The president speaks on behalf of, and with the authority and knowledge of and over the entire executive branch. If he says THERE IS NO DOUBT, that means that there IS NO DOUBT.
But there was. As Truth deflector pointed out, there are always degrees of doubt regarding intelligence gathered by our intelligence services. always. to claim otherwise is to LIE.
Which is what Bush did, when he mischaracterized his personal opinion as a statement of fact.
Just as you admit about yourself, "you can only speak for yourself".....I give everyone that same right....president to peon, Bush to maineman....that
same right.....and unless you
specifically, in no ambiguous terms say you speak for others, that right is a given...you speak for yourself
The president speaks as the top executive of the executive branch, he does not speak for every single individual that makes it up....
After hearing the opinions, concerns and conclusions of numerous people that make up the exe. branch, along with many others,
pro and con,
for and against,
agreements and the dis-agreements, and of course the
doubts and assurances,
the president comes to his own conclusions about whatever issue is .
And he says things like.....,
"If you like your healthcare, you can keep it,
PERIOD."
"If you like your doctor, you can keep him,
PERIOD."
Words that leave no wiggle room....unambiguous...more definite than "there is no doubt".....
Did he come to this conclusion through ignorance of his own legislation? Was he mis-informed ? Didn't he know it was absolutely wrong (he should have)
Does he speak for the country ?....
the entire exe. branch?....
for all those that wrote up the ACA legislation ?
all the Democrats in Congress ?
all those that absolutely know he was wrong ?...and there was plenty.
was he speaking for the intelligence community ?
was he speaking for the insurance industry?
maybe the AMA ?
does he speak "on behalf of, and with the authority and knowledge of and over the entire executive branch" ? (whatever the hell that implys)
Did everyone in the exe. branch he talked to agree with that conclusion, yet every insurance company in the country know it was bullshit....did he knowingly lie ?