Posted on 09/11/2006 10:30:52 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Lawmakers stood side by side on the steps of the Capitol and belted out an impromptu rendition of "God Bless America" after the terrorist attacks five years ago.
Democrats and Republicans pulled together, as did the country at large. "We had an astonishing moment of unity," former President Clinton said Monday.
But now, the two political parties couldn't be further apart.
On the fifth anniversary of the terror attacks, Democrats and Republicans struggled for the upper hand on what has become the main issue of the midterm campaigns -- the war in Iraq and its relationship with the broader battle against terrorism.
Both sides insist they aren't politicizing the anniversary. And numerous commemorative events were held at which political harmony was emphasized. Lawmakers even held a scripted encore singing and speaking session on the Capitol steps.
But then things got back to business as usual.
The central question: Are we safer? With control of the House and Senate hanging in the balance, the political rhetoric from the two parties is often 180 degrees apart.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Disunity caused intentionally by a liberal lying press and a donk party that has no morals or intellectual honesty. If not for them, this country would still be united.
There is unity. But the dems refuse to be a part of it unless it serves their agenda.
Democrats and commies throughout the world hate us because we have balls. We are a masculine country not afraid to take action, as opposed to sitting on our bloody asses and yapping about it until we're made victims again. Victims have replaced Achievers as the celebrated heroes in this world, but Bush "threw away all that good feeling" by refusing to be a Clintonian girly-man and wiping photogenic tears from his eyes and FEEELING and wondering what WE did wrong.
Bush responded like a man--the worst sin one can do these days in some eyes. Lucky for us, five years later, he still doesn't seem to give a damn what those victim-poseurs think. He tosses out a few "nice" words here and there, but he doesn't sit idly by--he acts.
I often think if only we didn't have the Democrat/liberal/leftist mindset around how far this country could go in a positive direction. It's like a man swimming in the ocean with cement flippers.
I'm really tired about hearing of all this unity. They (liberals) were traitors then as they are now, just too cowardly to speak up at the time.
---The central question: Are we safer? ---
The central question is: Are we winning?
The "unity" was "astonishing" because it was fake.
The Dems knew they had appear supportive so they shut up and held all their bitterness and hatred inside waiting for a chance to explode. Part of the reason they have gone so far in the Bush hatred the last few years is that the holding it in for a year was so difficult that it drove many of them nuts.
Yes, the Democrats are traitors, the Republicans are stupid and the borders are still open: wake up America, you could be dead tomorrow. Hug and kiss your family tonight.
Remember God and his writings.
As usual, most of what Clinton says is absolute rubbish. After 9/11 a lot of Democrats kept their mouths shut because they knew that it would have been politically unwise to reveal their true (lack of) character.
But even then there were plenty of Demo/Commies who couldn't hold it in. I was in Manhattan at that time, and I remember distinctly, within just a couple of weeks of 9/11, while thousands of bodies were still being placed into refrigerated trucks acting as a makeshift morgue on the East side of Manhattan, there was a parade of America-hating ANSWER types and Demo/Commies streaming all the way from Central Park to Union Square holding up signs blaming the US and pleading for the US not to take the war to Afghanistan and the Taliban. There was no unity then, other than a cheap Democrat facade, and now those ANSWER type traitors clearly form the solid core of the Democrat constituency. They are the Lamont supporters, and they are the ones that Hillary is trying assiduously to court by kissing Lamont's rear end, all the while pretending to be Ms. Centrist...
It has been the former President Clinton who has been traveling around the world for the past 5 years, attacking President Bush, the War in Iraq, America and anything else he can think of....................Clinton is part of the problem, not part of the solution............
Thanks for your post!
I concur: Rat's had to shut up and present a face of unity. It was a false face of course.
The Democrats sang "God Bless America" and have been tapdancing around their own treasonous activities ever since.
They're a real song and dance act, those liberals.
..... Fueled by CNN....
Croc tears! CNN has played a leading role in any disunity that exist.
9/11 is an after thought. What still pisses off the Dims is the 2000 election. Every issue is viewed through that angry prism.
Astonishing unity? On what?
Bill Clinton himself went to France and told the world that we deserved it for slavery.
No one in the entire world sent anything to help us.
Leftists all over the place told us "don't over react".
Peaceniks were quick to condemn *any* military action against anyone who might have been responsible.
The UN made several statements about how we deserved it.
The list goes on...
Restore Civility in Debate, Government
By John E. Carey
The Washington Times
There seems a lack of civility, good manners, decorum and protocol in Washington these days.
One side frequently calls the other side names; instead of making organized logical arguments.
We entered the world of the “blogosphere” on July 4, 2006. In this internet land of people discussing world events, the language often is particularly harsh, polarizing and nasty.
An exchange between President Bush and Today show’s Matt Lauer on the anniversary of 9/11 on the Today show caused a flurry of discussion on some web sites. Lauer seemed to have an aggressive, even badgering tone with the president as the two stood in the Oval Office discussion 9/11 and other issues of the day. Lauer reputedly gestured in an aggressive way, almost sticking his finger in the president’s chest.
On Sunday, September 10, 2001, on Fox News Sunday, Chris Wallace asked Democratic National Committee Chairman and former Vermont Governor Howard Dean if he would now apologize to Karl Rove.
It seems, despite Dean’s accusations that Rove was the leaker in the Valery Plame escapade, that Richard Armitage was the unfortunate inadvertent leaker.
Gov. Dean answered, “Absolutely not. I still think he should be fired.”
Armitage apologized in public. Dean could not.
Does it matter? Sure it does.
Thoughtful, courteous national discourse has managed to get us through a revolution against the most powerful nation on the Earth, a War Between the States, two World Wars and other tragedies and trying times.
If we can get along, maybe we can discuss the problems and get the best answers. Maybe a more civil and etiquette-driven discussion of the issues can help us get through the War on Terror.
Instead, we have become a nation led by name-callers, insult-slingers and generally rude, angry and impolite representatives.
What does this teach our children?
Our American history is full of great men who teach us the importance of good conduct for the common good. Some say George Washington actually authored “The Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviour [sic] in Company and Conversation.”
Though not the author, Washington embraced good manners so famously that the “Rules” could easily have been his own creation. The good manners of John Adams also echo to us through history. With Thomas Paine, Adams watched a young American officer conduct himself less than diplomatically and courteously before the King of France.
Adams wrote to his wife, describing the “Man of Choleric Temper.” Adams said the man “like so many Gentlemen from his State, is abrupt and undiplomatic. Last evening, at a Royal Reception, he confronted His Most Christian Majesty Louis XVI with Words both ardent and impatient, whilst Mr. Paine wrung his Hands at the other man’s lack of Tact. Never did I think that I would see our impetuous Paine so pain’d by another’s want of Courtesy and Civility. To our amazement, however, the King took [the man’s] Enthusiasm in good Part.”
When told one of his generals, John C. Fremont, had been nominated by a group of 400 anti-Lincoln loyalists to run for president, Lincoln opened a Bible and read aloud from I Samuel:22, “And everyone that was in distress, and everyone that was in debt, and everyone that was discontented gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them; and there were with him about four hundred men.”
Modern statesmen pulled the country together, not by tearing others apart or barking at the media, but more often by thoughtful discourse and conduct. “Both Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt operated beautifully on the reporters who surrounded them,” wrote David Keirsey and Ray Choiniere in “Presidential Temperament.”
“Both used the press as if it were their own publicity machine.”
This was largely achieved in a civil, diplomatic style.
I cannot ever recall seeing John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, or George W. Bush look petulant, angry or rude.
Other great national leaders also reflect respect, even admiration, for the importance of good protocol and decorum.
Winston Churchill described a 1941 university ceremony this way: “The blitz was running hard at that time, and the night before, the raid … had been heavy. Several hundreds had been killed and wounded. Many houses were destroyed. Buildings next to the university were still burning, and many of the university authorities who conducted the ceremony had pulled on their robes over uniforms begrimed and drenched; but all was presented with faultless ritual and appropriate decorum, and I sustained a very strong and invigorating impression of the superiority of man over the forces that can destroy him.”
Let’s hope our leaders become enlightened enough to avoid the forces that can destroy them. For our sake and the sake of our children.
I regret the times that bad conduct, anger and a disregard for etiquette got the best of me. I hope our present day political leaders see the light too.
Karl Rove usually has a wonderful sense for the correct tone to set.
Howard Dean is tone deaf.
To get though the war against terror and to achieve victory, a united, clear-thinking leadership just might be important.
Angry rhetoric and arson with clever words serves no good purpose.
The only reason there was unity is because the Rats and assorted leftys were peeing themselves under their beds. They were too scared to talk and it's tough doing interviews under there. Now they feel safe again, are spouting off, and getting in the way...as usual.
LBT
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