Rahm: "I'm not finding any wobbliness on the war -- at all"

[madfloridian]

They are going to go right along with staying in Iraq. I knew it from the minute they voted to give Bush more spying power on that FISA vote.

I would like to think this is a political game they are playing, but it is not. Rahm is in charge of messaging, and he just sent us the message. It sounds pretty much like shut up and vote to me.

House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) made a round of calls yesterday to freshman Democrats, some of whom recently returned from trips to Iraq and made news with their positive comments on military progress. "I'm not finding any wobbliness on the war -- at all," Emanuel said.

Democrats and the surge

Here are some comments from freshmen Democrats. Jerry McNerney will be hearing from me. We can't vote for him, but we donated. One by one they are selling out the people who cared for the big money.

Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Calif.), who made waves when he returned from Iraq by saying he was willing to be more flexible on troop withdrawal timelines, issued a statement to constituents "setting the record straight."

"I am firmly in favor of withdrawing troops on a timeline that includes both a definite start date and a definite end date," he wrote on his Web site.

But in an interview yesterday, McNerney made clear his views have shifted since returning from Iraq. He said Democrats should be willing to negotiate with the generals in Iraq over just how much more time they might need. And, he said, Democrats should move beyond their confrontational approach, away from tough-minded, partisan withdrawal resolutions, to be more conciliatory with Republicans who might also be looking for a way out of the war.

"We should sit down with Republicans, see what would be acceptable to them to end the war and present it to the president, start negotiating from the beginning," he said, adding, "I don't know what the leadership is thinking. Sometimes they've done things that are beyond me."

Jerry, you get the award for the most "wishy-washy" statements ever made in the name of "bi-partisanship".

I think we should start asking for our donations back when they sell us out.

Yesterday I posted about the changing stances of Republican sort of turned Blue Dog, Tim Mahoney of Florida. He said in July things were bad, now he says things are going just fine.

Mahoney says Blue Dogs are hawks

The war support is our legacy from the DLC and more recently the Blue Dogs. War is good because it makes us appear strong on National Security...and other lies.

Mahoney said:

The president should be free to maintain troops in Iraq, if the purpose is to thwart terrorism. Meanwhile, the U.S. military needs to beef up its capability to fight terrorists elsewhere, including Afghanistan, he said.

If you have not read the new series from Open Left on the Bush Dogs and the Blue Dogs...start with this one and then scroll down the left for more. Matt starts with McNerney and Baird and their spin that we need to stay in Iraq.

Step One in The Bush Dog Campaign: Creating a Public Record

This is a great series.

The Blue Dogs and New Dems have pulled us far to the right. But correct me if I am wrong....the Blue Dogs are equally if not more hawkish than the New Dems about war and invasion and spreading Democracy.

Blue Dogs care about deal-making more than about doing what is right.

30 of the 41 yes votes to give Bush and Gonzales more power on the surveillance issue were Blue Dogs. Six were New Democrats, the rest were not affiliated with either that I could see.

They do not care what we activists think.

[ClassWarrior]

1. Why do threads like this always seem to end with something dismal...

...and hopeless like, "They do not care what we activists think," instead of something like, "What an asshole! Let's kick Rahm's bony ass out of there and get on with the people's agenda!!"



NGU.

[madfloridian]

2. I am kicking, but I am realistic.

I agree, kick their asses out.

[kstewart33]

4. Rahm's bony ass got Dems a Congress majority.

He's tough as nails, and he wins elections.

[madfloridian]

5. Yeh, like I said.

We just shut up and vote next time. Whatever the message, whatever the Democrats do about spying on us and staying in Iraq.

We simply don't matter.

I intend to keep fighting. But I am realistic. The draft is next anyway.

Oh, BTW it was not just Rahm's bony ass that got us the win. Trust me he is not as big and bad and almighty as he thinks.

[xxqqqzme]

12. sorry, rahm's dlc lovin' ass had nothing

to do w/ the Democratic Majority. The DCCC did not support - give money to - any progressive candidates! Hell, he even told McNerney that it was useless to run against pombo. rahm & all the other dlc lackeys are just following the ppi policy. http://www.ppionline.org / is PNAC couched in liberal language. Make no mistake dlc/ppi are just as damaging and the neo-cons & the pnacers.

[madrchsod]

13. did`t do shit for the illinois6th

in fact neither canidate who ran in 2006 are going to run again. all rahm did was piss off a lot of people in the 6th...ya he is`t all what he thinks he is

[KaptBunnyPants]

14. And allows the Republican minority to rule the House

along with the blue dog Republicans. Thanks Rahm.

[tkmorris]

15. Even if I accept that as true

Which I don't by the way, what difference does that make if the Dems that get elected act like Repubs anyway? Have we really won anything in that case?

[Cha]

23. Send his tough as nails bony ass

to Iraq..we'll see how fucking tough he is.

[rucky]

26. Let's see if he can win wars...

because this one now falls squarely in his lap.

[ClassWarrior]

28. If taking credit for the grassroots' hard work is "tough as nails"...

...then, yeah, he's "tough as nails."



NGU.

[ShortnFiery]

29. OMG! "Rahm's as tough as nails"?!? No, he's SMARMY, not tough at all.

All the DLCers are opportunistic parasites who feed off of other people's (Howard Dean, DNC Chairman's goals is what won the Congress) TALENT. Rahm can't open his own mayonnaise jars without help of "a gripper."

[flyarm]

33. bullshit..he fucked up elections in Fla! ..i have nothing nice to say about him!! eom

[flyarm]

34. fuck him..i wouldn't believe a damn word that traitor said ..not a word! eom

[Jim Sagle]

40. DLC hogwash!

Dean's grassroots strategy won it. Rahm almost booted it with his bullshit fake Democrat candidates like Harold Ford and Tammy Suckmydickworth.

[Demeter]

44. Baloney!

The anti-war movement won the last election and put the Democrats in charge of both House and Senate.

[Vinca]

46. What's the point of winning elections if the wishes of the

constituents are ignored? Sometimes I feel totally used by these people. You work for them. You send money. In the end, they get a great job with health benefits, we get screwed because our privacy is invaded, the war isn't ending and Shrub is walking all over everybody.

[MasonJar]

48. Dean won the election, not Rahm. He just took credit. He will not win

us the next one with this kind of rhetoric; the people voted for withdrawal.

[iconoclastic cat]

10. Um, 'cause it's f'ing depressing? nt

[ClassWarrior]

27. Hmmmm... wallow in our misery... THERE'S a winning strategy!!

NGU.

[bluestateguy]

3. The "even" Democrats

"'Even Some Democrats' think the war is going splendidly..."

"'Even Some Democrats' think we need to let the government spy on us without a warrant..."

"'Even Some Democrats' say we should give President Bush the benefit of the doubt..."

[madfloridian]

6. It's called "journalism" now.

It used to be called propaganda.

[Jim Sagle]

42. Coming soon: "Even some Democrats say we should cancel the 2008 election."

[sandnsea]

7. End it in September

Somebody is still fighting to end this war.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[madfloridian]

9. Good for Kerry. But the others are not listening.

That strong on National Security stuff is going to tear our party apart.

Good for Kerry.

[sandnsea]

11. Oh we can be strong on security

the right security. I am so sick of this bullying foreign policy I could just scream.

My 23 year old daughter told me last night she has been having nightmares about war for the past year. No wonder she doesn't watch the news. Why do we want to elect someone who won't make a sharp distinction between foreign policy and antagonistic militarism. Hillary is just not doing it and I don't think she believes a woman can do that and win.

[underpants]

8. DC has already decided

The surge goes on. Yeah only until April but hey what are a few limbs and live to them???

The two threads linked in this thread tell you everything you need to know

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[Totally Committed]

16. Rahm: "I'm not finding any wobbliness on the war -- at all"

Nice to know what's happening on HIS planet...

TC

[madfloridian]

17. Aha, found it. Mahoney: "in this room, I am pro-choice, here."

I just had to post this because it shows up what our party is doing on the issue of Iraq...just like Mahoney did on women's rights. This was while Lutrin, the Democrat, was still in the race.

This is truly priceless. Lutrin used to accuse Mahoney of being anti-choice inland and pro-choice on the coast.

Last Thursday in Florida’s District 16 race, there was supposed to be a Candidate’s Forum between David Lutrin and Tim Mahoney. The agreed upon format was that each candidate would address the audience for an unspecified amount of time and then both candidates would take any and all questions together. It didn’t happen that way. Several hours before the forum, a member of Mahoney’s campaign called the host of the forum and said that Mahoney had to absolutely be out of the forum by 7:45 pm, due to another commitment and wanted to change the format. The new format was for Baloney Mahoney to speak first, then take a few questions and disappear, leaving the remainder of the forum for Lutrin.

At 8:05 pm (20 minutes after Full-of-Baloney Mahoney had to absolutely be out of the Forum) a member of the audience told Mahoney “you haven’t told us where you stand on any of the issues (after speaking for 50 minutes) , where do you stand on abortion, gun control, and capital punishment?"

Mahoney’s response was that he stood where the district stood on the issues. Specifically, on abortion he said “in this room, I am pro-choice, here."

Being pro-choice in one room is not good enough, because hearsay is that he already told the rural community in the district that he is anti-choice.

But that's ok, the Democrat, David Lutrin who had to leave the race for the Republican, Tim Mahoney, Rahm's choice....saved the day.

Anyway, obviously full of baloney, Mahoney finally did leave at 8:10 and Lutrin took control of the room. With confidence and conviction he was crystal clear on the issues.

He said that we need to get out of Iraq, now. He pointed out that Bush created a terrorist haven where one never existed. The longer that we stay there, the more instability we create in the region and, contrary to what is being reported now, the civil war started a long time ago.

http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2006/03/there-is-on...

They tell activists they want out of Iraq, then they tell everyone else they think we are wining.

Baloney.

[flyarm]

35. Rahm did the same damn thing in my county in Fla as well ..fucked a great dem and

gave dlc money and state dem money to a guy who changed his registration 6 weeks before the primary..another republican who became a dem in time to fuck a great Dem candidate..who the fuck are they kidding??

not real dems they are not fooling..they are filling our dem party with repugs who change registration right before primaries..

and the rethugs get the dem money..

fuck, rahm..he fucked our dems in fla!

fuck him all to hell!

he is a lying sac of shit!

oh and ps./..our FDP chair ..took $35,000.00 from a rethug lobbyist while on the dem payroll...and she has Rahm cheer leading her and tell us real dems to shut the fuck up about it!

[AtomicKitten]

18. The OP would probably be surprised to know

that I too think this is bullshit.

Democrats need to start over.

[Totally Committed]

19. Why, AK.....

(I'm not surprised, though.... )


TC

[AtomicKitten]

20. This isn't about party or personality.

I don't know these people, they aren't saying or doing anything in the ballpark of what I believe in and want, and worse they are moving this country in a direction that sucks so much ass I have come to the conclusion, finally, I've had enough.

Even my patience has run out.

[Totally Committed]

24. I hear THAT!

TC

[jgraz]

30. Hey, AK. Welcome to the club!

Now stop posting about it before you get banned.

[AtomicKitten]

37. You can tell me.

Did I have you at "sucks so much ass"?

Duck and cover.

[PassingFair]

38. !

And you had a LOT of patience.

I SEEN it!

[AtomicKitten]

39. I did.

I always thought that was a virtue; now not so much.

[madfloridian]

21. Open Left on Brian Baird and Jerry McNerney and their support for the surge.

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=922

Video and write-up.

[babylonsister]

31. I saw that POS Baird's video;

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[Cha]

22. Rah Rah Rahm...Let's hear it for the

BuSHITS WAR ON IRAQ..IT'S SO FUCKING GGRRREAT!

The corporatewhoreheads have taken over and they feel really confident they can do just what they want ..SCREW WHAT THE REAL PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY THINK.

[madfloridian]

25. Help tighten the leash on the Bush dogs...

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/8/22/94647/5187

This is great idea.

BTW does anyone else freeze then they try to go to Fire Dog Lake? This has become a problem for me quite often lately. Since their new format I think.

Some of the links from DailyKos and Open Left go there without saying so and my browser freezes.

[defendandprotect]

32. Let's get rid of Emmanuel and the DLC ---

[madfloridian]

36. Oh, my...a little off topic but I just visited some blogs for centrists

and what they call Right Democrats.

They appear to have latched on to one talking point, and they really stick with it.

It is this: they say moderate and conservative Democrats have a right to be in the party.

Ok, I agree. But where in God's name did they come up with that talking point? Is it the talk of running someone against them in the primaries? Hey...Rahm did it. Chuck did it. That makes it ok, you know. Heck, you know that progressive Steve Cohen in TN? Harold Ford may be involved with the group that is going to fund and run someone against him for being too progressive. So, hey, fair is fair.

The centrists overall are for staying in Iraq, they are for giving Bush the power of wiretapping without having to worry about the FISA courts. In fact their votes on the FISA bill even concerned some of the FISA judges who then urged Bush to cooperate with the ACLU.

If they sell us out on those two major major issues....what is coming next?

[Dr.Phool]

41. And I think we have the right to throw them out.

I know it's like trying to push a boulder uphill, beating an incumbent in a primary. But, if a good candidate can get the right core of people around them, and they're dedicated. It can be done.

But, me. I've run out of patience and energy. And money.

[ToeBot]

43. Jerry McNerney? What's he trying to do, give the seat back to Pombo? nt

[Cronopio]

45. One surefire way to piss off Rahm and the DLC hacks.

Make Kucinich electable.

You want to send a wakeup cal to the corpoDems that think they own your vote (as you have nowhere else to go). Make Kucinich electable.

That's all you need to do.

[MasonJar]

47. They both need someone to challenge them in the primaries...someone strong!

I hate to tell you, Rahm, but the public who vote are wobbly, really wobbly. Represent us or get out of town. This is an illegal war and must be ended!!!!!!!!!

[proud2BlibKansan]

49. Glad you figured it out

They really don't care what we activists think. They want us to pound the pavement for them but they don't care what we want.