I Have New Empathy for Mary Cheney ("Selfish Hedonist") This Week

[CorpGovActivist]

The lackluster and lukewarm defense that Mary Cheney received from her parents when Alan Keyes described her as a "selfish hedonist" caused many in the Democratic Party and progressive circles to tut-tut the true "family values" of the current GOP leadership.

This week, I was alarmed to discover that GOP leaders Alan Simpson and John Warner were more pointed in their defense of gays in the military than Hillary or Barack.

"I should have echoed my colleague Senator John Warner's statement forcefully stating that homosexuality is not immoral because that is what I believe," Hillary said, after initially trying to duck the issue.

"I'll leave that for others to decide," said JFK on racism and voting rights.

No, wait, my mistake: he took a stance against those who perverted "moral" religious beliefs to condone treating an entire group of people as second-class citizens.

My partner and I will celebrate 13 years together this year, and we've got the 13-year itch for leaders who will stand up for us. We will not support a triangulator or an equivocator. If HRC really wants us to see her as JFK, then she should start viewing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" as the Clintons' personal Bay of Pigs, and start proving that she learned from that encounter with the top brass, like JFK did with his.

This week, neither Hillary nor Barack looked like they could hold their own against the Joint Chiefs. For many swing voters (in crucial purplish-red states), the ability to take those four-stars in hand and insist on being treated like the C-i-C is one key measure of the candidate.

"If I were President, General Pace would be pulling KP duty right about now," Hillary might have quipped. "One of the hardest things President Truman - the President who ended racial desegregation in our armed force - ever had to do was to read General MacArthur the riot act, and take him in hand. This week, President Bush proved he is nowhere near the Commander-in-Chief that President Truman was."

Without even uttering the word "gay," she would have shown tough-as-nails leadership, and been perceived as supporting gays in the military against the over-reaching of an out-of-control general, with the added bonus of inviting the comparison between a real war-time President and the current occupant.

So much for the famous "rapid response" of the 92 war room.

- Dave

[Straight Shooter]

1. "I'll leave that for others to decide."

I threw up a little in my mouth when I read those words of Hillary's. I thought maybe she was channeling bush or something.

13-year itch? You do have a way with words, CGA. :hi:

[CorpGovActivist]

3. Define "Others," Senator? BTW, Don't You Sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee?

My reaction was: you're one of 100 Senators - you know, one of the top decision-makers for the country.

Which "others" is she going to leave it up to, and why isn't she stepping up to the plate and explaining why her thoughts on the subject are at least as valid as those others'?

She sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee: http://armed-services.senate.gov/members.htm

If she cannot find her voice on this issue, how is a junior officer? How is an enlisted person?

- Dave

[Bucky]

4. Clinton is great at being polished & prepared, but she's always shot herself with her quips

"I'll leave that for others to decide" is a delightfully ambiguous statement. It can easily be construed to mean something entirely benevolent and laissez faire. It's partly Mrs Clinton's tragedy in life that she actually expected anyone to do that.

Senator Clinton remains her own worst enemy.

[Swamp Rat]

2. Don't hold your breath waiting for a miracle.

[bobbolink]

5. I'm with you, Dave! We ALL must vote our own BEST INTERESTS!

I applaude you for speaking out about those who will NOT hear, and taking your stand for yourself.

Everytime I hear "Suck it up and vote for the imperfect ones who are electable", and about being "whiny purists", I want to also throw up. This stuff is crap, as my own senator, the dishonorable Salazar, proves. Oh, yes, yes, yes.... we could have gotten {fill in the blank with whatever republican.} SHIT! I will no longer be held hostage for someone else's unfeeling, ignorant garbage!

You have expressed it very well, and this is EXACTLY how I feel about HRC and all those who can't stand up strongly for poverty issues, and that includes the vaunted Kucinich. I would be mocked if I were republican and voted "against my own best interests", but I'm supposed to do it on the Dem side. NOPE, no more.

Congratulations to you and your partner, Dave! :toast: :hug: :toast:

Many more happy years together!

[kdpeters]

6. AMEN!! They will NOT take my vote for granted.

Think you can dismiss me and betray me? Think I won't vote for the other guy? Think again.

For the first time in years, Ron Paul is a Republican I could vote for. If it were between Clinton and Paul, I most certainly would vote for Paul. He's right on Iraq and always has been. She's wrong on Iraq and always has been.

Not that Paul has a chance, but dear lord do I want any Democrat but Clinton. I really do hate her as a presidential candidate. Anyone but her -- any Democrat, that is.