such a comment."

Bush strategist Karl Rove told reporters that he was in the room for the Feb. 
10, 2003, meeting, and that Robertson was incorrect in his recollection.

"I was right there," Rove said.

Robertson issued a two-paragraph statement confirming his support for Bush, but 
he did not withdraw his comments.

Robertson's remarks sparked a stern reaction Wednesday from the campaign of 
Democrat John F. Kerry, which has criticized Bush for his refusal, as recently 
as in the second presidential debate, to acknowledge having made mistakes during 
his time in office.

"We believe President Bush should get the benefit of the doubt here, but he 
needs to come forward and answer a very simple question: Is Pat Robertson 
telling the truth when he said you didn't think there'd be any casualties, or is 
Pat Robertson lying?" said Kerry spokesman Mike McCurry.

More than 1,100 U.S. servicemen and women have died in the war, and thousands 
more have been injured.

Robertson, who is founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network and host of its 
program "The 700 Club," talked about his 2003 meeting with Bush as part of a 
larger conversation about how he believed "God's blessing is on" the president, 
despite Bush's "goofs and gaffes."

Robertson has made similar comments in the past.

On June 22, the former GOP presidential contender said on the MSNBC program 
"Hardball" that "I warned the president. I only met with him once. I said you 
better prepare the American people for some serious casualties. And he said, 
'Oh, no, our troops are, you know, so well-protected, we don't have to worry 
about that.' "

Robertson declined through a spokeswoman to comment on the flap over his 
remarks.

When Zahn asked Robertson how evangelicals who might disagree with Bush on the 
war and other policies could still vote for him, Robertson seemed to stop just 
short of calling the president the lesser of two evils.

"Well, you know, you don't run against perfection. It's two fallible people," 
Robertson said. "So it's either the lesser of the evil or the best of second - 
the best - whatever." 
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