Posted on 09/29/2007 1:40:32 PM PDT by fkabuckeyesrule
I've just learned that Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO) will be introducing a resolution in the House of Representatives on Monday condemning Rush Limbaugh for his "phony soldiers" remark.
This is significant because it has the potential to dramatically up the stakes in this fight. If the Democratic leadership allows it to go for a vote, it will force all the Republicans in the House to either vote for it, against it, or skip the vote -- and to pass judgment on the powerful conservative talk show host's contention that troops who don't support President Bush's war policies are "phony soldiers."
It will also potentially present the Dem leadership with a not-so-easy choice. Many people will naturally call on the leadership to allow the resolution to come to a vote, which is not necessarily something the leadership might want, since it could look like a tit-for-tat reso in retaliation for the measure condemning MoveOn. It also is potentially problematic for some in the leadership because there is an internal sentiment that it's not Congress' job to go around denouncing the remarks, however reprehensible, of private citizens.
Sources tell us that there's a lot of interest in this resolution among rank and file Dem House members, and that it may come up for a vote soon. There's no guarantee by any means that this will end up happening, though it's likely that there will be some pressure on the leadership make it happen. Udall, whose office confirmed to me that he'd introduce the reso on Monday, has powerful incentive to drum up attention for it as a Senate candidate in Colorado.
Either way, it's a key development, because it has the potential to move this from a rhetorical battle to a legislative one, which would keep the story going. Here's Rep. Udall's "dear colleague" letter, which was leaked to Election Central:
September 28, 2007
JOIN AS AN ORIGINAL COSPONSOR OF A RESOLUTION
HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES AND CONDEMNING RUSH LIMBAUGH'S ATTACK ON "PHONY SOLDIERS"
Dear Colleague:
On September 26, 2007 the broadcaster Rush Limbaugh told a nationwide radio audience that members of the Armed Forces who have expressed disagreement with current policies of the United States regarding military activities in Iraq are "phony soldiers."
On Monday I will introduce a resolution honoring all Americans serving in the Armed Forces and condemning this unwarranted attack on the integrity and professionalism of those in the Armed Forces who choose to exercise their constitutional right to express their opinions regarding U.S. military action in Iraq.
For more information or to cosponsor the resolution, please contact XXXXXXX in my office at xxxxx.
Sincerely,
Mark Udall
Things could get very interesting next week. More on the media dynamic at play on this story right here at The Horse's Mouth.
Let him embarass himself. If he wants to commit political suicide, that’s one less Senate seat we have to worry about defending.
I already know the answer, but is this the biggest issue facing America, so much so that the Congress has to vote on this?
Congress should follow up their condemnation with a demand for prosecution of all Moveon.org members, supporters, syncophants and contributors on whatever charges can be found.
Time to lock'emup and move on!
The Udalls are all highly inbred. One might suppose they share the same genealogies (probably with a good laugh here and there if you know what I mean).
I seriously doubt that any Republican voter cares one way or the other about McNabb, besides Rush was right about the guy ~ he was a fiction created by the "newsies".
Democrat voters might well be persuaded to vote Republican by the way the "newsies" dealt with McNabb ~ guy's been a total bust in planning a good gaming strategy anyway and you know that.
The burden is not on Rush to prove McNabb bad, but for McNabb to prove he can rush good, eh!?
Not only are both resolutions silly, but they are both a waste of time and money.
Rush still has his ears. They simply don’t work. Same with the MSM ~ their ears don’t work, nor their minds. Too many of the MSM are addicted to intoxicants and other substances that addle the brain.
But... But... Rush called Obama a Magic Negro! And now he is bashing the troops! And didn’t he once drive his secretary off a bridge at Chappaquiddick? How does Rush find the TIME?!
They are wasting their time. Rush is smarter and a lot more savvy than they!
No wonder they have an 11% approval rating.
snicker, snicker
But that isn't his contention, because he didn't say that. The author of this piece is either lying or didn't bother to research the story before proclaiming things to be fact.
Moreover, Republicans should go to the floor during the debate and put a chart up with the transcript, explain the actual truth of what was said, and conclude their remarks by saying. "Those are the facts. Mr. Limbaugh did not say what he has been made out to say - at all. If you didn't know that before, you do now. That means if you vote for this resolution, you are voting for something you know to be a lie. Members of Congress, what say you?"
Rush Limbaugh is a private citizen in a commercial enterprise and he can say whatever he likes. Subject to business deals with others like Clear Channel and some oversight from the FCC. Other than that it's nobody but the markets business and that's all there is to that. It's Limbaugh's golden EIB microphone. He PAYS for it!
On the other side of the coin is moveon.org. Which is NOT a private citizen and not a commercial enterprise! It is a non-profit 501 and it's existence is based on it behaving under the laws it agreed to when it was formed. Unlike Rush Limbaugh, moveon.org takes money from the taxpayer due to it's special status as a non-profit. There is nothing wrong with someone in government slapping them down when they get outside their organizational construct. The HAVE (supposed to anyway) to file a public and open IRS 990 and show where their $$$ comes from. Limbaugh does not.
If anyone in government, especially anyone that is a member of Congress and has sworn to uphold the US Constitution uses their office to take away Limbaugh's right of free speech they should be thrown out of office!
Sevral years ago I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with BG Burkett, who was one of the authors of the book "Stolen Valor" which chronicles FAKES who say they did something in the miltary when they did not. Rush was 100% right about these clowns. And that's what he was talking about.
They’ll condemn Rush for one remark but won’t condemn MoveOn for a slanderous ad.
A plague-carrying black rat has more honor than these DemocRats
Jesse MacBeth is a fake, a 'phony', soldier. He fits the description, as does anyone else who lies and claims to be something they are not.
I don't know that the GOP is POed at Rush, but, I don't think it would be wise to let it become public knowledge, on the off-chance that is the case. His fellow conservatives might not take it kindly, especially if "the GOP" were to side with the left against Rush.
Rush Limbaugh has done more to make the GOP than any one individual, other than Ronald Reagan.
Well, there goes his nomination....
Great citation. The other half of it is this:In his amazing book, Stolen Valor, BG Burkett and co-author Glenn Whitley tell the story of what happened to those who served and, sadly, what continues to happen. Page after page, Burkett takes on every one of the myths, the exaggerations, the pretenders, the bogus vets and the entire cultural stereotype that has become the Vietnam Veteran. I put off reading Stolen Valor for awhile because I thought that there would only be a story or two of a pretender in it. What a shock, even for someone who thought he was in the know, to see the prodigous work that Burkett and Whitley have amassed.
Thanks, c_I_c.
Let me see if I have this straight: Rush called a phony soldier a phony soldier and the left now thinks, in this day of instantaneous links to the actual quote, that they can damn him with the remark? I got this right have I? Sheesh. The Left is going crazy.
There’s no story here except Democrats making fools of themselves if they continue reporting a falsehood.
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