MTP Transcript for Oct. 29

MR. RUSSERT: But do you stand by your comment, you would consider cutting off funding?

REP. CARDIN: There’s a lot of different options that Congress can consider, including contingencies of funds. There’s options that we can consider. And if the Democrats get back control of the United States Senate, then the amendments can be presented in a way that could be constructive in getting the president to submit a new plan.

MR. RUSSERT: But you would consider cutter off — cutting off funding for the war.

REP. CARDIN: I would consider using the appropriation process, I will not support putting our troops at risk.

LT. GOV. STEELE: I, I, I’m sorry.

MR. RUSSERT: I will allow, I will allow each of you to talk about the war.

LT. GOV. STEELE: That is absolutely amazing to me to have a member of the United States Congress sit here and say that he would vote for — if, if his party gets control of the Congress, that you would vote for cutting off funding for our troops in Iraq; men and women who are putting it on the line every single day. Your own words.

REP. CARDIN: Not what I said.

LT. GOV. STEELE: Your own words. Secondly, to sit here and say you want the Bush administration to put together a plan. Sir, you have been in Congress for over 20 years. You have been a member of Congress from the beginning of this war to this very point. The only plan I’ve heard you put on the table is “We need a plan.” This is not how you go about dealing with complicated, frustrating at times, foreign policy issues. The reality for us at this point, Tim, is that we need to come to this table with a bipartisan approach. What, what you see with Baker-Hamilton, let’s see what their recommendations are. Let’s begin to put the pressure — this is my plan, by the way — let’s begin to put the pressure on the Iraqi government and force them to own up to their responsibility to take control of the situation on the ground, which they should be doing. And we...

MR. RUSSERT: And if they, and if they don’t?

LT. GOV. STEELE: If they don’t, then like Senator Warner says, then we in 60 to 90 days, or 120 days, need to step back, evaluate whether it’s not — worth sacrificing another American life for a cause that the Iraqi government and the Iraqi people do not themselves believe in.

MR. RUSSERT: So if, if the situation is unchanged in the next six months, you would consider withdrawal.

LT. GOV. STEELE: I absolute — at that point, if it’s, if, if — look, if the Iraqi people don’t want this, if they’re, if they’re, if they are content to have this internal strife, they want civil war, they want this, this terrorist beachhead to be formed, then we will have to re-evaluate our policy, and our — certainly our foreign policy position with respect to that country. And that would be on the table, absolutely.

MR. RUSSERT: Getting out.

LT. GOV. STEELE: Absolutely.

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