Thursday, January 19, 2006

And now, in the "What the [Cheney]?" category...

Mississippi State Democratic Party chairman Wayne Dowdy on Trent Lott running for re-election to the Senate in 2006:

"For the good of the state, I'd rather have his (Lott's) seniority than new blood right now," said Dowdy. "His (Lott's) seniority is that important to the state. ... Dowdy said that as the Katrina recovery continues, Lott's seniority is "critical." - Lott: It's decision time Jackson Clarion-Ledger 01/08/06

Yes, that is the Democratic Party chairman for the state. Lord, how pitiful is that?

About as pitiful as this: Hillary talks Iran strike Newsday 01/18/06.

A tough-talking Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton Wednesday suggested she would back a military strike on Iran if that country's radical Islamic government attempts to build nuclear weapons.

Clinton's speech seemed to position her somewhat to the right of the Bush administration, which has stressed diplomacy without ruling out any other option. Most experts on the region say a military strike is not feasible and therefore unlikely.

"We cannot take any option off the table in sending a clear message to Iran that they will not be permitted to acquire nuclear weapons," she said.

Her statements closely echoed comments made by interim Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who this week said his country would not tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran.(my emphasis)

Any political leader who advocates this without simultaneously calling for a military draft to reinforce the American presence in Iraq right away isn't being serious. Because an American strike on Iran buys immediately escalation in Iraq, whose government is heavily pro-Iranian.

Then there's this:

These are big issues and I think that if you asked me who would Alito most be like, it would probably be--I'd have to say Scalia.... I was very impressed with [ScAlito's] ability to maintain a very even demeanor during this entire thing and his ability not to specifically answer any questions. ... I don't see those kinds of egregious things emerging that would justify a filibuster. I think when it comes to filibustering a Supreme Court appointment, you really have to have something out there whether it's gross moral turpitude or something that comes to the surface. Now I mean, this is a man I might disagree with. That doesn't mean he shouldn't be on the court. -Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Face the Nation 01/15/06

Let's see. She's impressed with ScAlito's ability to not answer the Senators' questions. She's confident he'll be like Scalia, who gave his name to the Scalia Five, the five Justices who selected George W. Bush as President when Al Gore won the election of 2000.

And anyone can see that a vote for ScAlito pretty much guarantees the overturning of Roe v. Wade and all that implies. But she says, oh, well, he's terrible but I don't really care if he's on the Supreme Court.

Let's give DiFi credit for something, though. In the same interview, she managed to say keep all the options on the table with Iran while making it very clear she favors a diplomatic solution.

I could Google some quotes from Joes Biden and Lieberman on escalating the Iraq War to continue the theme. But it's too depressing.

And I'm not someone who spends a lot of time schimpfing (bitching and moaning) about the Democratic Party. Because there's more than enough to schimpf about with the Republicans.

But why should Democrats be this unwilling to fight? This unwilling to challenge the reactionary, militaristic, throughly corrupt Bush administration head-on?

It's sad. Sad and scary.

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