Daschle -- 'I Stand by My Statement'

Newsday

"I'm saddened, saddened that this president failed so miserably at diplomacy that we're now forced to war," Daschle told a labor gathering Monday. "Saddened that we have to give up one life because this president couldn't create the kind of diplomatic effort that was so critical for our country."

Yesterday Daschle said: "I stand by my statement. I don't know that anyone in this country could view what we've seen so far as a diplomatic success."

Citing the 1991 Gulf War, Daschle said diplomatic success would have yielded a broad coalition to share the burden of prosecuting and paying for any war.

Daschle, who served stateside as an Air Force intelligence officer during Vietnam, said he strongly backs U.S. troops, but intends to continue to speak out. "To do anything less is unpatriotic," he said.

Damn, I might end up even liking Daschle, when did he grow a backbone?