(Charleston-AP) Feb. 5, 2004 - President Bush said Thursday that "America did the right thing in Iraq" because Saddam Hussein had the capability to develop weapons of mass destruction and a history of using them.
Citing this week's comments by former weapons inspector David Kay, Bush said, "We have not yet found the stockpiles of weapons that we thought were there." Still, he said, "Knowing what I knew then and knowing what I know today, America did the right thing in Iraq."
Bush's speech at Charleston Harbor was billed as a talk about homeland security. Yet a substantial portion was devoted to rebutting the criticism that has followed Kay's assertion that U.S. intelligence was "almost all wrong" about Saddam's alleged cache of weapons. Read speech here>>
The Commander in Chief was warmly greeted as he arrived to give a speech to a crowd that included military personnel, Citadel cadets and local law enforcement among others. The event was not open to the public.
Framed by a Coast Guard cutter and port containers the president spoke on the Cooper River front in a chill wind about creating jobs and rebuilding an economy damaged by the attacks and by corporate scandal, "The first great challenge is to make sure people can find work."
He then turned his attention to the future of port and homeland security, "The second great challenge is to fight and win the war on terror."
The president said the best way to defend the homeland is to stay on the offensive, "We've got a container security initiative, which means we're posting officers at foreign ports to identify and inspect high-risk shipments before they're loaded and shipped to America. We've extended the reach-out to make sure America is more secure."
He also called for support of his controversial Patriot Act, which gives law enforcement at all levels more power. He's said his 2005 budget reflects the need for America to spend more on national security. Bush arrived at Charleston Air Force Base at around 10:30am with Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and South Carolina's Republican Congressional delegation.
He was greeted by several South Carolina dignitaries at the base, including Governor Mark Sanford and House Speaker David Wilkins. Wilkins is chairman of the South Carolina campaign to re-elect Bush. Bush left Charleston at about 12:45pm after greeting about 200 Air Force reservists at the base.
Some wonder if there was a political subtext to the visit to Charleston. The visit came two days after the South Carolina Democratic Presidential Primary, which was won by North Carolina Senator John Edwards on Tuesday night.
College of Charleston political scientist Bill Moore says it's clear there is a political motivation to the trip. Bush visited New Hampshire last week just after the nation's first Democratic presidential primary. Moore says the Bush visit can help offset the recent publicity Democrats received with their first-in-the-South primary.
Thursday's was Bush's fifth visit to South Carolina in the last two years. He was last in the Palmetto State in November when he talked about jobs and the economy while visiting areas in the Upstate. Last spring he gave the commencement address at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.
Moore says the Bush campaign is not expected to spend much of its $140 million for ads until the Democratic opponent is clear. The president easily won South Carolina in 2000.
Reported by Jack Kuenzie
Updated 7:54pm by Chris Rees with AP
Ken Aucon's Midday forecast (2/25)
