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
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If the Democrats could ever decide just what it is they stand for, and then stand pat, they wouldn't cave when the pressure is turned up. I don't recall the Repubs caving to Democrat condemnation of the Swift Boat campaign against John Kerry. The Repubs may be the masters of Dirty Tricks, but at least they don't grovel and fall into the fetal position when challenged.
I'm puzzled by the part of the post that said "While Edwards and Obama could not hit their knees fast enough and genuflect before all that Republican bluster..."
Did I miss something? I could have sworn Obama refused to vote on the Cornyn resolution and took a reasonable position that the focus ought to be on the administration and not a general who takes his orders from aforementioned administration. How can that fairly be described as genuflecting before the Republican bluster?
Furthermore, for Hillary to say "I think it's important that we end these kinds of attacks on the patriotism of those who serve our country..." is patently ridiculous and two-faced after she had, essentially, initiated just such an attack when she made her "willing suspension of disbelief" comment.
Which is it Hillary? Is the general a liar as you implied when you were questioning him? Or should you not attack his patriotism since he's serving our country as you stated on the Sunday news shows?
Please tell me you believe Iraq was a wise, well conceived thing to do. Tell me you think H clinton's craw-fishing on the 1st Amendment Rights isn't pandering?
I'll vote for MoveOn or anyone of those that back-up our 1st Amendment Rights.
Here's why.
We have stood by and watched every right we had simply taken away. Your government can come into your home without our knowledge, plant whatever they wish, snatch whomever they want, do whatever they want with them, while having more people in prison than all the nations of the world combined, have troops in 149 countries, produce more weapons than the rest of the world combined, seen traitors not only run free but still wielding great power, make a farce of our election process, corrupted every branch of government, and commit crimes against humanity that has killed over 1,000,000 innocent people and counting for their need for adverse alone and nothing is more important to our so-called representatives then to slap down MoveOn's 1st Amendment rights?
Whatever we once were - we are no more.
Holy Hell.
Nothing brings out the ideologues like Hillary Clinton.
The most extreme demagogue and ideologue I have ever seen in my almost 60 years is mr.bush-cheney.
That uncompromising, dogmatic, in your face and unrelenting way of doing the people's buisness is very dangerous. He isn't doing the people's business, he is doing big business... or perhaps they are doing him and using his insane ideology to manipulate him.
Because of this administration I have really begun to question my own ideology and how loosely or tightly it should be held. My friends... liberal friends call me left of liberal and I am in my ideals.
Hillary gets castigated no matter what she does, it is getting difficult to keep listening and taking the criticisms seriously since it is so over the top and grounded in ... what? hate? ideology? dogma?
I have not been the greatest supporter of Hillary, but honestly if she was half as bad as everyone seems to believe she is I think she would burst into flames.
So mr.bush-cheney gets criticized, condemned for being the dogmatic prick that he is, and Hillary gets castigated for being moderate, for listening to the polls, for shifting and changing according to the needs and the will of the people.
huh?
I don't know... it just seems strange to me.
sn't a politician supposed to listen to the polls and adjust to what the citizens are demanding? Isn't it the job of our representatives to represent US?
As in the citizens... not just some of the citizens, but all of them. Does anyone think that they will ever agree with another person about everything ever... let alone a politician? We see a resident representing a very small percentage of the population. Is that what we want, but on the other side? Someone who won't consider the good of all, the needs of all, the wishes of all? Isn't that democracy? The most good for the greatest number?
How can that be accomplished?
Several people were proclaiming that she should take a position, to be inflexible and unyielding in her beliefs. Beliefs?
Sorry, that is what we have now. I've never seen this kind of destruction in our country all due to that intransigent and intractable arrogant son of a bitch residing in the White House. I will not have it again if I can help it, which is why I will take abuse for defending a moderate stance.
If it is between an ideologue who will run the country into hell or a moderate who will consider the whole and attempt to reasonably govern from that down to earth place, attempting the greatest good for the most I know who I'll choose. After the hell of unreason we have been living with I'll take the practical even though my wishes aren't being met and I will be disappointed in some decisions and policies of anyone in the WH. Much as I want someone to be MY president alone... not gonna happen. The world we live in is not as we would wish it to be and we cannot deal with it as if it is. Look to Washington to see the results of that kind of thinking.
I'm all for Obama. And I think, and I hope he is practical.
Bill Clinton is playing golf with George H. Bush for God's sake.
The Clinton's caved years ago.
Hillary Clinton is to Democrat as water is to meat & potatoes.
She's so popular with the Press because she's no threat to the status quo.
The Democrats need some Progressive Harry Truman to pop out of the air.
Some kind of Kucinich on steroids.
Hillary did well on the Move On issue and to argue otherwise is kinda dumb. Its the rest of the lame Dems that need a frickin spankin. Instaed of voting for the censure or whatever it was, why didnt they call the repubs on what it is - flaccid political grandstanding - the pricks. What the hell ever happened to freedom of speech anyway? And why the hell are americans so afraid?
Most americans (and most democrats) dislike move-on.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/23_approve_of_moveon_org_petraeus_ad_58_disapprove
Polls , they didn't poll me.
The title of the ad was a play on words directed at an administration who has consistently lied through it's teeth regarding the Iraq war searched through a slew of Generals to do what Petraeus is doing, all too many said NO (not i) but Petraeus bought it and he's the fall guy for the an incompetent cozen administration.
Try for once reading the FULL CONTENTS of the ad so many have clamored about. so few IF ANY have read the entire contents and commented on those points made in the contents of said ad.
Did the polls say how pissed off the American people are about being lied to, & lied to & lied to? Here is an organization that uses free speech and cuts through the BS using that same free speech American right and poor Hilary makes
a "Back-down" move instead of applauding MoveOn.Org that is pointing at the facts and looking at the record of the "fall guy" for the administration's continuing ineptitude in Iraq.
Oh and the polls say,,, what?
Hilary you lost.
Old news. Move on, Jane.
Russ Feingold is in touch and not afraid. He really represents those hundreds of thousands of people he calls constituents. I listen to Rahm Emmauel when he talks too. He seems to have a sense of direction. He did all that hard work to get Democrats elected in 06, maybe somebody should be talking to him about 08, before its too late.
I watched all of the 3 shows this Sunday, and I don't think she caved at all. In fact, I was so very impressed with the way she handled herself. This woman is ready to lead should she be the candidate. I think she handled the question about the ad perfectly. This is how a president acts by showing the discussion should be about the issues facing this country, not a political ad.
Every day that the House is in session, just gives the American people a chance to see how miserably our Democratic controlled Congress is letting the people down. Our borders are wide open, Calderon is dictating policy, Illegal immigration is overwhelming our language, culture and making mockery of our "rules of law" and the constitution. Americans are dying on foreign soil in a war for oil- affirmed by Alan Greenspan. The 110th Congress should put their tails between their legs and go home. The Bushies will take care of everything.
No, Hilary didn't cave in. She was just covering her own ass by suggsting abosolute deference to anyone wearing an American military uniform. She doesn't believe it and niether should we. Too bad "Be-tray-us" doesn't rhyme with "Powell".
I just continue to steam in my befuddlement at the Dumb Dems. They are up to their tried and true strategy: in football it is called prevent defense; some call it triangulation. Whatever you name it, it consists of taking a clear stand on what you think will allow to play both sides against the middle. It allows one to lick your finger to feel how the breeze is blowing, and take a middle and middling position. It worked great for Gore, who distanced himself from Clinton, campaigned on keeping social security in a lock box, said he was not Clinton, not a republican, apparently a family man and ready to be prez. Gore got the most votes (although fewest electoral votes) in the election. It worked well for Kerry who took Bush to the wire in the next election, as the notorious flip-flopper, who skirted swiftly in the election. It has worked well for our current congress, which has assiduously avoided the ignominy of noisy filibusters. The Dems are the ladies and gentlemen of congress, who keep their dignity, who keep the war going, while softly complaining that NEXT time the Republicans will pay.
The Dems are worthless. Watch when the billion dollar bills Bush wants to pass. They will pass at about 75-25. The 25 now being labelled as extremist anti-military, hate-American liberals.
Bush rules---still!
What is Hill gonna do about the Marc Rich pardon when Rudy unloads it? LOL!!!!!
Feingold for President! He's been right all along. Too bad he's under the radar on a national level. He understands the Constitution better than pretty much anyone else in Congress.
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