"Hillary And Kerry Team Up To Force The Pentagon's Hand"

[SaveElmer]

How many times to the Republicans have to get knocked on their asses by the Clintons before they give up...what's the definition of insanity again?

By Greg Sargent | bio

Looks like Hillary's now trying to force the issue with the Pentagon -- she's just revealed that she will be authoring legislation, with Senator Kerry, that would force the Pentagon to brief Congress on any plans it has drawn up for pulling out of Iraq in the event that Congress mandates it.

This demand on Hillary's part to see the Pentagon's contingency plans for withdrawal -- which she first made in May -- was what sparked Under Secretary of Defense Eric Edelman's dismissal of her query as aiding and abetting the enemy, a story that exploded yesterday. That, in turn, led to Hillary's stinging response to Defense Secretary Gates today.

...

Hillary and Kerry will brief the press on the new initiative this afternoon.

As Ben Smith observes, this could actually end up being the first anti-Iraq War legislation signed into law -- no small thing. It also deftly advances Hillary's political goal of keeping alive the fight with Edelman, which is hands-down a political winner for Hillary.

After all, given Hillary's imperatives within the context of Dem Primary politics, Clinton spokesperson Howard Wolfson himself probably couldn't dream up a better storyline right now than "Hillary dukes it out with the Pentagon over Iraq."

http://electioncentral.tpmcafe.com/blog/electioncentral/2007/jul/20/hillary_and_kerry_join_to_force_the_pentagons_hand

[EFerrari]

1. I never liked Kerry so well as when he was speaking during

the filibuster. Of course, no one was probably listening to him, but he was so knowledgeable about Iraq, it was very impressive. Good choice.

/oops

[blm]

8. Read the National Security Archives - his investigations are crucial to their content.

THAT is the biggest source of my admiration for him.

[EFerrari]

9. Did you catch his speech? What a relief to hear someone

speak so thoughfully and to the point! :hi:

[blm]

13. Yep, especially at 5:30 in the morning.

For decades he has stepped up to defend vigorously any Democrat being targeted for attack. It sickened me that the powerful Democrats would not show up to do the same for him because they would not publicly take on BushInc from 2001-2006.

[EFerrari]

15. I wonder how many conversations he and Al Gore have had

about that.

You have to admire someone that undergoes such a betrayal but stays on the team anyway, working hard.

[blm]

16. From what I have heard, the two have had MANY discussions.

That's why I still have hopes for a late entry by Gore.

[EFerrari]

17. They'd make quite a pair, wouldn't they?

:evilgrin:

[emulatorloo]

19. Kerry: "Anytime you see a Democrat get attacked, please step up and defend them."

From an email from Kerry today:

<snip>

P.S. - You and I know damn well what happens at moments like this: the Administration attacks their opponents ruthlessly. They smear, they lie. Yesterday they went after Sen. Clinton. I stepped up to defend her. Tomorrow who knows which Democrat they'll attack. Here's what I'm asking you: I don't care if you have a horse in 2008, or who you're supporting. Anytime you see a Democrat get attacked, please step up and defend them.

<snip>

[EFerrari]

20. Now, there's an email worth forwarding. And forwarding and forwarding. nt

[blm]

21. Gee - are environment, corruption, terrorism and open government important

issues this election?

[EFerrari]

22. The DLC folks are trying to protect their landslide, imo.

Meanwhile, erosion continues apace. :(

[Bongo Prophet]

27. I really enjoyed when Inhofe tried to sidetrack Kerry

And JK got in the Tora Bora incident. Just another thing he GOT RIGHT in 04 and repubs are just now beginning to understand.

Hillary's late night speech emphasized responsible redeployment as well, and it really was clear that they were both aiming for shaming the GOP chickens to come out of their Bush henhouses. Pretty smart stuff, I think.

[Lucinda]

23. I was watching

Smarty, clear and focused.

[wyldwolf]

2. ...but this is all a political plot cooked up by Bill Clinton and George Bush...

...if you believe SOME people...

[SaveElmer]

3. Gee...I wonder who those people are...?

eom

[Bongo Prophet]

28. Don't you think we should stand together against smears? I do.

I hope in the future we see more united front. If HRC gets the nod to be OUR nominee, I will defend her heartily from these bastards. Please try to see how that is better than the snarky BS that goes on in DU and elsewhere during (and ESPECIALLY AFTER) primary season. I don't know if you personally stood up for Gore or Kerry - I hope you did - but I like seeing them work together against a common enemy, and for the good of our country. It's a good trend!

The last 2 elections, our candidates did NOT have party solidarity behind them, for WHATEVER reason. As close as those elections were, (close enough to STEAL) it would likely have made the difference, and we wouldn't be in the mess we are now in.

Solidarity works!:toast:

[Metta]

4. Chickens come home to roost.

Since * et.al. don't have any plans other than just killing, this bodes ill for them no matter what the result. Over time, things will swing more our way.

[blm]

5. Typical JK- ALWAYS defending any Dem under attack. Unlike those of LESSER CHARACTER

Note any differences in character here? Let's review:




WASHINGTON D.C. -– Senator John Kerry (D-Mass) issued the following statement today, in response to a letter from the Pentagon that criticized Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D- NY) for asking whether the military had planned for an eventual redeployment of troops out of Iraq.

"This Administration reminds us every day that they will say anything, do anything, and twist any truth to avoid accountability. Their latest assault on Sen. Clinton comes from a tired partisan playbook and it’s a disgrace," Senator Kerry said.

"They ought to be planning to save lives -– not plotting to save face. One of the great tragedies of the war in Iraq has been a total lack of planning by the Administration. Failure to plan for protecting troops with the right equipment, failure to plan for treating specialized injuries and failure to anticipate the bloody civil war.

"I think it is entirely appropriate for the Pentagon to show how it is planning for the eventual redeployment of troops out of Iraq. We have a right and responsibility to know that our troops will return home in an orderly and safe manner and every reason to be skeptical given the reckless way our troops were put in harm’s way.

"Senator Clinton was right to ask the Pentagon for answers and the Administration’s smear tactics in response are wrong but not surprising."



Always the statesman. ALWAYS there whenever another Democrat is under attack by the RW forces.

What a marked difference from the selfishness and poor characters displayed by other politicians:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk1k0nUWEQg

[riqster]

6. AP story on the dustup

http://www.abcnews.go.com/print?id=3394359">Back Story

Notice that Kerry jumped in quickly.

[blm]

14. Typical - he always defends Dems under attack by the RW machine.

.

[beachmom]

7. The Pentagon's reaction to Sen. Clinton's reasonable request was

very puzzling. Their arrogance continues to amaze me. Good to see Dems teaming up to combat this.

[blm]

25. It was way overthetop considering that others have asked for the same plans

since early 2005 during the Rice hearings, again in 2006 and even the Iraq Study Group last December.

I wonder WHY the overthetop response to this recent inquiry?

[cadmium]

10. letter from Kerry's office today ended with this PS:

"P.S. - You and I know damn well what happens at moments like this: the Administration attacks their opponents ruthlessly. They smear, they lie. Yesterday they went after Sen. Clinton. I stepped up to defend her. Tomorrow who knows which Democrat they'll attack. Here's what I'm asking you: I don't care if you have a horse in 2008, or who you're supporting. Anytime you see a Democrat get attacked, please step up and defend them. "

He was right there to defend Nancy Pelosi when the Republicans attacked her for going to Lebanon

[blm]

12. Defended Murtha publicly, too, when he was targeted by BushInc and their media

machine.

[Tellurian]

29. "Anytime you see a "Democrat" get attacked, please step up and defend them. " per John Kerry.

hmm...wonder if blm will diss Kerry and his memo?

[politicasista]

11. K&R

:kick:

[PresidentObama]

18. Good for the two fine Democratic Senators. Two of a kind, indeed. n/t

[Inuca]

24. I don't know about "two of a kind"

but I 100% agree that it is a very good thing for them to do.

[Bongo Prophet]

26. A united front is what will beat the smear machine. Good for them both!

I was REALLY heartened by how they are working in coordination on this issue. They are a part of a team effort that is cornering the votes needed to get us (at least mostly) out of Iraq, as well as protecting the possible candidate from the RW smear machine. Bravo!

John lead by example here. EVEN THOUGH Hillary stabbed him as recently as last fall, in the "joke incident", he jumped to Hillary's defense without a moment's hesitation. To me that is the epitome of leadership and team building.
Dems should have done this on the swiftboat assholes in 04. A lesser man would have stayed silent. And now they are working on legislation to require contingency planning. Man, that is EXACTLY the type of ego transcending leadership we need to fight these neocon asses.

I want to add, Hillary's response to Edelmann's BOSS was perfect. Not even responding to the ass and going above his rank was brilliant smackdown! I am not a big HRC supporter, and waay to her left, but if she is the nominee, then solidarity will be my philosophy. For the greater good!

When your teammates have your back, and you fight back in unison, the RW can be smacked down hard.
Some people here just refuse to get that, and we are all worse off for it. I hope this leadership by example is a harbinger of things to come. TOGETHER we can steer this country out of neocon hands.

[Inuca]

30. Great post! n/t

[calteacherguy]

31. That's an excellent approach to take. nt

[Tellurian]

32. yes, agreed!

:kick: