Every Friday in our Weekend Watchdog feature, we post suggested questions for scheduled Sunday guests. You can add your own questions in the comment thread. We'll also include contact information for the shows, so we can let them know what their viewers want asked.
And on Sunday at 4 PM ET, tune in to Air America [1] Radio's "Seder on Sundays" [2] program, where I'll offer the Weekend Watchdog Wrap-Up.
For Defense Secretary Robert Gates (ABC's This Week [3], Fox News Sunday [4]): During your confirmation hearing in December 2006 [5], you said:
Our military forces win the battles that they fight [but] the areas where we're having our challenges, frankly, are principally in the areas of stabilization and political developments...
In the president's address this week, he conceded that after the military surge, "The [Iraqi] government has not met its own legislative benchmarks."
As there have been no significant political developments since your hearing, by your own standard, isn't the only conclusion we can make is that the president's strategy is a failure?
For Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. (NBC's Meet The Press [6]): On Fox News, you were asked if you supported Bush's plan for an "enduring relationship" with Iraq, "keeping ... thousands of troops there for decades, perhaps on the Korean model." You responded: [7]
I think that would depend on the Iraqi government and people. But after we freed Kuwait from Saddam Hussein we built an enduring relationship with the Kuwaitis. In fact, they're playing a vital role as an area where we can support the troops in Iraq.
If Kuwait is playing a vital role for us in the occupation of Iraq, what vital role for us do you see Iraq playing in the near future?
For Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich. (CBS' Face The Nation [8]): According to the Los Angeles Times [9], you are working on legislation designed to attract Republican votes that would claim to change the mission in Iraq, but would "likely allow the administration substantial latitude to dictate how many troops remained in Iraq."
What would that accomplish besides giving war supporters the ability to pretend they challenged an unpopular president over an unpopular war?
***
Contact ABC's This Week by clicking here [10]
Email CBS' Face The Nation at ftn@cbsnews.com [11]
Email Fox News Sunday at FNS@foxnews.com [12]
Contact NBC's Meet The Press by clicking here [13]
Remember: always be brief, polite and respectful when contacting the media, so our voices will be taken seriously.
Links:
[1] http://airamerica.com/
[2] http://www.samsedershow.com/
[3] http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3598938&page=1
[4] http://www.foxnews.com/fns/
[5] http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/12/06/america/web.1206gatestext.php
[6] http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032608/
[7] http://www.liberaloasis.com/2007/09/cant_make_it_much_clearer_1.php
[8] http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/ftn/main3460.shtml
[9] http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-iraqdebate13sep13,1,5376661,full.story?coll=la-headlines-nation&ctrack=1&cset=true
[10] http://abcnews.go.com/thisweek/story?id=64596
[11] mailto:ftn@cbsnews.com
[12] mailto:FNS@foxnews.com
[13] http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6872152/