Democrats Should Attack Bush, Not MoveOn
Before a single Democrat condemns MoveOn's ad, they should insist that George W. Bush and the Republican Party repudiate the anti-military smears on war heroes that have been the hallmark of Mr. Bush's political career.
Too many Democrats still think Mr. Bush's presidency is on the level. Let's be clear. Mr. Bush is not leading a serious, sober discussion about public discourse during a war. He wants to divide progressives and score political points. We should not let him. Throughout his career he's been willing to tolerate and benefit from vicious lies about military men. We should not concede that he is legitimately angry now.
Mr. Bush is, as he likes to say, a loving guy. But by golly the MoveOn.org ad criticizing Gen. David Petraeus has him madder than Larry Craig in a pay toilet.
When a "reporter" asked him a loaded question about the MoveOn ad (not mentioning, for example, that Petraeus wrote an op-ed in support of the Bush Iraq policy a few weeks before the 2004 election), Bush swung for the fences. But then again, he's always been pretty good at T-Ball - and this was definitely teed up for him.
He slammed MoveOn, repeating language he used Wednesday in a meeting with right-wing columnists, saying that criticizing Petraeus is tantamount to attacking the entire US military, and expressing astonishment that leading Democrats have not attacked MoveOn as courageously as Bush has.
Before Democrats fall all over themselves to agree with a president whose trust and honesty rating from the American people is even lower than his IQ, let's look at the real record of Bush's cowardice when it comes to speaking out against attacks on military heroes:
- In the 2000 South Carolina primary, George W. Bush stood next to a man described as a "fringe" figure - a man who had attacked Bush's own father - at a Bush rally. With Bush applauding him, the man said John McCain "abandoned" veterans. McCain, who was tortured in a North Vietnamese POW camp, was incensed. Five U.S. Senators who fought in Vietnam, including Democrats John Kerry, Max Cleland and Bob Kerrey, condemned the attack and called on Bush to repudiate it. When pressed on it at a debate hosted by CNN's Larry King, Bush meekly muttered that he shouldn't be held responsible for what others say. Even when he's standing next to them at a Bush rally.
- In the 2002 campaign, draft dodger Saxby Chambliss ran an ad with pictures of Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, then said Sen. Max Cleland lacked courage. Max Cleland left three limbs in Vietnam as an Army captain. Mr. Bush's political aide, Karl Rove, later refused to disavow the ad, saying, "President Bush and the White House don't write the ads for Senate candidates."
- Also in the 2002 campaign, the PAC for the Family Research Council, a close Bush ally, ran an ad in South Dakota that pictured Sen. Tom Daschle and Saddam Hussein. "What do Saddam Hussein and Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle have in common?" the ad asked. Apparently, they both opposed drilling in the Arctic wilderness. First, I had no idea that supporting drilling in the wilderness is a family values issue. Second, I have seen no reporting on the late Iraqi dictator's position on Alaska drilling. But I do know Tom Daschle is an Air Force veteran. Mr. Bush never disavowed the smear.
- But perhaps the worst was what was done to John Kerry. Kerry earned five major medals in combat: the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts. And yet supporters of Bush and Cheney decided to smear his war record. The despicable, dishonest Swift Boat attacks alleged that Kerry fabricated reports that earned him the Bronze Star. The Swifties also suggested that Kerry's wounds were insignificant - and that one was even self-inflicted. Kerry's wounds were certainly more serious than Mr. Bush's, who suffered a cut on his finger from popping a beer can while avoiding his duty in the Alabama National Guard. At the 2000 GOP convention, rich, white Republicans were photographed gleefully putting Band-Aids with purple hearts on their chubby cheeks. Mr. Bush refused to condemn the attack - blandly noting he didn't like 527 groups generally - and later nominated one of the men who financed the smear to be Ambassador to Belgium.
Mr. Bush is a coward and a bully. He knows he'll never be the kind of hero his father was. He knows he lacks the heroism of John Kerry or Max Cleland, so he overcompensates with bluster and bravado. In fact, he told bloggers recently that he wishes he were fighting in Iraq. The Washington Post's Dan Froomkin reported that Bush told a blogger in Iraq that he'd like to be carrying a 50-pound pack and an M-16, but, "One, I'm too old to be out there. And, two, they'd notice me."
So Mr. Bush is too old to fight in Iraq, and he was too rich and well-connected to fight in Vietnam. But he's itchin' for a fight with a progressive interest group. Does anyone believe he'd have the same outrage if a right-wing group were attacking war heroes? Of course not.
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In the last week, the US Senate has taken multiple actions to show their support for the war. The combined DemocratRepublican neofascist slap at MoveOn was just one of these.
Anyone notice what the real-world impact of this was? Is the Democrats willingness to be moderate and support this war met by any moderation from Bush and the warriors?
The answer is a conclusive NO. The lead headline on antiwar.com today says that Bush is going to INCREASE the amount of money he's asking for more war, death and destruction. And what seems to be a drive towards war with Iran continues unabated.
One continuing lesson from dealing with fascists is that compromise and retreat is always met by increased aggression. Its viewed as a sign of weakness and thus a signal to increase the attack on a vulnerable opponent. Just like any schoolyard bully, the way to stop the fascist is to stand firm and give no ground to them ... never.
The Democrats know this. What I wrote wasn't new or original. So when you see the Democrats collaborating with the bully so the bully gets everything he asks for, then you know its deliberate by the Democrats. The Democrats know how to fight when they want to. Just ask any Nader supporter. When you see the Democrats collaborating, you have to accept it as what it is ... willing collaboration.
Which just says the Democrats ain't going to be the answer to this problem. PLEASE STOP VOTING DEMOCRAT!
By the above, what I mean is that MoveOn and the left in general need to learn to deliver serious payback after actions like this. There need to be a few Democratic Senators retired from the Senate, and to have everyone know MoveOn and the left were the ones that took them down. That's how AIPAC became powerful. Because politicians that opposed them found themselves out of office. MoveOn and the left need to do the same. It needs to become widely recognized as political suicide to do anything but show the utmost respect to MoveOn and the left.
Marching into the next session of Congress with some pictures of ex-Senators on some symbolic pikes means we'd get a lot more respect, attention and action.
MoveOn should attack Democrats.
The American people may be fed up with the Bushies, but they are not convinced that the Democrats have the umph to lead them out of this malaise. The Dems appear weak, dedicated to advancing special interests:like Gay. It Gay marriage, illegal immigration and abortion rights. Every time the Republicans are on the defense, they attack with their "tax and spend", amend the constitution to define marriage, give amnesty to illegals. And they look strong, decisive and even bigoted but committed. The American people are concerned about their security, and the Dems keep bringing up Amnesty for illegals,-and I'll tell you every time an american kid dies at the hands of an illegal alien whether in a car accident or gang murder , I get pissed at the Federal government, but mostly at the Dems for doing nothing to protect my kids.
After thousands upon thousands of wounded and murdered soldiers in Iraq...the American people have finally been told America is not safer being in Iraq. Beyond the immeasurable suffering of those families left behind by our fallen heroes, America's Children, is the fact some of us didn't need to be told by The General that we weren't any safer for being in Irag. We knew...We knew what George H W Bush knew in 1991...we knew what the rest of the world knew in 2003...unfortunately the one person who needed to know did not know, and sadly still doesn't know.
This is George W Bush's war. He alone is the one responsible for allowing America's Children to be murdered and maimed. All the finger pointing in the world at those in Congress who authorized the President to use "force" were relying on the President's ability to use good judgement. They were the fools for believing this Adminstration had the ability to use good judgement.
For those who say we must look forward must also remember that when you forget, ignore, or "change" the past, that you are far more likely to repeat it. What lesson can we learn by ignoring this President's decision making that plunged our country into a quagmire far worse and with more dire ramifications and consequences then Vietman ever had?
There's anger, angst, disgust, disbelief, and morose permeating the Congress of the United States. Republican Senators who cannot move toward the center of this sad state of affairs to provide the leadership necessary within their party to move this country foward should move out of the way. They cannot possibly believe their inaction is in the best interest of this Country. To those Democrats that use the "excuse" they don't have the votes in Congress to do anything should stop hiding behind that pretext and demonstrate their resolve to move forward regardless of the outcome of any vote. Their inability to demonstrate the needed leadership ten months after the last election is exactly why the Country is frustrated by Congress.
Can someone explain the Senate's need to waste taxpayer dollars? Has Congress become so inept that they actually believe it worthwhile to spend the time passing a useless resolution while we are in combat? While we continue to lose the lives of America's Children and the mounting injuries, in far too many cases, life changing injuries, Congress continues on their road to nowhere. There is so much more important business Congress should be undertaking.
The petty infighting...the predictable behavior of those members who serve in the Senate...do any of them come to Congress with a mind of their own? No wonder there exists such low poll numbers regarding the approval rating, or lack thereof, of Congress.
How many elections does this Country need to go through before the politicians truly start taking care of America's business. When are the Politicians going to start taking the politics out of politics?
Democrats attack Bush rather than Al Qaeda, so why worry about moveon?? Moveon just handed the Republicans the White house in 2008.
How convenient of the Repub's to forgetting og the swift boatting of Max Cleland and John Kerry. Moveon might have acted a day too early, but the repub's have to think of what they did.
I am in total agreement with the contents of Paul Beglia's column. Agree totally with conclusion that "Democrats should attack Bush, not MoveOn." BUT that would have had MORE effective if the attack was precisely on the one that has caused us so much grief - Bush.
Am in total agreement with the contents of Paul Beglia's column. Since their is that one person responsible for all of the greif as outlined, MoveOn should have used basically the same contents and directed it upon that ONE person- Bush.If Bush used the General as a "scapegoat" or "cover", per se; MoveOn should NOT have used the General as a "fight" and/or criticism against Bush. "Two wrongs don't make it right". Direct is always the way.
Paul, great article! Thanks
Well, I'm so proud of MOVEON.ORG for what was
said and put into the ad. Hooray,Hooray,Hooray.
here's a general who literally put together the handbook
for "Insurgency" and doesn't live up to his own words!
That's Betrayal!!!!!! Who's saving our soldiers now!!!!
Keep it up "MOVEON"....perhaps your ads/articles will get something moving "in the right direction". Since when has it become a bad thing to state your opinions in this country? SEEMS TO BE SINCE THE FORKING BUSH ADMINISTRATION TOOK OVER!!
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Every time I see Reid and Pelosi I wonder: "How do these spineless, gutless wimps even manage to stand up?" Must be the hot air.
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Democrats, please, please, please for the love of this country GET SOME FREAKIN' BALLS! Stop falling for the right wing dirty tricks! Why is noone saying in public and before a camera what Paul just said in this post? I want to hear people say OUT LOUD that Bush is a hypocrite and to remind Americans what was done to John Kerry and Max Cleland by the same dipshits.
Anyway, please stop giving in to this ridiculousness; stop giving Bush checks to pay for this war; oh, and bring back The Fairness Doctrine.
My vote for the Move On Organization is a donation and to keep up the Great Work. viva Move On!
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