Commentary: Senator Murray and Osama

American Values ^ | Gary Bauer, President, American Values

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Last week while Senator Lott's political future was crumbling under the weight of his comments about a Presidential election that took place 54 years ago, another Senator was sharing her "wisdom."

Senator Patty Murray of Washington State had this to say to high school students about Osama bin Laden. "We've got to ask, why is this man so popular around the world? 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," Mrs. Murray said. "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 or go to Afghanistan?"

Senator Murray's statement is breathtaking in its stupidity. Praising bin Laden for building schools is like praising Hitler for making the trains run on time. Was feminist Senator Murray unaware of the condition of women in Afghanistan under bin Laden? Has she no knowledge of the billions we spend throughout the world to help the poor? Did it cross her mind she was praising the man responsible for the deaths of 3,000 of her fellow Americans? Bin Laden is loved by the radicals of the Middle East precisely because he is killing us!

Senator Murray will not face political death the way her colleague from Mississippi did. Her remarks only made the press Saturday morning and the story will be over in mere hours. Democratic Senators won't run to microphones to distance themselves from her. Her closest allies won't say she is an embarrassment to her party. The New York Times and Washington Post editorial boards will be silent. Liberals won't form a circular firing squad to destroy themselves over her gaffe. And I doubt the top political operatives of the GOP will spend any energy today on how to make this the national story it should be.

Whatever one thinks about Trent Lott's gaffe, no one would seriously argue his presence in the Senate would put our country at risk. But Senator Murray's mindset, shared by many on the radical left, is exactly the kind of blindness that could ultimately undermine our ability to win the war on terrorism.

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[Oldeconomybuyer]

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

[Shenandoah]

senator_murray@murray.senate.gov

[South Dakota]

I for one am going to keep track of when this idiot women runs for re-election. What few dollars i have will go to her opponent. It worked against McKinney

[RippleFire]

BUMP

[fhayek]

Her next election is 2004.

[secretagent]

Osama might have popularity around the world because he takes credit for a lot of charity, but I doubt he has the money to do much. Other than building a road in the Sudan, I really don't know what he has done. I've read that the Wahabi(sp?) Saudis spend a lot of money on Mosques and schools/orphanages in order to have a pool of terror recruits. Murray's remarks could spur interesting points of discussion:

The US may not get enough credit for the aid it does give, the aid may not get to the poor, we might win more hearts and minds if we gave more aid, we might get less support if we give more aid, the press has inflated the support Osama has, and Osama has support not for the charity he gives - but rather the heroic warrior image he's built.

[McGavin999]

This statement may blow over for now, but in 2004 when she runs for re-election it could well come back to haunt her. Those lefty's in Seattle had better wise up. They are not a likely target for terrorists, but they would be the first ones reached by missiles from North Korea.