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Reaction to the President’s Speech on Iraq
For Immediate Release - June 29, 2005

On June 28, the President addressed the nation about Iraq. Following the speech, McDermott spoke to Seattle area media and offered the following comments.

"The President owed the American people more than a photo-op tonight to outline a plan in Iraq. Instead, the President chose to disregard the facts and dismantle the trust of the American people.

"We know after the speech the same thing we knew before the speech. The threats were exaggerated; the hunt for Osama bin Laden was diminished, and the President has no plan in Iraq or exit strategy to bring U.S. soldiers safely home.

"When all the words were spoken, the President’s appeal was for us to trust him because he and his Administration know best. That’s not been the case before, it is not the case tonight, and it will not lead to a stable and peaceful Iraq.

"The President continues to squander the trust and credibility of the American people. Again tonight, the President used fear to try to get the American people to overlook reality. It won’t work. U.S. soldiers are fighting and dying; there is no plan and no exit strategy.

"There was nothing new said tonight, no new initiative, no plan and in the end, no credibility. The American people wanted the real message, but got only more rhetoric that won’t bring peace to Iraq or our soldiers home one minute sooner."