MTP Transcript for Oct. 29

REP. CARDIN: I would never put our troops at risk. And I think my record in Congress shows that I would never put our troops at risk. I have come forward with a plan. I’ve come forward with a plan that can work. Mr. Steele, if you look at...

LT. GOV. STEELE: What’s the plan?

REP. CARDIN: Well, you — I’ve already expressed it. If you look at what Mr. Steele has done, look on his Web page, try to find his positions on Iraq. A hundred and sixty-eight words, that’s all he devotes, and it’s lost on his Web page. Hasn’t had one major event dealing with foreign policy or the war in Iraq. Keeps changing his position: Stay the course, now not stay the course; supporting the president, still thinks it’s the right thing to do, now pulling out. Doesn’t have a plan, doesn’t even have a consistent position on Iraq. You’re right, Tim, this is a very important issue to the voters of Maryland. And Mr. Steele and I have fundamentally different views. I voted against the war in Iraq, I have been an outspoken critic of the president in the war against Iraq, and I have put forward a plan in which we could bring our troops home without a time schedule.

LT. GOV. STEELE: Well, I, I still, I’m still waiting for the plan, sir. I’m still waiting for the Democrats to lay that plan on the table. I’m still waiting for you to lay that plan on the table. All I have heard for the past year of this campaign is George Bush — anti-George Bush, anti-war — anti-Rumsfeld. And that’s fine, if, if that’s what you believe, and that’s what you feel. So the American people, and the people of Maryland are saying what are your, what are your goals? You have said you want to draw down the troops, 10,000 a month. Now, there are 140,000 troops on the ground, and that’s 14 months, there you go, that’s your timetable. You’re now saying that, you know, you don’t want to fund the war, that when you get control of the Congress, your vote is going to be to de-fund our, our troops on the ground. That — that’s your plan.

MR. RUSSERT: Give one specific of your plan.

REP. CARDIN: My plan is to start redeploying troops, to show the world that we’re not going to be an occupation force; convene the international community so that we can develop a diplomatic and political solution; use the non-governmental organizations to deliver humanitarian assistance; bring in the international community to help train the troops. Mr. Steele does not have a plan, Mr. Bush does not have a plan. I have come forward with a plan.

MR. RUSSERT: Where would you redeploy the troops?

REP. CARDIN: I’d bring them home. I want the troops, basically, home. I want more flexibility. I want to focus on the war against terror. We have serious challenges today, and America’s influence internationally is being compromised because of our commitment in Iraq. It is...

LT. GOV. STEELE: So what do you leave on the ground?

REP. CARDIN: ...counterproductive. It’s counterproductive to focusing on the war against terror. We haven’t completed Afghanistan, we have a crisis developing in North Korea, we have Iran. And this administration, because of its involvement in Iraq, has compromised our national security.

LT. GOV. STEELE: But Mr. Cardin, what does Iraq look like under your plan on the last day the troops are withdrawn? What does Iraq look look like, sir?

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