Posted on 11/13/2002 2:27:19 PM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
Sen. Pat Leahy, D-Vt., didn't sound too happy during a home-state Wednesday morning radio interview over the fact that his party had lost control of the Senate, especially when he called one of the incoming freshmen Republican senators who will soon take over a "a draft dodger."
Responding to a caller on WVMT Burlington's "Charlie and Ernie Show", Leahy complained that President Bush had won the Senate by supporting the Republican candidate in Georgia, who, Leahy added, "was a draft dodger who attacked Sen. (Max) Cleland on his patriotism."
In one of the biggest upsets of last week's election, Rep. Saxby Chambliss, R- Ga., defeated Cleland, a victory that left Democrats stunned.
The Vermont left-winger, who will loose his chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee within weeks, went on to attack Chambliss as someone who had "avoided the draft several times."
In fact, Chambliss never received a draft notice. Instead, like millions during the Vietnam war era, the Georgia Republican took advantage of student deferments and eventually received a medical deferment due to a knee injury.
Leahy leveled the "draft dodger" charge after a caller asked if Democrats were likely to return to the bipartisanship that dominated Congress immediately after the 9/11 attacks.
A recording of Leahy's comments obtained exclusively by NewsMax shows the top Senate Democrat fuming:
"I don't think anybody agrees more with the fact that we need to work together. I have been disappointed in both ends of Pennsylvania Ave. The president has to make efforts also to do that. As you know, the president and his own advisors have said they took the most partisan attempts ever in an election, and it paid off for them. He won a lot of seats.
"He supported a man, for example, in Georgia who was, well, the best way to put it - was a draft dodger who attacked Sen. Cleland on his patriotism. And the president joined in that. Sen. Cleland lost both legs and an arm in Vietnam. But the man who avoided the draft several times won.
"Now, it's going to take a little bit to get over that kind of partisanship. In this case the president won his point but I think you have to ask, at what cost? And I think that attacking the patriotism of one of the most decorated war heroes in our country - doing these kind of things - that's going to take a little bit for that to wear off."
Isnt that what campaigning is all about?
... As you know, the president and his own advisors have said they took the most partisan attempts ever in an election, and it paid off for them ...How odd. I don't remember anyone saying anything like that.
Good.
Regards, Ivan
A thing of beauty.
Clelland?????
Prove it, Leaky.
Let's see, Vermont has one congressman, a Socialist. They have turncoat Jeffords as one Senator, and the Judicial obstructionist who basically flipped Strom Thurmond the bird as their other. HMMMMMMMMM. I wonder how many spoils these folks can count on over the next few years?
Sorry, my angry little friends, to the victor goes the spoils. And when you have been aiding the enemy and you lose, you really take a hit. Try dodging that.
Candidate Profile from Congressional Quarterly
Patrick J. Leahy (D) of Middlesex
Incumbent - elected 1974
Born: March 31, 1940, Montpelier.
Education: St. Michael's College, B.A., 1961; Georgetown U., J.D., 1964.
Military Service: None.
Occupation: Lawyer.
Family: Wife, Marcelle; three children.
Religion: Roman Catholic.
Political Career: Chittenden County state's attorney, 1967-75
But has anyone ever heard how he lost his legs and arm?
He said the mainstream press is totally ignoring the issue. I guess if it became common knowledge the Democrat lost was because of the boy scout-homosexual issue, it would damage the perception they are trying to create that americans are against the boy scouts.
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