Unenlightened selfish interest: Hewitt slams Sen. Dems for dissing America at time of greatest need

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Tuesday, October 30, 2001 | Hugh Hewitt

[JohnHuang2]

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Unenlightened self interest

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© 2001 WorldNetDaily.com

I am in Washington, D.C., for the 26th running of the Marine Corps Marathon. It's been 15 years since I ran this race and, when media demands following the attacks of Sept. 11 disrupted my training, I thought about skipping it. The Marines, however, refused to cancel the race even though the security issues went through the roof. If they can put it on, I decided I could finish it.

Coming to Washington from the West Coast brings you to a different world. The anthrax attacks are just disturbing headlines in California, but here it is very much a real problem on the minds of almost every Washingtonian I have chatted with. The Pentagon, having recently taken a direct hit, is now ringed with camouflaged biohazard monitoring stations. The Supreme Court was added to the target list on Friday, and more surprises are believed to be in the mail. There is no panic. Just seriousness.

Which is why I find the conduct of Senate Democrats so surprising. The country is undergoing its most significant challenge in decades, and the leadership of the opposition has returned to an almost maddening partisanship less than two months after thousands of Americans died in a surprise assault. They have chosen the opposite of seriousness. They have chosen self-interest.

Tom Daschle has buried the energy bill that would allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge because he knows the votes from both sides of the aisle are there to pass it.

Patrick Leahy has imposed a near boycott on Bush judicial nominees even though we are in the middle of the largest manhunt in history and a full federal bench is a pressing necessity. Bill Clinton had 28 judges confirmed in his first year in office – a 57 percent confirmation rate even though he did not start nominating judges until August of 1993. George Bush has had only 12 of his 60 nominees voted on – a tiny 20 percent – even though he began sending up his judicial picks in May. Leahy is unapologetic. The Democrats are running things, and they are committed to running out the clock.

And now we have Joe Biden droning on about "high-tech bullying" and the need to go mano a mano with the Taliban. When I played the entire Biden answer on my radio program last Thursday, an outraged and teary caller from Colorado explained how her father had died at the Chosin Reservoir going mano a mano with the Chinese when she was 1-year old, and perhaps the Biden Doctrine that conflict is unacceptable unless a lot of American soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines die is not the view of the American voters. Biden complains he is the victim of a political drive-by. Biden is a victim of his need to pose as a player. He deserves every bit of the withering criticism that has come his way.

It is too bad we do not have a three-strikes-and-you're-out policy for the Senate Democrats. Such a policy would oblige Jim Jeffords to look at the real and lasting damage his dance with self-absorption has cost the country, and perhaps it would even move Georgia Senator Zell Miller to act on what must be his increasing discomfort with the fecklessness of his national party.

Tests of leadership capability come along rarely. We are in the midst of one now, and its subject matter is nothing less than protection of the lives of millions of Americans living in target areas. The recent reports of bin Laden's potential nuclear capability underscore the threat at the same time that they underscore the need for candor, honor and purpose among the political leadership. The Senate Democrats have failed on all counts, and no amount of prattle about "bipartisanship" from their allies – like Michael Kinsley and Al Hunt – will cover their collapse under pressure. They know nothing except hyper-partisanship, and they have returned to it in record time.

This partisanship is a tragedy for the party of FDR and JFK, but it is simply dangerous for the country. The only answers are attention and political revulsion. The elections of 2002 are a year away, but disgust should be funneled into contributions to the coffers of those who would restore responsible people to power in the Senate. I listed some of the individual candidates in last week's column, and the general effort is guided by – and can be studied and supported at – the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

There is still time in this session for Daschle – and the Democrat Party he leads – to turn around and come back to the political conduct required by these times. That does not mean agreement with the president. It does mean votes on the key bills, the judicial nominees, and a public rebuke of Biden.

In a city consumed with seriousness, it is a shame that the only place that quality is in short supply is the United States Senate.

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[JohnHuang2]

Hugh Hewitt Ping

[Gothmog]

"Such a policy would oblige Jim Jeffords to look at the real and lasting damage his dance with self-absorption has cost the country,..." I was thinking the same thing a few days ago. Of course, from Jeffords' point of view, he is getting exactly what he wanted. His claim was that he did not want Bush to be able to simply roll over Democrats. Jeffords got his wish and gave the Dems a voice at the table. In return the Democrats have screwed Jeffords over on the Dairy compact. I wonder what Jeffords' constituents think of his job performance now? Ha ha ha.

[Mia T]

BUMP!

[democratsstealvotes]

The inmates are still running the asylum.

[JimVT]

I wonder what Jeffords' constituents think of his job performance now? Ha ha ha.

Same as I thought before he turned his coat...he's been a liberal RINO for 40 years!

[maica]

Thank you, John. I thought Daschle was responding to real leadership, GWB style, a few weeks ago, when he seemed pleased to be on the 'team.' His smile fooled me. It must have been the thought of disruption that gave him his grin.

[Mudboy Slim]

"Tom Daschle has buried the energy bill that would allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge because he knows the votes from both sides of the aisle are there to pass it."

Puff Daschle comes up for re-election in '02 and South Dakota is not nearly as Socialist as this Slimeball they've got fer Senator!! Daschle must be targeted--NATIONALLY--for removal from Office!!

"Patrick Leahy has imposed a near boycott on Bush judicial nominees even though we are in the middle of the largest manhunt in history and a full federal bench is a pressing necessity."

Leahy is from Socialist Vermont--screw you, scumbag Lefty Vermonters, especially you, Jim Jeffords!!--so our best bet is to simply remove him from his seat of Power at the Head of the Judiciary Committee...Zell Miller, please call yer office!! Paging Zell Miller!!

"And now we have Joe Biden droning on about "high-tech bullying" and the need to go mano a mano with the Taliban. When I played the entire Biden answer on my radio program last Thursday, an outraged and teary caller from Colorado explained how her father had died at the Chosin Reservoir going mano a mano with the Chinese when she was 1-year old, and perhaps the Biden Doctrine that conflict is unacceptable unless a lot of American soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines die is not the view of the American voters. Biden complains he is the victim of a political drive-by. Biden is a victim of his need to pose as a player. He deserves every bit of the withering criticism that has come his way."

Joe Biden...the Plagiarist Lowlife from Delaware, how to rid the World of YOU?! Any suggestions, FReepers...this guy needs to be Removed From Power ASAP!!

"It is too bad we do not have a three-strikes-and-you're-out policy for the Senate Democrats. Such a policy would oblige Jim Jeffords to look at the real and lasting damage his dance with self-absorption has cost the country, and perhaps it would even move Georgia Senator Zell Miller to act on what must be his increasing discomfort with the fecklessness of his national party."

Georgian FReepers, it is HIGH TIME we began applying Major Pressure on Miller to atone for Jeffords' treachery!! Let ZigZag Zell know that his Re-Election Bid begins TODAY, in our Time of Need!! Either Miller's with US...or else Miller's Against US!! His willingness to allow the DemocRAT Leadership to Hijack National Security will be remembered when Miller comes back asking for Georgians' Votes!! Zell Miller...it's Decision Time for YOU!!

"The Democrats are running things, and they are committed to running out the clock."

Exactly...the Senate DemoncRATS have become the Focus of Evil in America, and EVIL MUST BE DESTROYED!!

FReegards...MUD

[Mudboy Slim]

"His smile fooled me."

Puff Daschle's Vile Smile should never be mistaken as sincere...we will deal with him and his kind in November '02!! The Mid-Term Election's Start NOW!!!

FReegards...MUD

[timydnuc]

I think it's the other democRAT senator, Johnson, that comes up for re-election in '02. If I'm not mistaken it's Dashole's turn in '04.

[Mudboy Slim]

Thanks...if I've got my Term's wrong, I apologize.

FReegards...MUD

[Mudboy Slim]

Georgian FReepers, it is HIGH TIME we began applying Major Pressure on Miller to atone for Jeffords' treachery!! Let ZigZag Zell know that his Re-Election Bid begins TODAY, in our Time of Need!! Either Miller's with US...or else Miller's Against US!! His willingness to allow the DemocRAT Leadership to Hijack National Security will be remembered when Miller comes back asking for Georgians' Votes!! Zell Miller...it's Decision Time for YOU!!

Ms. YaYa, aren't you from Georgia? If so, what'll it take to get Miller to change his vote fer Senate Majority Leader? With the DemoncRATS behaving so abhorrently, it would seem that some well-targeted pressure would be timely just about now.

And it sounds like a job fer dedicated FReepers to initiate!!

FReegards...MUD

[maica]

"His smile fooled me."

I won't make the same mistake again. Daschle, Leahy and Biden are not team players. -- The American team, that is!

[ken21]

i remember hugh from the 80s when he had a tv show on la pubic tv. he was a fresh voice then amidst the sea of liberal trash.

i'm not a jesuschrister, so i skip that part.

[Mudboy Slim]

"Daschle, Leahy and Biden are not team players. -- The American team, that is!"

Bingo...MUD

[4CJ]

Couldn't agree with you more. I like Zell, and I know Zell grew up a Democrat, once the party had integrity and honor, but those days have long since passed us by. Now the D after his name means that you favor a lot of things that Senator Miller finds deplorable. Senator Miller could do the honorable thing, and that would be to announce that he is running as a Republican in the next election.

Maybe under ordinary circumstances I might buy into Senator Millers arguments for remaining a Dem, but these are not ordinary circumstances anymore. For once I'd like to see a politician in a national office put National interests ahead of their own.

[nightdriver]

Super bump, JH2, the only trouble is that we, the people, unfortunately, elected D'Ashole and leaky Leahy in the first place. Either we need a revival of patriotism and what this country is about or else we have a whole lot of people voting who should not be.

[ChaseR]

"Exactly...the Senate DemoncRATS have become the Focus of Evil in America..."

You're exactly right, very much so.

[Syncro]

Bush needs to do everything in his power to circumvent these traitrous politicians to get his judicial nominees put in place and the energy bill passed.

If I remember correctly clinton pulled some of his slick tricks to go around the normal rules applying to things of this nature.

[PhiKapMom]

Actually Tim Johnson is up for re-election in 2002 and Thune will defeat him! Daschle is up for re-election in 2004 and rumors are that he may run for Pres and not run for re-election as Senator. Keeps this up and he wouldn't have to worry about re-election. South Dakotans went over 60% for GW.

Daschle is the wimp and puppet of ms. clinton the same he was the minute she stepped on the Senate floor. He took a momentary timeout from being her puppet right after 11 Sep, but looks like he has returned to open mouth, ms. clinton talks mode. If you watch the Senate votes, you will see a vast majority of RAT Senators especially the moron women RATS stopping by to see ms. clinton who is always around the table in front before voting.