Posted on 07/05/2005 1:02:15 PM PDT by cwb
DON'T SPARE THEM ANY PITY, the Democrats who are now decrying the "politics of personal destruction." The left in this country invented and perfected the politics of personal destruction. They used it against fine men and women like Robert Bork, Clarence Thomas, William Rehnquist (remember the charge that he was a drug addict?) and Prof. Carol Iannone.
--Snip--
If you want a reminder of what the leaders of the Democratic Party are capable of, review the history of Robert Bork's nomination to the Supreme Court in 1987. Bork was then a federal appeals court judge, former solicitor general and former Yale law professor. Renowned throughout the nation for his brilliant scholarship, independence and fine writing, he was an obvious choice for the Supreme Court.
He was also a man of unquestioned rectitude. He had put his own career at risk to fight the anti-Semitic quotas at his law firm when still a young man, and succeeded in getting the firm to change its policy. He went to bat for a black, female lawyer on his Justice Department staff who was experiencing discrimination. In other words, he did more than behave decently to those around him. He stuck his neck out again and again.
But he disagreed with liberals about affirmative action and Roe v. Wade. And so the left decided to kill him. Not literally, but to assassinate his character. And because they could not do so with the truth, they told the grossest and most reprehensible lies. The conspirators in this crime included Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.) and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.). It included every major liberal group from NOW to the ACLU, and from the NAACP to People for the American Way...
(Excerpt) Read more at jewishworldreview.com ...
So dispicable was the rhetoric from the Left that "Safire's New Political Dictionary," the bible of political lexicography, defines "bork" as to "attack viciously a candidate or appointee, especially by misrepresentation in the media." And while Robert Bork may stand as the prime example of the Left's politics of "personal" destruction, he was just one, among a multitude of others who have become victims of liberal hate.
The rejection of John Towers nomination to be Secretary of Defense was the first in almost a century for a former Senator, as they turned this man into a chronic alcoholic...a problem I'm sure would preclude many on Capitol Hill from ever holding a job if that was prohibited. Whether it was Clarence Thomas, Bob Packwood or even the recent John Ashcroft, the Left...including leading Democrats, have done nothing but attacked the personal livelihoods of these men (and women). Heck, the attacks on Bush's judicial nominees over the last 2 terms alone, is unprecedented.
These people who claim to despise the Patriot Act for its unlawful access to library records (in the pursuit of terrorists) are the same people who use(d) these same tactics when going after Republican nominees...as they search out their personal movie and reading habits.
On the contrary, unlike Democrats who are allowed to object to every Republican appointee with some of the biggest lies and vitriol (with the support of their media brethren), Republicans are tarred as racists and bigots over their objections. When Bill Clinton appointed Ronnie White to the federal bench and Republicans objected...not for personal reasons but because he was weak on crime, the mediacrats immediately made an issue of his race. This despite the fact that most the major law-enforcement agencies in Missouri objected to his appointment, also.
White was the only jurist who wanted to give a retrial to an admitted (3x)cop-killer. In fact, this case became an issue in Ashcroft's AG appoitment as both the media and Dems tried to make Ashcroft out to be a racist, as they ignored the objections of others and this Justice's record on the bench.
Yet, when we find a memo from the Democrats that specifically mentions the race and implications of one of Bush's Hispanic appointees, the Democrats and the media become more concerned with the disclosure of the memo, rather than the substance and obvious racial overtones. Despite what anyone might say...Republicans don't act like Democrats; and they never could because this media would never allow them to get away with it. Democrats on the other hand...the record speaks for itself.
It actually began with Watergate.
Too easy....Al Gore.
It actually began when politics was invented.
The attack should focus on MSM and then the Dems, without the MSM they are really NOTHING.
TT
Older than that go on back in time. Think back to when the DEMS started using other means to get what they wanted then you in the right time frame.
Wuz it Jimmah Cotta?
Yeah, well, I guess I meant that it was perfected with Watergate.
There hasn't been a bigger prize to date than Nixon.
Exactly. This was related to Bork. I believe Kennedy went after him for one reason, because Bork fired the special prosecutor. It fell to him as Solicitor General because Nixon ordered Attorney General Elliot Richardson to do it and he refused and was fired (or resigned, I can't remember) and then assistant AG Ruckelshaus also resigned. So Bork carried out the order and fired Cox. Kennedy was not going to let such a person be promoted to the Supreme Court. The abortion, civil rights, etc. crap was just cover.
Asked and answered. It was the Clintons.
Arkancide anyone?
How about the character assassination of Whittaker Chambers? Or Joseph McCarthy?
I remember when "bork" was not a verb...
I absolutely agree with that. If it wasn't for the media, the Dems would've got their clocks-cleaned a long time ago. It's almost as if the media has become its own political party.
Nope go back further. Think Joe McCarthy.
It started with Clinton. Hillary tried to smear everyone, she even had people KILLED for disagreeing with her.
Look what happened to Buddy. He was serially abused by Clinton, and when he had had enough and was ready to spill the beans, he "ran" in front of a car.
Odd how people who disagree with the Clintons "disappear"...
*****The conspirators in this crime included Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.) and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.). It included every major liberal group from NOW to the ACLU, and from the NAACP to People for the American Way...
After Bork supported Ginsberg, I am no longer that sad he is not on the court.
It began with Vietnam.
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