Russ Feingold was blunt on ABC’s This Week this morning (via e-mail):
Lieberman (on video): “If we just pick up as Ned Lamont wants us to do and get out by a date certain, it will be taken as a tremendous victory by the same people who wanted to blow up these planes in this plot hatched in England, and it will strengthen them and they will strike us again.”
Stephanopoulos: “Senator Lieberman thinks that your approach will strengthen the terrorists and it’s a victory for terrorists. What’s your response?”
Feingold: “Well, I like Joe Lieberman, but I support Ned Lamont. Because Joe is showing with that regrettable statement that he doesn’t get it. He doesn’t get it. The fact is that we were attacked on 9/11 by Al Qaeda and its affiliates and its sympathizers, not by Saddam Hussein. And unfortunately Senator Lieberman has supported the Bush Administration’s disastrous strategic approach of getting us stuck in Iraq instead of focusing on those who attacked us. I mean, look at the places that have been attacked: India, Morocco, Turkey, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Somalia, Spain, Great Britain. What does this have to do with Iraq? And Senator Lieberman is stuck on that point. Ned Lamont and I believe that we should refocus on those who attacked us on 9/11 and not simply try to cover our tracks because this was such a very poor decision in terms of the overall battle against the terrorists who attacked us.
Stephanopoulos: Do you think Senator Lieberman should get out of the race?
Feingold: Well, you know, I think that’s his own decision. It would be better for the Democratic Party, I think it would be better for the people of Connecticut, it would be better for the country if he did it. Not because he hasn’t been a good Senator, not because he isn’t a good man, but this is a critical time. And we have to change course. We have to focus on those that attacked us on 9/11 and get away from this very mistaken policy in Iraq. So it would be helpful if he would do it, but obviously Joe will have to make that decision for himself.
Good for Russ Feingold. The Bush Administration ought to be held accountable for their poor decisionmaking and for the failed results of those bad decisions. The Rubber Stamp Republican Congress should likewise be held to account in elections this fall.
That the GOP sees Joe Lieberman as their firewall in forestalling the public’s right to hold them to account is fairly obvious — to everyone but Joe Lieberman. Or perhaps he does know this, but his allegiance to his former party is so weak that it pales by comparison to his ego needs to push forward without regard to the consequences to the Democratic party nor to the country as a whole.
And if that is the case, how truly sad. This was never a battle that had to be fought. Had Joe Lieberman held himself to a higher standard and actually listened to the wishes of his constituents instead of feeling the need to lecture them on how they ought to be thinking, trying to push them down a path that the vast majority of continuously did not want to go. That his ego was so vast that he could not see past it to what the people of Connecticut — and indeed a majority of Americans — want was telling. That he continues to refuse to own up to mistakes puts him in the same category as Goerge Bush — a failure who refuses to own up to his responsibility in those failures, and a danger to the nation because he refuses to learn from those mistakes. It pains me to have to say that about a man who served his nation for eighteen years in the Senate, but it is simply the truth.
So, thank you Russ Feingold for laying it flat out this morning — would that every other Democrat would do the same. And thank you to Howard Dean for speaking bluntly about it on Meet the Press this morning as well — and for calling the latest Lieberman statements for what they were: the same talking points being spread around as GOP propaganda by Dick Cheney, Ken Mehlman and Tony Snow. (When I can get a copy of Dean’s statements, I’ll post them — he was great today talking about the misplaced priorities in our nation and where the focus ought to be. "We need to be tough and smart, not just talk tough.")
You know we’ll continue to keep an eye on this and continue to report both public and private statements about this as we are made aware of them.
Real Democrats stand up for themselves, their party and their nation. The future of our Constitution and our nation’s reputation and commitment to liberty hang in the balance in this year’s election — and we expect nothing less than real patriots. So stand up and be counted, or get the hell out of the way.
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First
Russ and Ned Gets no better than that
windje
Amen!!!
I’d vote for that guy (Feingold) for Prezzie in a heartbeat.
Am I the only one who thinks Lieberman looks like Mr. Mackey from South Park (and talks like him, too)?
it will be interesting to see how much traction feingold gets in the rollup to 2008, he has been on the right side of every issue (we’ll let that vote for john ashcroft slide down the memory hole, won’t we?) and as such forces OTHER dem leaders and pretenders to address the same questions.
Gov. Kean wants to give Iraq the metaphorical Tom Friedmanesque “six more months”.
-GSD
Guitar Playing Bastard @ 2
Me too and he’s the only national dem i’ve contributed to.
windje
Yippee! Dems on the tv, being allowed to speak the truth! What a refreshing change.
Way to go Russ. It’s insane how Joe is acting. It’s almost like meglomania was passed in that kiss for Bush.
I left a two-part transcript of Lamont on Fox in the middle of the previous thread.
Part One — # 92
Part Two — #111
Scarecrow has a lot of additional material.
Lamont was also stellar on Face the Nation, kept answering questions HIS way instead of the gotcha method. Hope someone else was on duty for the transcript.
And no Lieberman on the tv either. Ya think the media noticed he lost the primary?
Watched the fine senator this morning and liked very much his words re Lamont…
but, WTF was he thinking when he said that McCain would beat him in a Presidential election????? That is the sort of self-deprecating soundbyte that will be played over and over again only to bite us and him in the butt.
Lieberman isn’t on any of the shows because of his daughter’s wedding.
I watched Sen. Feingold on “This Week With George”. I’ve liked this guy for a long time. Every time I see or hear Russ, it just confirms that he’s “got-it”. Gore/Feingold would be good. As would Clinton-Feingold. If Senator Clinton would “see the light” on Iraq, that is. Of course if I could choose, it would be Feingold or Gore for president in 2008. I can barely bear McCain. What a toady.
Russ Feingold is the ONLY leader the Democrats have got except John Murtha. He should be given a lot of support to get the presidential nomination in ‘08. At least in the first few primaries. If somebody else ploughs him under, OK. But until that time he’s got my support. He would make a great president.
His daughter’s getting married today? Damn, it was too good to be true that the media didn’t want him on because he lost the election.
I just can’t say that enough. Lieberman is a loser!
Great post, Christy. Your message is right on: Hold the JLs accountable for enabling and clinging to those who made the worst strategic foreign policy blunder in our lifetimes — and continue to make the same mistakes. They’ve made us all less safe because of it. Oh, and there’s that little bit about having created conditions that killed tens of thousands of people.
Short, interesting NYT magazine article on what the Lamont win means (and how the Democrats still need to give voice to a “big message.”)
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08….._lede.html
“‘It’s tempting for us to underrate Dailykos and Moveon.org,’ Bell [1978 Republican upstart] told me, referring to the Web pioneers who launched Lamont’s improbable campaign. ‘It’s easy for us to say these guys are nuts. But the truth is, they’re on the rise, and I think they’re very impressive.’”
egregious @ 12
I wish the man many daughters.
Second the Fiengold for Prez idea. I would give money and time to a Fiengold run.
Joe had the press for abit and he stuck his foot so far down his throat he may have choked his own ass.
Joe flip flops again and again, read the great post by Sirota on his site
Sirota on Loserman Flip Flops
Thought it was a good read. Loved the timeline will be quoting it in the future I bet.
Hey Loser Joe,
Leave Maxine Waters alone.
-GSD
Howard Dean is so right on. Been to ND and talks about the repug war on the middle class.
scarecrow @ 18
Will anybody be singing “Sunrise, Sunset?” And if so, to the bride, or Joe?
Oklahoma kiddo @ 13
I’m sorry, but Senator Clinton can see all the light she wants. But for me, the Clinton light in the off position.
For the Feingold-o-philes, check out the audio of him bashing the DLC (among other stuff): –it’s under Wednesday–
http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Content=174
I don’t see Lieberman as a nice man or a good senator. I don’t see it as an ego thing with him. I see him as a salesman, like G.W., put in place by the powerful to sell their snake oil. And they don’t want to lose their salesman, so he continues to sell for them until the last gasp. Then, if he still loses, he’ll get a cozy job somewhere, with a corner office, in a think tank or as a lobbyist (selling), and perhaps a gold watch.
Hotline has the script of JL’s first TV ad, and it’s gag-inducing. “This week we had round one of the U.S. Senate race. Now round two begins.” Yeah, just like after round one of the NCAA tournament, the teams that lost go on to round two! Oh, wait…
Thought Russ did a good job today. Can’t wait to see him tomorrow morning at his listening session! If anyone else wants to send a question for me to ask him, I’m still taking emails at noonan at mari dot net. His 1000th listening session will be later this month!
fahrender @ 14
Oh, and that new guy … whazzizname … you know, from Connecticut, I think he is . . .
Oh, Russ!
DA DO RUN RUN RUN !
DA DO RUN RUN !
(thanks for the tater advice in the previous thread, y’all.
I’ll try and compensate with some BITTERGOURD recipes next Pull-up-a-Chair.
For now, I bid you goodNIGHT!)
Howard Dean up:
What happened to your VP?
He attached himself to Bush and bush is wrong; they’ve failed in Iraq, failed in Katrina, failed in the budget. Ned will give us a new direction.
Dems taken over by liberal wing (shows JL clip)?
HD: JL is spouting Ken Mehlman talking points; Ned is a moderate and agrees with Dem positions and most Americans agree with those position.
Dems disagree over war?
Yes, but JL embraced a president who has been bad for American — paid no attention to middle class, lots of problems not being addressed.
What about other views on Iraq? Yes, there are many views, but Dems on record that this war was a mistake and it’s a mistake to leave this to the next president. Bush got us into this mess and needs to get us out of this mess. If he won’t, we will.
What about Hillary? Need to recant.
I don’t commit on 2008. Returns to Bush’s failure and cites everything worse in ME. He says top priority is defending homeland and Bush isn’t doing that.
Lamont a victory to terrorists?
That’s outrageous, it same as widely discredited Cheney. Falsely accuses Ct voters. We need a new direction.
Well, you can see why the news shows don’t have Dean on very often. He’s great.
If you want to fight WOT, 9/11 commission says you have to focus on that. Iraq is a distraction. The British did the work; but our budgets to strenghten internal security have been knocked down by Repubs.
Bush strategy has been “foolish.” We should have focused on Taliban and AQ, N Korea and Iran; these are more serious threats than Saddam ever posed.
Mehlman up next. He’s stammering all ready. Same old talking points, linking Iraq and WOT.
Ken Mehlman is spinning hard. Keeps talking about the Al Qaeda “movement”.
He looks like he is ready to have a movement in his pants.
Listening to Mehlman spin it sounds like Rove also has delivered the “kill the stay the course” mantra, push the “cut and run” mantra.
-GSD
Niters, ‘dakey.
Mehlman lies: “Why did Democrats vote against programs like the British used to thwart these attacks?”
LIAR!
MTP;
Q. Here’s a list of everything that’s awful . . . Is that a record of success?
Never mind Mehlman’s predictable non-answer. That’s the question that wins.
Mehlman, “we’re adapting to win.”
How’s that workin’?
Mehlman just cut and ran from “stay the course.” They must realize now that it’s toxic. Now they’re on to “adapt to win.”
Have you seen the new Rasmussen poll?
This Week on here now, and even pre-alerted to it, I screamed at Russ just now for that “Oh, I think [McCain]’d beat me” !!!
Life lesson to Lieberman (which he evidently never learned): Payback Is A Bitch. Got it Joe? Good. Now go home.
OT – Traffic stop yields terror arrest of 2 Mich. men and Arraignments Likely For Men Caught With About 1,000 Cell Phones
Now I just heard on MSNBC that these guys may have been plotting to blow up the Macinaw Bridge (connects Michigan’s lower and upper pennisulas). This is AP report is the second I’ve heard and read about the bridge plot other than MSNBC repeating the claim. Is this a hype machine behind this story? Why does someone need 1000 cell phones to blow up a bridge?
(The bridge’s name can be spelled Macinac or Macinaw. Depends on which side of the bridge you live on how you spell it, but it’s always pronounced Mac-i-naw.)
We CAN interrogate them and spy on them —legally. FISA for the latter, and “interrogation” works but torture doesn’t and is a war crime.
Idiot Mehlman.
feingold is great is so very many ways…. now if he could just have the guts to be truthful about what is happening wrt lebanon and israel, cynical old me might learn to have some faith and trust in him.
it’s not in our interest or israeli’s interest (to say nothing of the people of lebanon) that we have so much trouble talking truthfully about anything to do with israel. instead we are left with the narrative of the neocons… and we know how well that works out.
oh, to-hell-with-it. feingold did a good job this morning, lamont won the primary and the day is beautiful – i’m gonna go pull weeds in the garden and enjoy the day.
Perhaps the most disgusting thing in Lieberman’s ad (thought it’s tough to choose) is that he gives cover for the do-nothing rubberstamp congress to blame it all on the Democrats:
No, Joe, so little is getting done in Washington because your Republican buddies have scheduled the shortest amount of working time for Congress in decades, and spend most of it passing measures that do nothing for the public good, but will work as gotchas for the next election.
Tool.
selise,
think of the weeds as republicans. That’s what I did yesterday. Gave me much more satisfaction that way.
I hope CBS will have a full Ned transcript up — that was a thing o’ beauty.
Mehlman has been on the defensive the whole interview with David on MTP.
Q. Is the party in trouble?
A. His only answer is 9/11, the other side is trying to weaken the tools and cut and run from Iraq.
That’s all they got left.
What would Rove do?
ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK — right at their last remaining “strength,” and in my opinion, that’s exactly what Dean did, what Lamont did, what Feingold did today.
Hello Harry, Chuck, Rahm, Nancy, Hillary and Bill — were you watching today? Those were your party’s real leaders talking, and that’s how you win. It’s so incredibly obvious.
Good day, today, folks.
Mehlman must have done too many poppers while at the club last night. Such pathetic responses.
RevDeb – wow, “think of the weeds as republicans“, i’ve never thought of that. weeding the garden as a public service. haha.
Percy– I think HoJo may be singing this ditty…
PS– I love Tevya, and Joe ain’t no Tevya.
PINK PANTHERS BLOG!
PINK PANTHERS are having a dialogue with Ali Hili of IRAQI LGBT based in London. We are trying to determine what the LGBT community can do in the United States to help our fellow Iraqi PINK PANTHERS in their struggle to survive against a Fatwa that has been issued by the Shi’ite community. This sad development never would have occurred if our government had not destabilized the secular Iraqi government by our invasion. Furthermore, our government doesn’t see this as a humanitarian crisis because “its just killing ‘the gays’ in Iraq.” In other words, our government sees this as part of their “Mission Accomplished.” Therefore, its up to fellow PINK PANTHERES to find ways to help our LGBT brothers and sisters.
COME ON OVER TO PINK PANTHERS BLOG! and help us brainstorm ways to help!
PINK PANTHERS BLOG!
[ Moderator: — well meaning but perfect example of blog-whoring ]
selise,
wrote about it on my site yesterday. Goosegrass!
Surly @ 36
I don’t think it’s new, I saw Drudge has it highlit (sp?) in red as if its BREAKING NEWS, but it’s almost a week old. Reading between the lines I’d say the Rupubs see a bad week for Lieberman and want to keep this old poll front and center so they can say “well, the AP/Quinnipiac poll has us down, but the new Rasmussen poll…”
RevDeb @ 43
My friend has a new puppy with an elephant chew toy. Very satisfying.
egregious @
9
egregious — thanks for the handy reference back to your liveblogs on Lamont on Fox. Mine appear exactly an hour later, for those who missed.
Mehlman refuses to support the official Repub candidate in Connecticut. Hmmmm, he is supporting the independent-Republicon, Joe
lb0313 @ 52
My kitties got this for their birthday. They love to dig their claws into it, bite it’s head while launching a barrage of body blows with the old hind legs.
Richmond @ 54
Not endorsing the Repub was consistent with what he’s said before. What I found interesting is his little slip, when asked whether he “supports Joe Lieberman.”
He said, “I do not support Joe Lieberman,”(which I hadn’t heard before) and then went on to say, as he has before, that this is up to the voters of Ct. (How thoughtful.)
I think the “I do not support . . .” was an “oops, damn, I didn’t mean to say that, because I really do support Joe, so better add the usual on defering to voters in Ct.” These guys are so transparent.
Chertoff on CNN. paraphrasing…
As of now, we don’t see any plots inside the United States.
Ah, how smart was that????? Idiot.
Lieberman’s new Unity campaign ad is on youtube. Go there and show him some love (downrate, leave comment). Get your barf bag ready just in case.
thinkprogress:
and:
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/…..eys-claim/
twolf1 @ 54
perfect!!!! I want 2 for my cats to shred.
Cozumel @ 57
I think it’s interesting that the Admin thinks it helps them to send Mr. “I was in charge of Katrina” to be their spokesman on terror threats and to assure the public. Would you?
Thanks, egregious, I’ll go and check out your posts. I thought he was absolutely terrific on Fox; I watched with trepidation, but was throughly satisfied with the presentation.
Hey K-K-Ken,
How come this shit is still going on in Afghanistan after almost 5 years?
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/Di…..t&col=
-GSD
Oh yeah, and also K-K-Ken, how will George W. Bush feel about the pending departure of his latest ally, Ehud Olmert?
Is friendship to George W. Bush dangerous to politicians worldwide?
from the desk of oops99:
…trying to push them down a path that the vast majority of continuously did not want to go.
(3rd paragraph after block quote)
Huh?
Feel free to delete this comment.
RevDeb – re toy:
His wristwatch says “Time to cut taxes. One lapel has a button that says “George W,” the other an American flag pin. in his chest pocket is a pack of “bad guy cards”
There is a note pinned to his back reading “If found, return me to the White House.” He has a book in his rear pocket – English as a second language. In one hand he holds “Super Hero Comics and in the other, “EZ Guide to Bein Prez”
opps! ‘thoroughly’
selise @ 41
Good point on the Lebanon thing. If America doesn’t address the Israel/Palestinian question in a fair manner, then we will continue to have no peace in the Middle East. It was right to give Israel a homeland. And the Palestinians must be given the same deal. Israelis and Palestinians should be accorded equal respect and dignity. This is a matter of morality and humanity. And the gulag that is Gaza must be stopped.
GSD –
Just being on the same planet with George W. Bush and his neocon madmen is a danger to everyone.
If, by the time the Senate reconvenes in September, NoMoJo has NOT foresaken his destructive, disruptive, and anti-democratic quest to run as an “independent Democrat,” and if he has not, by then, endorsed the popularly selected candidate of the Party for the post of US Senator from Connecticut, Ned Lamont, then Harry Reid MUST at minimum, immediately:
1) strip Lieberman of all his committtee assignments;
2) revoke Lieberman’s access to any and all internal, Party communcations;
3) fire Lieberman’s entire staff and immediately revoke all their Party privileges;
4) suspend any and all Lieberman’s Party-financing and administrative support (except the Constitutionally-mandated franking privliege), and, finally,
5) move Lieberman’s desk into the parking slot assigned to him in the FUCKING Senate Garage…
And if Harry Reid is incapable of enacting such necessary discipline, or is unwilling to do it, then Reid should be forthwith replaced with and by someone who can and will.
Lieberman’s actions since his loss to Lamont this week mark him as a pariah. The voters rejected him. Can the Party do less?
egregious, 12: “Lieberman isn’t on any of the shows because of his daughter’s wedding.”
Is she marrying a Republican?
tw@55
Wonderful.
I still love asking ‘where did you bury your Republican’, though.
Oh – Blog pimp moment – check out Scout at First Draft. New series of interviews – I’m prejudiced because they are my friends – but trust me – you want to hear the whole series.
http://www.first-draft.com/~draft1/
Don’t leave Ned out…
He didn’t let Wallace or Pelley intimidate him..as other more “experienced” politicians have on a regular basis….
scarecrow @ 61
scarecrow @ 61
The status of any plots or lack thereof should be classified. You don’t broadcast that stuff. Sheesh.
Heckuva job Chertie.
-GSD
Zal Kahlilzad is up next on Wolf the Beard to ramp up the Iran fear meme too.
Ambassador Zal was a signatory to the PNAC “attack Iraq” letter. He has some of Richard Perles’ cammoflage panties in his top drawer.
OMG, I woke up early today and since Ned was gonna be on the Talking Heads, have been watching some of them.
MY GOD, how do you guys do it every week? I think my blood pressure just doubled hehe. I thought Ned did great on Fox, but my god that Fox host was such a dick! And I thought Steffi was one of the good girls, working for Clinton and all…but he was a little dick too.
Oh well, off to forage for some edibles hehe.
The primary was nearly a week ago and all I read is “how could Lieberman run?” It’s simple..he’s been promised a big retirement payoff by Halliburton or Bechtel or the big pharms that his wife already works for. It’s easy to see why he’s deperately running, just follow the money.
timed of course so as to not miss her deployment date, right ?
I skimmed the comments looking for a link to Russ on This Week and didn’t see one so here:
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/…..lieb-iraq/
Have a great day all.
Just now watching FTN (west coast delay) and Scott Pelly outed himself as a gop bootlicker. He referred to Tuesday’s “Democrat primary” not Democratic primary. That’s Tom DeLay era phrase.
Tool.
konopelli @ 68
just herad lil StephanAWFULpuss on ABC say the Harry REID will not strip RGJoe of his committee assignments . . . hmmmm?
Kurt @ 75
Wallace is truly amazing–going from workmanlike straight reporter to unfailing propagandist. It ought to tell you something when the guy you’re replacing trained as a journalist by being a flak for the RNC, and left his job to be the Bush WH flak, fercrissake. At the risk of being an armchair shrink, I wonder to what extent going partisan on FoxNews was the only way he could find to step out of Daddy’s shadow. (And I wonder if Big Daddy has restarted his allowance yet after that “my Dad’s getting senile” comment last year.)
orangejumpsuit @
70
she sure as hell isn’t in Iraq, fighting in Lieberman’s Glorious War ! http://goarmy.com
What is needed (sorry, I’m no video editor) is a youtube video starting with your usual NCAA/NFL tournament announcements, and a loud, “And Chet, LOSERS GO HOME….Cut to Joe’s video with What part of that doesn’t Joe Lieberman understand.
Put enough common elements in that it comes up as number one in the Explore More Videos Box
Redshift@42,
Wow that add really says that.
.
Earth to Joe,last I checked, the republicans have occupied the WH and had majority control in the House and Senate. You just made the case that supports the idea that republicans are ineffective and incompetent in getting things done and governing.
TheOtherWA @ 80
Whenever I hear someone say “Democrat” when the right term is “Democratic,” warning bells go off in my head. It’s rude, and it’s childish, and I wish Democrats would call people on it.
I wanted to slap Chertoff silly for his comment on ‘This Week’. The comment was basically: ‘We haven’t done anything to provoke an attack upon ourselves.’
Bite me…..idiot…..
Zal tying Iraq to Iran and the nuclear issue.
Heckuva job sleepy eyed Zal.
Also, over a month into the war and the Hizbollah still launched 200 missiles at Israel? That was supposed to be the reason for the war.
Ehud is toast. 100 dead Israeli troops, lot’s of dead Lebanese, Hizbollah leadership intact and lionized. The Israeli soldiers that were abuducted are still in Hizbollah’s hands. 5 more missing from a chopper crash yesterday. Israel is once again the “bid bad villain” in the eyes of lots in the Arab world.
Ehud’s Waterloo.
Ehud, the Bush Cheney doctrine is a loser politically.
-GSD
Cozumel — that’s a crock of crap about the lack of plots inside the US; see the comments about one unraveling here in Michigan upthread.
I heart jane — Reid may be using Joe’s committee assignments as leverage against Joe; he keeps the assignments if he drops out of the race. He won’t yank them if Joe drops out before the next committee meeting, IMO.
scarecrow @ 61
I knew Mike Chertoff when he was an AUSA in NYC. The guy is actually intellectually brilliant. Ruthless beyond belief, heartless, totally lacking any evidence of empathy, but just breathtakingly smart.
Actually, he is perfect example of the difference between high IQ and good judgement. I can’t think of any aquaintance of mine who knows him personally who doesn’t acknowledge his IQ, but at the same time, I have never heard anyone in personal conversation who anything nice to say about him, other than that he has a good work ethic/works hard.
If you are a member of the Admin of “C students”, you would think it was a good idea to send a smart person out to talk with agility and precision to the reporters and the american people.
Chertoff uses words well. I don’t think the admin has come close to grasping how thouroughly discredited Rummy and Chertoff really are with the american people.
So, it doesn’t matter what Mike says or how well he says it, cause no one’s gonna beliieve him anyway. On the other hand, it doesn’t hurt to send him out there to be cannon fodder cause heh has no political capital left to lose with the public
lhp, 93: “Ruthless beyond belief, heartless, totally lacking any evidence of empathy, but just breathtakingly smart.”
Are you saying he acted this way towards his colleagues or defendants, or both?
Damm,
Just did VERY lost comment. got eaten by machine. could not refresh page, then got website down notice. Sigh
lhp — explains a LOT, that observation about Chertoff, like his promotion of The Real ID Act and all its incumbent judicial avoidance.
But doing the smart thing isn’t the same as doing the right thing.
Seems like we’ve had a crapload of people like Chertoff in this administration:
- Cheney: smart, but WRONG
- Rove: smart, but WRONG
- Wolfowitz: smart, but WRONG
and so on…
And they all used Dubya as a front man, the guy who appears dumb and normal, but ultimately equally wrong.
Rayne,
Chertoff’s a loose cannon. The FBI probably keeps him out of the loop LOL
lhp!!!!!!!!!!! Missed you. How is the puppy?
if you haven’t had enough… sunday talking heads podcasts (no commercials) links:
fox news sunday
cbs face the nation
msnbc meet the press
abc this week
konopelli @ 69
I’m not a fan of re-quoting long comments in their entirety multiple times, but I’m lobbying for this sucker to get front-paged. Speaking of Russ Feingold, I was real disappointed that he said he was fine with Lieberman retaining all his privileges as a Democrat, even while trashing Dems in his Joe4Joe run.
In the transcript Christy posted above, Feingold said, “Ned Lamont and I believe…”
That is a phrase I hope to her more of in the future, except it will be, “Senator Lamont and I believe…”
I think some pumpkin bread crumbs are clogging the hard-drives of the FDL server farm …
test
*ilson46201 @ 100
I’m having lots of problems reloading and posting, too.
Wow.
BBC has piece about the Badghad blogger Riverbend. Play b;ased on her. I’d not heard about this. Good piece by bbc.
I’ve sent out a note to the tech folks — whatever is causing the hiccup is above my pay grade tech-wise. But soon as I know what the problem is, I’ll let everyone know.
LHP IN DA HOUSE AND ALL’S RIGHT WIDDA WHIRLED
I hope the Lamont campaign makes a TV ad showing — side by side — Cheney’s and Lieberman’s terror statements of last week.
They should join Cheney and Joe on video just like the Kiss float joined them in paper mache.
Has everyone here discussed/abused Gellman already? My take.
Is there a list of Dems sticking with Joenertia?
.
lhp at 91: Really good assessment. I agree with all of that.
Today, it wasn’t just the guy’s credibility problem. The entire interview with Wolfzer was an opportunity for CNN to run all of the quotes against the Admin’s competence and upsidedown priorities, and those were more direct, more telling than the detailed answers Chertoff gave to the actual questions. So it almost didn’t matter whether Chertoff was accurate, informed, etc. I see these with my bias, but I suspect many others would conclude, from the whole scene, that these guys are the ones we can trust anymore.
Blogpimping emergency conversation location. (Not affiliated with FDL)
http://davidsirota.com/index.php/
*ilson sez:
I think some pumpkin bread crumbs are clogging the hard-drives of the FDL server farm …
I told Jane and Christy not to hire Hansel and Gretl…but did they listen?
.
I’m totally disgusted with Reid. I’m a registered Independent because I lost faith in the Democratic Party a long time ago when I was a registered Democratic.
I too heard on the morning talk shows that Reid won’t strip Indy Joe of his seat or chairmenships as Joe’s term don’t end til the end of the year.
By letting Joe keep his seat Reid is endangering the Party of retaking the House and Senate in November as Traitor Joe will pull the Party down with him.
I will hold Reid fully responcible if that happens. As Joe keeps getting on the Talk Shows and undermines the Party as being weak on Defence and National Security he is hurting the Party and destroying it like Bush has been destroying our country and military. There is no excuse for what Reid is allowing to happen.
I will vote Democratic this November for those I feel best represent America. If a Independent or Republican is the better canidate for the job, then I’ll vote for them also.
However, if the Democrats fail to take the House of Senate because of Holy Joe Traitor I will either not vote again or not vote for any Democratic Canidate again. I’ve had it with the Democratic Party and what Reid’s allowing to happen no longer entitles him to the respect of being called Senator.
Rock on Sen Russ, rock on
He has consistently been the rational voice in most matters. It’s great to see him take a stand beside/behind Lamont and to call for unity in sanity. I don’t agree with all of his support decisions on some policies but he’s definitely the real deal when all things are considered.
Has anyone mentioned Time-CNN’s Michael Ware’s comments on Lieberman?
Rayne @ 93
You nailed that. All I would add is “smart, but mean spirited, dishonest, and dangerously WRONG
Once I heard that there’s only 5-10 actual days left of this Congress actually being in session before the November elections, I’m inclined to agree with Feingold on just letting Joe’s committee memberships slide. It’s just not important enough to create all of that animus over.
However I am quite disappointed in the lack of high level Dem involvement in actively supporting Ned…meaning donating to his campaign, announcing plans to go to CT and campaign with him, etc. And those Dems who have endorsed an Indy Joe are beneatch contempt. They are dead to me.
Rabbi Gellman says his best friend is a priest? Is he part of that annoying, cloying “God squad” that go on the Today Show to explain to Matt Lauer that there really is a big white haired magical grampa in the sky who loves America bestest of all his special children? I hate the infanitilization of religion.
Catholics vote for Catholics? Has he been napping since the day after the Kennedy election?
factoid — the population of Baghdad is greater than all Israel …
George A. — what are you doing at a local level to change the system? Are you actively searching for better candidates for office? Are you donating directly to good candidates? Are you meeting with your Rep or Senator, along with everybody else elected to office to let them know they meet/don’t meet your expectations?
Voting is only the barest minimum require to have democracy. You give in to those who would deny our democracy by failing to vote. You’re in the process of giving in if you fail to do anything more than vote.
Did you see this?
http://www.margieburns.com/blo…..22583.html
It could be that Joe’s been a ‘pub for a long time.
Very tongue-iin-cheek Jim Hoafland in WaPo this a.m., entitled “Joe Lieberman, Insurgent.” Worth a read and a chuckle, please forgive if previously posted…. G’morning all!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..01568.html
Lhp – You’re back! Your NY candidate did a great job yesterday but the toobz were seriously clogged.
I’d say clever and wrong. IMO, smart has an aspect of wisdom that looks down the line to be able to see the longterm effect of actions. None of them are able or willing to do that.
Feingold and FDL hit my radar at about the same time – end of last year. I remember very clearly how he fought on the Patriot Act Renewal/Expansion and he was fantastic. All the nonsense about Lieberman working on a bipartisan basis aside, FEINGOLD is the one who crafted a coalition on the Pat. Act originally (yeah, Bush-Cheney-Specter, the Trinity of the Anti-Constitution, eventually chipped it apart, but it was a thing of beauty while it lasted). When they had him on a talking head show with Specter, it made Specter look like a doddering weasel. Bush went for the jugular – saying that because of Russ Feingold the nation would be left without defenses against terrorist.
Feingold didn’t blink. He didn’t stutter, splutter and retreat. He didn’t curse and stomp. He just said – nonsense. He treated the administration like it was an overwrought neighbor’s poorly behaved child, having a temper tantrum in the aisle at the grocery store. He’s done such a good job, though, that you hate to see him have to deal with, and bear the legacy of, the mess that Bush is leaving for whoever is next at bat.
Feingold’s not the only one the Dems have – Murtha, Conyers, etc. – but he’s the only one with that cool, assured, smart, informed “leader” quality. He may not be my clone on every ideological point, but he’ going to work hard, make smart choices, and try to do the right thing. I soooooo hope we have him as a choice.
Re: Lamont. I didn’t see it, but I’m not surprised he was very good. The debate with Lieberman asked for the hardest from him, IMO. Going after someone who you do NOT want “too damaged” is tough for someone who is fair-minded and a good guy. Countering attacks made against him or going after someone who is harming the country with their rhetoric – he’s going to shine with that. Also – digging in to SOLVE problems and having an opportunity to discuss solutions – he’ll shine on that too.
Re: Mehlman – if he’s dropped “stay the course” then that means Dems should hammer it. ;-)
Did y’all see the Kennedy smackdown of Darth friggin Cheney in the Courant? BOut’time
http://www.courant.com/news/op…..6112.story
Kurt @ 115
I disagree, Kurt. Lieberman is actively hurting the party. I can see giving him a non-public deadline to withdraw by, but after that, you just can’t leave a traitor operating in your midst. LIEBERMAN HAS CHANGED PARTIES!
LindaR @ 86
Mary @120
Mehlman’s new talking point is “adapt to win” He’s off the stay the course.
So, what does winning look like to them these days I wonder. Methinks the bar is getting lower by the day.
OT
http://www.startribune.com/562/story/609687.html
russ is incredible…he says so elquently the things I try to say when I tell everyone the democrats have to go on the offensive
it’s as if he read my post on the previous thread and put my thoughts into more eloquent pros
gore/russ for the presidential ticket
Oklahoma kiddo @ 67
Agreed on all points…but it’s hard for the U.S. to address this subject fairly–or be seen as doing so–when the U.S. subsidizes the Israeli military that is such an active participant in the ongoing problem. To deal fairly, you have to be able to convince both parties that you don’t have a stake in the outcome. The U.S. can’t, because everybody knows better than to swallow such a story. Optimally, I think what the U.S. must do is back off on its partisan support and then let the U.N. or some other, more credible party mediate this thing.
Mary,
Re: “Re: Mehlman – if he’s dropped “stay the course” then that means Dems should hammer it. ;-)”
Ditto ; )
whatever is causing the hiccup is above my pay grade tech-wise
above Christy’s pay grade
tech-wise
Hmmm. Well, Redd, nigh ’bout everything’s above my no-pay grade these days, but what I can and will do is pledge one PSA per day on behalf of the FDL Needs More’n’Better Servers Fund!
So:
Y’all better-heeled-than-a-flowah among us, kindly cast your eyes and your credit cards
yonder > ^
Thank You! And ESPECIALLY Thank You if you can pitch a buck or two extra in to make up for the lotus-slack!
http://davidsirota.com/index.php/
This is the behavior of someone who has no moral compass – a person who will literally change his position about war and peace at any given moment if he thinks it would be politically beneficial to him, a person who clearly cares far more about his own political hide than about the young men and women in the armed forces he helped send over to Iraq to die. It should disgust not only war critics, but all Americans, because it shows exactly how corrupted a politician can become after spending 18 years in the Washington bubble.
Anyone think Reid may be holding off on removing Joe from his committees until he sees how Joe “behaves” when the Senate comes back into session?
I think they are also leery of stripping him from the committees too quickly out of fear of the “see what happens when you disagree with the Democrats?” charge.
If Joe continues to speak Republican at every opportunity, and moves ahead with this race, I think you will see him lose those assigments.
If Joe had bothered to have any serious conversations with CT Dems over the years, if he had gone to town hall meeetings, and forums, if he had responded to constituents, he might have been able to justify his positions, and they would appreciate that 90% Dem voting record more than they did. What he still does not get is that people were tired of being ignored, of having local issues take a seat way in the back, while Joe rode up front with Timmeh and Tweety – and Hannity – being “important.”
Thought Ned did a great job on both shows. Couldn’t watch Mehlman, he makes me want to heave (both stomach contents and large objects).
Mary @9:42 Re: Mehlman – if he’s dropped “stay the course” then that means Dems should hammer it. ;-)
Double ditto.
Franco at 121 — thanks for the linky to the Ted Kennedy statement re Lamont and Cheney to the Hartford Courant. That’s a great letter.
RevDeb @ 125
Methinks you’re right. And what evidence do we have that Der Shrubbenfuhreradministration and its Congressional buddies have any clue what the word “adapt” actually means? None I’ve been able to find. It’s like “bipartisan compromise”–the concept just doesn’t work its way into their neural nets.
Sy Hersh coming up on Wolfie.
There is a reason that Karl Rove and his clan never directly attack Feingold. They are afraid of him. Can you imagine Ken Mehlman and Feingold debating this? Feingold would clean up, because if you have to argue based on ideas, there is nothing they can say. Nothing.
The Bush/Coulter Republican Party’s “Stay the course” policy
The Bush/Coulter Republican Party’s “Stay the course” policy
The Bush/Coulter Republican Party’s “Stay the course” policy
when FEAR is your best and ONLY weapon against political defeat in nov TIMING is everything….
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14320452/
lhp/Mary/et al:
RE: Bushco gang of high IQ’s who all missed the Clue Train: Why do I feel like I’m living through yet another chapter of “The Best and the Brightest”?
My take from the talking head shows this morning: STOP with the ANTI-WAR label. This feeds right into Rover’s positioning/messaing. Unless a candidate (or person for that matter) is truly anti-war (that is, pacifist), then the lable is “ANTI-IRAQ WAR”.
Please STOP accepting that label. Correct, change and clarify. Every fucking time.
From the Kennedy article in the Courant (link at #121)
*ilson sez:
It’s already started — his daughter (not in the military!) is changing her name this very day !
Joke?
Real?
Don’t tease me!
.
Joe Lieberman is NOT going to be stripped of his committee assignments — the Democratic Leadership will not conduct a purge.
While emailing Senator Reid on this subject, please keep in mind that this is feet-to-the-fire kabuki theater — in other words, keep the pressure up, but don’t be too harsh or invested in the outcome.
in my mind theres only one thing left for me to say – RUN RUSS RUN!!! hes the only dem who’s been consistent in speaking for progressive dems. its soooo refrehsing!!!
juslin
the GOP is changing their tune about Iraq — nowadays they are using the old line the Brits used about their Empire “If we leave now, the savage natives will slaughter each other so we have the White Mans Burden to bring peace and civilization to them.”
Kennedy from the Courant article:
Man, Kennedy just used Cheney to smack the crap out of Lieberman.
Me too.
I suggest that he be made an offer he can’t refuse, and a horse’s head in his bed just to make sure he gets the message.
revdeb @ 127 sez:
Sy Hersh coming up on Wolfie.
Do tell!
.
Hilde with an E @ 141
That’s my pet peeve too. It’s become part of his name. Anti war canidate Ned Lamont. Just like disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff has
spork_incident @ 143
She’s getting married today — I still haven’t heard any plans for her to go to Iraq to support her Daddy’s Glorious War … http://goarmy.com
op99 @ 123
Oh, I despise Neocon Joe, don’t get me wrong. And I think Reid, Schumer et al should be vocally supporting Ned, and when necessary slapping down Joe for the things he is saying. I think Feingold saying that “Joe’s got it all wrong” (paraphrase) was spot on.
I’m usually one of the more rabid of the rabid lambs hehe…but this is politics, and we do have to choose our battles. I’d rather fight Joe in such a way that enhances Ned’s chances of winning…rather than in a way that may be morally righteous, but just makes us look petty, and has no real effect.
me to me: That particular quote was amazingly brilliant and concise. The listing of the places I thought was particularly smart. YEAH! It’s been so long since I’ve cheered for anyone on the Sunday shows, but today was the day!
Bush-Cheney-Specter, the Trinity of the Anti-Constitution
Leave it to Mary . . .
Russ = sanity in an insane world.
How much more pain for all of us that there are how many YEARS OF DISSERVICE by weak or complicit incumbents?
Can a video of these statements be compiled in rapid-fire order? It would make a great flip-flopper expose piece.
e @
109
And just to show how afraid this administration is of Lamont’s victory, here’s a link from TPM – NBC has learned that the US and the Brits argued over the timing of the terrorist plot discovery…
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/001331.php
egregious @
12
Oh, and I bet THAT’S a cheery wedding. Not.
Knot – I hadn’t seen that reference before “The British official said the Americans also argued over the timing of the arrest of suspected ringleader Rashid Rauf in Pakistan, warning that if he was not taken into custody immediately, the U.S. would “render” him or pressure the Pakistani government to arrest him.”
This is what is going to be more and more a problem for us. Eventually European allies are going to have pressure to not deal with us because we are lawless and it jeopardizes them in their own countries and with their own operations.
At the risk of holding in moderation, I’m going to sling some links at you folks.
After all the word soup from this morning’s programs and Mehlman’s comments, it’s time to take the patient’s temperature and see what’s ailing him.
Note the following charts on traffic for these phrases; “stay the course” and “cut and run” have similar traffic patterns, don’t they? But the problem with looking at these two charts alone is that we cannot tell if the traffic is one-sided, i.e., them talking about us or us talking about them, or exchanges between both.
http://www.technorati.com/chart/”stay the course”
http://www.technorati.com/chart/”cut and run”
The words “redeployment” and “withdrawal” are both high volume in usage, but a fairly flat chart, not a lot of volatility, suggesting that everyone conscious of these issues but not driven by any one event about it.
http://www.technorati.com/chart/redeployment
http://www.technorati.com/char…..wal”
But here’s where it gets quite interesting: “civil war” is rather flat for 180 days (charts above are also 180 days, so that we compare apples and oranges):
http://www.technorati.com/chart/civil war
Look at the one-year trend line on the same phrase, though. The Repugs know we are growing increasingly aware of a civil war in Iraq.
http://www.technorati.com/chart/civil war?chartdays=360&language=n&authority=n
We need to hammer this home, that “stay the course” has led us to a civil war in Iraq. Further, we need to point out these morons have known all along this was a risk, that they were informed in the earliest days of the war that this was a risk and they failed miserably to mitigate it, or failed to execute the war effectively to prevent it. Remember “Mission Accomplished”? What did that mean, that they knew they succeeded in launching a civil war?
Franco @
121
Oh, that was good!
Give ‘em hell, Ted! And GO NED!
Rayne #117….
Yes I have called my reps many times and get the usual talking points from them. Last election I made every effort to vote for Democrats in my district. I even called their offices to find out party affiliation before committing my vote.
Here’s what I got. The person I voted for after being elected switched parties and became a Republican. Last Sunday my doorbell rang and there was a body from the person whom I had voted in as a Democrat now a Repub going door to door handing out literature and looking for votes.
I told this person that when my vote for a Dem became a Repug they lost my vote. When he tried to tell me why this person switched I said I wasn’t interested. He ask “But don’t you want too know why”. I told him no that I was betrayed for my vote and didn’t really care now.
I told him that if my vote for this person believes the Republican agenda and supports this Presidents policies I’m not interested. I said that if spying on american citizens and all the other dictatorial policies of this administration was there cup of tea so too speak, then I couldn’t support them.
I have in the past worked for canidates and have seen the Democratic Party fold over the years in fear of offending anyone.
[Mod Note; George, lets not get too excited here, OK? ]
Anybody here who can get to Swan or Lamont?
Just now on CNN This Week at War, Roberts intros with “anti-war candidate, Lamont”.
Stop the label now. Please. It’s feeding right into their hands, into the script of “Democrats of ‘68″ bullshit that Wills repeated on This Week.
I’m emailing the Lamont campaign, sending what I can to Dem candidates, whoever.
Stop the label. The Democratic Party is NOT anti-war. Try that label on Murtha and see how it fits.
Get in front of it. Rover’s licking his chops as I type this.
neurophius @ 140
You can say that again!
*ilson @ 153
You are a mean person! MEAN MEAN MEAN!
[/Jonah G.]
.
Who was it and where was, yesterday/last night, posting all that juicy AIPAC stuff that I meant to commend to Mary “next time I see her” — and now can’t place? D’oh!
Hilde with and e:
I’m all for making it “anti-crime” instead of anti-war. America’s best role is “good cop” and Bush abandoned that role to start vanity wars. It’s going to be hard to get the hat back, but Dems are the option that will fight crime, be it from al-Qaeda, Congress or the White House.
argued over the timing of the terrorist plot
discoveryad campaign launch…new thread
Hilde with an E at 10:07 am –
Post a comment at the Lamont Blog, specifically addressed to Tim Tagaris. He’ll get the message, and send it upstream.
http://nedlamont.com/blog
Kurt @154, I think it would be a stunning show of strength and resolve for Dems to purge a traitor. We would be perceived as tough and principled, and it would claim the “Iraq War is F*cked Up” position (you know, the American majority position) for the entire party. It’s easily defensible (”hey, Joe changed parties, he’s running against us.”) People would take a new look at Dems and say, “I guess they’re not such wimps and doormats after all.” Granted, it’s probably better if Joe drops out on his own, but he can’t be allowed to call himself a Democrat while opposing the Dem primary winner who vanquished him.
Thanks ck. Will do.
Mary for now – the framing is “war” or “anti-war”. You have to rebut the framing first, then add in the new frame.
So, “anti-Iraq war” AND “anti-crime” AND “always on time for the clue train” AND etc….
George A., much as I despise them too, I can’t support such violence-tainted language as yours and don’t want FDL or myself associated with it.
Though I’m not used to getting what I want from our politics, I want NOT to read that kind of screed here.
What is happening in the committees Lieberman is on? That seems the important question. A lot of committees have important legislation knocking around – waiting to get out of committee. If there are important items – he needs to be yanked. If there isn’t much in his committees, it doesn’t matter. I’m guessing if there were some very important items, Feingold would have been more neutral on whether he stays or goes (I hate to even say the “t” word these days, but I trust Feingold’s judgment).
Mary for now @ 162
So true and so disheartening. Such a quick fall from the world’s grace in such a short time.
I’m wiling to let Joe stay in his committee seats, if there’s so little for them to do between now and Novemeber that they’ll only put in ten days work. But – big but – I don’t think Joe should be allowed in meetings where any planning is done, and he doesn’t get memos on plans and strategy, because he isn’t a Democrat now. (I suspect that he might have leaked plans to Rove/Cheney in the past: who neads wiretaps when you have a convenient mole?)
It sounds like Sen. Feingold was terrific. I’m sorry I missed it.
I did see Howard Dean and he was the best I’ve ever seen.
His comment that there are many solutions to the Iraq problem is interesting. It seems to say ‘let the primary voters sort out the candidates they want’. That’s tres cool, very democratic and alright with me.
———–
The Republicans dominate the White House, the Judiciary, the Senate, the House and perhaps the governor’s seats. We have stayed their course for 5 1/2 years. So what has it gotten us?
We’re much further in debt (never publicized).
We have bashed our military against Iraq with no gain and much loss.
We haven’t finished off the Taliban.
We haven’t finished off Al Qaeda.
We haven’t caught Osama bin Laden.
We didn’t respond well to Katrina in the Gulf area.
We still don’t have a minimum wage increase.
We still have a health care industry running amok.
We still fear nuclear proliferation (and outed Valerie Plame to make it even harder).
We’re still dependent on foreign oil.
Just what does ’staying the course’ get us?
———-
It’s people like Dean, Feingold and Lamont who’ll help get this country (and, to a certain extent, the world) back on track.
Guitar Playing Bastard @ 3
gpb… “boo, that is not appropriate behaviour, mkay.”
Guitar Playing Bastard @ 3
gpb… “boo, that is not appropriate behaviour, mkay.”
others have probably already noticed that Joe Klein, of all people, gets in a few digs:
but then again, he’ll never quite “get it”:
I posted about this here.
“That is exactly the point that republicans and the punditocracy seem to be missing. Iraq is not the central front in the war on terror. Our time, energy, and limited resources could be put to much better use. Under the Democratic plan America would not only be more respected internationally, it would also be safer from the threat of terrorism…”
The dems and Beltway have to give Joe his parade. Him being one of their own kind. That’s to be expected.
Until Congress reconvenes. Then they have to go LBJ on him.
Lieberman’s attack on partisanship and his incongruous characterization of partisan polarization is absurd considering the behavior of the republicans in control of the congress for the last five years. His comments about creating a new politics of unity rising above partisanship doesn’t rise to the level of principles. It’s a scam to “stay the course” and continue his main purpose which is to support the war on Iraq and the neo-con/AIDAC plan for the ME. Ned won, you lost. Be a man and do the right thing, step aside.
lotus @
176
i don’t get it lotus. george is angry but he didn’t say anything that could be interpreted as violent. he didn’t even use any profanity. what gives?
Why not refer to “peace candidate” Ned Lamont?! Let’s let the Republicans hold onto their “pro-war” position and let the voters decide…
Christy, a link with Dean’s statements. I hope today starts the trend of grown-up Democratic Senators with a backbone.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14273400/page/6/
MR. DEAN: I think so. Look, I know how hard this is for Joe, and he’s a good, good person. But the truth is I, I lost one of these races, and I got right behind my party’s nominee, and I think that’s what you have to do if you want to help the country. The way to help this country is to limit Republican power. They have failed in, in the budget, they’ve failed in Iraq, they’ve failed at—with Katrina. I just got back from North Dakota; there’s not—more than a war on terror going on in this country, there’s a war on the middle class going on. There—you know, those folks need help, and we need help domestically. We need a change in this country. We need a new direction, and I think Ned Lamont will give us that new direction.
MR. DEAN: You know, I think that was an unfortunate statement that Joe made.
That’s exactly the same line that Ken Mehlman and, and Dick Cheney are using. The truth is, Ned Lamont is a moderate. Ned Lamont earned his own living. He made a lot of money—and good for him—in, in this American system. He wants a balanced budget, he wants a sane defense policy, he wants health care for all Americans. That is what the Democratic Party believes in. The truth is, most Democrat—most people in this country, let alone Democrats, most Americans, by a large majority, agree with Led—Ned Lamont and not George Bush and, and Joe Lieberman.
MR. DEAN: Sure we are. I think we very much are. You don’t see some of the other senators who were supportive of the war. This is simply—the problem that Joe had was he embraced the president. This is a president who’s been bad for America. You should see what’s going on in North Dakota—farmers who’ve not had any drought relief, people losing their health care. There’s a—the president’s paying no attention to the middle class. Kids want to go to college; they can’t do it now because the president’s cut their Pell grants. There’s a lot of problems in this country that are not being addressed, and Ned Lamont will address those questions.
MR. DEAN: And the Democratic Party will address those questions.
MR. DEAN: Sure. There are many other—many candidates running who don’t believe in a—in a deadline for the troops. The Democratic Party itself is on record saying that we ought to bring our troops home, but we’re not committing to bring our troops home immediately. I don’t know of any—or very few Democrats that want to do that. But we believe, along with the majority of the American people, that this war was a mistake and that—and that it’s, it’s a complete lack of leadership for the president of the United States to say, “Well, we’re going to leave this to the next president.” That is not leadership. This guy got us into this mess; he needs to get us out of this mess.
MR. DEAN: And we—and we will do it if he can’t.
MR. DEAN: Look, first of all, I don’t comment on 2008, I have to be the referee. Second of all, there’s plenty of room for differing points of view on how to defend America.
The problem is, the president has failed to defend America. Since he has been in office, the number of nuclear weapons in North Korea has quadrupled, Iran has moved closer to nuclear weapons, Osama bin Laden has set up shop in Pakistan five years after the fact. I think one of the 9/11 chairs just said it very well: If your top priority isn’t defending the American homeland, then you’re not doing your job. And I think President Bush is not doing his job on defense or domestically.
MR. DEAN: I think that’s—I think that’s outrageous. I mean, that’s the same—again, the same thing Dick Cheney, who’s been widely discredited by most Americans as essentially a propaganda machine, has said. It’s ridiculous. That is saying to the Connecticut voters that you don’t care about American security and saying to the Connecticut voters that they like al-Qaeda. That is a ridiculous thing. The Republicans hope, once again, to win an election based on fear. They—you know, fear-mongering, whining and complaining and name-calling is not going to lead America.
We need a new direction in America, we need a new direction to defend America, and we need a new direction to make the homeland safe, not just in terms of safety from terrorists, but safe for the middle class again. We have seen a decline in the middle class. We need a strong middle class to make America strong again, and with Democratic leadership we’ll have that middle class strong again, with the ability to go to college, with the ability to count on your pension, with the ability to have decent health care.
MR. DEAN: Well, first of all, if you want to fight and win on the war on terror, the fact is Iraq is a distraction. Iraq never had anything to do with the war on terror and that’s just a fact and that’s what the 9/11 Commission said. So it’s not enough to listen to the right-wing folks that claim that we’re fighting the terrorists off the shore so they don’t come on the shore. That is hooey. The people who fought the terrorism best in the last couple of weeks have been the British, who uncovered this plot. We need to upgrade our airport security and we’ve tried to do that in the Democratic Party, and our additions to the budget in Homeland Security have been turned down by the Republican majority. We need a real tough fight on terror, but we need to be tough and smart, not just talk tough.
MR. DEAN: Yes, but I think the way that the president went about pushing for democratic reform was incredibly foolish. It blew up in his face and now Americans are paying the price for that. We needed a much different strategy. The truth was, we were controlling Saddam Hussein’s air space, he had no air force, he had little army. Saddam Hussein was a pain in the neck and a bad person, but the fact is there are a lot of pains in the neck and bad people in this world. And what we should have been concentrating on is getting rid of the Taliban once and for all in Afghanistan who are now making a resurgence, making sure that Iraq—Iran does not have nuclear weapons. That we cannot afford to have—to allow. And to make sure that North Korea is disarmed. Those ought to be the major priorities, because if nuclear weapons get in the hands of terrorists we have a much more serious problem than Saddam ever posed to the United States or to the region.
MR. DEAN: Thanks very much for having me on, David.
I hope they go with the “cut and run”, it is too easy to turn it back on them: Cut the baloney and run the country – since they’ve been in control of everything all through this disastrous admin.
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Did anyone else notice that Feingold, who has been my choice for 2008, conceded the 2008 race to McCain (”he would certainly beat me”) on this program? It really inspires confidence to see leading Democratic contenders conceding two years in advance to a man who is not inevitable.
Russ for Prez. I also want to have his 2-headed love child!