Democrats complaining about Republican criticism of Senator Reid--> 
<--the vast majority of Americans
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.
Haaaaaaaa, Haaaaaaaa. The party of sniveling whiners at it again. Since they worship abortion and euthanasia so much, IMO they should stick to their principles.
How can these idiots "demand" anything when they are in the Minority?????
In the words of my Old and Revered T.I: "Wish in one hand and $hit in the other!"
Jack.
dir they forget how they attacked Condi Rice, Alberto Gonzales and the Presdient?
They are trying to establish a paradigm wherein opposing their POV is a hate crime. This will fail, as they will fail in the end. Democrats have firmly lodged themselves in the tar pit of historical mishaps. Even they can now see their ending coming.
This has to be "projection" carried to the extreme. Sweet Mary & Joseph, dusty Harry has done nothing but attack GWB on a daily basis since he replaced the Dash-hole. This would be comical if they weren't serious.
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
This demand betrays a fundamental lack of understanding of the principle of reciprocity. But then, that's no surprise, since the principle of reciprocity lies at the heart of the issues of good vs. evil and right vs. wrong--of which the Democrats have shown themselves to be criminally ignorant, time and time again.
Unless you want to eliminate free speech, every politician must be fair game for "in kind" treatment by competing parties, groups and other politicians.
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Democrats complaining about Republican criticism of Senator Reid--> <--the vast majority of Americans
Dirty little Harry Reid in his soiled Pampers is whining again.
If this actually were a new Democratic party Chucky, your plea for a muzzle would not exist in the first place. (Now go to your room and think about what you have said sonny!
I prefer the other version.
"Do unto others *before* they do unto you."
That said, I find the Dems' reaction to their very own tactics highly amusing. Sucks to be on the other end of the stick, doesn't it?
If you listen to Jim Quinn (warroom.com-archives) you know he comes up with some good nicknames for this DemoRAT scum. He coined Chappaqquiddick Fats and now he has one for Harry Reid. Searchlight (NV) Pinky (high school nickname). Sounds good to me.
I have spare shovels for everyone.
Payback is bit--!
It's sure nice to see the GOP play hardball.
'bout time!
I am both happy and sad to be a New Yorker. On one hand I have two embarrassments for senators. On the other hand, I get to vote against them. Shmucky and Lady Macbeth...what a combo.
So, al-Durbin wants a Hudna?
Yeah, Turbin, uh, Durbin, managed to complain about Repulbican "attacks" and imply that the administration and military leadership really are torturers all at the same time.
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