Sen. Murray (D)WA Asks Kids "If he's (Bin Ladin) so bad why is he so well liked"

The Columbian ^ | 12/19/02 | Gregg Herrington

[GOP_Proud]

U.S. SEN. PATTY MURRAY -- SENATOR ASKS STUDENTS TO PONDER Thursday, December 19, 2002 By GREGG HERRINGTON, Columbian staff writer

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray was in Vancouver on Wednesday challenging high school students to answer these questions:

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What is behind terrorist Osama bin Laden's popularity in some parts of the world, and should the United States adopt his nation-building tactics?

Speaking at Columbia River High School, Murray, D-Wash., responded to questions from students, most about the war on terrorism or government spending for education.

Later Wednesday, Murray visited C-Tran headquarters and checked out a new bus.

Murray met at Columbia River with world history students and student government leaders. Across town, Hudson's Bay High School students participated via teleconference.

Murray concluded the session by challenging the students to consider alternatives to war.

"We've got to ask, why is this man (Osama bin Laden) so popular around the world?," said Murray, who faces re-election in 2004. "Why are people so supportive of him in many countries … that are riddled with poverty?

"He's been out in these countries for decades, building schools, building roads, building infrastructure, building day care facilities, building health care facilities, and the people are extremely grateful. We haven't done that.

"How would they look at us today if we had been there helping them with some of that rather than just being the people who are going to bomb in Iraq and go to Afghanistan?"

Murray said she doesn't know where she comes down on that guns-or-butter question, and building infrastructure in Third World countries would "cost a lot of money, and we have schools here and health care facilities here that are really hurting."

Be 'better neighbors'?

"War is expensive too," she said. "Your generation ought to be thinking about whether we should be better neighbors out in other countries so that they have a different vision of us.

"It is a debate I think we ought to have."

Murray was in the minority when the Senate voted 77-23 in October to give President Bush authority to use military force in confronting Saddam Hussein. The state's other senator, Democrat Maria Cantwell, voted for the resolution.

Murray opened Wednesday's event telling the students, "You'll be graduating into a world that is very difficult. … The economy is struggling. War in Iraq is a very real possibility in the short term" and could cost $200 billion even if it were to last only a few weeks.

The cost of waging war could result in cuts to domestic programs such as Pell grants for college students, she said.

Responding to a question about federal spending for schools, Murray said the Bush administration is backing off its pledge of support for the No Child Left Behind program.

"There are crises in every one of our schools in this country," Murray said, and cutting spending on education has long-term deleterious effects.

Visit to the bus barn

Later in the day, Murray spent 45 minutes at the C-Tran administrative and operations facility at 2425 N.E. 65th Ave. for a holiday potluck. Randy Frasier's Mountain View High School jazz and concert choirs serenaded her with holiday carols.

Afterward, Murray examined a new $312,000 Gillig coach, the first of several dozen that will replace 20-year-old GM buses that have racked up an average of 650,000 miles each.

Murray is on the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on transportation, which funnels matching money to states and local agencies for buses and other transit programs. Eighty percent of the cost of new buses will come from federal grants, and the remainder from local C-Tran money.

...and John Gotti was also well-loved in his community.

[visualops]

There have been many men who've espoused the exact same ideas as this woman. Idiocy is gender-neutral.

If you'd check, you'd see that after 9/11, polling showed women over men in the majority ready to go kick OBL a**.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if historically it showed women to often be the 'behind-the-scenes' aggressors.

I've an old newspaper article, I believe from the early 1900's, describing how a crowd had pulled from jail and unmercifully dispatched a pair of criminals. A large part of the incitement was due to women urging their men to go get the job done and make the neighborhood safer.

Part of me is wondering why I'm even bothering posting this. If you meant what you said, you're no smarter than that Murray idiot.

[OldFriend]

Nothing silly about statements by the likes of Murray. Her ignorance is breath taking, but even worse is her suggestion that somehow we deserved what happened on 9/11. This is unforgiveable.

[B Knotts]

We should make every bit a big deal of these statements as they did with Trent.

I'm tryin'! :-)

Seriously, everyone should blast this to all relevant media.

[expatpat]

..and Adolf Hitler was loved in Germany?

What a stupid bi*tch!

[cubreporter]

Perhaps SHE should step down now. What she said is treasonist because she put Bin Laden above those who were MURDERED on 9-11. Hope they make a BIG issue out of this to where she can do nothing but step down. This is a disgrace! What is happening to our country|??? Why are all t hese people allowed to make these kinds of statements. If Bin Laden builds so many roads and does so many things, why doesn't SHE move there and take her kids with her (if she has any) cause obviously she thinks life is better there than here. I'm sure the rest of us could get along without her very nicely.

[Crusader21stCentury]

We need a formal declaration of war so that fifth columnists like this witch can be locked up until the war is won.

I am not intersted in paying to lock them up, but I would be interested in paying fifty cents per to FIX the problem permanently.

[dfwgator]

For the same reasons the Germans loved Hitler (and many still do).

[Vitamin A]

WE ALL AGREE THAT OSAMA IS A DISGRACE TO THE GENE POOL AND SHOULD BE SLOWLY TORTURED TO DEATH BY THE FAMILIES OF HIS VICTIMS.

IN HONESTY AND FAIRNESS TO THE SENATOR (LIBERAL THAT SHE IS) SHE WAS NOT TRYING TO SAY THAT OSAMA IS AN OK GUY, OR THAT HIS INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDING JUSTIFIES HIS ACTIONS. SHE WAS SUGGESTING THAT IF THE USA WOULD PUT MORE HUMANITARIAN AID INTO OTHER COUNTRIES, WE WOULD BE MORE FAVORABLY RECEIVED THERE. AFTER ALL, IF AN SOB LIKE OSAMA CAN GET FAVORABLE RATINGS FOR BUILDING A ROAD OR SCHOOL, THINK OF WHAT THIRD WORLD OPINION ABOUT THE USA WOULD BE IF WE SPENT MORE TIME, EFFORT, AND MONEY HELPING THE LESS FORTUNATE IN THIRD WORLD NATIONS.

AS IT IS, TERRIBLE CONDITIONS FESTER IN THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES, GERMINATING EXTREMISM, AND THEN WHEN THEY LASH OUT AT US IN RABID IRRATIONALITY, THE ONLY WAY WE HAVE LEFT OF SOLVING THE PROBLEM IS BOMBING THEM. IS IT SUCH A TERRIBLE IDEA TO GO ON THE OFFENSIVE BY MAKING GREATER STRIDES IN HUMANITARIAN AID, EXTENDING CHARITY TO AN EVEN GREATER EXTENT OUTSIDE OUR BORDERS, THUS SHOWING THE WORLD AMERICA'S GOODNESS? CALL ME CRAZY, BUT FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE SPEND BUILDING SCHOOLS AND ROADS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES, I BET WE'D SAVE TWO DOLLARS WE'RE SPENDING NOW ON MILITARY ACTION. FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE FISCAL CONSERVATIVES, DOESN'T IT ANGER YOU HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE HAVING TO SPEND NOW TO MILITARILY WIPE OUT THE SCUM THAT HAVE BEEN BREEDING IN THE THIRD WORLD?

I SUPPORT THE PRESENT MILITARY ACTION NOW BECAUSE IT'S TOO LATE FOR OTHER OPTIONS, BUT WOULDN'T A HUMANITARIAN OFFENSIVE, FOUGHT WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF RESOURCES AND DETERMINATION AS OUR PRESENT MILITARY OFFENSIVE, DO A HELL OF A LOT OF GOOD IN THE WORLD, AND SAVE US FROM HAVING TO DEAL WITH A HELL OF A LOT OF PROBLEMS THROUGH GUNS AND BOMBS?

BEFORE YOU CONDEMN ME, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO THINK I'M NOT REALLY A REPUBLICAN, GO READ EISENHOWER'S FAREWELL ADDRESS. IT'S ON THE WEB AT A FEW DIFFERENT UNIVERSITY WEBSITES. I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING HE DIDN'T SAY 50 YEARS AGO. AND IKE WAS NO PANSY. IT'S BLOODY COMMON SENSE, PEOPLE.

[Bluntpoint]

"Sen. Murray (D)WA Asks Kids "If he's (Bin Ladin) so bad why is he so well liked"

Want to see Sen. Murray pop a gasket:

"Ms. Murray, If Reagan was so bad why is he so well liked"

[LibertarianLiz]

"He's been out in these countries for decades, building schools, building roads, building infrastructure, building day care facilities, building health care facilities,

Where?

[Bluntpoint]

Reading your large case just caused me to have a seisure.

[pepsionice]

Send Patty to Afghanistan...without US troops to guard her and see how long the dimwit lasts...

Washington has a long history of electing nuts to the house and senate...so whats new?

[GrandMoM]

bump

[Bluntpoint]

"Washington has a long history of electing nuts to the house and senate...so whats new?"

Remember, whenever you make fun of a Dem lady, you may be making fun of a person who plays the mother in a lesbian relationship.

Just something to think about next you go on one of your viscious attacks.

[dokmad]

Treasonous!!!!!!!

[goodnesswins]

SHEESH......have you no small type? AND, furthermore, just how much money is enough? Tell us, please. WE ARE THE MOST GENEROUS NATION ON EARTH....and whatever we give it is NEVER ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sometimes you have to change things ....like teaching people HOW TO FISH, not just giving them FISH. ARE YOU SENDING ALL YOUR MONEY TO THOSE WHO NEED IT? HMMMMM?

[dokmad]

Sounds like Sen. Murray is a candidate for some email. Anyone have her addy?

[goodnesswins]

"A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction."

Did you read this part of Eisenhower's Farewell Address?

[SouthParkRepublican]

"Your generation ought to be thinking about whether we should be better neighbors out in other countries so that they have a different vision of us"

Great big black-holes sucking in my cash. Perhaps it emerges as change on the other side of the universe?

[Mr. Mojo]

We need a formal declaration of war so that fifth columnists like this witch can be locked up until the war is won.

We could throw her in the same cell with Seattle congressman "Baghdad" Jim McDermott. ....And the warden wouldn't even have to concern himself with hanky panky --- they both like women.