President Bush warned Monday that a Democratic takeover of Congress would translate into a victory for terrorists who want to intimidate U.S. forces into leaving Iraq.
“However they put it, the Democrat approach in Iraq comes down to this: The terrorists win and America loses,” Bush told a raucous rally in Statesboro, Ga. “That’s what’s at stake in this election. The Democrat goal is to get out of Iraq. The Republican goal is to win in Iraq.”
Democrats objected to the president’s tough rhetoric.
“Democrats are offering a new direction for America that includes a real strategy for victory in Iraq,” said Stacie Paxton, press secretary for the Democratic National Committee. “Americans are tired of President Bush’s failed ‘stay the course’ rhetoric.”
Bush reiterated his accusation that Democrats have grown overconfident about next week’s election.
“Some of them are already picking out their new offices at the Capitol,” he said, prompting boos from the crowd. “You might remember that around this time in 2004, some of them were picking out their new offices in the West Wing. The movers never got the call.”
He added: “We are eight days away from the election. And you can bet one thing: We’re going to sprint to the finish line.”
