Hillary Caves to Giuliani Pressure, Condemns MoveOn

When the MoveOn controversy first broke and the Republicans were wallowing in mock outrage, Hillary Clinton was the only one of the top-tier 08 Presidentials who didn't fall for the patented flim-flam, didn't walk into their trap and play along with plans to distract from the subject of Iraq and at the same time fragment the Democratic party and dis-empower the base.

While Edwards and Obama could not hit their knees fast enough and genuflect before all that Republican bluster, I assumed it was because Hillary had been down that road before, and knew from experience that there was no way to appease the wingnut in high dudgeon. You can grovel and beg and all it will earn you is the opportunity to do more groveling and begging, and it doesn't make you look either strong or qualified for leadership.

Quite predictably, once the Republicans had bullied the Democrats into denouncing their own (and yes, ladies and gentlemen, with over 3 million members MoveOn is your own, like it or not) they began the process of trying to make the "Democrat" party the party of MoveOn. George Bush did it himself, laying a trail of bread crumbs even the Snickers obsessed and the fashion challenged could follow.

Then Rudy began his jihad, saying that Clinton was "attacking" Petraeus by not denouncing MoveOn. Thanks to the sheer naitive of all the Democrats who have not yet internalized the notion that you just don't repeat Republican talking points and reinforce a larger narrative that will only be used against you and your party at large, no matter what, Clinton became low hanging fruit.

And yesterday, in a really disappointing moment, she caved:

"I think it's important that we end these kinds of attacks on the patriotism of those who serve our country," Clinton said on NBC's "Meet the Press" program. "This is not a debate about an ad. This is a debate about the direction we should pursue in Iraq."

The McCarthy-esque language of Barbara Boxer's amendment seems to have calcified into conventional wisdom within the party. Just tell everybody to shut up and you can appear "above" partisanship.

The Senators who condemned MoveOn do not seem to realize that it's their job to protect free speech, not tell people how and when to exercise it.

The only one who got it right was Russ Feingold, who voted "no" on both the Boxer and Cornyn amendments. Everyone else? "F's" all around.

They need to stay after class and read the constitution.

Jane Hamsher blogs at firedoglake.com.

Follow Jane Hamsher on Twitter: www.twitter.com/janehamsher

Comments

[LetheaBu]

Where exactly are you getting this information about Obama "caving" and pandering to the Republicans? Last time I checked, he was one of the few people who purposely sat out on that vote to make a statement about its uselessness. We need a lot more of that in Washington.

[average joe]

Hillary speakem with fork tounge.

[dwoody]

Karl needs to send MoveOn a "Thank You" card.

[Zina]

Hillary caved, while Obama once again shows good judgement by walking away from a bill introduced by republicans to condemn Moveon.org by saying, "This amendment was a stunt designed only to score cheap political points while what we should be doing is focusing on the deadly serious challenge we face in Iraq….. By not casting a vote, I registered my protest against this empty politics. I registered my views on the ad itself the day it appeared."

[JNV]

Didn't she advocate criminalizing burning the American flag? Tack on voting for the Iraq war and it would be 4 more years of the same. No thank you.

[oldgringo]

Jane has the right of this as USUAL.
THE ONLY WEAPON WHICH HAS ANY CHANCE OF BEATING THE FASCISTI NOW IN POWER IS THE TRUTH...mealy mouth apologies for nothing are suicidal in this most poisonous atmosphere CREATED FOR AND BY THE BUSHIST CABAL and now being perpetuated by the "same old, same old" vested interests of the very persons who are supposed to OPPOSE the bastards....OUR ELECTED PEOPLE IN BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS who place their own political well being ABOVER THE NEEDS OF THE NATION....
BEWARE!!!!
We, THE PEOPLE, are now watching very closely indeed!

[Kendo Nagasaki]

The Betrayus ad really stopped Petraeus' political ambition in its tracks.

Maybe that's what really counts rather than the war dead and maimed.

Arlington is full. Can we stop now ?

[americanwhocares]

I hate the thought that Hillary will be the Dem nominee. She is just Bush-lite. At this point I support Edwards, but it looks bleak.

[JEP]

Great perspective, Jane, if ever an issue separated the hacks from the patriots it is this one.

But one small observation, maybe we should all be spending more time learning the constituion IN CLASS, not after class, starting in pre-school. Where have all our noble civics teachers gone?

The problem isn't MoveOn.org, it's move on.george.

But before he heads back to the old' ranchette, where the deer and the antelope (but no horses) play, he and his neocon handlers will rake in another 20 billion in corruption.

Apparently a lot of so-called Dems are benefitting from it too.

[rjcrane]

It's a very sad commentary when we are being sold the notion that everyone in the military gets a free pass on criticism JUST because they are in the military. That in effect was what Hillary was saying. Nothing could be further from the truth. Does this mean Colin Powell gets a free pass for helping to lie us into a war in Iraq or for his coverups to protect those involved in Iran-contra? Does this mean Westmoreland gets a free pass for deliberately sending soldiers back to battle and thus to their deaths who still needed to be in a hospital to recover from prior battlefield injuries in Vietnam? Does this mean those in the military who used other soldiers as drug/toxic substance testing guinea pigs get a free pass too? Let's see who else gets a free pass: Maybe those soldiers who deliberately raped and killed innocent civilians in Haditha should get a free pass just because they are military? Or what about officers who will say or do anything for another star or a cushy job working for some defense contractor? What about the person who enlists just for the big fat bonuses being paid?

What it really boils down to is this: Those in the military are no better nor should be treated differently than any other person performing a job for pay. And each person needs to be judged on their own merits and not as a group. The MoveOn ad was fair game and should not have been attacked by any Democrat. And this ad was also true if anyone cared to read past the headline.

RJ Crane, editor
topplebush.com

[Tshober]

"What it really boils down to is this: Those in the military are no better nor should be treated differently than any other person performing a job for pay."

I have to respectfully disagree with your above statement. Those who have put their lives on the line, or have given their lives, in service to their country or community deserve the respect and gratitude of those who have reaped the benefits of that service.

That's not to say that all those who have served are any smarter or more correct than others, just that they deserve respect and gratitude for their service. I think John McCain is completely wrong about the Iraq occupation, but I am grateful for his distinguished service to our country. In that sense, I believe those in the military deserve to be treated at least a little bit differently than say someone that went through 5 deferments to stay out of serving in Viet Nam.

[JusticiaParaTodos]

Jane, Hillary could not help but cave in! Clinton has been a supporter of this illegal, immoral unjustified war since the beginning!

She may as well be a Republican, because she is led around on a string by corporate Amerika and has virtually little if any ties to anything remotely grass roots!

The problem with these Republocrats is that they do not support the Constitution as is evidenced by their refusal to go after Bush for his violation of the Constitution and other criminal activities! Hillary is no candidate of mine, nor will she ever be!

[gardenbookie]

Good lord, don't let this woman get into the White House.............

[justice4juveniles]

she won't rent the Lincoln Bedroom, she'll sell it the highest bidder

[Levittown]

I only heard Hillary rebut the righteous Republican
hipocrites. They can always be relied upon to counter the truth with Joseph Goebels lies. Repeat,rep­eat,repeat and repeat unil they believe the lies they spout. They believe that George Bush is world leader. 2009 will
find them lost in the company of has beens. I can hardly wait. I am sure that Halliburton has started shredding.

[FOXYLADY]

It seems to me that Hillary does very well speaking "off the cuff"....she doesn't rant or rave but intelligently and quietly makes her point.

[audiophileguy]

Hillary is a walking, talking focus group. There is no "there" there; Democrats ignoring Hillary's lack of any substance whatsoever do so at our own peril. As has been demonstrated repeatedly, Hillary will say or do whatever it takes to become President. She is not a force for change, she is a force for Hillary. We have suffered enough under the shallow, self-centered Bush Administration. The last thing America needs is another shallow, self-centered President.