Democrats praise Iraq's elections

CNN ^ | 30 January 2005 | CNN

[kipita]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Democrats praised Iraq's nationwide elections as "a great day for many."

But Rep. Ike Skelton of Missouri, speaking on behalf of the Democratic Party in Saturday's weekly radio address, warned the outcome of Sunday's vote may be skewed in favor of the country's Shiite majority and "will likely not be completely representative of all ethnic and religious groups."

"The Shia will likely control a significant majority of assembly seats, with considerable Kurdish participation," he said. "The Sunnis, on the other hand, are likely to be underrepresented and may denounce the legitimacy of the new government."

[kipita]

But still there's deadhead politics involved.

[speed_addiction]

I have been watching these people all morning. You can actually see them swallow hard as the bile comes up in their throat when voicing words of praise for the elections.

[Caipirabob]

Was he the only rat politician available who wasn't in mourning, wearing black or crying their eyes out?

[TADSLOS]

"The Shia will likely control a significant majority of assembly seats, with considerable Kurdish participation," he said. "The Sunnis, on the other hand, are likely to be underrepresented and may denounce the legitimacy of the new government."

LOL. Taken straight from the 2000 and 2004 DNC post election talking points....

[Semper Paratus]

Rep. Ike Skelton

Any relation to Red?

[1066AD]

skewed in favor of the country's Shiite majority

That's what usually happens when a majority votes, DUH.

[Dog Gone]

There was very little praise and a whole lot of criticism in his statement.

But what else should I expect from the Anti-America Party?

[WesternPacific]

...will likely not be completely representative of all ethnic and religious groups."

This could be applied to the US election in that the democraps, being a minority group, are not properly represented because the VOTERS VOTED!

[WestTexasWend]

The dems have changed "a chicken in every pot" to "a worm in every apple"...

[drt1]

Anything less than complete perfection will elicit the proverbial "BUT" from these people. I recommend a serious reading of the history of Democracies for these people - Perfection is never attained and, in the beginning stages, chaos is more the order of the day (And that aptly describes the American Experience). By comparison, the Iraq elections are a model of stability and IMO represents an excellent start to this sometimes awkward process.

[Starboard]

"The Sunnis, on the other hand, are likely to be underrepresented and may denounce the legitimacy of the new government."

If they are underrepresented, that is a problem within the Sunni community, not with the voting system. In typical Dem fashion, "unfairness" is always seen as the result of external factors.

[JennysCool]

"a great day for many." I'm so tired of this amorphous "many" they always spout about in order not to be specific, or to obfuscate how "many" there are. Katie Couric is the queen of this, with her constant questions beginning with "Many people say ..."

[AQGeiger]

Well, if they decide not to vote, then the fools don't have much of a leg to stand on when they complain about being underrepresented in the government, now do they?

The Sunnis didn't have a problem with the vast majority of the Iraqi people being completely un-represented in the government when Saddam and his Ba'athist thugs were in power.

[Dog]

The dems have changed "a chicken in every pot" to "a worm in every apple"...

May I use this in my tagline?

[F.J. Mitchell]

A majority of socialist democrats are related to "Red" but not as in Red Skelton.

[Starboard]

Good post.

[djpg]

I would like to see the Senate Republicans introduce a resolution commending President Bush for bringing democratic elections to Iraq, so that the liberals can make fools of themselves by voting against it.

[babygene]

"Sunday's vote may be skewed in favor of the country's Shiite majority "

Well, would this idiot expect the outcome to favor the minority?

[paul51]

It's a quagmire

[muleskinner]

He doesn't mention the fact that the Iraqi's now have to draw up a Constitution that will be voted on in several months. If 3 provinces turn it down, they start over. So the Sunni's will be protected.

Another clown from the Skelton family tree.

[clyde260]

I checked his website, didn't mention any relation to Red.

I sure hope not, I loved Red the best of any entertainer!

[TADSLOS]

The Sunnis didn't have a problem with the vast majority of the Iraqi people being completely un-represented in the government when Saddam and his Ba'athist thugs were in power

'Xactly. Life's a bitch when you're no longer the minority ruling the majority by oppression.

[Captain Peter Blood]

The fact that this election has come off better than anyone thought is a horrible thought to the Democrats.
The fact that millions of Iraqi's would brave death to be able to vote has to jolt the Democrats and everything they have been saying since we went into Iraq.
The fact is the Democrats wanted this election to fail and for the body count to be as high as possible to try and force Bush to retreat from Iraq.
Now that the opposite has happened what are the Democrats going to say now? I know they won't eat their words so the next line of attack has to be that the poor Sunni's did not get a fair shake in the election and that makes the whole thing wrong.
It is an inspiring sight to see all those people brave death and destruction to vote. The Terrorists have failed and I hope this is a nail in their coffins.

[Starboard]

I would like to see the Senate Republicans introduce a resolution commending President Bush for bringing democratic elections to Iraq, so that the liberals can make fools of themselves by voting against it.

---

A most excellent idea.

[airborne]

I see twice as much criticism as praise.

I can't wait to see what Ted Kennedy mumbles/slurs about the election.

[carlr]

The minority Sunni Arabs dominated under Saddam's rule but fear the election will benefit the majority Shiites.

Skelton, the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said if Shiites do win a majority, "it will be tempting to question what we could have done differently for the last two years that would have yielded a better outcome."

This ranks as one of the stupidest statements on the subject I have heard.
What does he think the outcome should be,a distinct minority that abused power when they held it by force elected by a large majority that opposed them.

Oh,I just remembered dems think that any election that does`nt come out the way they wanted it to,in this case a bloodbath to wave at President Bush,should be called illegitimate.

[Drammach]

No relation..

Ike Skelton is a "conservative" democrat..
He was probably one of the few Dems that could discuss the election without breaking down and crying..

Skelton is largely pro-gun, and NOT your run-of-the-mill "dimocrat" politician..
And he's been there a long, long, time..

[Qwinn]

Wow. This article gets the "Damning But" in by the 12th word of the article. You gotta -try- to get it in that early.

Qwinn

[kipita]

Anything less than complete perfection will elicit the proverbial "BUT" from these people. I recommend a serious reading of the history of Democracies for these people - Perfection is never attained and, in the beginning stages, chaos is more the order of the day (And that aptly describes the American Experience). By comparison, the Iraq elections are a model of stability and IMO represents an excellent start to this sometimes awkward process.

Exactly! And they don't have what it takes to do anything, they just comment on what others do. Very un-American.

[LisaMalia]

I'm still waiting for a comment from Chappy Ted. I'm sure this is a sad, sad day for him.

[Drammach]

Oh, yeah..

He's from Missouri..

[True Republican Patriot]

I thought Kerry was going to choke on his bile on "Meet The Press." This is a Grand Election, an overwhelming success for the Iraqi people, for the Middle East, and for the World and Congratulations to Our Great President who had the will,the strength. the leadership, and the vision to carry this great freeing of a great Country from a horrible, murderous tyrant.And all Kerry could say is"the wrong war at the wrong time in the wrong place," for shame on him!

[cyncooper]

What a dishonest article. Notice they don't attribute the quote supposedly from "democrats" (plural, no less) and the only attribution is to a "but" negative.

We have been watching Iraqi election coverage since last night and the dems (media and politicians alike) have most certainly been hyping the negative.

[rod1]

Hey Ike--the Shiites--they are a considerable majority.
If they win it may be because--they a majority.
Apparently, the Rats are numerically-challenged in many ways apparently.

[spodefly]

But Rep. Ike Skelton of Missouri, speaking on behalf of the Democratic Party in Saturday's weekly radio address, warned the outcome of Sunday's vote may be skewed in favor of the country's Shiite majority and "will likely not be completely representative of all ethnic and religious groups." "The Shia will likely control a significant majority of assembly seats, with considerable Kurdish participation," he said. "The Sunnis, on the other hand, are likely to be underrepresented and may denounce the legitimacy of the new government."

The Democrats, pining for the poor Sunnis ... who, like them, are not smart enough to belong in democratic politics.

If the Sunnis are missing out on anything in Iraq, it is their own damn fault.

[drt1]

Yes - The part of the statement "Would have yielded a better outcome" is telling. What IS a "Better outcome" other than that obtained by a free people who are empowered to freely vote. Apparently the Dems feel this possible outcome can somehow be improved upon, the Elites who actually mistrust the people that they are.

[vaudine]

This Skelton comment is really too stupid to comment on, but here goes anyway. Skelton's insinuation seems to be that the majority should not rule--funny, but that seems to be the dim damn Dem view of politics. If a minority pouts and says it was disenfranchised, pull the plug.

Arrrggggh! The Sunni MINORITY ruled for thirty years. Time to listen to the majority of the people.

vaudine

[True Republican Patriot]

ping

[oldbrowser]

This election should be a great inspiration for all of us. That there are politicians that choose to nit pick instead of celebrate this victory of democracy over tyranny concerns me.

[Drammach]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1331938/posts

From another thread: "It's time to exit the Oldsmobile"..

Teddy's "exit strategy".. It's a hoot.. I recommend that every one read it..

[Scott from the Left Coast]

Democrats suck.

Iraq is holding better elections than those held in RAT dominated Washington state.

Ted Kennedy can take the rest of his party to Hell, it's the only place they belong.

[watchinginawe]

The dems have changed "a chicken in every pot" to "a worm in every apple"...

Perfect analysis except where it pertains to them (re: Gregoire wins 3rd recount). If events do not further their political goals as viewed through their political filter, then the news is bad or suspect. Even when events result in a new democracy in the world.

What a pitiful way to live. Hope of failure can not long be sustained in a person with freedom.

Politics has truly become the liberal's religion and reason for existence and they can not separate events of every day life from it. I predict Liberal Fatwa's and martyrdom in our near future. We have already seen the beginning of this with the Red State boycotts and such. All they need is a strong Ayatollah to coalesce their pessimism.

[F105-D ThunderChief]

"will likely not be completely representative of all ethnic and religious groups"

Another Sad-Damn supporter!

[TADSLOS]

That there are politicians that choose to nit pick instead of celebrate this victory of democracy over tyranny concerns me.

That's because there are leftist politicians, self appointed socialist meddlers and an elitist liberal media around the globe who are more interested in re-gaining power than they are acknowledging the rightiousness of a democratic process. After all, they know what's good for the rest of us and we are all basking in ignorance. Just ask them.

[kipita]

That's because there are leftist politicians, self appointed socialist meddlers and an elitist liberal media around the globe who are more interested in re-gaining power than they are acknowledging the rightiousness of a democratic process. After all, they know what's good for the rest of us and we are all basking in ignorance. Just ask them.

And what makes America different (unique in the world) is that we are the opposite of that constituency. Give us your weak, impoverished, common folk..................but keep your dam elitists within your own dam country.

[LisaMalia]

Thanks for passing that thread along to me. I had missed it. Priceless!

[Graybeard58]

I didn't think that Skelton was Red's real last name, so I looked it up and was surprised to learn that it is/ Richard Skelton.

BUT do you know who Leslie Lynch King, Jr. is?

Or Anne Frances Robbins?

Go here:

http://www.celebrityalmanac.com/real.shtml

(Anne Francis Robbins is NOT the well know singer Ann Francis.)

[drt1]

In my suggestion that these dark cloud seekers revisit a little history on the implementation of Democracies I neglected to mention the Post WWII experiences in Germany and Japan. Some of the same problems were present, a politically disenfranchised electorate, persistent insurgencies, destroyed economies, etc.

It took between 7 and 10 years before these burdened countries were able to accomplish free elections and - Look at the results! No, despite the negative tone of the opponents of US policy in Iraq, this is a great milestone in the Iraq/Middle East progress. And, in proper perspective, it is occurring at relative lightning speed.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Bull. They are bandwagon jumpers of the worst kind. I used to be a Democrat, and believe me--they are NOT the kind of people we want running the country.

[Lazamataz]

Democrats praised Iraq's nationwide elections as "a great day for many."

..... for public consumption, they did.

The true thoughts of the Democrats can be seen at Democrat Underground, where they are gnashing their teeth and giving terrorists tactical advice.

Seriously.