Senate Democrats to Netroots: F@*# YOU!
Twenty three Senate Democrats today showed that they are cowards and will bend to the slightest threat by the right wing. They all joined every single Republican Senator in censuring MoveOn.org's advertisement in the New York Times. The add, now famously known as the "General Betray Us" ad, asserted that General David Petraeus had a record of carrying the political water of the Bush administration and that a less than honest assessment of the situation in Iraq was a betrayal of trust.
It's not rocket science. In fact, none of the people attacking MoveOn even bothered to take issue with the facts contained in the advertisement. Not one. I challenge you to prove me wrong.
Instead, one after another, pathetic, cowardly Democrats allowed the not-so-invisible hand of Karl Rove to make them fear that they would yet again, be questioned as to whether or not they support the military. Seriously, HOW MANY TIMES WILL THEY FALL FOR THIS?
Here's the list of cowardly Senators:
Max Baucus, Evan Bayh, Ben Cardin, Tom Carper, Bob Casey, Kent Conrad, Byron Dorgan, Dianne Feinstein, Tim Johnson, Amy Klobuchar, Herb Kohl, Mary Landrieu, Pat Leahy, Joe Lieberman (not that he really counts, anyway), Blanche Lincoln, Claire McCaskill, Barbara Mikulski, Ben Nelson, Bill Nelson, Mark Pryor, Ken Salazar, Jon Tester, and Jim Webb.
Senate Democrats running for President that voted AGAINST this ridiculous waste of time include Chris Dodd and Hillary Clinton. Clinton has taken her fair share of criticism from the Netroots and deserves some special attention on this. However, Joe Biden and Barack Obama were nowhere to be seen. Interestingly, Obama voted on another resolution immediately before this, then disappeared. I'd like to know why he didn't hang around to stand up for the Netroots. (Update: Matt Stoller has the answer here at Open Left.)
So far in the 110th Congress, the Democrats that the Netroots worked tirelessly on behalf of, have been one disappointment after another. The support they gave this resolution condemning MoveOn is an embarrassment.
MoveOn has done more than anyone else in this country to bring an end to the war. Anyone. (I can already hear the bitching that folks on the Hill will be doing about this statement.) The fact is that all summer long, MoveOn worked with a coalition of organizations throughout the country to target Members of Congress to influence their vote on ending the war.
Meanwhile, the White House ran circles around the Democratic Leadership in the PR game leading up to the conclusion of August recess. In advance of the Petraeus testimony, MoveOn set to frame the expectations in a provocative, fact-based way.
What MoveOn hasn't told you is that the "General Betray-Us" moniker isn't their invention. It's been reported in the British press to be coined by a retired General.
Critics, including one recently retired general, are privately calling him "General Betraeus" on the grounds that he is too ambitious to deliver a balanced report on the war.
But, the Democrats in Congress didn't take the time to look past the baseless finger pointing and elementary name-calling. Instead, they gave in to cowardly instinct and said a big "F@*# YOU" to the millions of Americans who call themselves a part of the Netroots Movement and have worked side by side with MoveOn to end the War.
If the Senate Democrats can't be trusted to stand up to simple attacks like this, there is likely no way they can be trusted to end this war. What are we to do?
Follow Lane Hudson on Twitter: www.twitter.com/tlanehudson
Loading comments…
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
Besides the minimum wage hike, have the Democrats done anything at all to justify our support and respect? I don't think so. Not only do they support atrocious legislation (Military Commissions, FISA, unlimited funding of the war), but they also help to reinforce right-wing narratives and distractions. I keep wondering, how can I vote for a Democrat next year for president? How can I in good conscience vote for a party which will not defend the country and the constitution? We all voted last November for a change, but nothing has happened. Why vote?
Please vote. Vote for a third party candidate as close to your views as possible. It is not a wasted vote. It shows that you were there and have an opinion to which they may need to listen. It also, in some states, empowers small parties in that if they receive enough votes (1% or so) they are automatically on the ballot in the next election. Although he fell far short in the Maryland race for US Senate Zeece managed to unite the Greens and the Liberatarians.
When the economy stumbles as it looks to do with the interest rate bind we are in (lower $ devalues; raise credit crunch)and the fact that the Treasury is creating money at ~13% rate, third parties will become very important. The Dems and Repubs control because they can distribute defense jobs. Once the money to do this evaborates they will no longer be able to hold power in this way.
The refusal to address the underlying facts is the most disheartening aspect.
The flawed methodology that excludes much of the violence from appearing in the official numbers, ignoring the ever increasing refugee figures, and glossing over the lack of water or electricity services are just some of the indications of the failure of our occupation policy.
The "success" touted as progress in Anbar ignores that we are arming and funding those opposed to the elected government of Iraq.
These so-called Democrats opposed to acknowledging reality and embracing the DLC corporatist views that extend the war are a disaster. That most of them voted for and supported the war should not be ignored.
I renew my call for real Democrats and MoveOn to challenge these backstabbers. MoveOn in particular is in denial if they continue to ignore the enablers while focusing on Republicans.
Efforts to challenge these Senators in the primaries must be accelerated if they continue to insist our military leaders are above reproach when they help sell an ideologically based view.
Yes, yes. Here, here. We should challenge every "Democrat" who doesn't tow the MoveOn party line. We should definitely EAT OUR OWN!!
Brilliant political strategy....
We will never achieve a liberal majority if we follow the James Dobson model of with-us-or-against us politics.
This was clearly a move by the Republicans to create a split in the party and/or generate soundbites for the election. "Barack Obama failed to stand up for our troops against MoveOn.org..."
Some Dems took the bait, and now MoveOn members will castigate them. Some didn't, and the Republicans will castigate them. The latter is to be expected. The former will only occur if we fail to recognize the Republican motive, or decide we don't care and attack fellow Democrats anyway.
I can't buy that line of thinking. We're too close to taking the presidency and a filibuster-proof majority in both houses. If we do that, the gloves will come off and we will see the liberal agenda enacted. IF not, THEN we can try to pick off some of those less-than ideal Democrats in office.
Can't wait for more one party rule! I guess that you're willing to tolerate just about anything to get there, huh? Voting for wars, voting for anti-gay bills, voting for bankruptcy bills, voting for Patriot Acts, voting to censure newspaper ads, etc, etc... I'm a little choosier and I'm through with the Dems.
Liberal majority?
How can right wing politicians and right wing policies ever be considered acceptable in a liberal majority. Look at the vote for cutting off funding for your "filibuster proof majority"... look at the vote on MoveOn. Do you think those Dems will suddenly start voting for our priorities if a like-minded DLC'er is in the White House?
Failure to accept that DLC'ers are Bush-lite means more of the same.
And, I'm not talking about eating our own.
I'm talking about eating them, and replacing them with real Democrats.
We can walk and chew gum at the same time.
And we have come to expect any else from the washington insider dem's ???
WE just take it as a lession learned - we need to look at the person - not the branding they carry ...
If we listen real close - we might find some carry the same banner as a insider - and insider stick toghter ...
Once again the so called "Liberal Media"(ya right) frames the debate and the Dems fall for it. I am really surprised at Jim Webb. I like him a lot.
Everyone should look up "the real news network" and donate. Actual news supported by viewer only. Maybe then we can have an honest media source and ultimately save this Democracy from these Right wing neocon thugs.
Should we send the DEMS a copy each of
"the Republican Noise Machine"?
Hell they don't even read thier own bills.
How can we get the DEMS to
FIGHT LIKE IT MATTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the site:)
I watch a lot of C Span and PBS. I also like
McClatchy. There site is www.mcclatchydc.com
They are were the only site that I know of that
was reporting 'truth' about the pre-invasion and
invasion. (this paper was Knight Rider and bought by McClatchy)
GOOD. WONDERFUL, FANTASTIC.
I hope they didn't do it just for political reasons, but they truly recognize the error of Moveon.org's way.
General Petraeus is a good and honorable man. A patriot and this country needs men like him and less people like those associated with moveon.org.
By the way, if a person is a LITTLE right of center, it does not make them "the right wing." It is called "common sense." I call it, anarchy virus blocker.
What in the hell are you talking about?
Uh oh....PUTNAM PUPPY PIDDLE allll over the paper.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/13/AR2007021301204_pf.html
See Lane Hudson's Profile
General Petraeus is a good and honorable man? If you overlook his hyperactivity in the political arena under the guise of being a Statesman, maybe. If you overlook his failure at training the Iraqi troops, maybe. If you overlook at his unreal assessment of Iraq to Congress, maybe. But, those are some BIG maybes.
He is also the one responsible for losing all those AK's!!!!
The only problem with the MoveOn.Org add was:
It was a day too early. It should of ran the day after the testimony!!
If you are from a red state, PLEASE PLEASE CALL your Senator's and express your disgust for them voting against the WEBB/HAGEL ammendment. I personally waited over 20 minutes to get someone in WARNER'S OFFICE. (*not my senator)
why do republicans hate the troops so much???
He crossed the Military /Political Line.
Don't agree with Petraeus being a good or honorable man but it's irrelevant. His reort to Congress was a political move, plain and simple. They even had the nerve to time it wih the aniversary of 9/11...yet another shrewd political maneuver. He can only be considered a politician, and therefore open to attack like any other. The fact that he is also a general cahnges nothing.
So the Democrats are cowards.
Big whoop. As if that's news.
So what are we going to do about it, already?
It's time to do a Molly Ivins and RAISE SOME HELL:
http://www.raisehellformollyivins.org/
It will take a while longer for the spine to grow back! It has been 3 decades of an orchestrated right wing bashing that the Dems are not only weak on defense but also unpatriotic! Forget the sitting Senators, Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of a candidate who goes red in the face, screaming "netroots", denounced it!
I keep saying, Hillary is it! This woman has battled these right wing slimes forever and is the only candidate with the "big ones" (ironically!) to pulverize them and shut them up for a while!
You best start looking at the "backers" on this filly...
Rupert Murdoch
Big Boy Buffett
DLC "Power Boys"
D L C = D I N O
She stops taking bundles from these corporate bitches, then I'll consider her a "real woman".
Battled? You mean when she voted in favor of the war in Iraq? Allowed Bill to roll over on don't ask/don't tell and the Defense of Marriage Act? Please spare me the big lie tactic on that quisling.
You must be logged in to comment. Log in or connect with
