Howard Dean on the Iraq War Funding bill now before Congress

[rinsd]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2007/05/24/dean_in_alabama_war_funding_bill_holds_bush_accountable/

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean defended the party's handling of the Iraq funding bill Thursday amid criticism from the left that congressional leaders caved in to President Bush over the war.

Speaking to a crowd of about 130 at a $50-a-person breakfast fundraiser, Dean said Democrats were holding Bush and the Iraqi government accountable in a way Republicans refused, a claim the GOP later denied.

Liberal groups have criticized Democratic leaders for agreeing to provide war funding without a timetable for the withdrawal of troops, but Dean said congressional Democrats have "made it clear that we will continue to stand up to a president who's taking us in the wrong direction."

"We accomplished in five months what the Republicans refused to do or even try. We are holding President Bush and the Iraqi government accountable," said Dean. "He said he would never sign a bill with any accountability, and he will now have to do that."

[SaveElmer]

1. Uh oh...

I see exploding "progressive" heads in the very near future...


:popcorn:

[flpoljunkie]

2. Sad to see Dean has capitulated to Bush, as well.

[pat_k]

9. sorry, that happened the minute he defended "off the table."

If a board of directors refused to toss out a CEO that was openly and blatantly raiding the company, daring the board to stop him, and then claimed to be holding that CEO "accountable," you'd call the men in the white coats.

When our so-called leaders declare their intent to leave Bush in office, and then claim to be holding the WH "accountable" as he steamrolls them, they sound like lunatics.

Yes. Even Howard.

[patricia92243]

3. 130 people. That's disappointing.

[madfloridian]

4. Putting our money where our mouths are....

We stopped our donations to the DNC until Howard Dean quits talking like a DC insider.

I cried when we did it, I turned the phone over to hubby to finish the call because it was painful.

[Adelante]

6. I'm sorry, MF

Sincerely. I know this must hurt you to do.

[blm]

12. His back is to the wall on this one, mf. He has to be the figurehead at this point

and unfortunately, the leadership has spoken and he has to represent them.

That is a sad reality fpr him, but I don't see it as his personal view.

[BlueStater]

5. Enjoy your short time in power, Howard

You stabbed the American voters in the back and we won't forget this betrayal.

[pat_k]

7. "accountable"? Come on Howard. Give us some credit.

If a board of directors declared their intent to leave a corrupt CEO in office, then claimed to be holding that CEO "accountable" you would be appalled.

When our so-called leaders declare their intent to leave Bush in office, then claim to be holding him "accountable" as he steamrolls them, you expect us to buy it?

Give me a break.

[SaveElmer]

8. Howard Dean is doing his job...

There were many dems of good conscious that voted Yes...it isn't up to Howard Dean to throw them under the bus...his job is to support all Democrats, and increase our majority...

His statement was quite appropriate...

[pat_k]

13. "the appalling silence of the good people"

We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.
-- Martin Luther King, Jr. (http://www.nobelprizes.com/nobel/peace/MLK-jail.html">Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 1963)

"Good conscience" grounded in groupthink and denial must to be challenged, not defended. As long as we keep excusing our so-called "leaders," their heads will remain trapped in the beltway's insular world of delusion and self-destructive "conventional wisdom."

[Dancing_Dave]

10. Until we get the TRUTH about the 9/11 false flag operation out

This is all we're going to get. Because the Bush Administration has the Democrats held hostage--if they really refuse to give him the war funding he wants, the neo-cons can just go right ahead and stage another 9/11 style covert false flag operation, framing some Iraqis or Iranians, and prove themselves right and the anti-war Democrats wrong.

So there's really nothing the Democrats can do to stop the war unless they expose the truth about how the Bush Administration orchestrated 9/11. The Bush Administration has the Congress completed cornered by "terrorism" which the Bush Administration can bring on whenever it pleases.

[tandot]

11. Benchmarks that Bush can waive??? Absolutely f*cking P A T H E T I C

I am so disgusted.