Bush, Senate Condemn Anti-War Ad

(CBS/AP)  The Senate joined President Bush Thursday in denouncing an advertisement by the liberal anti-war group MoveOn.org that accused the top military commander in Iraq of betrayal.

The 72-25 Senate vote condemned the full-page ad that appeared in The New York Times last week as Gen. David Petraeus, the top military commander in Iraq, testified on Capitol Hill. The ad was headlined: "General Petraeus or General Betray Us? Cooking the books for the White House."

The ad became a life raft for the Republican Party as the war debate kicked into high gear. With several Republicans opposed to Mr. Bush's war strategy, GOP members were able to put aside their differences and rally around their disapproval of the ad.

Sen. Gordon Smith, one of the few Republican senators who supports legislation ordering troop withdrawals, told reporters Thursday he thought Petraeus' testimony and the MoveOn.org ad were the two biggest factors in keeping Republicans from breaking ranks with the president: Petraeus' testimony because it was persuasive and the MoveOn add because it went too far by attacking a popular uniformed officer.

"It was stupid on their part and disgraceful," said Smith, R-Ore.

The resolution condemning the ad was sponsored by conservative Republican John Cornyn of Texas. Voting against it were Democratic presidential hopefuls Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Christopher Dodd of Connecticut.

Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, another contender for the Democratic nomination, did not vote, although he voted minutes earlier for an alternative resolution by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. That resolution condemned the MoveOn ad as an "unwarranted personal attack," but also condemned political attack ads that questioned the patriotism of Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., and former Sen. Max Cleland, D-Ga., both Vietnam veterans.

At a White House news conference earlier Thursday, Mr. Bush denounced the ad as "disgusting" and said he was disappointed that more Democrats did not condemn it.

"I felt like the ad was an attack not only on Gen. Petraeus but on the U.S. military, and I was disappointed that not more leaders in the Democrat party spoke out strongly against that ad," he said.

Mr. Bush said that led him to conclude that "most Democrats are afraid of irritating a left-wing group like MoveOn.org, or more afraid of irritating them, then they are of irritating the United States military."

Eli Pariser, executive director of the liberal group, responded: "What's disgusting is that the president has more interest in political attacks than developing an exit strategy to get our troops out of Iraq and end this awful war."

[sftodd]

Poor George -- Karl Rove has abandoned this lame duck, and now everything out of his mouth matches the look on his face.

[pastdue1]

Moveon.org is "disgusting" but hiring a company who sells arms to the enemy is excused and rehired???All those senators who wasted time on the censure in the Senate have been strangely silent about the Blackwater situation, suppose they can''t be bothered with censuring "aiding and abetting the enemy."

[finewoven]

"It was stupid on their part and disgraceful," said Smith, R-Ore.

"I felt like the ad was an attack not only on Gen. Petraeus but on the U.S. military . . ." President Bush.

It''s this kind of partisian politics that supports past errors, and doesn''t really help for future decision making. Having read the book "Imperial Life in the Emerald City," by Rajiv Chandrasekaran, while also having seen the movie "The Tiger and the Snow," I hold a stronger opinion of how good intentions lead the wrong direction. Except to say, that the war is a contest, pure and simple. And it adds to political turmoil in America, simply because it is so hard to be open . . and to trust. Our American principles are being challenged from within.

Like given by the movie, I see this in the American environment for inclusion for the pursuit of happiness. It is for us all to: be alive, to love, and to be free.

[tx2democrats]

The Troops came up with General Betray-Us because he has betrayed the troops and this country to follow Satan into the depths of hell. Bush is Satan to the middle east, he has brought them their armaggedon.

[tx2democrats]

This is the GAYEST administration, they make Hoover look butch. Why would a gay internet hooker get a White House Press Pass, ask Rove? He knows why.

[tx2democrats]

Has anyone checked the mens bathroom stalls in Texas for obviously gay Rove? a-tap-a-tap-a-tap-a

[tx2democrats]

No more Cheerleader Presidents. We need a president with an "A" average, not this c-dumbazz.

[toldyouso21]

I rarely give any money to any political party or campaign---in fact, I don''t think I ever have--to give when you do not support much of what they do or how they do it -=-only invites future mooching from the party later. But in this case--MoveON WILL be getting a donation. For daring to say and do what the rest of these freaks on both sides don''t dare. Did Patreaus betray us? That sort of was the question--the general''s azz is not a prayer book and his mouth ain''t a bible--he is subject to critical scrutiny like everyone else. Instead of letting others speak for him--his words and actions will--that is a better indictment than silly pronouncements from the most venal and vicious political party ever to be in power in America and the Democratic wannebees too scared to go against them and their maniacal king george.

[red164]

When democracy failed: The warnings of history
by Thom Hartmann

Casting opposition as traitors
To deal with those who dissented from his policies, at the advice of his politically savvy advisors, he and his handmaidens in the press began a campaign to equate him and his policies with patriotism and the nation itself. National unity was essential, they said, to ensure that the terrorists or their sponsors didn''t think they''d succeeded in splitting the nation or weakening its will. In times of war, they said, there could be only %u201Cone people, one nation, and one commander-in-chief%u201D (%u201CEin Volk, ein Reich, ein Fuhrer%u201D), and so his advocates in the media began a nationwide campaign charging that critics of his policies were attacking the nation itself. Those questioning him were labeled %u201Canti-German%u201D or %u201Cnot good Germans,%u201D and it was suggested they were aiding the enemies of the state by failing in the patriotic necessity of supporting the nation''s valiant men in uniform. It was one of his most effective ways to stifle dissent

Thom Hartmann lived and worked in Germany during the 1980s, and is the author of over a dozen books, including %u201CUnequal Protection%u201D and %u201CThe Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight.%u201D

[red164]

Ecc 4:1 6 So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of [such as were] oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors [there was] power; but they had no comforter.

:+)

Ecc 4:2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.


Ecc 4:3 Yea, better [is he] than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.