Posted on 10/12/2010 8:04:51 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
The VFW has a history of tilting towards liberals, but this seems rather stunning. Barbara Boxer, who dressed down a general in a Senate hearing for calling her “ma’am,” won the endorsement of VFW’s political-action committee yesterday. The move also comes despite Boxer’s votes to curtail military spending — or perhaps because of them:
Accenting again the campaign focus she has placed on veterans’ affairs, Sen. Barbara Boxer on Sunday formally opened a veterans’ center at Pasadena City College and was later brought to tears by a forceful defense of her record by Sen. Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, a highly decorated member of Congress.
Inouye joined Boxer for her formal endorsement by the political action committee of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, whose California chairman also praised Boxer’s work on behalf of veterans. …
As Boxer spoke, a few dozen protesters chanted outside the PCC meeting room where she spoke, repeating “Don’t Call Me Ma’am”–a reference to Boxer’s request years ago that an Army Corps of Engineers general call her by her title rather than “ma’am” in a hearing.
Fiorina has been critical of Boxer’s record on military issues, including Boxer’s vote against a military spending bill that Boxer opposed because she said it did not outline a clear exit strategy from Iraq. On Sunday after speaking at a civic affairs conference hosted by the Iranian American Jewish community in Century City, Fiorina said the VFW PAC had “lost a great deal of credibility because they’ve demonstrated once again that all they ever do is endorse incumbent politicians.”
“There are a great number of veterans who are offended by Boxer’s refusal to support our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Fiorina told reporters Sunday. “There are veterans who are offended by the way she dressed down a general, and there are, unfortunately for the VFW PAC, now a whole lot of veterans who are offended by the decision the VFW PAC has taken.”
One could understand endorsements for Democrats in the House and Senate with more moderate records on defense, such as Jim Webb in the Senate, who refused to go along with the retreat strategy demanded by Boxer in Iraq. Barbara Boxer has worked on veterans’ affairs bills in the past, but mainly on broadly popular benefits bills. There is no evidence that Carly Fiorina would have worked any the less on those issues, nor does it appear that the VFW made much of an attempt to check it. Remember that the VFW — like NOW — had the option of simply not endorsing anyone at all.
It’s a safe bet in most midterm cycles for lobbyists to back an incumbent. It may even be a safer bet in this cycle in California to back Boxer’s incumbency. But I wouldn’t necessarily guess that they’ll be on the winning side this time, and in the meantime, it more or less exposes the rather cynical calculation of the VFW in its endorsing process.
One veteran outraged by this decision is Orson Swindle, who worked on the John McCain campaign and now works on Fiorina’s campaign. I’ll be speaking to Swindle in bonus minutes on today’s TEMS.
ALL organizations move left over time.
Just look at the NRA and its recent history.
She worked so hard to earn the title of Senator that she must hear others say it to her.
I know what I want to call her. After Nov. 2nd, I want to hear the title “private citizen Barbara Boxer”.
Remember that this group of “veterans” over saw and spent the last 30 years growing the largest government with the highest taxes and burdens in the history of the world on future generations.
“I know what I want to call her. After Nov. 2nd, I want to hear the title “private citizen Barbara Boxer”.
Sorry, in my mind her name will always be one letter from Aunt.
The VFW, like the NRA is protecting ruling class ass. They don’t give a nano-rip about us in the real world.
Mike
I don’t blame veterans for the VFW’s actions any more than I blame gun owners for the NRA’s actions.
I don’t think either cares what their members think anymore.
I have been disappointed in these organizations over the years because they are not in the forefront of community patriotic activities. IMO these two organization should be out promoting the Constitution, lifting up our forefathers, educating the children in schools, arguing at School boards and city councils for maintaining constitutional government and traditional American values. The Legion and VFW do none of these things.
The only activity they keep up with is providing a military presence at funerals and some of these leave a lot to be desired. There - I've finally had an opportunity to get it off my chest - whew!!!
“Have the Veterans lost their mind?”
Old people often do.
The VFW has been begging for new members for years. From Viet Nam through today fewer vets have joined.
Correct. GOP, NRA, VFW...take your pick. They turn left as they age. That’s the reason why the Tea Party is a breath of fresh air. Those dinosaur organizations were meant to be extinct and they should be.
“...these two organization should be out promoting the Constitution, lifting up our forefathers, educating the children in schools, arguing at School boards and city councils for maintaining constitutional government and traditional American values...”
Yes indeed. And this Boxer endorsement is just maddening.
(thumbs up)
Must be from the Ron Kovic Post of VFW.
Keep in mind that this is the management of the VFW. I would not blame the members as they are not asked who they should endorse. I think these organizations are just endorsing incumbents and nothing more. I don’t know if they have endorsed any new candidates in any race. It seems like these organizations are afraid to endorse the newbies for some reason.
I know I am naive but I can’t imagine anyone voting for a candidate because they were endorsed by the VFW, the NRA, AARP or any other organizations including editorial pages of newspapers.
This is going to cut deep, but now after endorsing Klein over West in Florida and then to see this, it is more like the ghost of Eddie Slovic is now running the organization.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Slovik
All considered, the VFW, as an organization, is mostly about getting more benefits for its members. Little else matters.
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