It is with great pride that I want to introduce you, the DailyKos community, to my good friend, Major General John Batiste. Many of you already know who John Batiste is, as he's been all over the news for the last two years standing up to the incompetence of the Bush Administration. In case you don't know John, here's a quick summary.
During Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004 and early 2005, John Batiste and the 1st Infantry Division were responsible for North-Central Iraq, an area the size of West Virginia. He was a graduate of West Point, a two time combat veteran, and logged more than 31 years in the Army serving all around the world including Bosnia, Kosovo, and of course Iraq. In 2005, MG Batiste requested retirement – turning down promotion to three star Lieutenant General. He knew he could do more good for his troops by speaking out. Here is John Batiste's testimony in front of the Senate in 2006:
Batiste and five other Generals stepped down and spoke out, and you know what? They were successful. Two days after the Democrats sweeping victory in the 2006 Election, the worst President in the history of the United States fired the worst Secretary of Defense in the history of the United States.
Batiste's work did not stop there... In 2006, John Batiste appeared in a powerful TV commercial produced by VoteVets.org, a growing and powerful organization dedicated to the support of Veterans who are running for Congress. Jon Soltz, the leader of VoteVets.org, came to direct that organization out of the same passion for truth and integrity that MG John Batiste brings to the public arena. The VoteVets.org/MG Batiste ad created quite a stir in the press. Here is the version of that ad targeted at my George Bush Rubberstamp opponent, Congressman Randy Kuhl.
The bottom line is that we cannot sit idly by while the President continues to mismanage this war and sacrifice our sons and daughters. This is one of the major reasons why I first decided to run for Congress. Last year, I came within 1% of defeating one absolute worst Rubberstamp Republicans in Congress (pictured below in a photo taken by Karl Rove), and this year I need your help. I have learned that I cannot do it alone, so after you have a chance to see what we are doing on the ground in Western New York I ask that you consider contributing to my grassroots campaign.
Unlike my opponent who throws $1,000 breakfasts with lobbyists, I have never accepted a single cent of corporate PAC money, so I must ask for your help. We can defeat blind obedience to George Bush, but only when we stand together.
With that, I want to thank Major General Batiste for joining us today, and we're both standing by to take your questions.
Thank you,
Eric Massa
Commander US Navy (Ret.)
Congressional Candidate (NY-29)