Posted on 12/06/2004 7:38:23 AM PST by newgeezer
WASHINGTON — Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa is going to be the left-of-center Democrat you have known for three decades — he is not going gently into that conservative Republican Congress.
And Harkin said he is actually a conservative. It is the Republicans, he says, who are the political bombthrowers of this town.
‘‘I think my role is going to be about being a little more cautious in how we may make these changes,’’ he said. ‘‘I am afraid this administration is trying to push too far in radical changes, like Social Security.’’
The Republicans padded their majorities in the Senate and House in addition to re-electing President Bush on Nov. 2. Harkin, a critic of the president’s foreign and domestic policies, said Republicans should not throw their weight around because they are not as muscular as they believe.
‘‘The nation is clearly evenly split,’’ Harkin said in an interview. ‘‘I read a lot about these so-called ‘Red and Blue states.’ The more I read about it, the more I recognize it is pure political propaganda. I understand why they do it. When you win only with 51 percent, you put the best light on it you can.’’
The president has said he will seek to make permanent some expiring tax cuts and will push for reforming Social Security so individuals may invest part of their payments in stocks.
Bush may soon have the opportunity to nominate his first candidate to serve on the Supreme Court. He said he will expend his ‘‘political capital.’’ No one thinks he is bluffing.
Harkin, who thrives in political combat, especially over social spending and the judiciary, will meet the Bush agenda at the Senate door.
‘‘This election did not call for profound, earth-shaking, radical departures in what we have been doing in the past,’’ Harkin said. ‘‘Maybe we can do a little here and a little there.’’
‘‘Our role is to look at the election, at how close it was, and, with no radical changes, try to do something about the budget, try to get our fiscal house in order.
‘‘I am hearing they are ready to come in here with all guns blazing and make radical changes,’’ Harkin said. ‘‘Clearly, we need to proceed with caution. It is more conservative to fight the radicalism of right-wing Republicans. Now Democrats will be more conservative than Republicans.’’
Harkin sees no role for himself in the national Democratic Party. He supported Gov. Tom Vilsack for chairman of the Democratic National Committee and sees Vilsack as a possible candidate for the nomination for president in 2008. And Harking sees himself running for re-election in 2008.
‘‘I have never really been involved in national party politics,’’ Harkin said. ‘‘I do not see any reason (to do so) now.
‘‘Vilsack, his values and his base in the Midwest, people can relate to him.’’
Harkin is 65 and indicated age would be no factor in running for a fifth term in 2008 when he will be younger, 69, than his Iowa colleague, Chuck Grassley, when Grassley was re-elected this year at age 71.
‘‘I will focus on the Senate; I have a lot on my plate,’’ Harkin said. ‘‘As long as I can advance the well-being of the state, sure, there is no reason not to run again.’’
Dungheap Harkin is a conservative, and I'm Mother Teresa.
‘‘The nation is clearly evenly split,’’ Harkin said
Harkin is clearly delusional.
Harkin, who thrives in political combat, especially over social spending and the judiciary, will meet the Bush agenda at the Senate door.
I trust the Bush agenda will kick Harkin's bloviating arse out that door.
At a certain age some people look only backward at where they have been (has beens).........others, regardless of their attained age, continue to look forward to the future.
We call the latter VISIONARIES.
Harkin is a has-been...afraid to look forward and determined to maintain the Democratic status quo.
Dear Mr. Harkin, your favorite president, Bill Clinton, won with a plurality, not a majority. Something you should consider, when you decry President Bush winning by "only" 51%.
Unbelievable this man calls Republicans "bomb throwers" considering what he said about the President prior to the election.
Deep down he knows real role is fighting his own looming irrelevence.
Harkin might "thrive in political combat" but guess what? He claimed to have been a Vietnam Combat Pilot and....tah dah...it turns out he was LYING.
See the book "Stolen Valor" by B.G. Burkett. The people of Iowa apparently don't care if he lied about his service and passed himself off as a fighter pilot all those years, but we should not forget to remind people.
ping
Harkin is a Daschle wannabe -- he is going to be deeply saddened before long.
The GOP should "DASCHLE" this bum the next time he comes up for re-elelection. He is nothing but an anti-American, socialist phoney.
The GOP should "DASCHLE" this bum the next time he comes up for re-elelection. He is nothing but an anti-American, socialist phoney.
Didn't Dungheap Harkin go down to Nicaragua with J F'in Kerry to make goo-goo eyes at Daniel Ortega?
Not that we need any, but since having them is inevitable, Tom Harkin is EXACTLY the kind of Dem we need in D.C. The emperor (Dem Left) has no clothes and Harkin is screaming at the top of his lungs that he wants to buy and wear that very same suit of clothing.
The election results speak for themselves. Harkin labors under the delusion that he can spin the election results and the MSM will make it reality. Sorry Tom, not happening anymore.
You're right. Harkin is as phony as Kerry. He's an anti-American Socialist.
Exactly. Remember Harkin coming out with a prepared, on TV statement calling President Bush a liar immediately after Rather's phony document story? I don't think President Bush will forget that anytime soon.
back in the days when the so-called "neo-con" movement started, a term the dems constantly use derisively to attack dubya, norman podhoretz a founder of the movement et. al. wanted to re-claim the term "liberal" from the democrats. podhoretz wanted to call the new conservatives "liberals".
it was obvious even then in the 80s that the post-1968 dems had abandoned the traditional "liberalism" that the united states of america was founded upon: the u.s. constitution, free trade, internationalism, ... etc.
but no, the dems said, we are "liberals". not.
today's "liberals" or more usually "progressives" as they now call themselves to avoid the stench of liberalism that they'v made are the antithesis of traditional liberalism: they are anti-u.s. constitution, anti-free trade, anti-internationalism, ... etc.
Thanks for the ping.
He's delusional. The info about his REAL war record was not available during his last election. I'm sure it will be used next time around. The real question is WHO will take him on.
This man is a prime example of someone who needs to will his brain (if he has one) to science. I'm sure it's wired up wrong.
Bill Salier will give Harkin more than anyone else has ever given him. Bill needs the dough.
Unfortunately, I'm afraid the electorate is unwilling to send someone to the U.S. Senate who has no prior experience. I wish Bill would run for a lower office next time, to establish himself amongst the doubters.
I have no idea what he plans to do but he's one heck of a candidate. Just ask Ganske.
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