For those feeling sorry for Lincoln Chafee.

[last1standing]

Many people here seem to almost feel sorry for this guy (I even fell for it for a bit) but the truth is regardless of his individual votes he supported the party that passed these bills:
* The Iraq War Resolution
* The (un)patriot act
* Massive tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy
* Cheney's energy bill
* Bankruptcy reform
* Medicare reform
* The suspension of Habeas Corpus.

His willingness to remain a repub helped deny the people from seeing proper investigations into the following:
* Enron
* Cheney's energy policy
* Oil price collusion
* Warrantless wiretapping
* Outing Valerie Plame
* The real reasons for going to war
* The foley scandal
* The abramoff scandal

He sat by quietly as:
* Our rights were stripped
* Our economy was ravaged
* Our world was brought closer to destruction
* Ultra-conservative judges such as roberts and alito were railroaded through the senate.

Chafee didn't vote in favor of many of these various policies, he didn't support many of the things that happened, but by caucusing with the repubs he knew each and every one of these things would happen. He knew in 2002 about Enron, the tax cuts and the (un)patriot act. He knew in 2004 about the oil collusion, lies about the war, the energy policy, abramoff and the faltering economy. And by 2006 he knew about everything else. What kind of man is so tied to a political party that he's willing to endorse, either by active support or omission, the things listed above?

I am glad Chafee is out of the senate and that we now have someone in his place who will work toward reversing at least some of the damage Chafee has quietly presided over.

Congratulations Senator Whitehouse!


Edited for grammar.

[AlCzervik]

1. his party left him.

[Bucky]

3. Well, apparently so did his constituents.

But there is a part of me that's wondering if maybe he subconciously threw the race.

[AlCzervik]

4. i think he was not surprised in the end.

[last1standing]

7. But he was too foolish to leave the party.

Whether his father asked him to stay with it on his deathbed or not, do you suppose he ever meant for his son to turn into the polar opposite of what he originally stood for?

Lincoln Chafee made some big mistakes in the name of honor but the rest of us did not deserve to suffer for his false sense of duty.

[adamuu]

2. he said his family had been in the R party

for generations
sad the party left him.
whether or not that was a valid reason for staying in the party is debatable.
nice post. point taken.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

5. Had He Switched...

I realize he couldn't, and he was vested in his repub position, but if he had switched during the prior session of Congress, and run as a Democrat or even an Independent who caucussed with the Democrats, in the primary, he probably would have been able to pull a Lieberman and won.

[Hippo_Tron]

6. Chafee is a good guy who dug his own grave

Had he aligned with the Democrats he would be returning to the Senate as a member of the majority party. Whitehouse is also a great guy who will make a great Senator.

[last1standing]

10. But he didn't.

He sat by while our country was systematically raped. How do we forgive that so easily?

[Hippo_Tron]

14. What's to forgive? The guy rightfully lost his seat

I acknowledge that for the most part he's a good guy and he's on our side on a lot of things but he learned the hard way that you can't enable the devil.

Also, in another thread someone mentioned that he is considering leaving the Republican Party and says that it was a good thing that the Democrats took congress.

[Zodiak]

31. A lot of people sat by while this country was raped

That particular crime crosses party lines a bit.

I hold Chafee responsible, but I also hold the Democrats whose voting record was the same or worse than Chafee's resposible, as well.

There were about 8 of them in the Senate. They are all still there.

Let's make sure we do not forgive them, either. Unless, of course, they get on board and fly straight from here on out. Time will tell.

[last1standing]

32. I couldn't agree more.

That's why I didn't vote for stabenow for the senate this time. There comes a point where you can't just say "well, they're better than the repub". Once you vote to destroy Habeas Corpus, the line's been crossed.

I'm sure there'll be people who think this is just another "party purity" thread, but it's not. We need to be a big tent and allow people into the party who don't always agree with the most progressive opinions. I just don't think we should be so big that we forget the very basics for which the Democratic party is supposed to stand such as civil rights, free speech and support for the working class. Chafee may have voted himself for each of these things, but by caucusing with the repubs he made sure that his individual vote would not count. It's kind of like handing a homicidal maniac a gun then telling him you don't support him shooting your neighbor. You still share in the guilt, and there is definitely blood on Lincoln Chafee's hands.

[charlyvi]

8. Scuttlebut is he might change parties.

Rumor has it on various blogs he may switch to "D". He admitted that the power shift in Congress is good for the country. He's also sticking to his NO on Bolton--he could be bitchy and vote yes on him for spite. I kind of like the guy.

[last1standing]

9. It's a shame it took the repubs losing both houses for him to change his mind.

I wonder why he didn't come to this conclusion before all the things mentioned above happened, or at some point after they started. Surely he could see what his colleagues were doing.

It's easy to admit mistakes after they've been pointed out. He needed to admit them and help change the situation before he was voted out.

[charlyvi]

12. What you say is true, of course.

But looking at it from the personal side, he comes from generations of Republicans--his father was a Republican senator. It must be heartbreaking for him to see what his party has become. From my head, I think he must be an idiot to remain with a party that clearly is out of sync with his principles; from my heart, I can understand how difficult switching parties must be for him. Hopefully, he'll come to a decision he can live with. As I said, I like the guy.

[Robbien]

11. Chaffee has a great career ahead of him with the lobbyists

He will be a terrific "get" for any lobby firm because Chaffee has great relationships with both parties.

Not feeling too sorry for him over here.

[last1standing]

13. My guess is that he switches to Dem and runs for governor...

when the current one decides to move on. I suppose that's fine, but it'll be a long time before I forget his dispicable inaction in the senate (not that it matters since I don't live in RI). I hope the good citizens of RI feel the same way.

[never_get_over_it]

15. If it wasn't for control of the Senate I would have totally supported him

BECAUSE he is the only republican that I have any respect for. He is the ONLY repub to vote against Iraq War Resolution - something that so many DU Dem favorites can not say - he also voted against the Military Commissions Act - something that the new Senator of Ohio can't say - nor the defeated Dem Senate candidate from TN - and also he was very instrumental in keeping Bolton from being confirmed....it is unfortunate he didn't change parties but he didn't and so he was defeated - but you know with all the creep repunks it was kind of nice to know there was at least one you could look at without wanting to vomit blood

had the same exact situation in MD with Republican Congresswoman Connie Morella - she voted with us most of the time and was a good woman - but in the end she lost her seat not because of her voting record - but because of the R next to her name - and its too bad but so be it.

I wish Chafee good luck - and thank him for giving me one politician from THAT party that didn't make me SICK....

[last1standing]

20. We attack Lieberman for refusing to support cloture...

but then voting against bills we dislike. Why are we giving Chafee more leeway than Lieberman? No he didn't vote for many of the bills I mentioned, but he voted for those who did. He can't wash the blood from his hands so easily.

[REP]

16. I Have Some Respect For Chaffee, But I'm Glad Whitehouse Won

I agree with most of what you said about Chaffee, but I do think he has more integrity and more decency than most Rs and is largely an honorable man. He's the only one I had any sympathy for when he lost his seat, but that doesn't mean I'm not glad that there's a Democrat in it now.

[cali]

17. Can't recognize a truly honorable

guy? Poor you.

[mikelewis]

18. An Honorable Guy would have bailed on these Puke bastards years ago...

... all he cared about was keeping a hold of his power and riding the Republican wave. If he was a closet Dem on some issues, he should have come out of the closet and joined us. Like George says... "You're either with us or your with the terrorists". He decided to stick with the terrorists.

[last1standing]

19. Can't recognize a truly disasterous

policy. Poor him.

(notice that I didn't resort to your tactics of attacking another DUer. I think we have better targets to focus on).

[cynatnite]

21. The guy had an (R) next to his name...

Voter anger was bad enough that they voted against the repukes) That's why he lost, IMO. Maybe he'll go Dem. :shrug:

[JI7]

22. it's not about feeling sorry for him

just giving credit for the good things. he really IS a good guy. none of us are saying he should have won. we know the things you list which is why we opposed him in the Senate election.

[last1standing]

23. I'm just finding it strange that so many have sympathy for Chafee...

when many of the same people despise Joe Lieberman (I can't stand him, myself). Holy Joe is more liberal than Chafee, but few of us would have expressed such good will for him.

[last1standing]

24. Another point about Chafee.

In a press conference yesterday when asked whether he felt that his loss may have helped the country by switching control of power in Congress, he replied: "To be honest, yes."

The only way I can interpret that statement is that he is stating that if he had been re-elected he would have caucused with the repubs and that he knew that it wouldn't be in the best interests of the country. So what kind of "good guy" puts his own feelings (however supposedly honorable) before the needs of over 300 million people? This is a guy who knew his party was killing America but still went along with them.

Anyone want to tell me how honorable that was?

[Anarcho-Socialist]

25. A lot of Dems did the same

He was still better than most other Republicans, and even some Democrats.

[last1standing]

29. The worst Dem still caucused with Dems.

I don't disagree about Chafee's voting record or that he is probably a good hearted guy, personally. I'm saying that he caucused with the repubs knowing it was the wrong thing to do, even he admits that. Whether he's a nice guy or not, I have no sympathy for someone who knowingly helped to destroy this nation by bolstering the numbers of repubs.

[wholetruth00]

26. You are correct. But I still welcome Chafee to the Democratic party when he comes to his senses.

[last1standing]

30. I'll welcome him into the party because we need every body we can get.

I just got sick of the Chafee pity party going on at DU and thought it was time to point out what his actions have helped create.

[Jacobin]

27. He voted AGAINST the IWR, unlike some dems I could name

He's the reason Bolton is about to be toast.

Why demonize someone who has the best interests of the country at heart?

[last1standing]

28. I wouldn't call stating facts demonizing.

And as for having the best interests of the country at heart, see post 24 and tell me how that jives with the best interests of the US.

[Lefty48197]

33. He should have changed parties ten years ago

How stupid of him not to.

[last1standing]

34. Exactly.

Chafee put his personal honor above the needs of his country and he knew he was doing it. If he made some promise to his father to always be a repub then he could have just not run at all and done this country and the world a big favor. Instead he let his personal desires come before everyone else. What's so great about this guy again?