WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden on Tuesday said he can't believe President Bush hasn't known for months about a recent intelligence estimate that downplays the nuclear threat from Iran. Other Democratic candidates also slammed Bush for continuing to ratchet up the rhetoric against Tehran. On Tuesday the president acknowledged he had given a speech warning that Iran's nuclear development risked "World War III" about two months after his intelligence chief told him a reassessment of Tehran's nuclear ambitions was under way. Bush told reporters during a White House news conference that he was not told the details of the new assessment until last week and he said the new report, which found that Iran had halted its nuclear weapons work in 2003, will not change U.S. policy toward Iran.
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Democratic presidential candidates blast the president for his rhetoric against Iran
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President Bush said Iran's nuclear program risked "World War III"
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New assessment says Tehran stopped nuclear weapons program in 2003
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Biden says Bush "incompetent" if he didn't know about new assessment earlier
Iran
Iran
Iran
Iran
Iran
Iran
"@placeholder was dangerous, Iran is dangerous and Iran will be dangerous if they have the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon," Bush said, pointing out that Tehran continues to try to enrich uranium for civilian purposes and therefore develop technology that could be used for a weapon.
Iran
Iran
Iran
Iran
Iran
Iran
"Iran was dangerous, @placeholder is dangerous and Iran will be dangerous if they have the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon," Bush said, pointing out that Tehran continues to try to enrich uranium for civilian purposes and therefore develop technology that could be used for a weapon.
Bush
Bush
Bush
Bush
Bush
"Iran was dangerous, Iran is dangerous and Iran will be dangerous if they have the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon," @placeholder said, pointing out that Tehran continues to try to enrich uranium for civilian purposes and therefore develop technology that could be used for a weapon.
Tehran
Tehran
Tehran
"Iran was dangerous, Iran is dangerous and Iran will be dangerous if they have the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon," Bush said, pointing out that @placeholder continues to try to enrich uranium for civilian purposes and therefore develop technology that could be used for a weapon.
U.S.
"Are you telling me a president that's briefed every single morning, who's fixated on Iran, is not told back in August that the tentative conclusion of 16 intelligence agencies in the @placeholder government said they had abandoned their effort for a nuclear weapon in '03?"
U.S.
"If that's true, he has the most incompetent staff in modern American history, and he's one of the most incompetent presidents in modern @placeholder history."
World War III
World War III
In an October 17 news conference, Bush said that "If you're interested in avoiding @placeholder, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them from having the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon."
Joe Biden
Biden
"Apparently @placeholder has seen recent polling that shows his statistical insignificance and is looking for relevance in the debate by offering heated rhetoric," Walton said.