Moynihan Myths

3.29.03 | Mia T

[Mia T]

Thx for your comments.

I understand your position, but my intent wasn't to "bash" Moynihan. On the contrary. This post was in fact a reaction to hillary clinton's self-aggrandizing exploitation of Moynihan's death.

If anything does indict Moynihan, it is his own hypocrisy, his lack of courage, his pathologic self-interest. Moynihan held the key. Had Moynihan taken that walk to the Oval Office, clinton would have been forced to resign. Had Moynihan not acquiesced, the clintons would not be poised to take back the presidency.

Frankly, as the reports hit the wires of our soldiers being blown to bits, I think less about aesthetic sensibilities and more about the narcissistic, power-hungry , dysfunctional politicians who got us into this mess.

Remember, in the mid-90s there was still time to do something about the terrorism…

[duckln]

No one is denying Moynihan was exceptional, but he lacked the big one quality, character. He consistently 'sold out to the devil' to keep his platform.

Cicero's post puts it brilliantly. Other big talkers as Lieberman and Byrd have the same flaw, convincing prose followed by a washing of hands.

Private post to Mia for the unnecessary length and graphics, takes 15 minutes to download. Very very, very, very annoying.

[Mia T]

I should learn from my mistakes. When I posted the following on Buddy's death, even my own dog barked!

Buddy Death Report Raises More Questions Than It Answers

 

By MIA T

 

 

HAPPAQUA, N.Y., Jan. 4 -- The clinton-PR-machine-generated report of the death of Buddy, the impeached ex-president's chocolate Labrador, raises more questions than it answers. The report states: "Buddy playfully took after a contractor leaving the Clinton home about noon and was struck by a sport utility vehicle on Route 117 at the bottom of Old House Lane...Neither Mr. Clinton nor Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton were [sic] home at the time. The only comment they will make on the matter is by way of a statement issued by Mrs. Clinton's office: 'My best memory is that I did not have any involvement in that death.'"

 

 

The report fails to explain how Buddy was able to wrest from the strong arm of the Secret Service and negotiate the multimillion-dollar, taxpayer-financed retrofits that were installed to make the poorly located suburban house safe for the universally despised former first couple. The report also fails to include a timeline detailing the whereabouts of the clintons on the day of the death. The clinton report's indictment of a sport utility vehicle (SUV) has caused incipient whispers of a vast left-wing conspiracy and the ever-expanding list of dead adverse clinton witnesses to fill the Senate cloakroom.

 

 

Buddy was a 1997 'gift' from a 'benefactor' who subscribed to the notion: "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog," particularly sage advice for a DC couple forever mired in scandal and antipathy. Whether Buddy also subscribed to that notion was questioned as recently as last January when he entangled himself in clinton's legs, dropping the impeached ex-president to the pavement; clinton insisted at the time that there was no malevolence involved, that they were simply playing a game of fetch. clinton refused to say who was doing the fetching. (see BILL & HILL & BUDDY & HELEN, Helen Thomas Syndrome: THE SYMPTOMS )

 

 

The White House reported that the clintons' first First Pet, Socks, a cat, greeted the canine acquisition with "a hiss previously reserved only for Ken Starr." Because Buddy remained Socks' nemesis throughout the clinton dog days, Socks was eventually exiled to Virginia, to the suburban home of Betty Currie, former clinton subornee and sex scheduler. At the time, clinton observed: "I made more progress in the Middle East than I did between Socks and Buddy." Retrospectively, it is clear that clinton's characterization was not correct.

 

 

Buddy web sites quickly exploded throughout cyberspace. (Socks web sites, too, he would add.) Mrs. clinton, a long-time adherent of synergistic exploitation, "authored" an instant book about three groups favored for exploitation by the clintons: dogs, cats and children. "Dear Socks, Dear Buddy: Kids' Letters to the First Pets" was published by the clintons' personal agitprop-and-money-laundering machine, Simon & Schuster. (see Is hillary clinton's $8M "book advance" a Peter-Principle artifact?)

Although Chappaqua locals share the national repugnance for the clintons, their feelings never spilled over to Buddy. "The big highlight for people was, 'I just saw Buddy,' never mind Mr. and Mrs. Clinton," said Christine Meyer, owner of Wags and Whiskers here.

[Mia T]

bump

[Mia T]

The same pattern repeated itself again and again. Moynihan had the intelligence to discern the truth, and he had the moral insight to discern right from wrong; but again and again he chose wrong out of political expediency.

The clinton impeachment trial and the gift of his senate seat to Hillary! were only two of the latest incidents in this sad decay of a great man.

 

I cannot call Moynihan great precisely because he could discern these things and chose to abandon them.

Most of the time it could be seen by the dullest eye that Senator Moynihan was drunk. I doubt that his blood alcohol level ever went below 0.1%, even when he woke up in the morning before taking his first drink. I have always assumed that he drank like a fish because he had a bad conscience and was seeking forgetfulness.

It never occurred to me, but you are so right. Politicking under the influence is dangerous to our country's health.

[Cicero]

Those of us with cable connections love Mia's posts. She's been posting great artwork for years--especially the clinton years.

[litany_of_lies]

Moynihan's failure to vote for impeachment on the basis of universally acknowledged perjury in a federal court proceeding was the "crowning point" of his entire career. As noted elsewhere, he was great at identifying the problem, but refused, with rare exception, to cast an unpopular vote to do anything about it.

He saw the breakup of welfare families that would occur because of the welfare state, but always voted to keep feeding it, and in fact predicted catastrophe when Welfare Reform passed in 1996.

I will give him some credit for sounding the alarm on the Clinton's attempted takeover of the health-care system in 1993-1994. Thank God it never got to a Senate vote, though, because he probably would have gone along with it.

He also spoke out against partial-birth abortion, but that is such a "duh" issue that the only credit he deserves is for recognizing an atrocity when he sees it. He was otherwise strongly pro-abort. Moynihan's career can generally be summed up in the four favorite words of all so-called "moderate" Democrats in public office: "Talk conservative, vote liberal."

[Incorrigible]

There is nothing wrong with your post about Moynihan Mia at this time or anytime.

I great that you were able to sum him up so concisely.

Keep up the good work.

[Stay the course]

Nice to see Moynihan's comments on the Clintons recorded for posterity. Thanks.

Sen. Byrd is another one who despises the Clintons (he refused to attend x42's State of the Union addresses), but failed to do the right thing on impeachment.

Lest we forget, here are the roll call votes on the four articles of impeachment:

Article I	House vote	Senate vote
Article II	House vote
Article III	House vote	Senate vote
Article IV	House vote

[Mia T]

excellent. bump!

[Mia T]

thx. ;)

[Mia T]

I suspect that most of Congress despises the clintons…

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

Enough traditions have already been thrown to the wind. Things like respecting adults, not cussing in front of little kids, and RESPECTING the dead. Heck, we used to turn on our headlights if we saw a funeral procession coming our way.

I think the timing of this criticism is what I object to the most. Perhaps on another day I will debate the merits of his service, or his lack of them. But it won't be right now.

Call me old fashion.. but thats my opinion. I don't care to look like the very political party I disagree with. I am still reeling from Sen. Wellstones funeral.

I won't be a hypocrit and say it was OK for the Dems to politicize his death.. then do the same thing with Sen. Moynihans death.

God Bless the Senator. May he rest in peace.

[NYpeanut]

And I remember Hillary in her black pants suit up at Moynihan's farm. For this alone, Moynihan should be excoriated...he's the only person on the planet who could have prevented Hillary from becoming senator.

I agree completely. All of Moynihan's pretty words amounted to absolutely nothing as he remained a loyal democrat and delivered an evil woman to his Senate seat. I refuse to cut him any slack just because he's dead.

History is history. We're all going to die someday, and our actions are our legacy. The co-rapist is part of his.

[Helms]

I wonder whether Lieberman has rented "8 Mile " yet? These folks possess no essence or sustance. only mutable form.

[mickie]

Good one, here....thanks Mia.

[WFTR]

First, the notion of respecting the dead seems silly to me. Once I'm dead, I'll be beyond the judgments of anyone left here on earth, and therefore their judgments will be meaningless. Whether you or I respect Moynihan will no longer have any effect on him. There are some actions that would not be appropriate, but discussing his record as a public person is still entirely appropriate.

I agree with showing respect for those who are left behind. I wouldn't protest at Moynihan's funeral. I likely wouldn't even talk about his record at this time on a public forum that was meant to be nonpartisan. However, Free Republic is not a nonpartisan forum. This forum is intended as a venue for conservative thought and ideas. As such, it is a place where posting the truth about how this guy performed as a public servant is entirely appropriate.

I have two more questions.

1. If you weren't ready to hear these things at this time, why did you bother to open a thread with the title "Moynihan Myths?" Would it have been okay to run a thread that whitewashed his hypocrisies?

2. Would you feel the same way if he were Bill Clinton? On the day that Bill Clinton dies, will his history of being a liar, traitor, and rapist suddenly pass? As far as I'm concerned, Bill Clinton will just be dead rapist on that day. I won't intrude on the grief of those fools who admire him, but those of us at Free Republic shouldn't hesitate to be glad that the scum is gone.

WFTR
Bill

[185JHP]

Right. But OTOH she might be Governor of one of the few states that would put someone so foul in the Governor's Mansion. Not any Senators make it to 1600 Penn.

[Cboldt]

Respectful - bump - for truth over fashion