Defending Kerry, senator blasts 'chickenhawks'

[Qutzupalotl]

Sen. Frank Lautenberg on Wednesday points to a picture of President Bush declaring an end to major combat in Iraq last year.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/04/28/lautenberg.kerry/index.html

Lautenberg criticizes Cheney for questioning record
Wednesday, April 28, 2004 Posted: 2:21 PM EDT (1821 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg on Wednesday called Vice President Dick Cheney "the lead chickenhawk" against Sen. John Kerry and criticized other Republicans for questioning the Democratic presidential contender's military credentials.
....
In a scathing speech on the Senate floor, Lautenberg, D-New Jersey, said that he did not think politicians should be judged by whether they had military service but added that "when those who didn't serve attack the heroism of those who did, I find it particularly offensive."

Lautenberg pointed to a poster with a drawing of a chicken in a military uniform defining a chickenhawk as "a person enthusiastic about war, provided someone else fights it."

"They shriek like a hawk, but they have the backbone of the chicken," he said.

"The lead chickenhawk against Sen. Kerry (is) the vice president of the United States, Vice President Cheney," Lautenberg said. "He was in Missouri this week claiming that Sen. Kerry was not up to the job of protecting this nation. What nerve. Where was Dick Cheney when that war was going on?"
....

[Beetwasher]

1. Yeah Baby!

That' what I'm talkin' 'bout!

[SpiralHawk]

5. Tell it like it is, Frankie

Chickenhawks. Nuf said

[Dhalgren]

13. Wow! McCain was just whinning!

"Whaaa, let's talk about something else. Whaaaa, don't talk about the Bush admin.'s service records Whaaaa..." Man it must suck for McCain, having to kiss Bush's ass while giving him a "reach around".

[tom_paine]

33. Fuck McCain. He's befuddled and out of touch

The man MIGHT be a True Patriot and Hero, but when it counts he seems to be staunchly on the side of the Imperials, NOT Liberty...as someone who is supposed to be a True Patriot and Hero might be expected to be.

[Dhalgren]

70. I agree.

I have never been a McCainophile. I also agree that a Patriot is one who upholds the rights and liberties of the People.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

77. McCain is a scumbag. He is guilty of aiding Bush in his.....

War Crimes in Iraq!

[MidwestTransplant]

2. That's Kick Ass!

[KissMyAsscroft]

3. BAMM!.

Note to Dems...this is how it's done.

[Supormom]

97. Right On

Let's hope more dems follow suit! :thumbsup:

[RobertSeattle]

4. Love it "Chickenhawk" is going mainstream...

What next, LIHOP?....

[bluestateguy]

6. No pink tutu stuff there

I think Lautenberg is too old to care if the media talking heads and keyboard peckers piss and moan.

[Leilani]

14. Exactly!

Too old, & too rich!

Well liked by his constituents.

What are they going to do to him?

[cybildisobedience]

54. uh....force him to have an assisted suicide?

remember who we're dealing with here.

[rockymountaindem]

7. What's that toll free number?

I want to call and congratulate him. He sure deserves our support for this, and I'll bet he's getting plenty of flak for what he said. Let's all call his office in support like we did with Sen. Byrd last week.

[Qutzupalotl]

17. 1 (800) 839 - 5276

It's the Toll Free Capitol Hill Switchboard. From what I hear, they'll transfer you to anybody's office in the House and/or Senate, just for the asking. :)

You could also send him your comments here:
http://lautenberg.senate.gov/

[rockymountaindem]

22. They say that number is out of service.

I'll google it.

[calimary]

29. No it's not. I just used it successfully.

[Just Me]

78. Hey, do you think all our calling finally paid off!!!!!?????

Did our efforts finally put some fire under those democrat's butts?!?!?!

:bounce:

GO! GO! GO!


Wooo Hooo!!!

[calimary]

118. Uh-HUH!

Well, let me couch that a little. I do NOT know for sure. But I DO know that they didn't hurt. Perhaps our nagging and nudging has begun to push the whole works toward critical mass.

Again, I do NOT know, nor do I claim, that WE did it. But if something needed a little extra shove, we CERTAINLY did that.

FURTHERMORE... I note intriguingly that CNN's ratings, during the worthless, shameless Paula Zahn and the disgraceful, wretched Wolf Blitzer are going down. There was another thread here somewhere that showed CNN ratings to be down noticeably from where they were last April. Again, I am NOT saying we had a lot to do with that, specifically, but I'm sure our efforts didn't hurt. Our efforts have also gained momentum only recently, so perhaps they didn't figure into this specific ratings period. HOWEVER: now that CNN is dropping, for them to get a small avalanche of letters, calls and emails from people like us, who complain, disavow, and promise to avoid such shows as the ones now in trouble, they're going to take that a LOT more seriously. They're going to realize that they have to. It's as though they're naked, waist-down, and backing into an ice-cold doorknob now. Consider: Here's the evidence that their ratings are sliding. Then, they start getting hoards of messages from viewers, explaining why, and what the problems are with some of those very same shows that are now in deeper doo-doo. The program or news director or executive who does NOT start paying attention to these timely alerts is probably in a coma.

Right now, with that adverse news coming out, they cannot help but notice this. Because, trust me, sphincter muscles all over the CNN executive suites are tighter, right now, than Nancy Reagan's face. They're gonna start scrambling. And either they'll decide they've just gotta pander some more, or maybe some enlightened soul there will figure that it's time to try a different direction...

That said, however, it usually takes something really smack-in-the-face huge to get folks like these to admit they've steered things onto the rocks, and need to make some serious changes.

[TroglodyteScholar]

74. My email to Senator Lautenberg

Senator Lautenberg, I just wanted to write and thank you for your "chickenhawk" presentation on the Senate floor today. I have been waiting and waiting for someone to do exactly what you did. Being a resident of Georgia, I saw these same chickenhawks use their disgraceful tactics against Senator Max Cleland in 2002 -- so this issue is very important to me.

I heard Rush Limbaugh today refer to Kerry's medals as "papercut purple hearts," and, frankly, I don't know how that man can sleep at night. Where was he when his nation needed him? He didn't even take the opportunity to suffer a papercut for his country, much less a bullet or shrapnel wound! That said, the same goes for people like Cheney and Bush. It's really a shame that the media has been satisfied with Bush's "proof" of service -- the only ribbons he acquired during Vietnam were prefixed with the words "Pabst Blue."

It is very difficult to understand how there isn't an enormous wave of public outrage over the behavior of these so-called "patriots" who fled military service, yet are eager to rush to war, all the while criticizing those who DID serve (and honorably, no less). This is why it's important for you to stay on the offensive with this issue *and* encourage other legislators to do the same. The public SHOULD be outraged, and the best way to achieve that is by shining a floodlight on these men's shocking cowardice and lack of respect.

And so I thank you again, Senator Lautenberg, for addressing the issue so effectively. You set a fine example for your peers.

Sincerely,

[Just Me]

81. That is a great letter, CGV!!!

:thumbsup:

[Forkboy]

101. A great letter!!!!

[WillyT]

102. Wow... Great Letter !!!

THANK YOU!!!

:bounce::hi::bounce:

[Zhade]

106. Pure genius, CGV. I love it.

... the only ribbons he acquired during Vietnam were prefixed with the words "Pabst Blue."

That's the kind of terrific quote that starts a meme. Nice work, I'm seriously impressed with this letter.

:)

[JohnLocke]

109. Excellent writing, Concerned GA Voter.

:toast::toast::toast:

[TroglodyteScholar]

134. Thanks...

...Unfortunately he'll probably never see it since I'm not in NJ. But maybe it'll brighten some staffer's day, who knows.

And as much as I hate to admit it, I got the Pabst idea from a political cartoon that I'd LOVE to link, but I can't remember where I saw it. It said "Kerry's ribbons" and showed some medals, and beside that it said "Bush's ribbons" and showed some PBRs...so I just put that into my own words. Wish I could give full credit where it's due -- if anyone knows where that cartoon resides on the net, please link it...

[Hepburn]

105. Thanks for the contact info

Sent the Senator a big thank you!! :headbang:

[calimary]

21. Excellent idea. Just did that, myself.

Here's the number - in my sig line.

And redqueen here also came up with another one: (877) 762 - 8762. Both are good. Both work. GO FOR IT! It's MOST satisfying!

Then call some republi-CONS and rub their noses in it! Tell 'em - "okay, fine. Since we're all criticizing John Kerry's war medals, LET'S ALL GO SEE BUSH'S MEDALS FROM VIETNAM, SHALL WE?"

Maybe make it a contest to see how quickly which staffer in which office hangs up on you the quickest!

[Kahuna]

76. I just tried this number. All circuits are busy...Go DUers!!!

I'll try again later. :D

[JI7]

8. i am so glad Lautenberg is back in the senate

i love that man. dick durbin defended kerry also yesterday. the speech is on kerry's website blog if anyone wants to see it.

[dand]

9. oh no!!!!!

A politician with a spine, heres to you Senator lautenberg:toast:

[vi5]

10. That's my Senator.....

Making me proud to be from NJ.

[Hepburn]

143. He is great!

I have an internet pal from NJ and she absolutely loves the guy. We were on the net and chatting and I gave her a link to the article about his "chickenhawk" speech. Pretty funny...I am on the West Coast and had to let her about it.

You NJ guys have one great senator. And the pic in the article - of Chimp and the banner - f/n priceless. This guy rocks! Wrote him and told him so and thanked him for that speech! Thanks to you guys in NJ from someone in one of the other 49 states for electing a guy like this!!

:toast:

[Kool Kitty]

147. Mine, too.

Love this man.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

11. Kerry won't stand for it

and the Senators stand with him. ROCK ON!

[DinahMoeHum]

12. Pluck, pluck, cluck, cluck . . .rip them feathers off, Frank !!

Gotta love it!!

:kick::kick::kick:

[Richardo]

15. Ba-ZING!!

:thumbsup:, Senator!

[loudsue]

16. Call his office & thank him:

[phone]

He needs to have a zillion calls coming in from us Dems, because you KNOW the freepers are going to be slamming him up one side & down the other for trashing Cheney.

Go get 'em, DUers!!

:kick:

[rockymountaindem]

19. There's a toll-free Senate phone number.

I just don't remember what it is.

[0rganism]

18. Frank gets the Spine award for this week

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[The Mystery]

24. 2 Post People????

What do you mean?

[maddezmom]

113. RIP ~ The Mystery

:)

[loudsue]

26. No, they SHOULD call names.....

You know: "a spade is a spade"! "A Chickenhawk is a Chickenhawk"!

I see you're capitalizing the word "president".

You've got bush confused with an elected official.

:kick:

[The Mystery]

31. As I said.....

.. if someone disagrees, propose an alternative. Name calling is only a reflection of the person doing it, not the target.

[Shakespeare]

64. Sorry, but you're confusing two completely separate issues.

Of course we should be offering solutions (and Kerry's campaign is).

But what Lautenberg is doing is called FIGHTING BACK. And it's high time somebody on our side did so.

[wabeewoman]

66. ROFLMAO

ha ha ha. Ummmm hummm. And where have you been while Cheney has been bashing Kerry?? I've always said this administration is like a bully-they can dish it out but they go crying to mama if someone dishes back. My husband works in a school and he says the biggest whiners and cry babies are the bullies.

[Kahuna]

80. Bush's chief surrogate Karen Hughes started it. Maybe you ought..

to be preaching your message of love and understanding to her.

[Just Me]

83. Mystery, even decent people have to defend themselves,...

,...we can't continue to take punches any longer.

Once the wackos are out of office, a standard of decency can be re-established. Until then, those wackos are backing us into a corner leaving us with no other choice than to fight back, and fight back hard.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

116. Sounds like a personal problem...take it to a chaplain....

...and by the way, the name-calling started long ago and it was coming from the NeoCon Chickenhawks.

They can dish it out but they go AWOL when the tables are turned.

[truthspeaker]

27. you're right, let's all get in a circle and sing "We Shall Overcome"

with flowers in our hair. That will get a lot accomplished.

[calimary]

28. Well, frankly, if they were more willing to play decently, I'd agree with

you. But since they only know fighting dirty, and slinging mud, I say BRING 'EM ON!!! You've heard the old saying - "if you can't stand the heat..."

Besides, truth hurts, doesn't it? If they don't want to be called chickenhawks, then maybe they shouldn't ACT like chickenhawks. Maybe they should have stood up like a man (OR woman) and gone to war like John Kerry did, 'eh?

I, for one, think the term "chickenhawk" can't be rubbed in ENOUGH!

[The Mystery]

34. Once again...

ANYONE can call names... solutions are what is needed.

[emulatorloo]

39. GWB et al started the name calling. They have proposed no alternative

except-Terra-terra-terra-must-make-tax-cuts-permanent.

[The Mystery]

43. At what point did the name calling begin??

If you claim that one person started it, when was it and what was said?

[Just Me]

85. When the right-wing extremists became Bush's base.

[Kahuna]

87. RIP..

:D

[el_gato]

42. these scumbags deserve to be called onto the carpet

We'll talk about jail time for the bushites later.

[symbolman]

46. How about

GET THE F*CK OUT OF IRAQ YOU F*CKING CHICKENHAWK!

Here, get some education..

"Bush is Not a Nazi - So Stop Saying That.."
http://www.takebackthemedia.com/bushnonazi.html

"ARMY OF ONE"
http://www.takebackthemedia.com/onearmy.html
or VIEW the 30 second TV ad
here: http://www.bushin30seconds.org/view/11_small.shtml

"Murder By Numbers"
http://www.takebackthemedia.com/murderby.html

"CondoLIESa"
http://www.takebackthemedia.com/condosleeza.html

"ChickenHawk - Hall of Shame"
http://www.takebackthemedia.com/chickenhawks.html

"Triumph of the Wimp"
http://www.takebackthemedia.com/triwimp.html

"Pentagoon"
http://www.takebackthemedia.com/pentagoon2.html

[Kahuna]

84. And your solution is??

:shrug:

[trogdor]

92. Calling them on their BS is a solution.

Nobody offered any solutions when they stood in line to talk shit about Kerry on the House floor last week. I didn't hear any.

I realize you've already been tombstoned, but if you should find your way back here, PLEASE enlighten us as to what solutions were offered by the House Republicans last week. I'm all ears.

[lancdem]

35. Unfortunately, we do have to fight fire with fire

[mac56]

36. Absolutely.

You don't bring a knife to a gun fight.

[lancdem]

30. FYI

no one on DU that I'm aware of refers to Bush as the president.

Lautenberg was only defending our nominee from GOP attacks, the same kinds of attacks they leveled at John McCain, etc.

[mac56]

32. ohhhh...riiiight....

Like the Republicans did toward Clinton all those years.

Welcome to DU, by the way.

[The Mystery]

37. It was wrong when the Republicans did it to Clinton and it's wrong now.

Plain and simple

[mac56]

38. Or: they got in their licks, but now we don't get to?

Republicans say, "We liked it better when you didn't fight back."

[The Mystery]

41. No, Republicans and Democrats have been playing dirty for a long time

Just look at the last few weeks... both parties should be ashamed of themselves. I'm just saying a more mature tone is needed then the one in the article above.

[el_gato]

44. Cheney et al are partisan warriors, you don't play nice and win

Maybe you enjoy being called all types of names and being the object of derision without ever fighting back. It's the lilly-livered spineless bull a la Daschle etc. that has allowed the repub attack dogs to get so vicious. If they'd been slapped down a long time ago maybe our domestic politics wouldn't be so ugly now.

the laying down and playing wimp days are over.

[calimary]

82. The minute they start playing fair, I will also.

Until then, no way. If we take the high road and they don't, all they do is kick us in the exposed underbelly that they can clearly see from below. No way. If they can dish it out (and they DO), they better be ready to take it. This door definitely swings both ways. And, frankly, when it does, I hope it swings back and smacks 'em square in the nose.

Sorry. I know the arguments - that makes us no better than them. Take the high road. Rise above it. Name-calling has to stop somewhere. Unfortunately, the only way to make it stop is to shove it right back down the throats of those who started it. The taste-of-their-own-medicine treatment is what works best. I've had to face down a bully once or twice in my life. Confrontation is the ONLY way to win with these people - or to VIGOROUSLY discourage them from trying it again. In a perfect world, you're quite correct. Someone should start taking the high road. But this is real-world-politics and a contact sport of the roughest kind. If these bastards go unchecked, they'll just keep using us as punching bags. I say - it's PAST time to start punching back. When you have an unruly child, do you just let him or her continue misbehaving, or do you check that behavior? (And NO, I don't mean being abusive, either - don't even go there.)

I recall one case when my daughter was in pre-school. The kids were ready to do their "church mice" thing, and everybody was in this one nicely-decorated classroom, waiting to go on. One little boy kept messing with the decorations. Jumping up, swatting at them, trying to snatch them down from the walls and ceiling, trying to pull and grab at them and generally destroy them. Three or four different times, in succession, kindly women bent down to talk with him, gently, their hands on his shoulders or around his back, encouraging him to leave everything alone, sweetly pointing out to him that other children had worked for days to make these lovely decorations and would greatly appreciate it if he didn't wreck them. No dice. Every time he was "paused" like this, it did no good. The rotten, destructive behavior kept on. In fact, it got worse, after each of those nice, quiet, mild-mannered "corrections." Finally, I got fed up. I went over - relatively near him, stared him straight in the face, and abruptly shouted "KNOCK IT OFF!!!" as loudly as I could.

It stopped the whole room.

It also stopped his crappy behavior - cold.

He stared at me, wide-eyed. Almost looked as though he was shocked that anyone would dare to speak to him thus. (Probably little georgie bush, in surrogate form.) In fact, he behaved as though he had NEVER heard the word "no" before in his life, or ever had been told in no uncertain terms to stop doing something bad. By the way, knowing this group, I can tell you for a fact that there were several coddled, spoiled, never-said-no-to kids there. I never laid a finger on him. Never would have, anyway. But he didn't touch anything in that room, or any other room, for the rest of the day. Nor did he bother and pester and annoy and fidget with any other kid in the room, as he also had been doing (including bothering my daughter and trying to snatch the fancy ribbon out of her hair).

Someday I shall bore you with the tale of how I told off my putz brother-in-law, for kicking my husband when he was down (and not even around to defend himself) - just one time too many. All it took was another forcefully-delivered three-word imperative statement.

You don't stop a bully by cow-towing to them, or trying to make nice-nice. You SHOVE IT BACK IN THEIR FACES. HARD.

[mac56]

45. This is where the party in power needs to set the tone

by agreeing to drop their bullshit. Can't blame the Dems from being reluctant to lay down their weapons until they see the Repubs do so.

As Adlai Stevenson said: "I've made a deal with my Republican friends. They've agreed to stop telling lies about us, and I've agreed to stop telling the truth about them."

[The Mystery]

50. Name calling is to be blamed on both parties equally

.. to say otherwise is simply denying reality

[mac56]

53. Even if that were true -

the party in power needs to take the first step, if it is to be meaningful.

How anyone can follow politics and say that name calling is shared equally by both parties is beyond me. Either naive or duplicitous. Talk about denying reality.

[The Mystery]

56. Reality is looking at both sides, not just one parties' Talking Points

.

[mac56]

57. and what you're doing is....?

add on edit:

You still haven't answered my point that it's the responsibility of the party in power to make the first effort.

[The Mystery]

60. I'm looking at both sides and thinking for myself.

No party is 100% correct.

[el_gato]

69. Now your setting up a false assumption

If you had spent any time at DU you would know
that people here regularly criticize the democratic leadership
for a variety of reasons.

If you want lockstep group think go over to FR.
We are fighting back and taking our country back from
people who are seeking to destroy our democracy and
if that means lambasting them with appropriate names
such as Chickenhawk so be it.

If you want to live in the alternate universe do so
but we are sick and tired of letting the other side
beat up on us and we aren't gonna hold back just because
you come on here and whine about it.

Republicans love an unfair fight. In fact, it is the only
kind of fight they want to engage in. Those days are over
and you better get used to it.

They are nothing but a bunch of crybaby asswipes and
I have no problem saying so.

[calimary]

91. And by the way, as long as the issue of name-calling has come up...

Let's remember just exactly who was it who lambasted those of us against the war as
1) unpatriotic
2) treasonous/traitors
3) Commies (an oldie but a goodie from the republi-CON mentality)
4) appeasers
5) Neville Chamberlains
6) Saddam-lovers/Saddam-apologists
7) anti-Americans
oh yes, and let's not forget ---
8) LIBERALS! Yes, they've made that into a dirty word that they use, AS a dirty word, with great relish. When they say the word "liberal," it's meant as a criticism and a put-down.

Now, you were saying...?

[Mountainman]

59. Your point is?

Sure name calling is on both sides. Both sides want to win.

I guess you would rather be the kid that lets the bully beat up on him because you want to play nice.

[el_gato]

62. Exactly: the kid who gets beat up because he wants to play nice

And what do you do when you finally get sick of having the shit beat out of you? You fight back.

[The Mystery]

65. No, I'd like to be the kid who outsmarts the bully..

.

[mac56]

67. Wow - tombstoned already -

He may have outsmarted the bully, but he didn't outsmart the mods.

[Mackay]

61. "Name Calling"

is the act of belittling someone over a trivial or inconsequential trait... or inventing something untrue.

Being a chickenhawk is neither trivial nor inconsequential. The consequences are that people die.

The allegations are also completely true... they didn't serve and now they glorify war... thus they are "chickenhawks".

This is not name calling. It is truth.

However... a freeper might consider it name calling. I guess it depends on your perspective of what the truth is.

[trogdor]

93. Yeah, but when we do it, the shoe tends to fit.

Ain't it a bitch?

[Scairp]

130. Perhaps so

But were you having a cow when Repukes were calling Bill Clinton a murderer, among other things? How come this crap about, "we all need to get along" and "let's be mature" in our debate is never heard from the right until what they have dished out comes back to bite them in their hypocritical asses? Sorry, but changing the tone was just another broken campaign promise. Our politeness has been our Achilles' heel and it's time to fight fire with fire.

[Carolina]

71. more mature?

Warmongers who no nothing of the real thing and who have caused untold death and destruction deride those who have served, fought and been far too civil for too long?! WTF are YOU thinking? The Dems have NOT been playing dirty.

Sorry, I like to give newbies a chance but your comment coupled with your low post number suggests that your are an IMPOSTER.

[SammyWinstonJack]

48. Agreed! It WAS WRONG "when the republicans did it to Clinton"

This "administration" deserves the title of CHICKEN HAWKS."Plain and simple!" BTW, does bush have a solution to the mess he created in Iraq?

[Skittles]

68. sorry, YOU are wrong

when we have two cowardly pieces of SHIT warmongering - Bush and Cheney - IT IS AN ISSUE.

[sendero]

104. Yeah but guess what...

... payback is a bitch and DEMOCRATS ARE JUST GETTING STARTED.

[saracat]

148. Al Gore was a gentleman

and it cost him the White House. People say they dislike negative campaigns and then they ALWAYS vote for the negative candidate.Bush was vicious to McCain and who won the primary? Max Cleland was a gentleman and he was viciously destroyed in Georgia. Sorry mam, but nicey ,nice and your version of maturity just won't get anyone elected. We need to "give 'em hell, Harry" and no more pussyfootin!

[Moondog]

110. Remember the jerk dressed up like a cigar

that used to follow Pres Clinton around? Wonder how Smirk, or Cheney, would like to be followed around by somebody wearing a chicken suit?

[Melsky]

120. Would't last long

they would be in a cell somewhere as a "threat" to the president.

That's the diference between this admin and the last one.

[truthspeaker]

49. I have a few more names: traitor, criminal, fraud

dumbass, asshole, war criminal...

[Name removed]

52. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mac56]

55. delete

delete

[Name removed]

58. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

63. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Just Me]

89. Those are very suiting names there, truthspeaker,...

,...every single one of them *LOL*!!!

I do believe each and every one was fully earned.

:bounce:

[Carolina]

72. the shoe fits

get over it! :eyes:

[Kahuna]

79. Oh boo hoo hoo. Horse face Karen Hughes started it.. Now..

we're gonna finished it. We can not allow that crone to run ripshod, unchecked on Kerry like she did on Al Gore. Fool us once, Horse face, shame on you. Fool me twice, Horse Face, shame on me.. We're on to her.

[neverforget]

25. Then there's McCain "stop the attacks about Vietnam". Hey

McCain, your buddy AWOL started this shit and all we're doing is throwing it back in their face. If they can't take the heat, then those chickenhawks shouldn't have opened their cowardly mouths.

Their mouths are writing checks that they didn't earn.

HAMMER THE CHICKENHAWKS! YEEEAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! :bounce:

[symbolman]

90. Hey MCCain

Bush told me in South Carolina last election that YOU WERE CRAZY, so why should I listen to you?

:)

there's your answer to the RIGHT WINGERS..

[Qutzupalotl]

95. Good one!

:thumbsup:

[AndyP]

40. where, exactly, was chenney during the war anyway?

This is really starting to piss me off. The people who had their daddy's pull strings so they could stay here are ripping on the ones who RISKED THEIR LIVES VOLUNTARILY to go fight the war. WTF that's all I have to say. :wtf:

[symbolman]

51. Here

THIS will illuminate you on ALL the ChickenHawks --

"ChickenHawk - Hall of Shame"
http://www.takebackthemedia.com/chickenhawks.html

"ARMY OF ONE"
http://www.takebackthemedia.com/onearmy.html
or VIEW the 30 second TV ad
here: http://www.bushin30seconds.org/view/11_small.shtml

"Murder By Numbers"
http://www.takebackthemedia.com/murderby.html

"Triumph of the Wimp"
http://www.takebackthemedia.com/triwimp.html

The Top flash is the one that covers this issue the best, the rest are about BUSH and DEATH, his favorite..

[Mountainman]

47. I called his office and thanked him for the speach.

[GOPBasher]

73. That was awesome :)

Wow, my opinion of him just jumped a lot.

[bikebloke]

75. cheny's Lame Attack on Kerry

cheney claims Kerry would be soft protecting the country. Well, who was supposed to be in charge when 911 occurred? How was cheney protecting the country? Unless the "country" means his personal war profits.

[rumguy]

86. Lautenberg is everything Daschle ain't

He's direct and forceful....

[sofa king]

88. The Senator's Web Mail

http://lautenberg.senate.gov/webform.html

I just thanked him. You should, too, if for no other reason than to balance out the spittle-spraying Freepers who will undoubtedly offer their own particular brand of "encouragement" to the Senator.

[calimary]

96. Done. Via email AND phone.

Thanks! Good to remind people.

[Adelante]

98. I did, too.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you.

"You are the best Senator we can have in these terrible times. Your outspoken defense of Senator Kerry's honor, your calling a chickenhawk a chickenhawk, your taking no prisoners in the battle for truth; all vintage Lautenberg.

"Combined with Gen. Clark's Op-Ed in The New York Times this morning, you have given us a banner day! I am so proud to be a Democrat today and, especially, a Democrat from New Jersey."

That's my Senator! :loveya: That's my General! :loveya:

[mom cat]

146. Boy is he going to be surprised when he opens his fan mail!

Thanks for the link.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

94. Couldn't agree with this sentiment more:

Lautenberg, D-New Jersey, said that he did not think politicians should be judged by whether they had military service but added that "when those who didn't serve attack the heroism of those who did, I find it particularly offensive."

[DeaconBlues]

99. My only problem with the Senator's speech

is that he didn't go after the chief chickenhawk. We need to stop give aWol a pass! Bush is just as guilty of hypocricy as Cheney.

[Gothmog]

100. I just sent an e-mail thanking him

What a great job. I used the link set forth above to send the Senator a thankyou e-mail

[joefree1]

103. Here's some more names for those chickenhawks

Those in-bred, flag-sucking, OxyContin-popping, Faux-News-watching, Apocalytic-yearning, Hummer-driving, election-stealing, jobs-exporting, Halliburton-loving, terrorist oil-guzzeling, insider-trading, Iraq-lying, Goose-stepping, Right-wingnut missing-links can kiss my Democratic ass!

[PopSixSquish]

107. Just sent Senator Lautenberg an Email

Thanking him and telling him that I would be proud to be a constituent of his. Unfortunately, I'm not.

I would have been proud to be Max Cleland's constituent too. I'm gonna campaign like hell for whomever runs against Chambliss next time!!!!

[havocmom]

108. To paraphrase that GOP war president from yester-year

Find out what he drinks and send a bottle to all the Senators!

Wish Max Baucus would show some cojones like Lautenberg did today!

[jdj]

114. Amen. I just saw the chicken hawk poster on CNN

that he had up during his speech. Looked kind of like a feminized Foghorn Leghorn. It was a great idea to do this, and they need to be doing stuff like this every single day.

I love what James Carville said in his book "Had Enough?" that people won't trust a party to defend this country if that party won't stand up and defend themselves.

Regarding what someone said about impuning Bush, they really have to tiptoe around that issue now and be careful not to insult the guard right now, but Cheney is an easy target.

[Az_lefty]

111. "Bring it on, Senator"

sent the good Senator an email thanking him for his leadership and outspokenness. This is the best news I've heard all day. I wonder if the network news will pick this up....naw, never happen.

[PA Democrat]

117. CBS Evening News showed a clip of it

along with Lautenburg's chart depicting a chickenhawk. It was sweet.

[maddezmom]

112. Thank God, this man came back to the Senate

Thank you Senator Lautenberg :thumbsup:

[yelladawg]

115. hey bush, it's called incoming

Get ready for more as Democrats start fighting back.

[Mackay]

128. run CHIMPYHAWK run!!! n/t

n/t

[Name removed]

119. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[WillyT]

121. Well... The CHICKENHAWKS Started It, LOL !!!

:bounce::toast::bounce:

[Name removed]

123. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[WillyT]

132. I'd Reply...

But Your Not There Anymore !!!

:shrug:

[maddezmom]

135. LOL

had that happen earlier on this thread...went to reply and poof, GONE!

[WLKjr]

136. so that is what happens to freepers, they were dealt with pretty quick!

I so wanted to hit the alert button......is that what it is for? It has made me wonder because if it is I would have reported this d00d after he called me a hypocrite for stating facts.

[WLKjr]

122. well........shoudnt happen in the White House either

If you follow the crap comming out of it.....those neocons got mad becuase * and all of his people (except Powell) were exposed as either AWHOL or possesed to have other priorities. They couldn't explain it away so they attack Kerry. Just watch Karen Hughes, what a ________________.


This Admin. is the same group who did the same crap to Max Clealand. Now they do it to another Vet.

put this one together now like you would an algebra problem:

AHWOL Dub'ya < Actual Veteran of Vietnam = True

or
Chicken Hawk Other Priorities < Actual Veteran of Vietnam = True

It's pretty simple and clear, these repug pukes should shut up, the cards are staked against them. So they should be the ones to stop first becuase they started it.

[Name removed]

124. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[WLKjr]

125. I know what your saying and yes I know I am making fun of them

and so what if it is hypocritical, I think personally it is hypocritical to question someone that was there about whether or not they deserved thier medals or not and try to put him on a pedestal next to * and say that * is better. It makes no sense to me.

I don't understand how a AWHOL persona could be better than an actual Veteran of any war.

maybe you could explain.

[Bigmack]

126. Got two LTTE's published about the 'hawks....

and got nasty phone calls.... I loved it!
- - -
In his letter to the editor published 12 April, Jeffrey Gilfoy claims John Kerry's Purple Hearts and commendations - including the Silver Star - were suspect.

I realize that for the True Believers in the Republican camp, no stretch of reality is too extreme in the pursuit of their ideology, but these attacks on Kerry smear the service of all of us veterans.

If Gilfoy or anyone else is actually interested in Kerry's story, instead of the e-mail smears circulated by the chickenhawks that seem to run the Republican Party these days, they might try checking with one of the debunking sites on the Internet. Snopes.com is a good one, and www.snopes.com/politics/kerry/service.asp quotes Kerry's commanders.

Kerry's commanding officer George Elliot said: "Kerry, he had three Purple Hearts. I ended up writing him up for a Silver Star, which is well deserved, and I have no regrets or second thoughts at all about that."

Perhaps the best debunking of the lies about Kerry comes from the men he served with. They are working with him in his campaign. No one has come forward from his outfit to say anything against Kerry, just as no one has come forward to say they served with Bush in his "missing" year of National Guard duty.

Bigmack
- - - - -

To the Editor:
I guess the Sun’s policy of “ one letter per month” doesn’t count if the writer is smearing Kerry.

You published Jeffrey Gilfoy‘s response to my letter answering his letter.

Gilfoy felt that I was name-calling. Yes. Republican rep Sam Johnson called Kerry “Hanoi John” on the floor of the House. The right wing started this slimefest about Kerry’s war record, then they whine when anyone fights back.

What better name than “chickenhawks” for people who want to send our kids into dubious wars after carefully avoiding service themselves.....people like Dick “I had other priorities” Cheney, and Tom “minorities took my spot in the army” Delay, Rush “cyst on my butt” Limbaugh, and even George “missing year” Bush.

This attack on Kerry is carefully orchestrated. Ted Sampley, founder of Veterans Against Kerry, also founded Veterans Against McCain, which smeared John McCain in the Republican primaries. Sampley coined the “Hanoi John” expression, and McCain calls him “despicable” for it, and calls Kerry a friend.

Kerry volunteered for Vietnam duty, Bush avoided duty. The Navy decorated Kerry, the Guard couldn’t find Bush.

Vote for Kerry or don’t, but smearing the contributions of a brave man simply because you disagree with his politics is un-American.

Bigmack

[Dr Fate]

127. This will probably shut them up...

I really dont think they want their pasts looked in to...

I am glad Sen. Lautenberg said this.

I would love to agree w/ McCain, if only Bush & surrogates would...

[Katie]

129. Thank You, Senator Lautenberg

Its about time someone answered these bullies back, and no one has done it better than Senator Lautenberg.

Loved the quotes of Pelosi : "Senator Kerry got three Purple Hearts for risking his life in Vietnam and President Bush got a dental examination in Alabama" & McDermott: "We know that George W. Bush flew under the radar, because that's the only explanation for how a pilot suspended from flying parachuted into a Republican political campaign in Alabama." http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&e=2&u=/ap/democrats_cheney

Imagine if they brought up bush's drunk driving arrests too?

Cant understand Mc Cain, he cries over Tillman, yet he condones the tactics of bush/cheney against Kerry. Disqusting.

[Dr Fate]

142. No, McCain never condoned it one way or the other...

...of course he backs Bush- but he is against bringing up either of their reocrds in a disparaging way.

As I said, I'll agree w/ McCain on backing off as soon as Rove agrees with him...

[maddezmom]

131. "when it was their turn to serve, where were they....A W O L"

showning clip on Newsnight now. Way to go Sen Lautenberg!!

[WLKjr]

137. is it on the net? my tv isnt working

could you email me a link or respond ?

[maddezmom]

144. not sure

but I'm sure it'll get some play in the am.

[moondust]

133. Great work Frank!

Keep it up!

[Catherine Vincent]

138. To the now tombstoned poster who asked what names did the

repuglicans call Kerry or the Democrats, I want to know if you were living in a focking cave during the 8 years Clinton was in office? Do you remember the word draftdodger? Well we've got chickenhawks as our leaders.

[calimary]

139. Oh, the term "draft dodger" was mild compared to some of the other

things they called him. They called him every name in the book. They hated him more than we hate bush, and for FAR, FAR less reason. In fact, NO reason at all - that stands up to truth, reality, and scrutiny, anyway. And they didn't stop there. They went after Hillary AND Chelsea, too, calling THEM every name in the book. Nothing was out-of-bounds. Nothing was too low for them. Nothing. And now that they're getting even a smidgen of a taste of their own medicine, they're foaming at the mouth.

Funny how, when the shoe's on the other foot, they just scream and howl and moan and groan. They can go f--- themselves. This is what THEY started. This is the environment THEY created, and the template THEY designed and built. This is the bed THEY made. Now, let them lay down on it. Reap what you sow, fascist schmucks!

[Catherine Vincent]

141. Yup!

What goes around comes around. Fucking hypocrites!

[kera]

140. There is no

in spleepers........

[Vadem]

145. Please call and leave a message on Sen. Lautenberg's....

voice mail: [phone]

I just did and also sent him an email praising him for his courage in calling a chickenhawk a chickenhawk!

Call him now! His voice mail is not filled up yet!