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Monday, November 21, 2005
Sirota Nails It (Again)
Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) is one of the Clinton administration leftovers that irks me no end. He's a "centrist" DLC apologist to the core and heads the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). Recall that this was the organization that pushed the ad showing Osama bin Laden and Heather Wilson in the 2004 CD1 campaign of Richard Romero. I remember that Romero's polling numbers dove precipitously directly afterwards. These guys know their stuff. Well, they know the self-serving conventional wisdom of Beltway operatives anyway. Cookie cutter blather!
Experience the Rahm Emanuel take on Rep. John Murtha's call for troop withdrawals from Iraq, courtesy of David Sirota:
And when it comes to defense-related issues, there literally is no member of Congress more informed and more pro-military than Murtha. That's why his announcement yesterday demanding an immediate withdrawal from Iraq was so important: because if someone like Murtha says its time for a withdrawal, then any Democrat in America should be able to say it's time for a withdrawal.
Yet, in response to Murtha's announcement, some Democrats seemed to leap at the chance to embarrass themselves, and publicly flaunt just how nauseatingly spineless they are. And there is no better example of this than Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) in today's Washington Post. Here is the excerpt -- try not to projectile vomit all over your computer screen when you read it:
"Murtha's Democratic colleagues reacted warily to his remarks, while Republicans pounced. Rep. Rahm Emanuel (Ill.), head of the House Democrats' campaign effort, said, 'Jack Murtha went out and spoke for Jack Murtha.' As for Iraq policy, Emanuel added: 'At the right time, we will have a position.'"
Remember, this is the same Rahm Emanuel who likes to talk about how tough he is, and who likes to have his friends go out and talk about the hardness of his testicles. His comment is not tough -- it is classic try-to-have-it-both-ways prevarication that reinforces the image of Democrats as governed only by crass political tactics and not conviction. And worse, it is a total insult to America's troops.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
November 21, 2005 at 06:36 PM in Iraq War | Permalink
Comments
I don't know where you got your information, but the DCCC had nothing to do with the Osama ad and actually thought it was a big mistake. That's why the DCCC ran the ad detailing Heather's voting record with the president--an attack that worked and brought her numbers down.
I don't think Emanuel was the head of the DCCC in 2004, either.
It's important to get those facts straight.
It was the Romero campaign alone that took the gamble with the Osama ad.
Posted by: Mark | Nov 21, 2005 8:44:03 PM
I second that. The Osama ad was a Romero ad, not a DCCC ad. And Rahm wasn't the chair in 2004, it was the late Congressman Matsui from CA. If you want to rip on the DCCC and Rahm fine, but do it with correct information.
Posted by: | Nov 21, 2005 9:43:44 PM
First, you need to read more carefully. I never said that Emanuel was the head of the DCCC during the CD1 election. Regardless of who is heading the DCCC, its approach is well known to be straight out of the Beltway with cookie cutter campaign consulting that takes little account of unique circumstances locally. I've heard and read about many examples of this concerning races in a variety of districts.
Second, why should anyone believe what you are posting when you refuse to identify yourself? If you have some "facts" to refute what I'm saying, why not add your real name and email address so that people can judge for themselves whether you have any credibility or not? I've heard something different than what you are saying about the Osama ad. Maybe it's right or maybe it's wrong, but anonymous comments won't convince me one way or the other.
Third, I notice you don't provide any response to the main point of the post -- that Emanuel's response to Murtha is emblematic of how certain elements of our Party use an ineffective, almost laughable tip-toe approach to taking a stand on the most important issues of the day.
Posted by: barb | Nov 22, 2005 9:06:44 AM
Here's another nail in the coffin of the "DC Dems":
https://www.alternet.org/story/28581/
Posted by:LD | Nov 22, 2005 9:43:42 AM
Sad again that the first and second posts to this thread argue about some irrelevant point...more blahblah from some weak-spined, I assume to be Democrat, too chicken to leave their names.
Meanwhile more troops dead! more Iraqis dead! More money flying like never before out of this country!
Hey Mark and no name, the ones who want all the facts straight and correct information...feel good?
Posted by: mary ellen | Nov 22, 2005 12:10:04 PM
"At the right time, we will have a position." Hmm, I wonder when that will be. When 2500 of our troops are dead? 3000? 4000? When the polls show 99% support of a pullout? When?
Meanwhile, as Murtha said, the future of the nation and the world is in jeopardy.
Posted by: Nmexdem | Nov 22, 2005 12:18:58 PM
