Kerry on the Republican's political stunt: Cronyn's amendment against MoveOn

[ProSense]

Excerpt from Senator Kerry's recent floor speech on Iraq:

But I also asked that we all recognize that the emotion behind that ad is an emotion shared by the American people: frustration--frustration as we head into the 5th year of being told one thing about Iraq and finding out another. That is why we should be having a real debate and a real discussion about the policy in Iraq rather than trying to score partisan points over the politics of Iraq. It is as insulting as it is illuminating that in a week-long debate in which each side can offer just five amendments, the Republicans would waste one of their chances to change a broken policy by choosing instead to embrace a political stunt.

More here.

[rodeodance]

1. and it was a stunt that worked. damm

[ProSense]

2. Worked for who?

It made a the Republicans look like partisan hacks and a bunch of Democrats look foolish. What did it change?

[_dynamicdems]

5. The Repugs tried to inflame the country with outrage, but their outrage was fake.

People can see through convenient outrage. We've seen too goddamn much of it.

The public did not become inflamed over the MoveOn ad, unless a collected yawn was outrage in disguise. To your average citizen, it was a non-issue. The Repugs failed in the attempt to rouse outrage. Their amendment passed but it was a pretty nothing amendment.

In the long run, the stunt is going to work in our favor. So far, MoveOn has been defended and supported, verbally and financially and their cred zoomed up about ten notches. Democratic senators are learning that there is more to fear from letting down their own voters than there is from Repug charges of "not supporting the troops." What have the Repugs actually gained? An even stronger public awareness that they are assholes?

The Repug victory truly was a Pyhrric one as this amendment may have been their last stand. The bottom line is: NOBODY cared about the damn ad. This is a turning point. The Repugs have cried "wolf" one too many times. Even the troops are getting disgusted with being used as a rallying cry. They are starting to realize they aren't beings supported: they are being used. This amendment may have succeeded, but the backlash is coming. Their ranks are are ready to crumble. Right now they present a facade of strength but that's only because they're huddled together in fear.

The LEFT showed strength on this. We proved we are a force. They know their days are numbered. We are not going to stop. We are going to keep up the challenges and the efforts to stop the war. 2006 was a dress rehearsal. 2008 must see the end of the GOP as we know it now. We need to make it so. I've no doubt that we can.

[Diane R]

3. It helped form the uninformed electorate's impression of MoveOn as 'radical' and 'crazy'.

[robinlynne]

4. Hundreds of new people joined moveon.

[BenDavid]

6. Kerry has always been great after the fact...DAMN!