The Democrats Should Have Walked Out
by Taylor Marsh
A little good old political theater is what was in order today. Senate majority leader Harry Reid should have gathered Democrats together and when the Cornyn amendment came up they all should have walked out. Then on the Capitol steps Reid should have given a short speech on Republicans voting against the Webb amendment, which actually aided the troops, and that while soldiers are dying in battle he would not allow the Senate to be used for a political show. Not on his watch. End tape.
But that was not to be.
John Edwards didn't have the spine to stand up to the wingnut attacks, any more than he had the nerve to speak out against MoveOn.org himself. He sent his wife out to do it for him.
Now Barack Obama, when the moment to prove leadership was ripe, walked out of the Senate chamber and ducked his responsibility to be counted.
One congressman from California showed more spine than Edwards and Obama combined.
"I commend MoveOn for their ad and for speaking truth to power," said Stark. "Up is not down, the earth is not flat, and the surge is not working. General Petraeus betrayed his own reputation by standing with George Bush in opposition to the timely withdrawal of all of our brave men and women from Iraq. I thank MoveOn for their patriotic ad and call on Petraeus to help Bush end a war the President should have never started." - Pete Stark
I've said it before, so it's time to quote someone else saying the same thing. Take it away Jane:
The only one who got this right was Hillary Clinton. She's been on the receiving end of mock right wing outrage before, she knows how it works and she didn't get played by the typical GOP charade that even THEY aren't sincere about. Every word coming out of their mouths on the floor of the Senate this morning was pure santcimonious hypocrisy, dancing on the head of a pin as they tried to distinguish between this and the outrageous things it was perfectly okay to say about Abizaid or Kerry or Max Clelland. But thanks to the willingness of human Gumby dolls like Bill Richardson, Barack Obama and John Edwards who thought it best to bow down before the right wing when it gets its bluster on, the PR blitz nobody would have otherwise cared about kept gaining momentum until it reached this shocking abrogation of free speech with the help of 25 Democrats.
I should actually qualify that -- it wasn't Edwards who bagged MoveOn, he had his wife do it. I suppose that's better somehow. Maybe not as good as Barack "I never met a fight I couldn't duck" Obama who was there to vote on the Boxer Amendment, but couldn't be bothered to stick around and vote against Cornyn. But close. ... ..
It's hard for the partisans, the people in their respective presidential campaign camps to take it, because I've not seen any evidence that any of them can handle the truth. They're blinded by their own political choices. But those of us without a dog in the primary fight can see it clearly. The truth is that when things get tough in these types of battles only certain people understand what the fight is really about. Believe it or not there is something bigger at stake than your own personal political fortunes. Like Clinton or hate her, there is one thing that is incontrovertible. She can smell a right-wing smear campaign a mile away and there is no way she's going to fall for it.
The trap was laid a long time ago, but it had nothing to do with the MoveOn.org ad. It was about pimping a political campaign targeting Democrats, with Republicans reaching in to grab the hearts of Americans hoping to get them on board for one more fight for Mr. Bush. It was about reaching people's emotions with that tired old snapping towel that Democrats do not support the troops, look at this negative ad! See. See. That the Cornyn vote came on the heels of the Webb amendment going down was naked proof of the Republican hypocrisy. Still some Democrats fell for it, collapsing in tired, old fear of what Republicans might do to them come election time. Let's see how they handle it when no one is there to come to their aid, because believe it, they could be next. Even Harry Reid voted against the Cornyn amendment.
Bush knew exactly how to play some of the Democrats, and he gathered his minions to get it done.
This from a man who didn't have the time to serve his own Guard duty. He doesn't care about General Petraeus. This is a save his legacy campaign. But if there's one thing Republicans know how to do it's stick together. They may have to hold their nose to do it, but getting Democrats is always more important than each of their personal political agendas.
Hillary Clinton gets it. Even in the middle of a brutal attack launched by Rudy Giuliani, which will only get worse because of her vote today, Clinton stood up, stood proudly and cast a vote against the Cornyn charade. No doubt she remembers well when Democrats wanted to flee from Bill Clinton during the Lewinski witch hunt. No one sanctioned what her husband did, least of all her. But Hillary knew what was at stake and what Republicans were really after, so she didn't flinch, gathered herself and the Democratic party and fought back against the right-wing who was after only one thing, same as they were today.
Power.
Never give in. Never give up. And above all else know who is the real enemy. Clinton knows -- as sure as she saved Bill Clinton's presidency -- that the enemy of Democrats is not MoveOn.org. Today Clinton proved why she's the frontrunner. She left the boys in the dust.
Follow Taylor Marsh on Twitter: www.twitter.com/taylormarsh
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Cris Dodd is STILL THE MAN. He has done EVERYTHING right so far. No more Clintons, no more Bushes. Clinton is more corporate than Bush. Who pushed NAFTA? Who dropped his pants for a BJ that cost Al Gore the presidency?
No, Clinton may have played this episode correctly but I still DO NOT TRUST HER.
Dodd is still my man.
Given the votes of most of the new freshman class of Democratic Senators (Cardin, Casey, McCaskill, Tester and Webb all voted for the condemn moveon resolution), there is little to be gained by fighting to elect Democrats. They voted just as those Republicans whom they defeated would have voted. They also all voted as those Republicans whom they defeated would have voted when they voted to fund the surge. And most of them voted with the Repubicans on the Trample Civil Liberties Act 2 Act (Protect America Act). I guess Schumer recruited DLC Republican-lite candidates to put the Dems in the majority numerically, but Republicans in charge with respect to policy, war and peace.
You've GOT it! You've really GOT it! A Democratic walkout would have been the perfect response to a resolution not worth responding to.
Do newcomers like Tester and Webb and oldies like Feinstein really think that we elected them to waste their talents on such nonsense?
They have been as thoroughly indoctrinated by the GOP as its own members have.
I agree that the Democrats should have walked out - AFTER stating for the Congressional Record that they would not be a party to this abominable attempt to stifle free speech. But, of course, instead of taking the initiative and MAKING it a free speech issue, they meekly laid down like a carpet and let the Republicans make it yet another Support the Troops issue. God, I sometimes wish I were mean-spirited so I could be a Republican supporter! At least they've got their act together. If you don't mind all the suffering they leave in their wake, you could really get behind a party you could trust to take a stand for what it claims to believe in. I mean, this incident IS a free speech issue - that wouldn't have been a political spin. I guess the Democrats just didn't see it that way. How can I in good conscience support a party that doesn't recognize a blatant attack on free speech - or, even worse, doesn't care if it's attacked?
I sent Feinstein and Mikulski e-mails telling them that they had officially handed over to the Republicans and the right wing the fascist authority to ban anyone from free speech on the left.
That is, essentially, what they have done.
It is time for a third party, folks. A STRONG THIRD PARTY, WHICH WILL FIGHT, CLAW, SMACK, SPIT, AND DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET THIS COUNTRY BACK TOWARD A DECENT, FREE COUNTRY.
I was not convinced that Hillary would be the best choice for the Dem candidate or POTUS. I am now seeing her in a new light. The field is definately starting to narrow and if she continues to show the kind of leadership that I've been seeing from her lately, she will be getting my vote. Time will tell.
pete stark for president
It is beyond exasperating watching these guys! No wonder they can't win an election. I will be surprised if they don't sign on to a bill requiring Dan Rather apologize for GW's lack of honorable military service. They should all be relegated to flipping burgers for this newest rollover to this new Republican distraction. Someone should let them know 'you are are either on the bus or off the bus'. It is darkest just before it goes pitch black.
Yup. I wonder what other groundbreaking legislation they'll tackle next. How about the "Leave Britney Alone Act"?
Hillary just went up a few points in my mind. She is far too liberal. This comes from a pretty liberal guy, me.
I liked Bill because he was a pragmatist. He knew what he could get done, and did it. That did not make him weak or wishy-washy. It takes courage to get things done.
Maybe Hillary has learned this, too. If so, maybe I should keep my options open.
A senatorial walkout seems to be the wrong way to deal with this. The senate is a deliberative body with parliamentary-type rules--use them. If Senator Reid does not know how to deal with a non-binding resolution that is the antithesis of constitutionally protected political speech, he should hire some Republican consultants who have mastered legislative roadblocking. He can look in the DC Directory under K. Rove--he is unemployed at the moment and either he or an associate (Jeff Gannon) can help the poor man out.
I don't know I agree with you, but you make an interesting point. The Democrats lack discipline and that's why the Republicans keep outmanuevering them. When twenty five Democrats vote to condemn Move On's ad it's not because they really were appalled by it. They are doing it out of fear, same reason they voted in favor of the war. Threaten them with being labeled unAmerican or unpatriotic and they cave.
Glad to see Senator Clinton and Senator Dodd showed bravery. And ditto for Senator Kerry. I had no doubt Senator Byrd would.
The republicans do not care what the people want. But they will care when what the people want is them out.
Right 0! The Dems should have gotten up and walked out. When, oh when, are they finally going to grow a spine? Do they think we really want mewling Republicrite lap dogs to represent us?
Sorry. It's tacky replying to oneself but listening to Randy Rhodes today put me straight on this non-binding censure. This thing was pure political theater on the Republicrite's part. No surprise there, but her point was that it isn't worth a second of anyone's time. The wording was a trap. The Dems continue to push to get us out of Iraq and that's what we should be focusing on. Not dancing to the Republicrite's fiddle.
Let's not mix apples and oranges. What Mrs. Edwards said occurred prior to the Cornyn sponsored amendment even being discussed. And Senator Edwards has a good feel for what won't play in the red states; states he wants to make Blue. He was being smart politically by distancing himself from Move On.
What Senator Reid should have done is exactly what you said; walk out. He could have pointed out an attack on Petraeus is not an attack on the U.S. military, that he could understand how those across the aisle might be miffed, but where was their outrage, their amendment when the names of Kerry, Murtha, and Cleland were dragged through the mud. He could also have pointed out integrity is at the heart of the matter and Petraeus' credibility is very much in question. It appears he has skewed the data to present his story, not the story.
And he should have pointed out it's not Petraeus' duty to sell this war, but where was the president, hiding behind Petraeus.
I do have to tip my hat to Senator Clinton. I hope Senator Edwards is asked how he would have voted; if he sides with the 75 who voted aye I need to find me a different horse.
Nothing wrong with a mare.
We only have one political party now with two similar sections: the Republicans and the Depublicans. For the most part the Democrats have sold out to Bushism. They do not deserve to be called Democrats, but Depublicans. Let's get some real Democrats back into office.
After this charade blows over, the "R's" story will be told. Most all of the deceit, lies, crimes and cruelty stories during this administration will come out in the open and the public will never vote for another republicrat again.
Timing is related to almost everything and we will begin to see that nature--our world, will arise and force change for survival purposes. As one of my great teachers reminds us: "The moment you completely let go of samsara, nirvana is there." (Tarthang Tulku)
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