New York Daily News - February 25, 2003
Saddam to W: Debate me By HELEN KENNEDY DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU
WASHINGTON - Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) has issued a direct challenge to President Bush (news - web sites): Let's go head to head in a live TV debate on war.
Saddam made the bizarre challenge in a three-hour interview with CBS anchorman Dan Rather, to air tomorrow night on "60 Minutes II."
"I am ready to conduct a direct dialogue, a debate, with your President," Saddam said, according to CBS. "If he's committed to war, this will be an opportunity for him to convince the world."
CBS said Saddam suggested something along the lines of a presidential campaign debate, to be conducted by satellite linkup and broadcast live on international TV and radio.
"As leaders, why don't we use this opportunity?" he asked.
The White House brushed off the offer.
"That is not a serious proposal," said national security spokesman Sean McCormack, who wasn't even a little bit amused. "The focus should not be on PR gimmicks like this. They should focus on immediate compliance with [United Nations (news - web sites) disarmament resolution] 1441."
Balks at missile order
But that seemed unlikely.
CBS said Saddam also insisted his Al Samoud 2 rockets do not violate UN range restrictions and indicated he would resist orders to destroy them. The UN has demanded he destroy the missiles by Saturday because they can travel farther than the 90-mile limit the Security Council imposed.
"Iraq is allowed to prepare proper missiles," Saddam said. "We do not have missiles that go beyond the proscribed range."
He told CBS he was serious about debating Bush.
"This is something proposed in earnest, out of my respect for the people of the United States, the people of Iraq and the people of the world," he said. "I call for this because war is not a joke."
The White House appeared to be giving up a golden opportunity to accept the challenge on the condition that Saddam come to the United States - say, to the auditorium at Leavenworth Prison.
Saddam previously tried to go mano a mano with Bush in October, challenging him to a duel to death. The weapon, pistol or saber, wasn't specified.
Back then, late-night talk show host David Letterman (news - Y! TV) joked that Bush wouldn't mind taking on Saddam - as long as it wasn't in a debate.
Ironically, considering his widely perceived lack of oratorical skills, high-stakes debates have been good to Bush.
The more articulate Al Gore (news - web sites) was widely expected to wipe the floor with Bush during the 2000 presidential debates, but Gore's poor performance - rife with patronizing sighs and eye-rolling - left Bush the surprise victor. Originally published on February 25, 2003