The two Democrats sent letters to DCCC Chairman Rahm Emanuel (Illinois) asking him to remove the video, "America Needs a New Direction," from its website after Republicans accused Democrats of trying to gain politically from the pictures. Emanuel urged political supporters in a fundraising e-mail sent Tuesday to view the video on the DCCC's website.
"I would not have included the clip showing the flag-draped caskets or the clip showing a soldier standing at the grave of a fallen comrade," Spratt wrote Thursday in his letter to Emanuel. "I strongly recommend that you pull this ad and delete both of these clips before running it again."
Let me get this straight. Republicans, who have been elected to office during the last two election cycles only because they politicized a national tragedy (September 11, 2001), used our brave military as "Risk" game pieces, and ran on war, are criticizing Democrats are doing the same thing (even though we are not really)? And two stupid ass Democratic Representatives are buying into this hypocritical bullshit?
I am sick and tired of Democrats trying to appear bold and brave and independent by buying into Republican talking points and attacking their own party. Joe Lieberman did it all the time and still does, and that is why he will lose his primary election in a month. Our dear Representives from Texas and South Carolina need to catch up to the people they supposedly represent.
The War in Iraq is massively unpopular. Our people mourn the loss of the brave men and women who served and died in Iraq. And they want the war to end. Sooner, rather than later.
And if President Bush can trot out the phrase "9/11" and use the flag and our military as nothing more than campaign props at every single one of his "presidential" appearances, then the DCCC can most certainly use a photograph depicting a flag draped coffin. We can most certainly use a photograph showing a grave of a fallen soldier. Why?
Because those are the consequences of leading the country into a mistaken war of choice! President Bush and his minions in the Republican Party ran on this war in 2002 and 2004. If they can run on the sacrifice of our men and women, then damnit, then we can most certainly show that sacrifice in a campaign commercial. To say anything else is to be a hypocrite.
And one more thing, as an aside, I recall last month the U.S. Senate was embroiled in a spell binding debate about how precious the American flag is, and how it represents the sacrifices of our forefathers and lives of our departed veterans who died fighting for our freedom. About how it symbolized our beloved country and cherished freedoms. And thus, it deserved to be protected by Constitutional Amendment. If it is so precious, and if it is so symbolic, then why is it used constantly as a campaign prop for campaigns? Aren't candidates trying to "gain politically" from the use of something that is symbolic of sacrifice?
But I digress.
Our future Speaker has it right:
... Nancy Pelosi (D-California) defended the video yesterday and pointed out that President Bush's top political adviser Karl Rove has spoken about how the GOP needs to capitalize politically on the war.
"I don't know why they are making an issue of this except that, again, it speaks truth to power about what is happening in Iraq," she said.
I don't care if you are a conservative Democrat in a Republican district. You will not score hypocritical political points on the backs of the Democratic Party and still wish to remain in it. You will not do so while taking our money for your campaigns. And if you continue to do so, what is happening to Joe Lieberman is your future.
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