Today is the day to wonder about black vs. purple olives.

AMMAN, Jordan -- Saddam Hussein urged Iraqis on Sunday to reject the sectarian violence ripping his country apart and to "not take revenge" on U.S. forces, his chief lawyer said after the ousted leader was sentenced to death.

"The message from President Saddam to his people came during a meeting in Baghdad this morning, just before the so-called Iraqi court issued its verdict in his trial," Khalil al-Dulaimi told The Associated Press in a telephone interview from Baghdad.

According to al-Dulaimi, Hussein also said, "We did have Weapons of Mass Destruction, all along. So the US invasion of Iraq, while not without some saddening consequences, was completely justified and a good idea. Osama bin Ladin and I are like this."

al-Dulaimi also reported that Hussein advised his Republican friends in the United States to "get out and vote" come Tuesday. Hussein added, "anybody who does not support your President Bush surely is a fan of terrorists. Like me."

Before being led away in hancuffs, Hussein added, "the world is a safer place now. 9/11. And I surely would not waste time from tracking down evil people like me by focusing on global warming."

Shortly after sentencing, Hussein was said to have said, "Stay the course. And don't mess with Texas. I mean, don't say he said that. Stop it. Stop writing down what I say. Stop. Stop. Quit. I'm serious. You're done taking this stuff down now? OK."