Dems Pick Kaine for State of Union Response; What the Hell Are They Thinki

[sasha031]

So the Democrats have chosen Virginia Governor Tim Kaine to deliver the party's response to President Bush's State of the Union speech. Chalk up another one for the What the Hell Are They Thinking? file.

On the same day that Osama Bin Laden's chilling warnings make it Red Alert clear that Bush's obsession with Iraq has not made us safer here at home -- and, indeed, has caused us to take our eye off the real enemy -- the Dems decide that the charge against Bush shouldn't be led by someone who can forcefully articulate why the GOP is not the party that can best keep us safe, but by someone whose only claim to fame is that he carried a red state. Talk about clueless.

The Democrats don't seem to know what the Republicans do know: that the GOP is losing ground on its core issue of national security. That's why Bush is planning to shift his State of the Union focus away from Iraq and onto an attack on rising health care costs. And the re-emergence of the architect of 9/11 -- promising to bring further death and destruction to our door, and touting Iraq's help as an al-Qaeda recruiting tool -- can only further weaken Bush's national security standing.

So why don't the Democrats have the guts to aggressively go after Bush on the issue?

I know I've said this before and before, but the Democrats will never become the majority party until they can prove to the American people that they have a better plan for keeping us safe. And that means having someone like Jack Murtha give the State of the Union response -- someone with the authority to make the point that, on every level, Iraq is the wrong priority. And that the hundreds of billions already spent on Iraq (and the countless billions to come) would be better spent shoring up our ports, roadways, railways, securing our nuclear installations and chemical plants, and properly supporting our first responders.

http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0120-29.htm

[OneBlueSky]

1. tells us all we need to know about where the Dems are at . . .

planning on losing more elections . . . and doing a mighty fine job of it, I might add . . .

I'll contribute to the Democratic Party when they have an Al Gore taking on tasks like this . . . and not until . . .

[seabeyond]

2. i will wait to hear the man before i publicly hang him. better

that than make a big to do only to have a kick ass speech from him. after all who is to know. certainly not you. or any of us. or, we can spend the next days all out bashing dems and this man before we know shit

[TheFarseer]

7. What does Tim Kaine know about Iran?

That's the topic we need to talk about this week, that or OBL, which Kaine would know little about. I'm all for giving Tim Kaine a shot. I think he's a good guy. But let's let him talk when he has expertise on the focus of the week, you know, a domestic topic like balancing a budget or jobs.

[Hubert Flottz]

3. They should let Al Gore do it!

The cowards!

[sasha031]

5. couln't agree more

what are they thinking about!

[TheFarseer]

4. Why not Wes Clark?

Why not Joe Biden? John Murtha? Hello? Can we at least fight them on the topic? What is Tim Kaine going to talk about - fixing potholes? Jezus, pay attantion!

[William769]

6. Kill the messenger before he speaks?

Way to go! :eyes:

[ruggerson]

11. Uh, Kaine is signing a constitutional ban

on both same sex marriage and civil unions. He is supporting it.

Do you want him speaking for the Democrats?

I would prefer it if they would find someone who is not signing bigoted Jim Crow legislation pandering to the worst instincts in American society.

I mean, why don't they just go all out and have the head of the Klu Klux Klan give the Democratic response. That would appeal directly to the group they're targeting.

[William769]

12. I am not a one wege isseu man

I may not like his stance on Gay marriage but he seems to be a good Democrat. I'll wait to hear what he says then form my opinion.

[ruggerson]

13. It's not just gay marriage

he is signing legislatioin which would forbid CIVIL UNIONS.

That means he's making gays second class citizens, using the CONSTITUTION of Virginia.

I am willing to put aside marriage for a candidate who doesn't think it will currently fly in this political climate. I have no problems compromising. But civil unions are supported by almost 70% of the country. There is no political reason to oppose them.

If you can see your way to supporting someone who wants to make you LESS THAN a full citizen, you've got a different perspective than I on what it means to be an American and free.

[William769]

14. I guess I do have a different perspective.

I have been with the same man for 15 years, I will still want to hear him speak. Thats just me.

[ruggerson]

16. Congrats

I've been with my partner for 10. And guess what? My relationship is equal to Tim Kaine's marriage.

If he wants to sign bigoted legislation that turns gay couples into second class citizens, he can go fuck himself. He doesn't speak for me.

[TankLV]

18. Who else are you willing to throw under the bus?

Glad to know I won't be running to YOU for advise or help.

Let's get rid of all those pesky union workers and women, too, while you're at it.

Civil rights is so last century anyway.

[SaveElmer]

19. Here is his position...from his website

"I think people ought to be able to enter into contracts with each other to arrange their affairs and have those contracts completely respected by law. Whether you call that a contract or partnership, those contracts ought to be respected. Now the legislature passed a bill last year…that really puts at risk, I think, the legal status of contracts that people enter into privately with one another. I think that’s wrong. I think people should be able to contract to share property or arrange their affairs as they see fit….But I don’t think we need to either change marriage or create an alternate form of marriage. I think the… traditional respect we afford contracts — that’s sufficient. "

http://www.kaine2005.org/news/articles/20051020e.php

I disagree with his position here...totally. Having happily voted for him, I am saddened he feels he needs to make this one of his first acts as Governor.

Having said that, I cannot think of a single case of a politician I admire not taking some action I found reprehensible...George Washington forward. Tim Kaine represents the centrist wing of the party and should not be excluded from national exposure for that reason. Fact is we have a two party system, and until we adopt a parliamentary one which encourages formation of additional parties, we are going to be allied with politicians who do things we do not like.

Kaine leans more our way than the other, and I am much happier having him in there than Kilgore, who would have banned contracts as well.

[ruggerson]

21. Contracts?

So he expects gay couples to incur the expense of going to lawyers and creating a myriad of "contracts" for their personal affairs? Contracts which will, in actuality, provide almost zero protection under the law?

Did you read this article?

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2005512310342

So much for contracts.

Besides, contracts do not provide the 400+ legal rights and privileges and remedies that marriage or civil unions do.

Like I said, I'm willing to compromise on lots of issues. Including same sex marriage rights.

But to oppose civil unions is a dealbreaker for me. Hell, even George Bush is on the record supporting civil unions.

Tim Kaine is to the right of George Bush on civil rights and they have him representing us on national television?

It's like stepping into an alternate reality.

[SaveElmer]

23. Yeah like I said...I do not agree with him....

At all...and I hope pressuring him over the next 4 years will change his mind.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

8. I don't always agree with Huffington,

but she is right on here. Additionally most of the Dem leadership doesn't get it about the MSM. How they have sold out our republic in a feckless search for profits even as their influence wanes. Dean, Gore and a few others get it.

We need to hold up the leaders who make sense and ignore those who voted for Iraq and continue to pretend that the American right wing has some claim to defending liberty.

[radio4progressives]

9. K&R

:kick: :applause:

[peacetalksforall]

10. Who selects the speaker? nt

[Marleyb]

15. we must have our own response

[oneoftheboys]

17. How about giving the guy a chance...

After all, he has proved he knows what it takes to win (in a red state no less).

On the other hand, Gore couldn't even carry his own state or congressional district.

[TankLV]

20. Yeah, those over 500,000 he BEAT dumbya with are sooooo boring.

What the fuck are you spewing?

[oneoftheboys]

25. Well, when I read the intellectually impaired effluvium that you...

spewed forth this morning, I was thinking the same thing (WTF).

However, at that time, I wasn't able to offer you the same respect that you bestowed upon Governor Kaine.

In any event, why don't you just consume fecal matter and become deceased.

[annabanana]

22. so.. howsabout WE inform Kaine?

Surely there are among us people who can email him with our insights.. We can project dubya's SOTU address and give this guy some good, hard, true info to respond with...

[chaumont58]

24. Ah, the power of the DLC

I'm surprised they didn't pick Cheney.