Pro-Surge Dem "Verbally Flogged By Hundreds Of His Constituents"

The Oregonian:

For more than three hours Monday night, Rep. Brian Baird was verbally flogged by hundreds of his constituents for no longer supporting the quick withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

More than 500 people packed a high school auditorium in Vancouver while another 175 or so were unable to get inside. And virtually everyone who got a chance to address the Vancouver Democrat were harshly critical - including several who said they had been long-time supporters and friends.

"You have just broken my heart," said Phil Massey, a Vancouver ship's pilot who wasn't swayed by Baird's explanation that the U.S. was finally starting to make some progress in bringing peace to Iraq. "You have screwed up, my friend. You have screwed up and you have to change course."

Read the whole story: The Oregonian

Comments

[freedomis]

After reading another post on how young kids are being jailed for killing Americans and I wondered, why?Is it because their parents,relatives and so many people,that are {"collateral damage" to make this escalation look like it is working.It is not.We can blame the Iraqis for the kids but it wont wash because there is blood on our hands and it wont wash off.Tony

[nunzia]

Well done. Those are voters who should be given some tv time, to show the lazy indifferent slackers in this country how real citizens of AMERICA behave.

[jaschrod]

nunzia, you are absolutely correct, the problem is not the politicians, it's the people who support these worthless bastards. We need to take this country back.

[Cranbot]

Besides the fact that this administration went into Iraq as an oil grab and to reward their friend with war profiteering, we cannot force democracy on people or force a political solution on such divided people.

Is any of this worth another soldier's or civilian's life? Absolutely not. Especially when it is being done for such perverse reasons.

[spec4F]

Not oil grab..."hy­dro-carbon law".;) See that sounds better and confuses the sleepy sheep in this country.

[Hallucinocynic]

"I think the probability is 95 percent if we withdraw prematurely, in our hearts we will live to regret it," - Baird

It's obvious that Baird hasn't been talking much with his colleague (and my rep) Jim McDermott. There comes a time when every one of us needs to take two steps back and reexamin the entire picture. This war was wrong before it was started and it's gone downhill since.

Will there be continued, and increased violence after we exit Iraq? YES. Our presence there makes NO difference, we are simply forestalling the inevitable. The real reason we stay is to continue to build on a security infrastructure that will allow US to control the oilfields, rather than the Sunnis, Shias or al Qaeda.

Jesus, it really IS that simple.

[TNFarmer]

Right - controlling the oil (which we'll see how well that works without our military to back up our interests). AND - we're still trying to show a "win" to save several politicians' legacies.

[realitytrumpsbull]

I think it kind of comes down to a question of how many more years they're going to keep milking the Iraq thing, how many more hundreds of hours they're going to keep cranking the handle on this particular clapped-out calliope, how many more months and years they'll wait to
really and truly lean into the transportation energy challenge with some sincerity.

One positive thing, picked up a copy of I think it was Cycle World, they had a piece in there talking about a diesel-powered motorcycle that could run on either regular or biodiesel, and get 100 MPG, and still have enough performance to keep up with the flow of traffic, something they worked on for the military I think it was.
But, they could have done that without burning 1/2 trillion dollars in Iraq, too. Imagine if a lot of people took up motorcycling, and bought a bike like that that could reach out and touch 90-100MPG. On biodiesel. Which doesn't get imported. From anywhere. Science just ROCKS.

[nunzia]

You wanna' know how many more years? Take a look at that over-100 acre US Embassy being built in Iraq with your money.

[TNFarmer]

Yeah, and what are the odds we'll get run out of the country once our military draws down? The Iranian Ambassador will will love using the Embassy our tax dollars built. Does anyone actually believe we'll be welcome there once the troops and the money dries up? Iran doesn't want us to leave - we're bleeding ourselves to death right in front of our enemies and doing a marvelous job of serving as their top recruitment poster image.

[spec4F]

I tried to talk about clean Diesel technology here once and got shot down. It seems the stigma of smoky noisy Diesels is hard to overcome. At least Willie Nelson is with me. Pump the Bio-diesel and pass the joint. ;)

[Economike]

One of the best things we could do would be to switch all cars over to Bio Diesel. I wouldn't want to ride a bio diesel bike though...

[AceInTheHole]

Bottom line is, his constiuents told him that he was not a "Free Agent" and that they voted for him to represent them. I hope he caught that and I hope the rest of the Dems in Congress do as well.

The people are tired of these hubris clowns going to Congress and becoming "free agents" and placing their own personal desires over that of those whom they represent. Who the heck do they think they are, anyway? Most of them need to get a day job and stop screwing up the country!

[neoconscums]

Hear! hear! Bravo! I am with you all the way,

[BrickSykes]

Good for his constituents! It is examples like this that will show the Trolls, and other LockStep RepugniKons, that Democrats put Country first and Party second. Baird might have been voting his heart at the time, but, it was the Wrong Political decision. He should know that there is NO Good that can come out of our Great Iraqi Adventure. No Good, at all!

I do hope that he won't be voted out because of this. He should learn a lesson from it though. Any support of our occupation violates long standing principles of respecting sovereign rights of ALL Nations. Let us BUY our Oil just like any other patron.

Brick

[HowietheScreamer]

Read the article again, he didn't VOTE for anything, in fact he voted AGAINST the war when other coward Demos were piddling their pants at the thought of being called "unpatriotic" for not sending kids to die for a lie, and marched lock step with the Repubics to invade a non threat 3rd world country (and screw that all up too).

He made statements about the surge saying it was "working".­.. IMO he's wrong, but hey at least he had the guts to face his constituants, something that no Repubic would ever do. Repubics only go to fund raisers and pre-screened audience gatherings.

[protagonia]

Whatever Baird was paid, the human soul costs more. Far more. He's sold himself for nothing. He is a fool's fool.

[MrBritesnide]

Plus he's a cautionary tale for other "Blue" Dogs...

the thing is...if HE caught this much hell. imagine what the GOP are catching in thier districts.

[LeftVetPatriot]

Nah.

A Republican would NEVER stand up in public
one-on-one and criticize their congressperson
or senator. Too chicken.

Okay. Unless that rep had an anonymous blog.

[Grunty1]

GOOD!! The people don't want any more of this!

[Faux]

When the leaders choose to make themselves bidders at an auction of popularity, their talents, in the construction of the state, will be of no service. They will become flatterers instead of legislators; the instruments, not the guides, of the people.
-Edmund Burke

[Faux]

Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgement; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion.
-Edmund Burke

[Macready]

Let's hope more of these illustrious supporters of the surge feel the same heat . . . the Baird should know by now that you cannot defend the indefensible . . . it is time to go . . . the Iraqi's don't want us . . . the surge is only causing more death and suffering for the Iraqi's and fuelling the civil war . . .it's time to go and time to impeach the lying criminals in the WH . . .

[BLOGGINGBITCH]

Yeah, time to go, Buddy. The GOP is ruined and the Dems are just about done pulling their skirts up as well.

.

[ProfessorDuh]

Dump his worthless, crypto-Republican ass.

[researcher]

“Dems are just about done pulling their skirts up as well.”


good analogy. But don’t bet on it. At least from the politicians they continue to crawl on all fours for the repubs.

why the name bitch does that not suggest your own crawling? how about a name change to bloggingbabe?

give the neo cons credit they have proved what was once thought of as a myth that the demo's are spineless.

they have continually bent over for the alpha dogs repubs. Even to the point of legalizing wire tapping. They fear being thought of as not tough on terrorism.

[FlowerGirl]

Bloggingbitch, we hope the Democrats are about done pulling up their skirts, but I'm not betting on it. The oldest profession still pays well.

[PKSSK]

I agree, this guy has to be fired for not supporting the people he represents­...Vote him out!!!! Start finding the replacement now!!!!