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Thursday, April 27, 2006
Madrid, Wesley Clark Call on Wilson to Ask Tough Questions About Iraq War
Attorney General Patricia Madrid and General Wesley Clark stood with nearly two dozen Albuquerque veterans in Bataan Memorial Park on Wednesday to call on incumbent Representative Heather Wilson to finally start asking the tough questions to hold the Bush Administration accountable for the flawed intelligence and failed leadership that took the United States to war in Iraq.
“Republican Heather Wilson has stood lock step with George Bush and Dick Cheney in support of this war,” Madrid said. “She sits on the House Committee on Intelligence and yet she’s never asked the tough questions. She never questioned the flawed intelligence on which we went to war; she’s never asked when our troops will be coming home; and she’s never questioned the leadership of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Heather Wilson is part of the Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld team. She’s one of them.”
Clark, a retired four-star Army general and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, added, “The people of New Mexico deserve someone in Congress who will support the men and women in uniform by demanding from the White House a strategy for success in Iraq. Patricia Madrid has made a career of standing up for people and demanding answers to difficult questions. She’s just the kind of leader we need on Capitol Hill.”
Madrid also officially joined Clark in calling for Rumsfeld to resign.
“I have serious concerns about the way Donald Rumsfeld has conducted this war,” Madrid said. “I believe strongly that it is time for him to resign and for new leadership to come on board.”
Madrid further expressed deep concern about the casualties of the war.
“This war has cost us too much -- 2,390 American lives,” Madrid said. “Further, more than 17,000 young men and women have been wounded. This state has buried 17 of its own children. It is time to bring the troops home.”
(Click on photos for larger images. All photos courtesy of Dan Quan www.danquan.com.)
April 27, 2006 at 10:28 AM in Candidates & Races | Permalink
Comments
I like it! Strong statements about Rumsfeld and the war. Keep it up Patsy.
Posted by: DLC | Apr 27, 2006 3:11:29 PM
I agree with the comment above. Madrid must keep speaking out strongly this way about the war and add to that a strong push for ethics reform.
We can win this race if Madrid fights hard!
Posted by: Catherine G. | Apr 27, 2006 4:18:29 PM
Strong statement?? Since when is "I have serious concerns" a strong statement?
A strong statement would be pithy and Hemingwayesque: Bush and Rumsfeld have bungled this war. Their incompetence has killed 2,390 good soldiers. Bush should be impeached, and he and Rumsfeld tried for war crimes.
Those would be strong statements, and hard campaigning. Instead, we get a fundraising event ($250 contribution to go to the private event with Clark) followed by a staged press event and photo op. Whoopee. That's the strategy that let Kerry lose this state.
Posted by: Michael H Schneider | Apr 27, 2006 10:02:05 PM
come on mike, did you read the rest of madrid's statement? you cited the "serious concerns" but you didn't cite the following strong, decisive and progressive statements:
"It is time to bring the troops home."
"I believe strongly that it is time for him (Rumsfeld) to resign"
These are strong, progressive statements Mike. Just because she stopped short of calling for impeachment doesn't mean she's not a strong progressive.
I've always wondered what good impeachment would do to the progressive cause. It would take the focus AWAY from our issues and the problems of everyday Americans for an extended period of time. Then, even if we were successful, and we got Bush out, who do we get next? CHENEY! CONDI! RUMMY! After wasting tons of time on impeachment and not focusing on solving America's problems - even if we win and we get rid of the figurehead (Bush), the rest of the right wing apparatus is STILL IN CONGROL OF GOVERNMENT. What would we have accomplished, again?
Posted by: not michael schneider | Apr 28, 2006 9:50:48 AM
We would have aired all the filthy laundry of BushCo, that's what. The Republican Party as now constituted and the neocon "cause" would die a well-deserved death!
Posted by: Greenie | Apr 28, 2006 10:34:50 AM
so, revenge is more important that solving this country's problems and helping people?
Posted by: revenge | Apr 28, 2006 10:41:37 AM
No, not revenge. It's about totally discrediting this way of dealing with the world, with human rights, with other nations, with human civil rights, with environmental policy, with transparency and accountability in the executive branch and much more. Were the Nurenberg trials about revenge? Sure, but they were also about putting the facts into the historical record so they could be used to try to ensure that those horrors would never happen again.
We are in a crisis on the planet, in the nation and worldwide because of the really evil works of this president and his buddies. It needs to be bared to the world with no holds barred. It's clear the whiny, weak Dems won't be doing it on their own so people around the nation are taking it up themselves.
We need to stop this shit NOW.
Posted by: Greenie | Apr 28, 2006 10:58:34 AM
Let's face it! It is pretty much unsustainable in so many ways it is staggering. I agree with greenie. Most of the dems don't have a clue. Did any one else read about the sham of a press conference with dems pretending they had fuel efficient cars. But only to get into these jumbo suv's and lincolns to go like three blocks. I guess they are afraid to even walk. What the f is up with that?? I truly believe that 99% of the senators have no clue as far as what is really going on out here in this country. 0 clue.
Only one I think has a clue...Russ Feingold.
Posted by: mary ellen | Apr 28, 2006 4:39:07 PM
Come on, not-mike. If that's your real name.
"I believe strongly that it is time for him [Rumsfeld] to resign" is not a strong statement. Too prolix. Too wordy. Circumlocutous. Try "Rumsfeld must resign".
"Bring the troops home now" would be strong. "It is time to bring the troops home" is weak, passive.
And staged photo-ops and $250 a plate fund raisers signal a campaign that's trying to buy the election through the media. That's hardly progressive
Posted by: Michael H Schneider | Apr 28, 2006 7:15:33 PM
You are putting too much into semantics.
Rest assured that Patsy will bring these guys to account IF the Dems take the congress next election.
It is a safe bet that Heather will not do a damn thing to slow down the rolling disaster of Republican rule. While Heather pays lip service to questioning warrentless wire-tapping, it rolls on unabated. Heather never can or will do anything to stop or hold accountable Republicans.
As for fundraising, this is the way it is done. Criticize the distastful gathering of money all you like but Heather has no qualms collecting from Big Oil pacs, Big Pharma, Fundie Christian organizations, War profiteers, predatory finance companies, insurance companies, corrupt congressional pacs and Monsanto you name your worst nightmare.
Patsy needs a donation from YOU. Patsy needs YOUR support and your VOTE.
Posted by: qofdisks | Apr 29, 2006 1:40:14 PM
Thank you Cindy, or Gofdisks, or whoever you are.
"Putting too much into semantics" - is that really what you mean? Semantics is the study of the meaning of words. Surely you are not saying I'm overly concerned with meaning?
Yes, Heather bad. You say that, at some length. I've heard Patsy say that, too. Repeatedly, in the four speeches I've heard her deliver. It probably would have been five, had she not simply blown off her promised appearance at the January DFNM meeting. I've seen the same message in several fundraising emails and snail mails. In fact, it seems to be the campaign's main message.
"As for fundraising, this is the way it is done." Why? Can you not at least venture a reason for repeating the same mistake the Kerry campaign made? You go on to point out that Heather may be worse - but saying "Heather did it first" is a lousy excuse.
"Patsy needs a donation from YOU. Patsy needs YOUR support and your VOTE." Yes, that's the chant, the mantra, the credo. The message: Heather bad, send money.
Somehow I got on the NRA fundraising list, and last night I got a call. Their message: Hillary bad, send money.
It's nice to be appreciated solely for one's money.
Posted by: Michael H Schneider | Apr 29, 2006 5:51:56 PM
Raising money was not Kerry's mistake. He may have even won the election given Republican voting fraud.
Kerry did not speak strongly about the war. He did not speak clearly about anything. The Republican lie machine butchered him. He failed to defend himself.
Do you think that any Dem candidate is going to be able to defend themselves against the Republican slander machine much less get out a progressive messege without money?
Until campaigns are publically funded this IS the system.
It isn't just that Heather is bad (she is) it is that Patsy has a proven track record of taking care of the people in this state.
The measure of a woman is in her wisdom and her wisdom is progressive.
This is not a woman that was born rich. She has made herself entirely with the guidance of good parents and the luck of a strong supportive husband. Not only does she deserve every success, the State of NM deserves her.
Posted by: qofdisks | Apr 30, 2006 4:33:39 PM
When will A/G Madrid tell the voters in Congressional District 1 why she did not prosecute the 1999 Kick Back Scandal? According to the Media, A/G Madrid called the Kick Back Scandal to Political. Let's not forget that the 1999 Kick Back Scandal and today's Kick Back Scandal were the same players. Eli Chavez, Independent
Posted by: Eli Chavez | Apr 30, 2006 8:16:26 PM
Raising money was not Kerry's mistake.
The mistake, that Madrid is repeating, is believing that a big money advertising campaign will win the election despite utter and complete disorganization in the operation of the campaign. The Kerry campaign had thousands of volunteers operating at cross purposes, hindering one another rather than cooperating. The Madrid campaign seems to be on the same path. No volunteer organization. No voter registration organization. No voter contact organization. Instead of building an organization, the only goals are money and media attention. That's just what the people who led the Kerry campaign are telling Madrid to do. I fear the same result.
Posted by: Michael H Schneider | Apr 30, 2006 8:48:51 PM
Do you think that any Dem candidate is going to be able to defend themselves against the Republican slander machine much less get out a progressive messege without money?
How much money?
More than fifty bucks per vote? That's (very roughly) what I figure Madrid's already well on her way to having - fifty bucks for each voter she could possibly sway. Some will vote for Heather no matter what, some for Madrid no matter what, so I don't count them.
Do I think having $75 rather than $50 per voter would make a tremendous difference? Not really.
Do I think there are more effective ways of communicating with voters than buying $50 worth of advertising per voter? You betcha.
So yes, I think she could get her message out without having to raise more than $1.5 or two million dollars. Of which she has more than $1.1 million already.
Posted by: Michael H Schneider | Apr 30, 2006 9:22:07 PM
I think one of the most troubling aspects of the Madrid campaign is that it's been tagged as one of the hot races by the DCCC, an outfit full of connections with ineffective DC media consultants and strategists. This means they will be calling the shots and it's obvious they are already. Big dollar fundraisers. The lack of a functioning grassroots component, etc.
These insiders can't think their way out of a paper bag and absolutely detest anyone with energy, new ideas or courage. Read these two recent posts on Firedoglake, which discuss these and other problems with "establishment" campaign people, as discussed in the book by Kos and Jerome Armstrong, Crashing the Gate:
https://tinyurl.com/rxds6
https://tinyurl.com/paf6z
Posted by: Old Dem | May 1, 2006 11:00:23 AM
