Posted on 07/06/2007 1:52:07 PM PDT by bnelson44
During the last few days, both Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) and Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.), two conservative Republicans, have broken with President Bush's policy on Iraq, both in very public ways.
Here's a link on Domenici's statement on Iraq (via ThinkProgress), although it's still unclear on how far he will go in opposing Bush, and here's an article on Doolittle's recent comments in Iraq.
Beyond being Republicans and facing tough re-election campaigns next year, Domenici and Doolittle have another thing in common - they are both under fire for ethics legal problems.
Domenici is being investigated by the Senate Ethics Committee over his phone call last fall to David Iglesias, the former U.S. attorney in New Mexico. Domenici wanted to know whether Iglesias would be indicting some local Democrats before Election Day. It didn't happen, and Iglesias later said the call "sickened" him. Domenici also worked to get Iglesias, who he had recommended for the post, fired. Iglesias was one of nine federal prosecutors ousted by the Justice Dept. last year, a move that has resulted in ongoing congressional and DOJ probes. Domenici has denied any wrongdoing.
Doolittle is in a whole lot more trouble. He is under investigation by the Justice Dept. over his ties to imprisoned former lobbyist Jack Abramoff. The FBI has raided his home, and he was forced to give up his seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee. Doolittle has also denied any wrongdoing.
So we have two, we need a third for a trend story. Reporters love trend stories.
That's the problem with being around too long....getting reelected is easy but drinking that much Beltway water, removes them from the hometown folk.
I called Doolittles DC office today and told his staffer that, if Doolittle has issues with the Iraq policy, he can go to the President to discuss his issues. Doolittle shouldn’t voice those issues out in the media whereby he demoralizes the troops. I added that I thought his behavior was reprehensible. The woman didn’t sound too thrilled with my call. Too bad!
Domineci will go as far as the Rats force him to in order for him to stay out of the ethics investigation. Domineci is a spineless wimp.
The attributions by McClatchy, to Doolittle, in the closed, editorial meeting, are always suspect, always.
They dont have to worry about Iraq, they should be worried about going to jail
Agreed, Domenici is an Opportunist, not a Conservative. He has been in Congress for more than 35 years. It is time to send him home... to wherever that might be inside the Beltway or near a Metro line.
“Turn on Bush and we’ll make your ‘ethics’ problems go away”
There is sufficient in the published article to draw a prudent conclusion. From the public record:
"We've got to get off the front lines as soon as possible".
So far no dramatic differences with 43.
"And in my mind, that means something like the end of the year".
Again no differences with the CIC because Doolittle may have been referring to anything. Schwarzenegger's recall? Villar's resignation?
"We just can't continue to tolerate these kinds of losses."
Again, no great differences with Bush.
"I don't want to keep having our people dying on the front lines. I am increasingly convinced that we never are going to succeed in actually ending people dying (in Iraq). I think it's going to be a constant conflict ... and if that is going to happen ... it needs to be the Iraqis dying and not the Americans."
Sounds a bit melodramatic, not hypercritical. Pretty weak pudding for an unsourced, edited statement designed to screwer a sitting president and a conservative candidate.
"My belief is that the majority of my colleagues on the Republican side have become skeptical of all of this,". "And that's a big change".
Doolittle may have been talking about replacing Pelosi, or about the Austrian's spending spree, or about the war in Iraq. Regardless of the subject matter there is nothing biting in the comment.
So it's down to two documented comments:
1) We've got to get off the front lines as soon as possible
2) We just can't continue to tolerate these kinds of losses
Hardly the things that rebellions are made of..... or that require a call to DC.
Facing ethics charges? Stick a knife in the President’s back over Iraq and you will suddenly be a “hero” in the eyes of the politically corrupt US “News” media and thus insulated from facing any consequences of your political corruption
Doolittle's vote, words indicate he backs Bush - He implies earlier comments were misinterpreted, July 13, 2007EXCERPT
WASHINGTON -- Rep. John Doolittle removed any thought that he was abandoning his support of President Bush's policy in Iraq on Thursday when he voted to oppose a Democratic resolution to begin withdrawing U.S. troops within 120 days.
Doolittle said Thursday that he is not responsible for how his remarks were interpreted, but he has not abandoned Bush or given up on the president's "surge" policy. That policy boosted U.S. troop strength in Iraq to help Iraqi forces battle insurgents in neighborhood-by-neighborhood combat.
"I've been a staunch supporter of the president, and I remain that," Doolittle said. To the extent he has any differences with the president, he said, it would be on the speed with which U.S. troops are pulled off the front lines into support roles.
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