Vets 'outraged' on Hackett pullout

[wakeme2008]

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Veterans_politican_action_committee_outraged_on_0214.html

From a release to RAW STORY.
#

JON SOLTZ, a 28-year old combat Veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Executive Director of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America Political Action Committee (IAVA PAC), released the following statement upon news that Iraq Veteran Paul Hackett was leaving the Senate race in Ohio, due to internal pressure from the Democratic Party.

"It is an outrage that the Democratic Party has forced Paul Hackett out of the race for U.S. Senate. Hackett brought credibility on the number one issue facing the nation - the war in Iraq. The Democratic Party loses credibility on that issue because he is no longer running, and because they had a hand in his decision.

..more at rawstory

[atreides1]

1. I knew this was coming

Now the Repukes can use this to "confirm" to the voters that the Democratic Party doesn't support the troops.

No flaming, I'm just pointing out an obvious tactic that the Repukes can use against Brown, as well as the 'plagiarism' story.

[wakeme2008]

4. I agree and

they will paint him as a flip flopper on the I will not run for the Senate.

[NFL80]

19. The repugs will wine and dine him

in an effort to get him to run on the GOP ticket, hoping to win over some fence sitters.

[brentspeak]

2. This particular Dem leadership has to be the dumbest ever

In their zeal to force things into the way they wanted them to be, they have managed to enrage a whole lot of the Democratic base. Total idiots.

[MadMaddie]

3. I agree...They refuse to break from the norm...

The norm hasn't worked for us in the last couple of elections. They are screwing up again.

What does it take to make them be agressive and take chances?

[radio4progressives]

21. This leadership hasn't worked for us in the recent past 10 years...

and even before then ...

[wakeme2008]

5. Right and the vets and others

will let the "Brown" supports work for their man because the leaders just told the vets to fuck off.

[lyonn]

7. Could they be taking lessons from the repubs?

Rove/bush tactics, pick and choose the repub. they want in office. Bush spent months speaking for his favorites and it worked. Apparently the Dems. in power think they can do the same with the same results. Let's face it, bush hammered war and security. What are the Dems. hammering? Hate to say this but they appear to be speaking to the crowd that isn't listening. They don't have a clue. People want some intelligent ideas when it comes to our safety and the world knows the repubs. are doing Nothing for our safety. Heard about Katrina? They did Nothing. Are doing Nothing. Same with security. All they can tell us day in and day out on tv is this wiretapping without a court's approval is what is keeping us safe. Unbelievable. That is what the Dems should be discussing. They are not. Who knows what the dems. have in mind for this country. They are spinless as so many have said. Job security, not national security is what appears to be important. We know that is what the repubs. think. Dems are no different to the voting public.

[CTLawGuy]

32. they don't care about the base

the Republicans care about their base however,

guess who's in power?

[DancingBear]

6. Ah, a thread where everybody gets it

This is EXACTLY what will happen.


I like you guys. :)

[wakeme2008]

8. And the Repugs

will use this against us. :grr:

[NCarolinawoman]

9. They have a scroll running on Faux news saying:

Paul Hackett was forced out by Democratic Leadership. Then the next scroll says that Hackett was an outspoken critic of Bush's Iraq war. ( I cannot quibble with this).

I know Brown and Hackett were both against this war but sometimes it takes a Vet who has been there to actually bring credibility to this issue.

Hackett took on Rush Limbaugh better that anyone else. Remember how he said his Marine buddies called up Limbaugh to tell him off and they were unable to get through? They had his back and he said many of them were Republicans. We really NEED someone to take on Limbaugh, Hannity, etc. Someone in the red states who will be believed.

I know two Republicans in Ohio who were looking forward to voting for Hackett because he was "plain-spoken and didn't seem like a politician."

[DancingBear]

11. There ya go n/t

[Catrina]

12. 'take on Hannity' ~ seems the Dem leadership have had nothing to say

about Lieberman's acceptance of Hannity's endorsement, but choose to silence a voice we, the people, badly needed ~

I used to wonder why for over a decade, there was no opposing voice to the Rush Limbaugh's et al. Now maybe, I'm beginning to think it wasn't elitism (we won't go down in the gutter etc.) or negligence (no clue as to the harm they were doing). For a year or so, maybe it could be excused, but for 12 years? Something is really wrong in this country, and it isn't just the rightwing, or what we recognize as the right ~

This feeling that no matter what we do, we will be defeated, and most often by the party we look to for support. The past four years have been disappointment after disappointment. Something is wrong here. Hackett was a dream candidate for all those who had no one with a microphone to call Bush on his 'lies'. It seems the primaries will be decided for us ~ once again. I give up!

[OzarkDem]

14. Then he should stay in

Why is he leaving?

[Pryderi]

23. It's a tragedy and a disaster. Repugs can show dems up, and a viable

candidate has been lost.

[MrBenchley]

27. Yeah, if its on Faux Noise it must be true.....

(snicker)

[bvar22]

10. The entrenched incumbents in DC...

...have NO BUSINESS intefering in local Democratic Primaries!

[OzarkDem]

13. Then they should tell him to stay in

If Hackett wanted to stay in the race, he could have.

[Leilani]

29. Without support from the party?

That's a loser right off the bat.

Besides, they're working AGAINST him, calling his donors.

He was forced into his decision.

[robbedvoter]

15. Operatives vs activists/voters - the death of the dem party

And I see enough of the operatives here!
It's why the party dares not act on convictions - always on polls - which are manufactured reality anyway.

[Mr_Spock]

16. Ed Shultz is ripping the Dem est. a new ass hole for "swiftboating"

Paul Hackett. I can see where he's coming from - why are the establishment Dems tearing down a veteran and claiming he's guilty of war crimes??

I hope there is a reasonable explanation for this...

[Pryderi]

18. If this is how the Democratic party works, I'm not working for any of them

[Mr_Spock]

20. Well, I know that those guilty of this probably don't speak for the party

as a whole - at least I hope not.

[Pryderi]

22. Schumer, Waxman and Reid. If they're not Dems, what are they?

[Adelante]

34. War crimes?

What's this?

[Donna Zen]

17. If Hackett hadn't spoken up, what would you know today?

When McCain ended his bid for the WHouse after S.C. it was not because of the swiftboating, it was because of the money. Kevin Phillips discusses this in "American Dynasty."

Party bosses withholding money is not new, what is new is the netroots. Hackett is our candidate not the DLC's.

And now I'm hearing/reading that certain DLCers covertly running for '08 are already cutting off the competition.

I wonder how much of this goes to supporting only those who endorse the chosen one?

[radio4progressives]

24. bingo!

:applause:

[Pithy Cherub]

28. A Loud cheer for an insightful post! Exactly.

There have been backroom deals cut and the base is showing some resistance to the corporate plan. Hackett has inspired his followers and the party bosses thought the passionate electorate was immediately transferrable.

Meanwhile at the presidential level, it is even harsher. Look at who is getting what press and when.

[Edgewater_Joe]

25. Thanks For Sticking Up For The Rest Of The Vets, Hackett

Maybe if he showed some REAL leadership instead of putting on his diapers by saying the rest of the Fighting Dems should be supported in spite of what the party (allegedly) did to him, these guys wouldn't have been so upset.

But I don't see Hackett saying the rest of the Fighting Dems should continue on to fight. Instead, he lets this fester so he becomes the martyr -- and we in the rest of the country suffer because now HE'S succeeded in dividing people. Whatever crap the Democrats dumped on Hackett, he's just made it ten times worse by allowing these guys to rip the rest of the party.

This is exactly what I was afraid of. Hackett's becoming the Veterans' version of Ralph Nader, and just like in 2000, George W. Bush is ready to reap the benefits.

Thanks, Hackett. Fighting Dem my ass.

[Leilani]

31. Hackett's short political career showed leadership

unlike safe incumbants in D.C.

[wakeme2008]

33. This vet does not

agree with your take.

[Coexist]

26. As well they should be. n/t

[RazzleDazzle]

30. I'm sure glad Dean issues a statement himself earlier --

Dean statement on Hackett
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2459466&mesg_id=2459466
LinK: http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/02/about_paul_hack.php?comments=1#comments

[Liberal Veteran]

35. I've been at work seething all day unable to post.

I have nothing against Hackett's primary opponent, but the last thing our party needs is the power structure in Washington picking our god damned candidates for us. They have done a lousy fucking job and have given our party a reputation for being spineless, so I don't place any faith in them.


This bites.

[cantstandbush]

36. Maybe Vets will start the third party we are looking for? n/t