New Web Ad Exposes Sununu's Support For Bush On Iraq

On Iraq, does Senator Sununu stand with New Hampshire, or stand with President Bush?

Text: Senator Sununu

When the intelligence for war turned out to be false, Sununu defended Bush.

Text: Sununu:  Defended Bush

Source:  CNBC, Capital Report, 6/3/03;  CNN, Inside Politics, 1/30/05

Sununu Accused Magazine that Did Analysis of WMD Evidence of "Editorializing," Said There Were Mobile Labs in Iraq.   In June 2003, Sununu defended the Bush Administration's argument that Iraq had WMD's after an analysis by US News and World Report found that the administration's case was "sketchy, politicized, and the subject of passionate disputes."  Sununu said, "Well, I--I view that as more editorializing than working within the real substance of the intelligence reports themselves.  Colin Powell went to the United Nations, made a very strong case.  I think there's a--a very large wealth of data and analysis to support this contention.  As Condoleezza Rice pointed out, he said that there were mobile labs; there are mobile labs. And let's not forget, those labs in and of themselves are a violation of a United Nations resolution--the existence of the labs, the failure to disclose the labs and the effort to hide them."  [CNBC, Capital Report, 6/3/03]

Sununu Defended Bush Against Charges that He Misled The American People. In 2005, Sununu defended George Bush against charges that Bush misled the American people during the run-up to the Iraq War. Sununu said, "Well, the United Nations, British security, French security all had the same information, the same intelligence-gathering on weapons of mass destruction and other issues. And no one is accusing Kofi Annan of being a liar or Tony Blair of being a liar."  [CNN, Inside Politics, 1/30/05]

When Bush wanted more troops to escalate the war, Sununu stood with Bush.

Text: Sununu:  Stood with Bush for escalation

Source:  Vote 44, 2/5/07 ; Vote 51, 2/17/07 ; Senate Foreign Relations Committee Markup, 1/24/07

Sununu Voted for Bush's Troop Escalation Plan in Committee. In a January 2007 Senate Foreign Relations Committee meeting, Sununu opposed a resolution against Bush's troop escalation in Iraq. The proposal, which passed 12-9, also stated that the U.S. should transfer in an "appropriately expedited timeline" responsibility for security and stability to the government of Iraq and that we should work with Iraq's neighbors. [CQ Committee Coverage, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Markup, 1/24/07; Star Tribune, 1/25/07]

Sununu Voted To Filibuster Iraq Debate.  On February 5, 2007, Sununu joined with his GOP colleagues to filibuster debate on several resolutions dealing with Bush's planned Iraq war escalation.  During the debate, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell admitted, "there are many members on my side who would argue that we shouldn't be having this debate this week at all." Meanwhile, Sununu stayed silent during the floor debate. [Vote 44, 2/5/07 ; Washington Post, 2/6/07 ; Congressional Record, 2/5/07]

Sununu Voted Against Even Allowing Debate on Non-Binding Anti-Surge Resolution. In February 2007, Sununu voted against even allowing debate on a non-binding resolution to condemn Bush's decision to deploy an additional 21,000 troops to Iraq. [Vote 51, 2/17/07 ]

And when he had a chance to start bringing our troops home, six times this year Sununu voted with Bush.

Text:  Sununu:  Voted six times this year against bringing troops home

Source:  Vote 346, 9/21/07 ; Vote 252, 7/18/07 ; Vote 147, 4/26/07 ; Vote 126, 3/29/07 ,Vote 116, 3/27/07 ; Vote 75, 3/15/07

Defending Bush.  Standing with Bush.  Voting with Bush.

Text:  Sununu:  Defending Bush.  Standing With Bush.  Voting with Bush.

Senator Sununu:  Bush's Senator, not New Hampshire's.

Text:  Sununu:  Bush's Senator