Vilsack Warns Against Opposing Eavesdropping - DM Reg

[Debi]

Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack (D) said that Democrats "risk political backlash if they object to the Bush administration's wiretapping but cannot show that Americans' civil liberties are at risk," the Des Moines Register reports. "The Democratic governor, who is weighing a 2008 presidential bid, said the party will suffer if it continues to be perceived as weaker than Republicans on national security."

Said Vilsack: "I think Democrats are falling into a very, very large political trap."


On edit:

Link:

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060131/NEWS09/601310392

(Sorry, I got this from the Wake Up Call and had to head over to the DMR to grab the link)

[CornField]

1. Each day I wake up and bizarro world inches closer

"Democrats are not going to win elections until they can reassure people they are going to keep them safe."

WTF is that, Tom?!?

People who believe that the foreign policy put in place by the Bush administration keeps them safe deserve nothing more than the safety it has provided. Instead of "proving ourselves" again and again and again, why don't we just start telling the truth:

1) The Bush administration manipulated evidence and flat-out lied in order to invade Iraq

2) Because the administration was so gung-ho on an Iraqi invasion, the military did not finish the job in Afghanistan and has not to this day caught Osama bin Laden (or any of his higher ups)

3) Prior to the invasion, Iraq was mostly terrorist-free. The problems between bin Laden, Al Qaeda and Hussein were well documented. Al Qaeda and bin Laden would never located their radical Islamic bases in such a "secular" country.

4) The number of innocent Iraqi civilians who have died as "collateral damage" is estimated between 100,000 and 500,000 -- not even our own government is sure how many have died.

5) The U.S. Congress handed the Bush administration the right to use force against Iraq as a bargaining chip before the U.N. It was never expected air strikes would begin so soon -- or that they would begin before the administration came back to Congress for a formal declaration of war.

6) The Bush administration repeatedly uses the attacks of Sept. 11th as a catalyst to change our country -- but not based on the recommendations put forth by the 911 Commission. Increased border security has not taken place. Airport security is even more lax than before Sept. 11th. Millions of miles of railway and highway sit as open targets. Tunnels, large enough to drive a car through, mark the U.S. and Mexico border. Only 1 out of every 250 pods are scanned at our nation's ports. If you put it all down on paper, the Bush administration has only succeeded at one thing: removing more and more fundamental rights from the American people.

Now, because we might be perceived as "opposition," we are to look the other way when the man who swore an oath to defend our Constitution insteads turns around, drops his drawers and shats all over it?!?

Guess what, Tom!? We are the opposition! And if you or any of your DLC cronies had half a spine you'd be out there raising hell about the attacks on freedom right here at home.

The Democratic Party isn't weak because we would rather try every other peaceful avenue before going to war. We aren't weak because we believe that ALL life - not just American life - is precious and should be protected and cherished. We aren't weak because we want to make sure that every American citizen has adequate healthcare, living wages and food to eat each night. Our weakness doesn't arise from our platform or from our Democratic ideals. Our weakness boils down to you and politicians like you who are unwilling to make a stand based on those ideals.

[Debi]

2. So, does this mean you won't hold a Vilsack '08 house party?

x( Just joking. I don't know how much more of an appeaser he can become before he actually switches parties just to show he can be just as good of a republican as he can pretend to be a Democrat. :shrug:

[CornField]

3. LMAO! No little smokies at CornField's house!

One half of me wants to apologize for losing my cool with that post... the other half of me is happy to finally have it come out.

Both sides agree, however, that this is getting way too far under my skin for comfort. I'm going to take a break. Be good, everyone.

[progressoid]

4. WTF??? Even Grover Norquist thinks it's a bad idea.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/01/26/MNG24GTB8O1.DTL

Man, I am so tired of Democrats wringing their hands over anything that may make them look soft on national security. Before he starts blathering on about political traps, maybe he should read some of the polls out there. Like, ummm, the one to the left of that article!!!

http://cmsimg.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=D2&Date=20060131&Category=NEWS09&ArtNo=601310392&Ref=V1&maxw=250

[rurallib]

5. Jesus! Did he take a stupid pill or what ?????

Democrats do not oppose wiretapping!! They just believe that it should be done within the confines of 1) the CONSTITUTION and 2) the current operative law.
Just because all the talking heads (xcept Olberman and Amy Goodman) are stupid doesn't mean Democratic leaders need to condone their idiocy in supporting the goddamned illegal wiretaps.
Son of a bitch, Tom, you make Democrats look bad and Iowans look bad. Have a nice run for the kingship.

[rurallib]

6. Second thought - the Sack must wanna be prez pretty bad!

Maybe we better be careful calling out of state. Tom will probably be tapping out of state calls, because it's the thing to do today.

[Debi]

7. I guess Vilsack has 'clarified' his remarks

"Republicans have spread the idea and continue to spread the idea that Democrats are weak on national security and can’t protect Americans. Vilsack wants to make sure Republicans can’t keep doing that, and when you look at current polling, if Democrats can’t put out a coherent message that we’re against the terrorists but for civil liberties of all Americans, it makes it really hard to prove that we really are tough on security. Democrats have to offer a clear alternative message and with a complex issue like this, it is hard to do."


http://politicalwire.com/archives/2006/02/02/vilsack_clarifies_remarks.html


(Maybe the DLC will write one for us x()

[Broke Dad]

8. Be careful . . .

Vilsack does want to be President bad. . . and he is not afraid to hurt people to get there.

Vilsack is only one step removed from W on the secrecy front. He has ordered Iowa state agencies to close their records to the public and press. The worst is nursing home violations. Now all violations are sealed or blacked out. But its just one of many. . .

[Debi]

9. Vilsack has already done his damage to me and my family

I've seen how he operates (which makes me think that Culver should watch his tail during this primary).

Come caucus night (whether Iowa goes First or 23rd like Vilsack would want it) I WILL NOT be standing for Vilsack.

[pstans]

10. Unfortanately, I see Vilsack as part of the problem

not part of the solution. Vilsack would have definitly voted with the 19 Senators who voted against a fillibuster on Alito.

[yellowdog]

11. Vilsack is just another

DLC robot. It is people like him that have taken the Democratic Party away from what it is supposed to be. I have been a Democrat all my life but it is getting to be harder all the time when you have to look at the elected members of this party that are too scared to fight. Half of them crap their pants every time a Republican says boo.

[Hardrada]

12. Vilsack has always been a liability.

He has vetoed some crap but has had appalling ideas (one was a not-so-subtle paraphrase of the Stanley Amendment). Another was his pigheaded idea of a Teacher Compensation Bill which the ISEA begged him NOT to sign after the leg. repugs cooked it up in secret sessions. He signed it anyway and placed chains on IA education and very little of the extra money that was supposed to come with it. Christie is good at dog and pony shows though. She'd fit in a s a good DLC wife.

[Debi]

13. As long as she gets to give nice little speeches at big conventions

and endorse whichever candidate Tom tells her to on cue....:eyes:

[Debi]

14. Oh, Crap...the rest of DU just found out about this....

front page and all..:cry:

Iowa may never live this one down....:eyes:


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x342615

[Broke Dad]

15. Kiss President Vilsack Goodbye

While the right wing love presidents who spy on us, Dems are violently opposed. Vilsack's play from the DLC book just shot off the toes on his presidential foot.

[pstans]

16. Huge thread on this on the main page

It has like 300 replies. Not many good comments about Iowa's Vilsack. :toast:

[Debi]

17. We should post on the thread (some of us already have)

supporting Iowa and Iowa Democrats, but be honest about our feelings toward Vilsack and his tenure as Governor (some here may like him and what he has done to our state :shrug:)

[tom2]

18. Same o same o tonight

I had a chance to speak with the governor tonight, and when I was walking away I came back and said that "I wish you would be more aggressive in criticizing the illegal wiretapping, which goes against the constitution and clearly is in violation of the FISA laws. You don't have to be soft on terrorism, just stick up for the rule of law!"

Vilsack came back with the same line: "Democrats need to be careful . . . ."

Someone else came up, and I thanked him for his time.

If given a chance, I think it is important to keep raising issues like this with DLC types. I criticized Evan Bayh on his Iraq war stance when I had a chance, and he took it pretty well.

I was probably the only person tonight, out of about 250, that said anything at all challenging to Vilsack, and it was in a private conversation. By itself, my comments are not going to change his thinking, but if he hears this stuff everywhere he goes, he might start thinking about how wrong he and the DLC are.

[Debi]

19. Good for you. Now hope he didn't remember your name

Cuz if he did you'll be taken off all the invite lists for the State of Iowa!

[tom2]

20. Think so?

Actually, I was thinking of campaigning to get on the state party central committee. Did I ruin my chances?

In truth, it was not at all confrontational, and it was after we talked about getting a 4th Congressional District candidate. I doubt he took it as a threat.

[Debi]

21. Vilsack usually already has his choice for State Central Committee

Decided before anyone tries to run. But I could be wrong, no reason not to try. (Because the State Central Committee governs the IDP, the Governor wants to make sure his 'friends' are the people on the Committee).

[tom2]

22. District Convention

As I was informed, the 5 congressional districts each hold elections for their district central committee, and these 6 individuals are automatically members of the state central committee. So, I think it would be hard for anyone to have complete control of these 30 members of the state central committee. If the grassroots want to have a say, they have to be delegates to the district conventions in April, and then they can vote for the candidates they like.

If we want to improve the direction of the state party, I think the best thing to do is to make sure we are delegates to the district conventions, and then vote for progressive members to the respective central committees.

[Debi]

23. I'm not going to argue

I hope you get elected.

I know that the people who are on the committee usually get re-elected to the committee by an overwhelming margin.

Please keep me informed as we head into the District Convention.

[tom2]

24. I heard that, too.

Yes, the power of the incumbency seems to rule. It is always hard to knock off incumbents, and it may be next to impossible in this case. But then again, there may be new activists this year showing up at the county and district conventions, and who knows?

Howard Dean's 50 state strategy is only going to work if the states cooperate and agree to share some of their power with the grassroots. I am not sure it will work in Iowa with the current state party. But maybe I am not giving them enough credit.

[Debi]

25. The more candidates that don't rely on the State Party to win elections

The more grass roots will gain power.

Vilsack gutted the State Party after the 2004 elections, he then put in place his team for the 2006 race (or should I say 2008 race?).

If a candidate (and I mean Board of Supervisors up to U.S. Congress) wants to win in 2006 they'd better have a plan in place that pays lip service to the State Party but only relies on themselves. I'm very unhappy with the way the Governor dismantled the Party for his own use (and the fact that the Party has done almost no fund raising for the 2006 elections - the Party Chair doesn't want to do much fund raising for the Party since she's busy being the Lt. Governor :eyes:)

Dean may very well be Iowa's savior in 2006 if Vilsack doesn't get in his way.

[tom2]

26. I've got some questions

Debi, could you send me an e-mail? I have not had enough posts to contact you by e-mail, and I would like to get your input on a couple of things. You seem quite experienced with state party politics.

[Debi]

27. Unfortunately you can't receive emails yet either.

You can try to IM me on my aol account - otherwise start a vanity thread in the Lounge and introduce yourself to other DUers. That will get your post count up quick and then you can use the internal PMs. :shrug: Don't know what else to tell you.

I actually don't have a whole lot of State Party experience. I've only gone as far as serving on the District Central Committee and County Central Committee. I've been a County/District/State Delegate as well, but that's it. Never served on State Central Committee or been in the DNC club. I just know people who have and listen to their stories.

Anyway, hurry and get your post count up (I think you only need a few more to be able to PM people).

[IA_Seth]

28. Yeah, I think you only need 3 more...

I think you have to have 50 messages to allow PMs...

How bout you reply to this and tell everyone about yourself!