A Devastating Failure

Real leadership requires having the strength to stand up, even when it isn't easy and victory isn't guaranteed. The Senate's confirmation last night of Michael Mukasey for Attorney General was a devastating failure of leadership, and a serious set back in our fight to take back America.

Mukasey's waffling about waterboarding and torture was unacceptable -- and should have been a deal-breaker from the start. Since the Spanish Inquisition, the rest of the world has been able to identify torture. Why is it too much to expect our attorney general to be clear on what torture is and whether or not it is illegal?

Waking up this morning with another attorney general who won't steadfastly stand against torture was a shock. Even more shocking was that four Democratic U.S. Senators running president failed to even show up for the fight.

I may not be perfect, but I can tell the difference between right and wrong.

Torture is wrong. Torture is un-American. This is a black and white issue. There is no gray -- torture of any kind is a crime.

And I will stand up and say so unequivocally: when I'm president, I will ensure that any form of torture, including waterboarding, will never be used. Furthermore, I will direct the Department of Justice to vigorously investigate and prosecute ANY individual responsible for the use of torture No one is above the law. No one.

This may have been forgotten by the Bush administration, but the attorney general's job is to steadfastly defend the Constitution and execute the laws of the land, without exception or equivocation. Judge Mukasey's willingness to let politics distort such a clear-cut moral issue was disappointing. But, by allowing him to be confirmed as attorney general, the Senate has allowed the Bush administration to move the moral line-in-the sand once again. Have we not learned that when you give this man an inch he will take a mile?

Last night, the confirmation could have been stopped with a filibuster and 40 Democratic votes. The fact that four Senators didn't show up and speak out boggles me. I know they are all against torture, but if they had shown up and spoken out, they may well have changed the outcome.

I believe some things are worth fighting for -- even if you fail, at least you go down fighting. And if the use of torture isn't worthy of that kind of fight, I don't know what is.

You can join me in this fight.

Comments

[hannitizer]

Can we not expect all elected representatives of our federal government to act in good faith for their country, the Constitution, and the well being of its citizens above all else? Cannot we demand that they act in such a way that serves to give us strength of certainty, rather than generating doubt and resentment, uneasiness and fear?

Their very purpose is to represent the best interests of their constituents, not to contemplate with haste and vigor which particular position they think best likens their chance to maintain their privileged way of life. They are not elected to follow that course to its end, gathering all they can for themselves, leaving malfeasance in their wake.

All the power and perquisites that result from their positions have been bastardized so much that they relish them to the point of addiction. Their self-importance and desire for acknowledgement trumps that honorable intrinsic conviction held by those great Americans who came before them. And that stubborn conviction is sorely needed now more than ever.

Sadly, there are very few who call themselves Representative that act in accordance with the uncompromising principles we can, and must, expect.

Americans have been asleep for far too long. We have cocooned ourselves in our apathetic lifestyles of popular culture and the quest of the almighty power of wealth and ease. What fate will befall us for this lack of attention? Do we now creep further and further from the lofty goal of sympathetic brotherhood, tumbling precariously close to self-annihilation before we wake up and act with reason?

A simple test has been failed. We have sunk beyond the abyss when we no longer place commitment to decency above self-interest.

Torture has reared its hideous head and we have acknowledged its brutality and inhumanity all the while sitting happily in the corner of non-responsibility. That, my fellow human beings, will be our undoing.

[hannitizer]

Can we not expect all elected representatives of our federal government to act in good faith for their country, the Constitution, and the well being of its citizens above all else? Cannot we demand that they act in such a way that serves to give us strength of certainty, rather than generating doubt and resentment, uneasiness and fear?

Their very purpose is to represent the best interests of their constituents, not to contemplate with haste and vigor which particular position they think best likens their chance to maintain their privileged way of life. They are not elected to follow that course to its end, gathering all they can for themselves, leaving malfeasance in their wake.

All the power and perquisites that result from their positions have been bastardized so much that they relish them to the point of addiction. Their self-importance and desire for acknowledgement trumps that honorable intrinsic conviction held by those great Americans who came before them. And that stubborn conviction is sorely needed now more than ever.

Sadly, there are very few who call themselves Representative that act in accordance with the uncompromising principles we can, and must, expect.

Americans have been asleep for far too long. We have cocooned ourselves in our apathetic lifestyles of popular culture and the quest of the almighty power of wealth and ease. What fate will befall us for this lack of attention? Do we now creep further and further from the lofty goal of sympathetic brotherhood, tumbling precariously close to self-annihilation before we wake up and act with reason?

A simple test has been failed. We have sunk beyond the abyss when we no longer place commitment to decency above self-interest.

Torture has reared its hideous head and we have acknowledged its brutality and inhumanity all the while sitting happily in the corner of non-responsibility. That, my fellow human beings, will be our undoing.

[Raster]

The problem with the Dem Congressional Leadership is that they have no character. Examine their political history. They came from a background of being back-room-dealing pols.

[tgood]

Does anyone honestly believe that President Bush would select someone who wasn't going to obey his every wish?

[Independent voter]

Pray tell Bill,

What proactive steps did you take to block this nomination? Did you fly to DC to rally Democrats to your point of view? Did you call Mukasey and ask him to withdraw? Or did you sit on the sidelines?

[Wilburrr]

The Democrats should have taken note of their '70's brethren. When Elliot Richardson (I asumme no relation)was confirmed by the Senate during the Watergate scandal, Democrats at the time tied his confirmation to the appointment of a special prosecutor. Richardson then appointed Archibald Cox to fill that role. Richardson then refused to fire Cox during Nixon's "Saturday Night Massacre" which resulted in Nixon's resignation due to the then certain impeachment. Why wasn't that done here? A special prosecutor could have been assigned to look into torture and a dozen other issues that need to be out from under the rug.

[dide]

Who is here in charge and asks for discipline and can unite the Democrats to fight this ridiculous Busch administration that is a thread for our democracy.
They (the GOP) are laughing at you guys !!!

It is time to show us that it is worth to vote for you.

So fare you could not convince me.

Bill, are you this person?

[zull2]

It's not leadership that's the problem. It's that it takes years and multiple election cycles in a Democratic Republic to accomplish a revolution in ideas. You have people like Schumer and Feinstein that took office during a time when the general attitude of the country was considerably leaning more to the right. These relics are the problem. To solve that problem, you need to work to put more progressive candidates in to challenge them, and support them. Give them a chance to take down an incumbent.

If Democrats like Schumer and Feinstein and the Blue Dogs refuse to embrace the direction the party is going, so be it. Run candidates for office that share the party's views, and stop supporting these incumbents. What happened with Joe Lieberman is a prime example of the folly of supporting these types. Instead of a stinker like Lieberman signing onto everything he can that involves sending our troops into battle in Muslim nations, we could have had a progressive that would have voted and worked with the party to end the Iraq occupation, to prevent the confirmation of Mukasey. The Democratic Party doesn't need better leadership, it needs to fundamentally change the way they do politics.

[cadawa]

The Democrats have been enabling Bush's slouch toward facism since the 2000 election.
It's hard to know what the real reason is as an outsider.
Either they are as stupid and inept as they appear to be, or they are involved in a White House coverup or they are as corrupt and ideologically blind as the GOP.
Given their recent behavior, I see absolutely no reason to elect any more of them.

[Yukon Jack]

How many innocent women and children were burned to crisp by the goons of Alberto Gonzales?

How many frightened and innocent children were kidnapped at gun-point by the goons of Alberto Gonzales?

Yet, Albert Gonzales is a criminal while his Democrat predecessor, Jeanette Reno gets a free pass for despicable crimes?

How about some fairness?

[brooklyncitizen]

This is more preaching to the quire Gov. Richardson. Yes we all agree it is deplorable. Yes some f us even signed petitions and wrote and called our Senators.

IT is just empty rhetoric at this point. We see no departure from the same course we've been on for the last 7 years. None from the Republicans and less than none from the Democrats.
Yet that's is what we need: action not more speeches.

[Bobla]

Apparently Reid made a deal with the Republicans--he would let the Mukasey confirmation pass if the Republicans would accept the half trillion appropriations bill the Dems wanted passed. Why the trade-off? The appropriations bill doesn't include any funds for the bushie wars. So when the Dems bring up a bill to stop the war funding, the dems can say they are supporting the troops to the tune of half a trillion, but aren't funding the war. Anyone taking bets on the future of a bill to cut off funding? The Reps are going, "What a bunch of suckers. They fall for this every time." Screw me the first time . . . .

[factanonverba]

Agreed, it is more of the same that we have seen for the past seven years, a devastating failure.

[der Alte]

reading thru the Gov's remarks & all the responses has given me a headache. yes, Gov. R. is indeed a VERY good man, & torture is unacceptable, but apparently the four who didn't show for the vote saw it differently. maybe as someone mentioned, we just gotta wait out this nightmare. & whether Mu. got into offc or not may wind up not making that much diff. personally, I can't see the thugs who are torturing changing their behavior & restoration of the Constitution may require someone with more smarts than Mukasey. as for impeaching anyone, cheney would be my 1st pick but we've got Clark (former atty gen.) in our corner---how can we impeach while clowns like harry & nancy are in key roles? i get the feeling remarks like those of Bill Richardson's are highly welcome but simply more wheel spinning.
cheers.

[Not Blind]

The so-called Democrats (I call them "turn-coats,") Schumer and Feinstein have lost all moral authority to cast votes on behalf of their constituents. They are supposed to represent their states, not the administration. We Californians and the good people of New York did not want this, and are disappointed in our capitulators.
That the Democratic candidates, who stated they were opposed Mukasey's nomination and criticized him did not show up to vote for this important issue, shows they're all just as interested in themselves, caring nothing for the people they'll represent once in office.
The rest of the senators who morally oppose the use of cruel and inhumane treatment (cited in our Constitution) barely whimpered, but voted anyway to confirm another partisan political ally of Bush & Cheney, who will sanction anything they do as "legal," unless Congress expressly passes legislation for each and every item in the couldron of abuses.
Torture, illegal warrantless wiretapping, and other "tricks" used by this administration are already ILLEGAL. Since when does an Attorney General need specific line-item legislation specifically barring one or another practice to know and define what is and is not legal? As a sitting judge, he should already know the law.
Congress is the legislative branch, and the judiciary is the legal branch of government, whose job it is to know and interpret the law as it applies to issues. That Mukasey can't or won't state torture is illegal means he is either ignorant of the law, or another Gonzalez (a court jester) who'll amuse and coddle the administration's whim.