Posted on 08/11/2006 8:19:34 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - Senate Democratic leaders on Friday accused Vice President Dick Cheney of playing politics with terrorism and contended that voters won't buy Republican arguments that the GOP is stronger on national security.
"They've run this play one too many times," Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said in a conference call with reporters. "The American people simply do not recognize any validity in what they're saying."
Republicans, in turn, accused Democrats of political posturing.
"It sounds to me like Senator Reid is trying to accuse us of politicizing while he, himself, is politicizing the issue," said White House press secretary Tony Snow. "The comments that this administration has been making, including me, have been aimed at simply trying to get people to think seriously about, How do you achieve the goal of winning the war on terror? When you're in a war, the goal should not be how to get out. It should be how to win and then to get out."
Some Republicans suggested that Democratic rule could endanger the country.
"National Democrats are stone-cold guilty of engaging in a reckless and irresponsible pattern of neglect for the security of our citizens," said Rep. Tom Reynolds, R-N.Y., the chairman of the House Republicans' campaign committee.
Democrats sought to put Republicans on the defensive on what historically has been a GOP strength — national security. The heated rhetoric came a day after the disclosure of a thwarted plot to blow up flights from Britain to the United States. Within hours of that news, each party accused the other of doing too little to deter the threat of attack.
Sen. Charles Schumer (news, bio, voting record), D-N.Y., accused Cheney and Senate Republicans of politicizing the issue.
"They shouldn't. We should all be uniting and be together at this point," said Schumer, the head of the Senate Democrats' campaign committee. "But if they're going to throw the political bombs on this issue, we are going to answer them loud and clear, and we believe we have the political high ground."
In a written statement, Reynolds said Democrats were sounding a "defeatist, surrender message" and catering to the party's liberal base "that prefers a flag that is lily-white to a flag that is red, white, and blue."
The nation's safety looms large as an issue in the midterm elections less than three months before the Nov. 7 contest. Both Republicans and Democrats are maneuvering for the political advantage.
On Wednesday, Cheney gave his assessment of anti-war challenger Ned Lamont's Democratic primary win over Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, an Iraq war supporter.
The vice president suggested that Lamont's victory might encourage "the al-Qaida types" who want to "break the will of the American people in terms of our ability to stay in the fight and complete the task."
He portrayed the Democratic Party as preferring that the United States "retreat behind our oceans and not be actively engaged in this conflict and be safe here at home."
Snow said Cheney did not know when he made the call that British authorities were in the process of arresting the alleged plotters of the airplane bombing attacks. Snow said Cheney had been briefed on the plot, but the briefings did not indicate that action was imminent.
"The comments that were made after the Connecticut primary were in response to the Connecticut primary, and they were not in anticipation of a British action," said Snow, who also suggested Wednesday that the Lamont victory showed Democrats have the wrong position on the war on terror. "I can say that with absolute assurance not only with regard to me, but also the vice president."
Reid took issue with the vice president's comments, saying, "This situation isn't going well and anyone that suggests that the people of Connecticut are somehow supporting terrorists, I don't think that's credible and that's what Cheney suggested."
Democrats also criticized the RNC for e-mailing a fundraising appeal mentioning the war on terror hours after British authorities disclosed they had disrupted the plot.
The RNC blamed a low-level staffer for distributing the fundraising appeal, which the party said had been scheduled for release before news of the plot broke. The RNC said it stopped distributing the e-mail when it learned of the error.
Snow said it's unclear if Democrats and Republicans can come together and agree on the best policies to fight the war on terror.
"I don't know, in today's congressional climate whether we can do this," Snow said.
___
Associated Press writer Nedra Pickler contributed to this report from Crawford, Texas.
Terrorism is a "political" weapon.
Harry Reid accusing anyone of politicizing something is laughable. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!
Yea, Harry and you Democrats still haven't figured out how to defend against it. Why, because you Democrats are weak.
The Republicans will run this play over and over again and even though you know its coming Harry you never be able to stop it. Georgia Tech 222 - Cumberland 0. You Harry are Cumberland.
Democrats will forever in my lifetime remaining always be known as the party of weakness, the party of defeat, the party of woe is me the sky is falling, the party of the loser and the losing team.
'Rats guilty of shameless pandering and fear mongering (SS typically).
Which is more plausible to any rational, thinking human being - Schumer claim that Democrats have the political high ground because of their unquestionable national security credentials, or that as Reynolds said, Democrats were sounding a "defeatist, surrender message" and catering to the party's liberal base "that prefers a flag that is lily-white to a flag that is red, white, and blue."
There's no question, no room for debate whatsoever. As usual, the Demo/Commies claim that their plan is better, except that when you ask them to state explicitly what their plan is, they get all silent and defensive on you...
Thanks!
This also earlier today
Clinton Denounces Cheney for Terrorism Comments ^
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1681941/posts
The Bush Admin has worked hard in securing this country. The Dems are whining because that hard work has paid off in saving untold amounts of innocent lives from certain murder.
I guess Dems love dead voters. Enter, the next election.. They had plans for those dead voters?
Could you just see the 'rats in front of the cameras were this plot to have succeeded?
Screwple the miserable self-serving jerks.
Hillary, like Nancy Pelosi, is deeply disturbed.
I've noticed that when Democrats speak, they always use the term "The American people" think this, or that.
I cringe when I hear that.
The American people are anything but united on nearly every topic. It's unfortunate maybe, but we're simply not monolithic.
Democrats Puuuleeeze. You don't speak for this American, or anyone I care to know.
If he was 10 years younger, Oh man.. lol
The '08 election would have some debates I'd pay to see with him in it.
Democratic Party or the Party of Defeatism, like all defeatists they accept defeat without a struggle, because of their pessimism. They think all is lost and this only encourages our enemies, they are the party of losers.
I love Tony!
VP Cheney was right when he said this a while back:
"If they are competent to fight this war, then I ought to be singing on American Idol."
Get a grip liberals.
Politicians politicize, nah, really?
"Sen. Charles Schumer (news, bio, voting record), D-N.Y., accused Cheney and Senate Republicans of politicizing the issue."
And Mr. Schumer, pure as the driven snow, has never, EVER, politicized any issue, none whatsoever, no, not one, no no, I would never do that, not me, no your Honor, I'm totally innocent, but Judge Alito I just have a few more questions, I'm sorry your wife went running out of the examination room crying, wait a minute while I remove my latex gloves. Now, just a couple more questions.
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