Statement of purpose:
To express the sense of the Senate that General David H. Petraeus, Commanding General, Multi-National Force-Iraq, deserves the full support of the Senate and strongly condemn personal attacks on the honor and integrity of General Petraeus and all members of the United States Armed Forces.
Roll call can be found here.
[Update] -Text of the Cornyn resolution:
To express the sense of the Senate that General David H. Petraeus, Commanding General, Multi-National Force--Iraq, deserves the full support of the Senate and strongly condemns personal attacks on the honor and integrity of General Petraeus and all the members of the United States Armed Forces.
Whereas the Senate unanimously confirmed General David H. Petraeus as Commanding General, Multi-National Force--Iraq, by a vote of 81-0 on January 26, 2007;
Whereas General Petraeus graduated first in his class at the United States Army Command and General Staff College;
Whereas General Petraeus earned Masters of Public Administration and Doctoral degrees in international relations from Princeton University;
Whereas General Petraeus has served multiple combat tours in Iraq, including command of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) during combat operations throughout the first year of Operation Iraqi Freedom, which tours included both major combat operations and subsequent stability and support operations;
Whereas General Petraeus supervised the development and crafting of the United States Army and Marine Corps counterinsurgency manual based in large measure on his combat experience in Iraq, scholarly study, and other professional experiences;
Whereas General Petraeus has taken a solemn oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America;
Whereas during his 35-year career, General Petraeus has amassed a distinguished and unvarnished record of military service to the United States as recognized by his receipt of a Defense Distinguished Service Medal, two Distinguished Service Medals, two Defense Superior Service Medals, four Legions of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal for valor, the State Department Superior Honor Award, the NATO Meritorious Service Medal, and other awards and medals; and
Whereas a recent attack through a full-page advertisement in the New York Times by the liberal activist group, Moveon.org, impugns the honor and integrity of General Petraeus and all the members of the United States Armed Forces: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate--
(1) to reaffirm its support for all the men and women of the United States Armed Forces, including General David H. Petraeus, Commanding General, Multi-National Force--Iraq;
(2) to strongly condemn any effort to attack the honor and integrity of General Petraeus and all the members of the United States Armed Forces; and
(3) to specifically repudiate the unwarranted personal attack on General Petraeus by the liberal activist group Moveon.org.
Here are the politicians that voted NAY:
NAYs ---25Politicians that voted Yea:
Akaka (D-HI)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Byrd (D-WV)
Clinton (D-NY)
Dodd (D-CT)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Levin (D-MI)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Murray (D-WA)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)
Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Craig (R-ID)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Dole (R-NC)
Domenici (R-NM)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagel (R-NE)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johnson (D-SD)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Leahy (D-VT)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Lott (R-MS)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
McCaskill (D-MO)
McConnell (R-KY)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Roberts (R-KS)
Salazar (D-CO)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Smith (R-OR)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Stevens (R-AK)
Sununu (R-NH)
Tester (D-MT)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)
Webb (D-VA)
(Additional question: How long before MoveOn starts attacking any Democratic Politicians that voted yea?
Those that voted yea showed incredible courage and it should be noted they did the right thing instead of the politically safe thing.)
I just said in the last post, those that stood by MoveOn and their attack ad against our military, especially the Democratic presidential candidates, like Clinton and Dodd, will not be allowed to forget it and their refusal to stand behind our military , will go into the 2008 elections with this issue being thrown in their faces constantly.
Reid, majority leader in the Senate, Hillary Clinton and Chris Dodd, both candidates to be Commander in Chief of our Military in 2008, have all now gone on record, refusing to back this statement:
To express the sense of the Senate that General David H. Petraeus, Commanding General, Multi-National Force-Iraq, deserves the full support of the Senate and strongly condemn personal attacks on the honor and integrity of General Petraeus and all members of the United States Armed Forces.
America will not forget..... and we will not allow you to forget either.
[End Update]
[Update]- Reactions from the far far left liberals (not to be confused with moderates)
fatbyjhnsn on Kos:
The Democrats just passed a Republican resolution condemning the MoveOn ad that called General Petraeus a biased figurehead 72-25.
Do the Democrats even know who votes for them anymore? Don’t they understand that if they continue to piss off the die-hard Democrats, the MoveOn Democrats, they are going to continue to lose elections?
The Republicans have won for 20 years by rallying and paying off their base. The Democrats absolutely refuse to do the same. Small wonder they haven’t won big in a while.
I’m a MoveOn Democrat. I approved that message. And it’s becoming clear that the Democrats in Congress don’t speak for me. Let the primary challenges roll.
Taylor Marsh who mistakes those that voted nay with heroes ( The heroes are our Military, Taylor)
Some Democrats got the political attack and stood tall. The senators voting "nay" are heroes. As for Obama, skipping the vote is cowardice of the high order. Biden's decision to not vote is almost a plus, because he's so far gone on the progressive scale it actually is a nod that he gets it. As for Cantwell, you figure it out.
Working for Change:
UPDATE: The final insult is here. Apparently, the U.S. Senate cannot find bipartisan consensus on ending the war - a position that almost three quarters of America supports - but they can find bipartisan consensus to waste time condemning a factually accurate newspaper ad.
I don't even know which part of THIS silliness to show, so go see it for yourself.
The narcissism of this next one simply astounds me, it is a personal affront that any Democratic politicians DARE stand up for our troops.
The headline says it all "Senate Democrats to Netroots: F@*# YOU!"
NOTE TO THE FAR LEFT UNHINGED---
I do not often find myself wanting to defend many Democrats, but this is one time I feel the need to.
The Democrats that voted to condemn the MoveOn ad and any unfounded attack against our military or the military leaders, did not betray you, they showed, publicly, a distaste for MoveOn and their attack on a General that has served his country with distinction and honor for over 30 years.
They have not changed positions on Iraq. They have not turned in Republicans. They have shown that, only, that they will not stand with people that attack our troops.
That is all they did.
So chill out and quit acting like they killed your best friend.
Jeeeeeez.
[End Update]
The original post on this:
Yesterday I posted about John Cornyn proposing an amendment to condemn MoveOn.org, that I heard while watching C-span.
Dick Durbin was trying to use the technique we often see liberals use by trying to distract by bringing up John Kerry and the Swift Boat Veterans from years ago.
Worth mentioning here is that now, years later, for no other reason that John Cornyn proposing this amendment, NOW, the Democratic politicians, Barbara Boxer to be specific, want an amendment of their own regarding John Kerry.
They could have offered that amendment over the last few years, but they waited until now.
Why?
Because they are trying to distract from the MoveOn.org's disgusting ad attacking General Petraeus and being made to take a stand either with MoveOn or against them.
For anyone that has been on another planet or under a rock (lol) and haven't heard about the MoveOn attack against General Petraeus, here are all our posts on one page about it.
From Mitch McConnell's website, regarding the Cornyn Amendment:
‘The Cornyn Amendment is an opportunity for Senate Democrats to have their reputation restored’
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor Tuesday on the Cornyn Amendment, which expresses the Sense of the Senate that General Petraeus deserves the full support of the Senate and strongly condemns the personal attacks on the honor and integrity of General Petraeus and members of the Armed Forces:
“Mr. President, it strikes me that this is an opportunity, the Cornyn Amendment is an opportunity for Senate Democrats to have their reputation restored. I can't believe that Senate Democrats approve of this kind of trash that we've seen in the New York Times in this paid ad which I gather cost over $100,000 last Sunday.
“This organization, MoveOn.org, is claiming that it controls the Democratic Party. I don't believe that's true, but this is what they had to say. Back in 2004, someone named Eli Pariser, an employee of MoveOn, talking about the Democratic Party said:
‘Now it's our party. Now it's our party. We bought it. We own it. And we're going to take it back.’
“They're claiming, MoveOn is claiming, they control the Democratic Party. If I were a Democratic Senator, I’d be offended by that suggestion. MoveOn.org claims, as Senator Cornyn pointed out in his comments, that they communicate on a near daily basis with senior Democratic members.
“Here's a quote:
I called over there and said ‘You guys better have a strategy on this.’
“By ‘there’ Matzzie, who I guess is the head of MoveOn.org, meant the offices of Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill with which he and his staff communicate on a near daily basis. According to Matzzie, Matzzie has personal relationships with several senior Democratic Members of Congress.
“In short, it struck me from this ad on Sunday that this organization, this radical left organization attacking the patriotism of General Petraeus with this act, accusing him in effect treason -- ‘betray us’ they said -- is claiming they control our colleagues on the other side of the aisle. Now, I don't believe that. I don't believe that for a minute. And the Cornyn Resolution is an opportunity for the Senate to go on record, hopefully unanimously, objecting to this kind of dialogue.
“Certainly they're free to do whatever they want to. It's a free country. The First Amendment allows everyone to say whatever they please. But you don't have to endorse this kind of nonsense.
“This organization strikes me as a severe threat to the reputation of the Democratic Party, and so this is an opportunity that the Senator from Texas has offered here for all of us to go on record in opposition to this outrageous, outrageous and unacceptable ad that was run in the New York Times on Sunday. General Petraeus, or General ‘Betray Us.’ What an outrage. Are we not offended by that? Do we not condemn that?
“This is the opportunity for the United States Senate on a broad bipartisan basis to condemn this outrageous ad. And I want to thank the Senator from Texas for giving us this opportunity. And I hope when this vote occurs that it will be a unanimous expression, regardless of how we may feel about the war -- and I know this is a deeply divisive issue in this body. We understand that.
“But regardless of how we may feel about the war, some kinds of rhetoric are simply unacceptable. And here you have an outside organization claiming to basically control the Democratic Party. I don't believe they do. And if I were a member of the Democratic Conference and sitting on the other side of the aisle in this chamber, I’d be offended by an organization claiming to control me and to speak for me such as this group apparently does.
“So I thank the Senator from Texas. I think it is a perfectly timely amendment, as General Petraeus is testifying here in the Senate today and the House yesterday. And of course next week we'll be dealing with the Iraq issue again.
“And I hope we can discuss it, discuss it in a typical responsible Senate debate and not have these extreme organizations on the far left who apparently wish for America’s defeat and have a disproportionate influence on this body or the outcome of our debates. We ought to be able to rise above that. I think we have the possibility of doing that. The American people would like for us to do that. They want us to engage in a civil debate about the way forward in Iraq.
“We'll have an opportunity to demonstrate that again next week, and I hope we'll demonstrate it this morning by overwhelmingly and hopefully on a unanimous basis condemning this outrageous ad questioning the patriotism of General Petraeus.”
On September 10, 2007, I asked if the Democratic Politicians would stand by MoveOn and thier attack against General Petraeus or denounce them.
Three days later, their silence in condemning that ad showed that they did, indeed, stand with MoveOn.
Now they have a chance to publicly answer my original question, will they vote to denounce MoveOn or will they stand by them.
It is their choice and it is a question that the American people deserve an answer to.
Barbara Boxer's pathetic attempt at distracting from the issue at hand, a recent issue, with an issue that the Democrats have had YEARS to address, is as obvious as it is classless.
This is a tactic we see often from trolls in the comment section here, when they cannot address the issues at hand they try to distract and "change the conversation" from the topic at hand.
Boxer is no better than those trolls in attempting to use such tactics to avoid having to address the issue at hand, which is the attack ad against our commanding General in Iraq, who has devoted 30+ yrs of his live to serving our country and was voted into that position unanimously, 81-0, by the very politicians that are now refusing to denounce the MoveOn.org's "Betray Us" ad.
Way to support our troops folks.
(Corrections made to this post)
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