‘Meet the Press’ transcript for Aug. 26, 2007

MR. RUSSERT:  If the president on September 15^th receives these reports but decides not to withdraw troops, decides to go forward with the surge, what do you do?

SEN. WARNER:  That’s his right to do that, and I will respect it.  But I would say, “Mr. President, in the absence of trying to do something like I’m suggesting to get the Iraq government motivated to begin to perform, Mr. President, what they committed to you circa January 10^th of this year as a predicate, as a foundation, as a reason for starting the surge—namely, the coalition forces, notably the United States working with Iraqi forces, will give you the security, then prime minister and the government, you make national reconciliation.” Now, that hasn’t been filled, I would—I’m looking for, in that message of the 15^th, what the president’s going to do to get this government jump-started to deliver on its commitment to our troops, “You fight and die, get the security, I will deliver Iraq as a reconciled unity government.”

MR. RUSSERT:  Senator, let me show you what you said 11 months ago.  You said, “In two or three months”—this is October of ‘06--“if this thing hasn’t come to fruition, and if this level of violence is not under control and this government” not “able to function, I think it’s the responsibility of our government, internally, to determine:  Is there a change of course that we should take?” Now it’s almost a year later.  If the president says, “Sorry, Warner, I’m not withdrawing troops.  It’s full speed ahead with the surge, do you sit by and accept status quo?”

SEN. WARNER:  Tim, let’s go back.  I did come back, as you say, 11 months, and I used that phrase.  I felt the thing in Iraq was drifting sideways, and a lot of anger was generated by that.  But, as a consequence of my statement, statements of other colleagues and other individuals, guess what?  The administration went to general quarters and studied this whole situation all during November, December and into January, and the president did react to what I had said, and he changed the strategy and enunciated with the concept of the surge beginning January 10^th.  Now, I wasn’t fully supportive with all aspects of that surge.  I felt that he should call on the Iraqi soldiers to get in between this civil strife between Sunni and Shia as generated by religious differences and power grabs.  But anyway, I supported him, and I have constantly voted against efforts to set a timetable by Congress as opposed to the right of the president to set his own timetable with regard to withdrawal.  So the president did react to what I and others said in the fall.

MR. RUSSERT:  If the president does not set a timetable, do you reserve the right to break with him and begin supporting efforts to set a congressional timetable?

SEN. WARNER:  You know, this president, I know him pretty well.  It’s a privilege.  I remember this Memorial Day, he invited me to go to the ceremonies at Arlington.  My wife and I went up.  We drove up in the car with him and drove back.  And I sensed, as we passed those white crosses after he spoke up there and came back, he feels most sincerely the loss of our forces. No one wants them to come home more than the president of the United States and the first lady.  But I’m telling you, he’ll have to make that decision. Am I going to suddenly go breaking?  I’m going to have to evaluate it and then, as all other senators—we’re an independent branch of our government, co-equal in many respects with authority and responsibility—we’ll have to make our decision as to what we’ll do.

MR. RUSSERT:  Mitch Mc...

SEN. WARNER:  I don’t say that as a threat, but I say that is an option we all have to consider.

MR. RUSSERT:  Mitch McConnell, the leader of the Republicans, said in May that if by year’s end this situation has not improved in terms of military and political reconciliation, if the president doesn’t change policy, Congress will do it for him.  Do you agree?

SEN. WARNER:  There is the opportunity for Congress to do it, but mind you, look at how they would have to do it.  They would have to vote, let’s say, some type of troop program, taking away from the president really his constitutional power to make those decisions, then that would have to go to the president.  He could veto it, then it comes back for 67 votes.  We saw this here recently.  Now, that’s a really an unwise way for our government to function.  I, I don’t think the president will, will be in any way overridden in his veto.  I don’t think...

MR. RUSSERT:  But, Senator...

SEN. WARNER:  ...33 senators are...

MR. RUSSERT:  Senator, you talk, you talk to your colleagues...

SEN. WARNER:  Yes, I understand.

MR. RUSSERT:  ...your fellow, your fellow Republicans.  Your comments, will they now have the cover to come out and begin to separate themselves from the president?  Are they worried about the war in Iraq and the 2008 elections?

SEN. WARNER:  Every one of those senators is worried.  I don’t use the word cover.  I think they believe this war in Iraq is the most serious issue that they have to address.  They have their own individual responsibilities, their own views.  Now, we will see, after we get back in September and we get together in groups and talk amongst each other, we’ll have a consensus.  But we should all wait until the, the president assesses testimony which will be given to the Congress prior to when this president speaks.  Petraeus and Crocker will come up and address the relevant committees of the Congress—we put this in the law—in the first week or so of September.  We’ll have access to many of the things that I think the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, while it’s confidential, I’m sure he’ll share some thoughts.  Jones will share some thoughts.  Maybe others will speak out, as I have done, on options.  But we should wait till the president speaks.  After he speaks, then we’ll have to make our own assessment.

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