We Democrats should’ve been unapologetic this week defending Speaker Pelosi because the truth was on our side: She had a right to go. And she was right to go. The coordinated attack on her trip to Syria was as inappropriate as it was irresponsible. And when that happens to a Democrat, we should all damn well stand up and be counted in our support, or else we hand partisan hacks on the other side a dangerous victory. They thrive on destroying our leaders – we can’t let them. Especially when we’ve got the moral high ground.
If someone asks you about Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Damascus, you might want to start by telling them how many Republicans have traveled to Syria. That Arlen Specter has gone 16 times since 1984. Yes, this Republican outrage is selective. I didn’t hear a whiff of criticism when a Republican Congressional delegation was in Damascus just last weekend. Calculated crocodile tears for political gain – sad but not surprising.
But, even more than that, we need to stand up to this effort to demonize diplomacy. We shouldn’t be surprised that an Administration that treats dialogue as a reward rather than a process would stoop to this. But, as Americans, we need to stand up and demand better from our elected leaders.
As I said in a statement I released during the week, America would be stronger if the White House started listening to Speaker Pelosi, James Baker, and countless others who understand that effective foreign policy requires talking with countries who aren’t our friends. We have the standing as a country to approach any other country from a position of strength; our leaders should have the strength of character to do it.
But, time and again, not only does this Administration fail to demonstrate that strength, they try to demonize those who do.
Whatever their motives for singling out this trip, by this distinguished public servant, I’m not going to let them do this unchallenged. I wholeheartedly support Speaker Pelosi’s right to go to Damascus, and I hope she debriefs the White House to show them how diplomacy is done. For only with a return to true diplomacy, with a show of confidence by our nation in its ability to talk to any country, can we begin to find solutions to the mess the Bush Administration has made of Iraq. And only by all Democrats standing up and defending Speaker Pelosi, and defending diplomacy, can we show the news media, the American people, and the rest of the world, that we believe in a better way. So write your letters to the editor, get on the phone to talk radio – get out there and show that these guys attack your Speaker at their political peril.