CARLSON:   Welcome back to CROSSFIRE, the state of the union edition, very heavily populated edition of CROSSFIRE. We are all here. This is "Fireback," where we ask you to fire back and you do. First up, Dwight Collins of Alexandria, Virginia writes, "Why doesn't anybody ask Senator Daschle what he passed as Senate majority leader that has helped the economy? Because, Dwight, that would be mean. Because the answer would be nothing, zero. He was a failure as a Senate majority leader. 
CARVILLE:   If he passed a sensible piece of legislation, this White House would have vetoed it. So what difference does it make? 
BEGALA:   But Bush signed, and did it work? And the answer is yes. He signed this bill that he proposed. No it hasn't worked. 
CARVILLE:   "I heard they'll be making a new TV reality show called 'George Billionaire.' It will be about a president who appears to be one thing, but his actions are something entirely different." Sheen Deis, Linton, North Dakota. Sheen, I'll say this, I'm probably the only person here that's been to Linton, North Dakota not once, but twice. Al Rosenberg (ph) has a beautiful ranch out there. My friend Dave (ph), who runs those cattle drives is there. It's a great place you live. Linton, North Dakota is one of the most beautiful spots right there on the Missouri river. 
NOVAK:   One thing about President Bush, he is the genuine article. There is no question about it. You guys may not like him, but... 
CARVILLE:   He genuinely wants to pollute and genuinely wants to... 
NOVAK:   OK. Don Schwartz of Stoughton, Massachusetts says, "Whenever I hear James and Paul talking about Democratic policies, I'm always reminded of a bumper sticker I saw in Cape Cod, 'Vote Democratic, it's easier than thinking." You know, Don, you got that right. And as a matter of fact, one of the reasons the Democrats are worried about education, it might ruin their party. 
CARVILLE:   Don is so original.   vote Republicans (ph), it's an easy thing. Boy, what an original thing. Don, why don't you try to come up with something new, like maybe, it's the economy, stupid. 
CARLSON:   Well you're just annoyed because you... 
CARVILLE:   I'm not annoyed. I just don't understand the lack of creativity, that's all. 
BEGALA:   Here's Tony Daughtrey, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Home of the fighting volunteers' rights (ph). "The Democrats don't need to respond to the State of the Union. All they need to do is replay the broken promises from last year's speech." Good point, Tony. I think they should. 
CARVILLE:   We've only got an hour, Paul. We couldn't get them all in. 
NOVAK:   Question from the audience. 
BEGALA:   Yes, ma'am? What's your name and your comment? 
NORMA MIDLE:   Norma Midle (ph) from Camarillo, California. Mr. Bush's rhetoric seems to create more problems than it solves. Am I missing something? 
NOVAK:   Yes, you are. You're from California, so you can't help it. 
CARVILLE:   Well, ma'am, it's his policies that create all the problems. It's his policies that create deficits. It's his policies that create pollution. And it's his policies that are going to create... 
CARLSON:   Actually, the core of the speech concerns the rest of the world, not some ludicrous...    No, no, truly. And it is a dangerous world that has responded well to it. And that's what matters. 
NOVAK:   Question? 
BEGALA:   Yes, ma'am. 
NOVAK:   Go ahead, ma'am. 
KATHY BISHOP:   Hi I'm Kathy Bishop (ph). I actually just moved here to Arlington, Virginia. I kind of have a question for James. Since I'm quoting you a little bit earlier from the show, what would you say is sufficient means to go to war? Do we wait for Israel to get nuked or is there a certain body count that we wait for before we get involved? 
CARVILLE:   I think that usually the case to go to war is the president has to show that this is a danger to the United States, and that by doing this the United States is protecting itself. Also I would be interested in why is Iraq more of a threat to me than, say, Pakistan or North Korea or other places? And I mean I think you've got to give the man a chance to make that case. 
CARLSON:   Well, maybe it's because isn't Pakistan an ally? I think we're making news here. 
BEGALA:   Iraq was an ally until a few years ago. 
CARVILLE:     to North Korea and send the scientists over there 12 times? How is an ally of the United States building a nuclear bomb for North Korea? 
CARLSON:   Well, actually, James, maybe you haven't noticed they're helping us on the war in terror in Pakistan. And that matters. 
CARVILLE:   They have to go to war on terror, and forget to... 
NOVAK:   All right, James. Another question. 
BEGALA:   What's your question? 
ROTH:   It's nuclear, but I'm a Democrat, so I agree with you. Andrea Roth (ph) from... 
BEGALA:   Nuclear, as opposed to nucular (ph), right? That's what our president says. I know it's a little thing, but... 
NOVAK:   All right, let's... 
ROTH:   Andrea Roth (ph) from Washington, D.C. My brother's an Air Force F-16 pilot that's being moved to an undisclosed location soon. And I'm wondering why I should trust his life to a secretary of defense and president who have no military experience, when a former general like Norman Schwarzkopf believes that -- or is not convinced that war is appropriate? 
NOVAK:   Well, I think that's a dubious argument. I think Bill Clinton had no military experience except in an ROTC band, I believe. And Bill Cohen had no military experience. But I certainly did not feel that disqualified them from their job. That's a stupid argument, Miss. 
CARVILLE:   It's not a stupid argument. The president has... 
CARLSON:   He did civilian control in the military in this country. And it may bother you, but that's just the fact. And by the way, the secretary of defense does have military experience. 
CARVILLE:   But I think your point is good. There are a lot of generals... 
NOVAK:   Why would you say -- Rumsfeld was a Navy fighter pilot. 
BEGALA:   Well, but it is true that General Norman Schwarzkopf has expressed grave reservation about this, as have many other generals who... 
CARLSON:   Well so have a lot of people in the country, ordinary people. 
BEGALA:   Right. And I hope Bush listens to them before he... 
CARVILLE:   From the left, I'm James Carville. And we've expressed all of our reservations tonight. 
BEGALA:   And I'm Paul Begala. Goodnight for CROSSFIRE. 
CARLSON:   From the right, I'm Tucker Carlson. 
NOVAK:   And I'm Robert Novak. Join us again next time for another edition of CROSSFIRE.
