Anyone listening to Big Ed?

[whometense]

He is on FIRE about the supposed "terrorist indictments" in Florida. It's great.

[_dynamicdems]

1. Yes, I'm listening!

The woman who is on now is great!

[_dynamicdems]

2. ED just mentioned the London Times article!

I sent it to Wendy earlier! He's talking about it now. :woohoo:

[ginnyinWI]

3. you're famous!

;) congrats!

[beachmom]

4. Awesome, DD!! You totally rock!!

So we've got front page Kos and now Ed. At least lib radio and the #1 blog have this info out there. Of course, my take on it took it a step further than Ed. Meanwhile, the MSM are focussing on events on the ground with Baghdad in a state of emergency. That is the reality, but I still think they should start bringing this story out in bits and pieces. It's a BIG DEAL!!

[ginnyinWI]

5. I missed it up until now

I had to step out--any highlights you could share?

edit: I heard the beginning about Florida--but not him reading the London Times.

[_dynamicdems]

6. He didn't mention John Kerry at all though. He credited Murtha.

He's obviously still angry at JK. These two need to talk and then kiss and make up.

At least the story is out there. I sent it to Hardball too, but I never got to send it to KO.

[ginnyinWI]

7. yeah what is up with that?

This isn't good--he's being so unfair to JK.

[beachmom]

8. Somebody else sent it to KO (from the dKos thread)

Why is Ed mad at Kerry? You're saying it's personal, or do you think he believed that hit NYT piece?

[whometense]

9. It's not personal.

He feels it was a tactical error to have had two dem proposals on Iraq. He thinks they should have hammered out a compromise they could all agree on, and he said he felt Kerry was "grandstanding."

He's taken a lot of grief for it all week. Most callers haven't agreed with him.

[karynnj]

10. Also, Kerry was first and was working with the others

It sounds that he just couldn't get them far enough to where he was still comfortable. It's easy to see why they were willing to go with a big piece of fluff. Even if this wasn't heart felt for Kerry, politically after his dissent comments - he couldn't go with it. It is a sincere difference at least on his side. What I don't know with the other side is what they really believe.

[_dynamicdems]

19. Another thing to consider, out of the 13, there are 7 veterans.

That is a huge percentage especially when you consider that only 16 Dems and the single Independent in the Senate have ever served in the military. And seven of the 17 signed Kerry's bill! These are the people who understand and should be listened to.

I sent a letter to Big Ed reminding him of that and saying that although he might dissagreee with the decision to present the bill, he should never question the senator's motives as a veteran who has served, attended the funerals and listened to the mothers.

This is the e-mail I sent:

---------------------------------------------------------------------


As a regular listener to the Big Ed show, I can't tell you how much it has hurt to hear Ed lashing out at Senator Kerry these past couple of days. Of course Ed can disagree with the senator's decision to present his bill, but he shouldn't be questioning the senator's motivations.

It wasn't a political decision. If anything, this will hurt Kerry politically just as speaking out in 1971 did. Of all people, Ed should realized this because both he and Senator Kerry share a common trait: they speak their minds and sometimes go charging in like a bull in a china shop. Despite his political saavy and his years of experience, when the senator is charged up on an issue, nothing is going to stop him, come Hell or high water, he'll do what he thinks is right. He's been to war. He's been to the funerals. He's listened to the mothers.

"I am not going to be a Member of the Senate in good standing and in good conscience and support a policy in Iraq that I believe is going to add people to whatever Iraqi memorial will be created,..." John Kerry 6/21/06

Please consider the following information when you consider Senator kerry's decision to offer the Kerry-Feingold bill:

Only 16 Senate Democrats have ever served in the military in any capacity. Out of the 13 senators voting for the Kerry-Feingold Amendment, seven (six Democrats and the single Independent) served in the military: John Kerry, Frank Lautenberg, Tom Harkin, Ted Kennedy, Jim Jeffords, Daniel Inouye, and Daniel Akaka.
http://veterans.house.gov/vetlink/seanatestats.htm

Letters to Senator Kerry from the MFSO:

On March 1, 2006, members of Military Families Speak Out, along with an Iraq Veteran Against the War, met with Senator John Kerry in Washington, DC, and delivered the following letters from MFSO members in Massachusetts. The military families were disappointed in Senator Kerry's unwillingness to show leadership and call for the troops to be brought home now.

Each link below goes to the full letter from a member of a military family that was hand-delivered to Senator Kerry in Washington. (these were all separate links in the e-mail to Ed)
http://www.mfso.org/article.php?list=type&type=32

As Iraq edges to the brink of civil war, our 21-year-old son, our only child, is training for his second deployment to Iraq as an MP in the U.S. Army.
John and Virginia, MA


As constituents and the proud parents of an Army soldier, we urgently request that you stand up to address this issue by working in Congress to bring our troops home now. We sincerely believe that such action would be in keeping with your oath of office to defend the Constitution of the United States.
Military Parents, Needham, MA


We are blue collar people some of us living week to week but we all live every day wandering if our loved one will come back. You say you hear our voices and you say you feel my pain but you can't unless you walk in my shoes.
Joanne Spencer, Mother of an Army Corporal, Tyngsboro, MA


I expect, and ask that you work to do whatever you can to get our military out of Iraq. I expect, and ask that YOU stand up and Speak Out.
Anne Sapp, National Guard Spouse, Billerica, MA


How many more must die for a war based on lies? How many more will return home, never to be the same again? I implore you, please, look into your heart, remember how you felt, and show the sons and daughters of America that you care.
Anne L. Roesler, Whose Son Has Served Three Tours in Iraq, Saratoga, CA


Senator Kerry, what are you going to do to make sure our troops come home now? What are you going to do to make sure that they will be taken care of them once they get here? Our troops and their families deserve an answer.
Laura, Whose Cousin Has Served Two Tours in Iraq, Lynn, MA


You returned from an earlier unjust war which our country participated in and helped turn that situation around by your courageous testimony. We need you now to take leadership and return our soldiers from the madness in which they are mired.
Sarah and Robert Fuhro, Parents of an Army Reservist Serving in Iraq, Natick, MA


Senator Kerry, we know this war is based on lies. You know it, too. More brave leadership is needed here at home, not on the battlefield.
Nina and John Douglass, Parents of a Marine Corporal, JP, MA


Please show some leadership and get us out of there. Why should we still be asking our soldiers to die for a mistake?
Jane Collins, Mother of a Recent Ex-Marine, Medford, Massachusetts


Those of us, who remember veterans that returned from Viet Nam shattered in mind, body, and spirit, know that we need to not go another day in Iraq.
Marge and Frank, Parents of an Army Soldier, Proud Members MFSO

[globalvillage]

20. That's a great point.

It didn't even occur to me that such a large percentage are vets.

The MFSO site doesn't seem to have anything on the amendments. At least not on their home page. You would think they'd recognize and support the effort.

[_dynamicdems]

21. They don't. In fact they are still critical of Kerry because they are for

all or nothing. They want us out now. And they mean now.

My point in sending the letter links to Big Ed was for him to see some of the heartbreaking pleas that Senator Kerry is bombarded with to end this war.

Simply put: John Kerry doesn't want any more of these family members to lose their loved one while Congress sits on its hands to do what is politically safe. Period.

If he reads any of those letters and still thinks that Kerry did what he did because of political gain, then Big Ed is a lost cause.

[karynnj]

22. That really does make sense

and some of Kerry's comments (when he speaks of the wall and not being one who can stay silent when he knows the policy isn't working.) echo these comments in emotion. (It is interesting that so many of the 13 are veterans. )

[ray of light]

11. yesterday he ragged on Kerry about everything in 04 up till now.

skipping Alito battle which he approved of Kerry. BUT then he said, "After all that, he suddenly decides to fight. He's on the Senate floor now, fighting and grandstanding...." you get the idea.

I missed the show today. Migraine. Maybe I don't need more aggravation at this point.

[wisteria]

14. They haven't agreed with Kerry? Or Shultz? n/t

[whometense]

15. Schultz. n/t

[_dynamicdems]

18. He's upset by the division and I truly think JK should call him.

These guys need to talk. Seriously.

[ray of light]

12. I just want to thank Pro-sense for giving me clues about

why the Levin plan was different from Kerry's. It made it easier to respond to big Ed. AND I feel my decision is based on better understanding. I don't understand why they said, "support both" but why everyone supported the Kerry-fiengold bill supported Levin, but not the reverse. I think that speaks in itself to Democratic unity! 13 people stood on the line courageously. The other people who only voted for leven's showed their just about politics. Arghhh now we still have to get them elected and hope for the best.

[karynnj]

13. The 13 supporting both, but not the other way makes sense

The Kerry amendment was a real substantive plan that was an alternative to stay the course. In essence, the Levin amendment, in addition to calling for the beginning of withdrawals by the end of the year more vaguely called for a change in course. Given where we were, all those in favor of Kerry/Feingold had no reason not to vote for the weaker, more general Levin bill.

Without knowing their motives, the comment that it was just politics may be unfair for the others. For example, Biden's plan is known and it is very different from Kerry's. In addition to seeing us in Iraq longer, his diplomatic piece is more to push the Iraqis to accept his idea of how to re-organize their government. He has been a foreign policy expert longer than Kerry has, with a fraction the brilliance and class though. He has as much right to put out a plan as Kerry does and it's not necessarily just political postioning. Although as of now Biden has exactly 1 Senator backing his plan, himself. Kerry worked with Feingold and the two of them have 13. That may be why Kerry's getting flack. He, not Biden, is a threat to the party's favorite.

I have no problem with the Democrats not backing Kerry - I do resent that they question his motives.

[ray of light]

16. Well, Biden's plan was not enpassed in Levin's bill.

And I understand that he may have wanted his plan to be used. But since it wasn't, then I admit I am generalizing that it is politics when you pick a weaker, less indepth plan over a well thought out and strategic one.

But I guess I just think that when people want to get out, a plan like levins was really just a weak attempt to pacify.

[karynnj]

17. I agree that it was designed as an answer to a political problem

not to the problem of Iraq. I think they wanted a resolution for change vague enough that most could vote for it, The need came because the leadership either did not want or didn't not think most would vote for Kerry's plan. So rather than have just Kerry's - with a large number of Democratic nos, they wanted a second they could vote yes on.

Biden's wouldn't work instead of the vague plan - likely because it would have the same "problem" as Kerry's - many would not vote for it. He though used his time to speak about it almost as if it was the bill.

[ray of light]

23. well, now that I'm seeing all my typos from yesterday,

I wonder why I was bothering to try to be here! WOW!!! I had a migraine, but today I am seeing all sorts of mistakes. Many more than usual! ;)

(And actually, I'm surprised anyone could figure out what I was trying to say.)