Sen. Ensign: Kennedy, Pelosi Aiding the Enemy

NewsMax ^ | 22 May 2006

[Aussie Dasher]

Nevada Sen. John Ensign says Democratic leaders who criticize the Iraq war are aiding the terrorists and hampering the war effort.

"Democratic leaders like Nancy Pelosi and Ted Kennedy - let me tell you, I say this without reservation - they have hurt our military, they have emboldened the enemy," Ensign told Republicans gathered for the state party convention on Saturday.

"They're fighting for the freedom of speech, they're fighting for the right to protest, they're fighting for all those things. But when we are at war, especially the leaders in this country need to be very, very careful of what they say and what they do," Ensign said.

The first-term senator is up for re-election in November. His previous stump speeches have not attacked Democratic critics of the war so directly. When asked which comments from House Minority Leader Pelosi, D-Calif., or Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., he felt were inappropriate, Ensign said Pelosi had called evidence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq "lies."

"You don't think that doesn't embolden the enemy?" he said.

Ensign said he would not extend his criticism to Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., who once called President George Bush a "loser," because "Harry and I have an agreement not to criticize each other."

Ensign suggested war critics should lie about their opposition. In comments to reporters, the Las Vegas Republican quoted what he said was a line from comedian and talk show host Dennis Miller: "I happened to believe in what we're doing over there. But if I didn't, I'd lie."

Nevada Democratic Party spokeswoman Kirsten Searer said Ensign's remarks are an attempt to compensate for "a war that has had one failure after another."

"They would have fewer questions about the war if they were doing a better job of running it," she said.

At last reporting, Ensign had a war chest six times as large as his Democratic opponent, Las Vegas investment consultant Jack Carter, and he has a healthy lead in the polls.

Ensign said he recognized that some Americans were losing support for the war, which he attributed to "instant gratification culture."

He also used his speech to 135 Republican activists, about half of whom came from rural Nevada, to outline his position on immigration.

Ensign said he supported a sending National Guard troops to the border and a three-year guest worker program for immigrants willing to assimilate, learn English and pay taxes.

He said he didn't blame immigrants for wanting to cross the border to seek a better life in the U.S.

"I'd probably do the same thing," he told reporters.

[MWS]

Labeling such talk treason, while accurate, is a difficult charge to prove. It looks like overreaching and actually helps scum like Pelosi, Dean, Kennedy, Kerry, & Murtha. Perhaps we should describe it as a "bad idea" for the reasons outlined above.

They're traitors.

Throw them in jail and let them rot.