Posted on 02/10/2005 2:38:00 PM PST by Pharmboy
WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Democrats demanded Thursday that President Bush order a halt to personal attacks on the party's leader, Sen. Harry Reid, and expressed regret they had failed to mount a stronger defense for his defeated predecessor. "This is a new Democratic party," Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said at a news conference called to release a letter telling Bush to muzzle his "political operatives."
"...It says to the president, 'you will not intimidate us'," added Schumer, who likened the attacks on Reid to political knee-cappings.
The letter itself was written in milder terms. "We urge you to keep your word about being a uniter and publicly halt these counter-productive attacks so that we are able to work together in a bipartisan manner and debate issues on the merits," it says.
Bush and the White House have denied responsibility for the attacks.
But Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, ridiculed that assertion, as Reid did earlier in the week.
"This is the Abu Ghraib defense, that a few renegade soldiers are responsible for their own behavior and the commanders are not accountable," said Durbin, second in the leadership behind Reid. His remarks were a reference to claims by military officials that a few low-ranking enlisted personnel were responsible for the shocking conditions at a U.S.-run prison in Iraq.
The letter to Bush was signed by all the Senate's Democrats except Reid, as well as Sen. James Jeffords, an independent from Vermont.
Reid was named to succeed the defeated Tom Daschle as party leader in December and quickly was attacked as an obstructionist by both the Republican National Committee and National Republican Senatorial Committee.
The RNC distributed a 13-page compilation of criticisms, dissecting Reid's voting record and accusing him of obstructing Bush's agenda over the years. One portion of the document notes that the Nevada lawmaker lives in a costly condominium when he is in Washington - a point that Democrats said has no bearing on policy disputes with the White House.
The attacks are reminiscent of the treatment Daschle received for many months while he was Senate Democratic leader. He lost a re-election campaign in South Dakota last fall, and although Durbin said he and others had defended Daschle from GOP criticism, "we should have done more."
Reid, who did not attend the news conference, said twice this week that Bush could not credibly claim he wasn't behind attacks that were circulated by a party apparatus under his control.
Ironically, Reid and his wife were dinner guests at the White House on Monday night. The senator said Bush had told him he was not behind the attacks.
In addition to sending the letter to Bush, Democrats sought to use the issue as a party-building tool for the 2006 elections.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, chaired by Schumer, sought signatures for an online petition asking Bush to renounce the attacks.
HA!
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!
What a disgrace! What a party of idiots!
Ya gotsta see this for yourselves...Ping
When Dean recants his "hate Republicans" statement and the Democrats denounce Michael Moore and George Soros, we'll think about it.
"I hate Republicans."--Howard Dean, impending leader of the Democratic party
Chuck, I know your party is run by the mob, but those of us in flyover aren't down with the lingo. Care to translate?
Give them a box of Kleenex...
Quick, someone call a Whhaaaaambulance
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!"
Abu Graib = the new "Fascist!"
AND...when Ted Kennedy is shut up.
LOL awwww poor widdle baby. He can beat up on a woman but can't take his own medicine.
The Liberal Democrat Party is Dead.
Yes, Chuck, we'll try and be as good as Teddy Boy Kennedy...
Bush should agree to call off the dogs when the democrats agree to hang Teddy Kennedy for Treason.
The Fox & Friends crew has been joining in on the "poor Reid" mantra. I couldn't believe my ears hearing the F7 F crew pity Reid on how mean the Republicans are to Reid. Almost makes me want to change the channel to the Today Show. At least I expect that from them
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!
The stunning irony of these people, the most thuggish, idiotic slingers of personal mud, bitching about this....
Where can I get an online version of this Reid comppilation?
Be fair. That's conversational hate, not hate hate. ;^)
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