Posted on 11/20/2005 11:09:14 AM PST by wagglebee
Who was it who came up with the brilliant political strategy that called on Democrats Friday to put up or shut up on their Iraq war complaints?
None other than Arizona Republican Rep. J.D. Hayworth, whose push for a full House vote on Rep. John Murtha's call for an immediate pullout had Democrats first squirming, then fuming that it was unfair for the GOP to call their bluff.
The result: a 403 to 3 rout that turned the tables on the chorus of complainers - and had Republicans cheering that finally someone had figured out how to use their congressional majority effectively.
Hayworth said the move wasn't designed as a political stunt, as frustrated reporters tried to pretend on Saturday.
"It's not a game. It is very serious," he told the Fox News Channel's "Hannity & Colmes" Friday night, just hours before the vote. "We are going to clear up the ambiguity so our enemies overseas will squirm . . . and we will make sure our troops continue to deliver in the global war on terror."
Earlier in the day, the Arizona Republican had enlisted the help of House Armed Services Committee chairman and Vietnam War hero Rep. Duncan Hunter, who drafted a resolution asking whether members thought "that the deployment of United States forces in Iraq be terminated immediately."
Later Hayworth said that Murtha's pullout call had sent the message that America was prepared to cut and run in the war on terror.
"That may not have been his intent," he told "Hannity & Colmes." "[But] that was the message that was conveyed. And so we need to go on record and clear up the ambiguity for our men and women in harm's way and for our enemies who may misinterpret this."
"As the people's representatives, we owe it to the troops in the field, we owe it the American people, to have a clarity of purpose," the Arizona conservative told Sean Hannity on his ABC Radio show earlier in the day.
Hayworth said the Iraq vote gave the House the chance to either "stand behind our armed forces - or to adopt what I believe would be the ill-advised result of surrender."
When the smoke finally cleared in the House chamber Friday night, not even Rep. Murtha had voted to back his own call for immediate withdrawal.
They need to start doing this regularly.
I think our troops need to know that they are not going to be prematurely pulled out. I woult think that all this talk of pulling the troops out of Iraq, lowers morale, lowers their desire to give it their all.
There are 435 congressional seats. Who are the 29 who didn't vote?
If you think that the remarks of one Congressman can do that then you don't think much of the troops to begin with.
There are daily opportunities to do so. All it takes is a microphone and a spine.
Friday night (FINALLY!), the pubbies showed some spine.
Call these cowards bluff at every turn of the page. Period. End of story.
I have a feeling that there were congressmen who had already left for Thanksgiving and were unaware of the vote. To succeed, the vote needed to be taken BEFORE the 'Rats had a chance to organize their opposition. So, I don't see any reason to fault those who had already gone home.
Something like 5 to 9 people voted present also. I think you're only looking for 19 to 24 people that were absent. They may have been on a trip or back in the district early.
Perhaps his days as a sportscaster helped him know which play to call. I've gotta admit I was surprised when J.D. ran for office, but unlike McPain, he has been a very reliable Republican. Nice work, J.D.!
Kudos to Hayworth, but any FReeper could have come up with this idea in about 5 seconds. Sounds like the GOP majority is filled with imbeciles...
With respect Non-Seq, its not "just one". It has been an unending chorus by hundreds of leftist/defeatist Democrats.
This continuous noise level of "Iraq not worth fighting for", "Bush mislead us to war", "The insurgents are winning"; is bound to have an effect on morale. At least on some level.
I grew up during WWII. If some of the things now being said of the Iraq war and our troops had been said then, the person would have been beaten to a bloody pulp!
It was refreshing to see Republicans in the House finally stand up on their hind legs and fight against the preachers of quit! Its the least we can do when we have 150,000 young men and women willing to fight and, if necessary, die for freedom in Iraq!
Professor J.D.......PLEASE teach your fellow Republicans how to stand up to the Democrats AND their media whores!! Thank you!
We republicans were cheering in WV Friday night, it's good to see that Bush and the Republicans remember that there's a fist in their velvet glove.
In fact, just leave the gloves off please - that's what we pay you for.
A caller to Hugh Hewitt's show said there should be an immediate vote after Hugh told about Murtha's words....he proably was a Freeper!
McKinney, Serrano, Wexler voted NO.
Capuano, Clay, Hinchey, McDermott, Nadler, Owens voted PRESENT.
Beauprez, Berman, Boswell, Boyd, Camp, Cunningham, Davis (AL), Flake, Fossella, Gallegly, Hall, Jindal, Kind, LaHood, Miller, Gary, Moran (KS), Northup, Paul, Peterson (PA), Shadegg, Towns, Young (AK) were NOT VOTING
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll608.xml <- The vote
It would never come to this if Republicans would answer to the daily vapors of rats instead of wringing their hands and whining about how "mean" they are. "Congratulations" are not in order. If I have an employee who slacks off for years and months (not that they'd be around for that long), then finally does a decent day's work, do I give that employee a raise? Hell no!
And someone has the nerve to call what the Republicans did a "stunt"?
J.D. Hayworth ~ Bump!
I can give you one in PA.:
Rep. John E. Peterson.
We have:
9 Nays; 11 yeas; and 1 no vote.
Looks like Norwood came out of hospital to vote.
It's not just one member of Congress it is the "talking points" of the Democrat party in Congress !!!
Since they make up just under half of the Congress the defeatism & on occasion Incitement to Disaffect does indeed have an effect on the morale of the troops .
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