Major Issue
cross-posted from Dome-icile
Since I really know nothing about her, I am looking forward to watching 6th District Congressional candidate Ret. Major Tammy Duckworth on television this Sunday morning and hearing what she has to say. And while I have no position on the race between her and incumbent Christine Cegelis, I can't help but think back to what happened to former Georgia Senator Max Cleland.Cleland was a Vietnam veteran who came home a triple amputee. That didn't stop Cleland's opponent in 2002, Republican congressman Saxby Chambliss, from running a post-9/11 campaign that essentially (amazingly?) pounded Cleland for not being patriotic enough or caring enough for the security of our country. The campaign tactic, premised upon Cleland's votes against some of the homeland security measures that were being pushed through by the Bush Administration, worked well enough to oust the war hero from office.
But I'm not drawing a direct parallel between that race and the one closer to home. I just think that it will be interesting to see how the war issue and Maj. Duckworth's status is going to play out in a primary between two Democrats. Understandably, she would want to use her service to her country as an asset. But at the same time, Cegelis is going to want to counter this, but will have to do so without the appearance of attacking a war hero.
Should Maj. Duckworth win the primary, the general election contest with Peter Roskam raises a whole new dynamic. Should be interesting.
16 comments:
Duckworth is a hero, but she's being used by the sleazy Rahm Emmanual.
Grant was a great General but a lousy President;
MacArthur and Patton were great Generals, but would have been lousy Presidents.
John McCain is a disabled war hero, but he's wrong about torture, and he'd be a lousy President.
Just because someone's a military hero, doesn't mean they're great political leaders.
Spend time with the military and you'll understand the person you want along side you in the foxhole, or piloting your helicopter, or calling in artillary fire for you; is not always the same person you'd want legislating, judging, marrying your kid, and so on.
Military folks never have a hard time sorting this out.
I want to know more about Duckworth. She's a certified hero and smart.
But bottom line is you want to know where she stands on issues and most voters understand this.
I'm just on page 88 of Biles biography of Illionis's Sen Paul Douglas. He was badly wounded in the pacific in WWII and lost use of his left hand. There is a great picture of him wiht JFK in front of the court house in Geneva Illinois from 1960.
She was recruited by Rahm Emmanuel.
DailyKos is her favorite blog.
It matters not one whit what she says on the campaign trail to appear moderate or balanced. She is a sure vote for the Kos/Emmanuel/Pelosi axis.
It would almost be worth the loss of the seat to see one more person dragging the Democrat party toward the electoral hole that the extreme left (Kos, MooreOn.org and Dean) are digging for them.
Cegelis has just posted on Daily Kos welcoming Duckworth into the race. It is a classy post. This race will be fun to watch.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/12/17/123947/11
Big difference between Duckworth and Cleland...Duckworth was injured during duty. What this post shows is that Democrats who served in the war shouldn't have their views questions, because then you're blamed for "attacking" them. That's sad.
Big difference between Duckworth and Kerry too... unless Duckworth suddenly decides to team up with Jane Fonda the way Kerry did for Winter Soldier in Detriot.
And she just doesn't strike me as that sort from the Daily Hearld stuff.
Listen to what she told the Heald,
I know that when I was lying in my hospital bed, just lying there not even able to roll over in bed and I saw the people actually voting, I thought, wow, my sacrifice was definitely for something.
That's not the way Kerry talked about Vietnam during those Winter Soldier hearings. I remember watching them and watching my Dad nearly cry when those guys threw thier medals. Major Duckworth is no John Kerry.
Duckworth volunteered for the Army and she volunteered for Iraq. It is sad what happened to her but for her to allow herself to be used as an anti war camdidate shows she is bitter.
She will not win for the same reason Cleland lost she is joining with the party that hates America. It is sad.
Marine Corps- Semper Fi
Read the inteview with her today in the Daily Herald. She can go ahead and say the War was a mistake. Gen Wedemeyer thought fighting Germany and Japan a bad idea (Read Wedemeyer Reports!) but that didn't stop him writing a good plan for fighting it.
But she's coming out against Time Tables for drawing. She's got the right plan for the future.
PS I always get suspicious with these anon comments that seem so extreme.
John McCain is a disabled war hero, but he's wrong about torture, and he'd be a lousy President.
George W. Bush is a draft dodger, he's wrong about torture, and he's quite possibly the worst president ever.
If you think McCain is wrong about torture, then I seriously hope you get a terminal illness and I will throw a party during your funeral and try to sleep wityh your wife the night before it.
Anyone who things John McCain is wrong on torture is as sick as someone who would say what I just did.
Hey anon,
If you such a tough Marine, why don't you have the balls to post your name if your going to say that half the people in the country hate America.
Anon 2:25
Cleland was injured in combat also. Where did you get the idea that he wasn't?
the problem with Bush, Hastert and DeLay (as well as Chambliss) is that they are chicken hawks.
They support wars but not if they had to go. Bush did political work when he was in the Guard, DeLay got mulitiple deferments and the conservative controled media let them get away with it.
After reading Rick Klau's post on "Lisa's" post over at his blog, I really wonder about these anon posts. It's just hard to give them credibility regardless of which side they take on an issue. They're just off the wall for the most part and hard to take seriously.
Don't forget the Clinton chickenhawk....fair is fair, and he fired missles into Iraq to divert attention away from impeachment. How easy some people forget recent history.
Anon 4:07, Clinton fired missiles into an Afghan terrorist training base, not Iraq. The Republicans said it was because of impeachment, and their politicizing of the issue hurt the pursuit of bin Laden.
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