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Robert Fisk on the Presidential Debate, Iraq, Palestine and the International
Criminal Court
Kerry Blasts Bush on North Korea, Pledges Direct Negotiations
if Elected
Candidates Briefly Debate Sudan Policy But Where Was the
Discussion of the Coup in Haiti?
Robert Fisk on the Presidential Debate, Iraq, Palestine
and the International Criminal Court
As the civilian death toll in Iraq, Palestine and Israel
rises, Bush and Kerry face off in the first presidential debate.
The debate focused on foreign policy, as agreed by both campaigns
and Iraq clearly dominated the discussion. We hear excerpts
of the debate and speak with longtime Middle East correspondent
Robert Fisk of the London Independent about the invasion and
occupation of Iraq, "democracy" in Afghanistan,
the Occupied Territories of Palestine - which were never mentioned
in the debate - and Bush's blanket refusal to join the International
Criminal Court.
Last night's presidential debate in Florida came on a day
of international bloodshed in both Iraq and Palestine. In
Iraq yesterday, a series of car bombs left 48 people dead
- at least 34 of them children. Two US soldiers were also
killed in separate incidents. And just hours before Bush and
Kerry stepped on stage, U.S. and Iraqi forces launched a major
offensive against the resistance-held town of Samarra. The
death toll there now stands at 94. Neither man addressed the
toll being paid by Iraqi civilians whose deaths go uncounted
every day, instead focusing on the sacrifices of US troops.
And neither Bush, nor Kerry mentioned Palestine, where scores
of people were killed yesterday.
The only mentions of Israel came when each candidate talked
about why they believe victory in Iraq is essential. Last
night's debate focused on foreign policy, as agreed to be
by both campaigns. And Iraq clearly dominated the discussion.
The debate was held at the University of Miami and moderated
by PBS anchor Jim Lehrer. Both candidates used well-rehearsed
lines, but this was the first time each had to listen to the
criticism at close quarters. The Los Angeles Times described
the two men as determined to "cast their relatively narrow
policy differences in the starkest, most dramatic way possible."
Most major polls today are saying Kerry will benefit more
than Bush from last night's debate. Here is some of last night's
debate on Iraq.
- Presidential debate, candidates discussing Iraq.
That was Sen. Kerry and President Bush debating Iraq policy
in the first presidential debate last night. A large majority
of the session was devoted to Iraq which has defined the presidential
race more than any other issue.
- Presidential debate, candidates discussing Iraq.
- Presidential debate, candidates discussing Afghanistan.
During the debate last night, moderator Jim Lehrer asked
John Kerry his position on the whole concept of preemptive
war. Kerry responded by saying "the president always
has the right, and always has had the right, for preemptive
strike." But it was Bush's response that struck a chord.
This is what the president had to say.
- Presidential debate, Bush discussing the International
Criminal Court.
- Robert Fisk, chief Middle East correspondent for the
London Independent. He joins us on the phone from his home
in Ireland.
Kerry Blasts Bush on North Korea, Pledges Direct
Negotiations if Elected
While most of the presidential debate focused on Iraq, Bush
and Kerry clashed on an issue the Kerry campaign has increasingly
been raising: the issue of North Korea's nuclear weapons and
U.S. strategy in negotiations with Pyunyang. We speak with
independent journalist Tim Shorrock.
While the first 70 minutes of last night's debate focused
almost entirely on Iraq, the two candidates clashed on an
issue the Kerry campaign has increasingly been raising: the
issue of North Korea's nuclear weapons and US strategy in
negotiations with Pyunyang. Both President Bush and Senator
Kerry said last night that the greatest threat facing the
United States was nuclear proliferation. On North Korea, Kerry
said the U.S. should open bilateral talks with North Korea
in addition to talks with the current coalition of nations
-- the U.S. and five of North Korea's neighbors. Bush rebuked
Kerry, saying that was exactly what North Korean leader Kim
Jong Il wanted. Republican Senator John McCain said he thought
that no U.S. president has ever proposed bilateral talks with
North Korea on nuclear weapons. Here is last night's moderator,
PBS anchor Jim Lehrer.
- Presidential debate, candidates discussing Iraq.
- Tim Shorrock, independent journalist who has covered
U.S.-Korean relations for over 20 years. His reports have
appeared in The Nation, Mother Jones and Harpers.
Candidates Briefly Debate Sudan Policy But Where
Was the Discussion of the Coup in Haiti?
Both Sen. Kerry and President Bush admitted genocide is
taking place in Sudan during the debate but differed on how
to tackle the issue. Neither candidate mentioned the bloody
coup in Haiti or the current humanitarian disaster befallen
the country. We speak with TransAfrica president Bill Fletcher.
- Presidential debate, candidates discussing Sudan.
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
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