Joe Biden is suddenly now insisting he opposed authorizing the Iraq War -- when in fact he was the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman who actively led the fight to help the GOP authorize the Iraq War. bernie.substack.com/p/bern-notice-…
Yes, David Sirota is candidate Bernie Sanders' speechwriter. But David's not the only one pushing back. The push back comes after Joe told an especially big whopper in an interview. Joseph Zeballos-Roig (BUSINESS INSIDER) explains:
Former Vice President Joe Biden said in an NPR interview that he opposed the Iraq War shortly after it began in March 2003, but he didn't publicly come out against it until 2005.
The leading Democratic presidential candidate voted to authorize
the use of military force against Iraq in late 2002 as a US Senator
from Delaware. He's been strongly criticized for that vote to support
the war throughout the Democratic primary.
Yes, Joe lied.
Asher Stockler (NEWSWEEK) countered, "Although during the time preceding and following the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq, Biden, in fact, did not oppose the broader war effort. In many instances, he openly supported it." Paul Blest (SPLINTER) covered the lie as well and offered, "Here’s a fun game to play at home with your friends and loved ones: Is Joe Biden lying, senile, or both?" Eoin Higgins (SALON) went with, "As Khalid pointed out in her report from the interview, that's not backed up by the historical record." Nathan McDermott and Andrew Kaczynski (CNN) observed, "In recent speeches and interviews defending his past foreign policy decisions, former Vice President Joe Biden has misrepresented his past position on the Iraq War." At POLITIFACT, Miriam Valverde examined his lie and provided a walk thru of the public record before concluding:
That’s not the case. The public record shows that immediately before and after the United States invaded Iraq in March 2003, Biden supported the president. He also on multiple occasions for years justified his vote on a resolution that authorized the use of force against Iraq.
Biden lamented that the United States did not have the support of more nations and gradually criticized the Bush administration’s strategy. But his claim of an "immediate" opposition to the war isn’t accurate.
We rate his statement False.
Pollster James Zogby Tweeted:
Sep 3
Just saw on CNN that Biden claims to have been against the Iraq War, before it began. Hope they’re mistaken. Cuz if he did, it’s not a mistake or a gaffe. It’s a whopper. (& btw, this isn’t about age. I’m 74 & remember quite clearly who was for & against)
Other Tweets include:
David Axelrod
It’s one thing to have a well-earned rep for goofy, harmless gaffes. It’s another if you serially distort your own record. @JoeBiden is in danger of creating a more damaging meme.
"9 months ago, I voted with my colleagues to give the president the authority to use force & I'd vote that way again today," Joe Biden, 7-31-03.
"I am opposed to giving the President a blank check to launch a unilateral invasion and occupation of Iraq," Bernie Sanders, 10-09-02
I honestly can't believe that @JoeBiden, who voted for the Iraq War, and then support the occupation for years, is claiming that he opposed the war after the invasion.
There's a word for this.
Lying
Nominate someone who doesn’t lie so much, creating a “both sides do it, so don’t bother voting” narrative. businessinsider.com/biden-opposed-…
Biden's role in leading us into the Iraq War was a disaster then and deeply troubling for his decision making now. He was Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and in better position than anyone to expose the lies. Instead he trusted Bush. FULL: youtube.com/watch?v=yTXA9v…
Joe got real push back and he deserved it. He was flat out lying. And it does matter. It matters because it's the public record. It matters because he's distorting the truth. It matters because it goes to character.
And it matters because, all this time after the Iraq War first started, if we can't get honest about it now, when can we?
As Jonathan Turley observed, "No level of revision of history will change the cost of that war for thousands of families or the country."
