BIN LADEN

Everyone else is putting up the quote, and so will I.

March 13th, 2002:

QUESTION: Mr. President, in your speeches now, you rarely talk or mention Osama bin Laden. Why is that?

I don't know where he is. Nor -- you know, I just don't spend that much time on him really, to be honest with you.

(...)

QUESTION: Do you believe the threat that bin Laden posed won't truly be eliminated until he is found either dead of alive?

BUSH: As I say, we hadn't heard much from him. And I wouldn't necessarily say he's at the center of any command structure. And, you know, again, I don't know where he is.

I'll repeat what I said: I truly am not that concerned about him.

This is relevant, of course, because tonight President Bush said this to Bob Scheiffer and America:

KERRY: Yes. When the president had an opportunity to capture or kill Osama bin Laden, he took his focus off of them, outsourced the job to Afghan warlords, and Osama bin Laden escaped.

Six months after he said Osama bin Laden must be caught dead or alive, this president was asked, Where is Osama bin Laden? He said, I don't know. I don't really think about him very much. I'm not that concerned.

We need a president who stays deadly focused on the real war on terror.

SCHIEFFER: Mr. President?

BUSH: Gosh, I just don't think I ever said I'm not worried about Osama bin Laden. It's kind of one of those exaggerations.

Hmm, George, the truth can be quite a nuisance, huh.

UPDATE: CNN is already playing the video. Good.