Posted on 05/07/2003 8:56:02 PM PDT by Howlin
Every so often you come across evidence that a political party is losing its mind. Something like that is happening to Democrats over President Bush's fabulous "top gun" photo-op aboard the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln. It's a case study in how Bush and Karl Rove have left so many Democrats undone.
Rep. Henry Waxman of California has asked the General Accounting Office to provide a full accounting of the landing's costs, since the event had "clear political overtones." Sen. Robert Byrd, who, as longtime appropriations czar, is in no position to throw stones over dubious uses of taxpayer money, lashed out at Bush instead for "flamboyant showmanship," saying the White House had no business using the carrier "as an advertising backdrop" for the president's speech. Democratic staffers are working overtime to gin up media interest in the "scandal."
Let's be clear. Yes, Bush manipulated the timing of the Iraqi showdown to suit his purposes in last year's midterm elections. And yes, he's now hoping to put America's military success to his political advantage. But for all that, Bush's decision to take out Saddam was the right thing to do. And as for the news that Bush is now trying to use the result to help himself - well, do we really have to trot out the old Casablanca line about being shocked to find there's gambling going on here?
For foes of Bush's domestic agenda, like myself, the worst part of these Democratic attacks is how ineffective and tone deaf they are. The party's most idiotic argument (it's hard to find a gentler word that's also accurate) is that in staging this event, Bush showed disrespect for the troops, because he delayed their return to their families by an extra day after a 10-month deployment.
Isn't it obvious even to Democrats that, if you took a vote of the sailors on board, they'd have unanimously hailed the idea of a visit from their commander in chief to deliver the thanks of a grateful nation? It's a moment they'll cherish for the rest of their lives and tell their grandchildren about. Democrats, inspired perhaps by the trial lawyers who bankroll the party, are acting as if these troops are good prospects for a class-action suit.
The cost was puny anyway. Early Democratic salvos complained that the photo-op cost at least $100,000, as if we should be outraged. Reality check, please. Fifty million dollars for Kenneth Starr's investigation was an outrage; $100,000 to land on deck and welcome troops returning from war is patriotic pageantry.
Earth to Democrats: There is nothing wrong with a little patriotic pageantry. And the costs of presidential movements are always extraordinary. When a president changes where he eats a meal one afternoon, taxpayers probably drop $100,000. You know what? We give the head of the free world a budget for that.
Democrats, of course, know this. Which helps explain why as I write this I've already received fresh e-mails from a Democratic press office raising the cost estimate for Top-Gun-Gate to $1 million. Bet they'll get it to $10 million before week's end.
I know, I know - this is politics. GOP operatives routinely toted up the cost of Bill Clinton's trips to New York City and the man-hours lost to Manhattan gridlock in the service of Hillary's ambition. The right wing never tires of trotting out the size and cost of Clinton's entourage when he traveled abroad. Both sides perennially engage in this irrelevant nitpicking - like so many other depressing aspects of public life, this seems to be a political law of nature.
But this latest episode shows how demoralizing life in the minority must be. Henry Waxman is admired even by Republicans for having done more over his career to extend health coverage to poor and near-poor Americans than perhaps anyone in the country.
Now look: Ten years after Newt Gingrich's earthquake, poor Henry is sniping guerrilla-style over political sideshows. How depressing must that be?
This is no time for Democrats to go bonkers over the small stuff. If this is what they consider smart politics, it'll be a long wait until 2008.
Did you get to see Hannity & Colmes tonight? Hannity claimed that there were several Democrat Congresscritters who were also flown out to the aircraft carrier. I think Mr. Waxman should have GAO figure up their total while he's at it!
As for the nightly news programs, you nailed it! There was always bias! LOL
If Clinton loathed the military, that's nothing compared to how the military feels about him.
And I will never ever forgive him for saying that "no one ever had as much fun as I did" while being president. Pig.
LOLOL! You are one lucky lady!
It was a habit from my childhood, and was really nothing more than comfortable background noise as I was trying to wake up enough to fix breakfast for my daughter and husband.
It was only when my daughter was grown, and hubby was on a trip, that I actually watched the sucker!
Then, I turned it off!
It was a dry 4 years until FNC started. I have watched it from Day 1, and haven't looked back.
My kiddo is also an adult now. Isn't it a nice change ? She watches " FOX & FRIENDS " ; I am asleep, so don't. LOL
It took FOREVER, for our cable to get FNC ( and believe me, I and my husband bugged them almost weekly...for years!), but we finally got it a few years back. Now, that is almost all I ever watch. LOL
If they are going to throw an amount out there, then why does Waxman need an investigation done at the cost to taxpayers?
It's even worse than it sounds. The flag had already been placed on the grave, and Clinton ordered a flunky to go and kick it over so he could be seen replacing it. It bears repeating: Bill Clinton, may he roast in hell, ordered that the flag flying over the grave of a dead American soldier be kicked into the mud so that he could win political advantage by propping it back up.
He is the worst and most evil president this country has ever had. Everything and everyone connected to this white-trash son of a whore is a disgrace.
-ccm
I wish I could play "Caption this Photo".
First, everyone has the "I'm here to avoid KP duty" look. Those that aren't outright disgusted are staring intently at the EXIT sign. Bill looks like he's got something sticky on his hands and is wiping it off. Finally, the guy just up and to the right of the guy wiping ... er ... shaking Bill's hand is looking at his own hand with that GhostBuster's "He slimed me!" look. LOL.
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