Many highly visible members of the Democratic Party have, over the last few years, been more than ready to dish out venom and abuse, not only on their political opponents, but also on our men and women in uniform, who as an organization have not taken sides in the political wrangly. But, when called out on their own remarks, they are plenty eager to ignore the challenge and cast aspersions on the challenger.
Thus, after Senator Durbin referred to American soldiers as akin to the Nazis and Pol Pot, and stolidly refused to apologize for having made the comments (and only for people having been offended), the Democrats now are demanding the head of Karl Rove for criticizing the Democrats’ response to the 9/11 attacks:
Rove, in a speech Wednesday evening to the New York state Conservative Party just a few miles north of Ground Zero, said, “Liberals saw the savagery of the 9/11 attacks and wanted to prepare indictments and offer therapy and understanding for our attackers.” Conservatives, he said, “saw the savagery of 9/11 and the attacks and prepared for war.”
He added that the Democratic Party made the mistake of calling for “moderation and restraint” after the terrorist attacks.
During the 2004 campaign, Bush dismissed the notion of negotiating with terrorists and said, “You can’t sit back and hope that somehow therapy will work and they will change their ways.”
So, it’s alright and defensible for Democrats not only to disagree with the Administration’s policies, but also to denigrate and demonize any and all who agree with any portion of that policy, castigating them as the reincarnation of Hitler; but if anybody so much as criticizes the Democrats for their reactions, suddenly the Democrats have such thin skin?
Don’t think the Democrats have been behaving awfully rudely? Captain Ed has more on the thick-skinned Party of the Jackass (hey, I didn’t choose their mascot) and its tendency to become extremely thin-skinned when its own are being criticized.
[Cross-posted at Between Worlds]
Rove spoke the literal truth. One of my liberal friends was very upset that the opportunity to employ international legal proceedings was being squandered. He thought the 9/11 attacks should have been responded to, literally, with criminal indictments and criminal prosecutions.
As to “therapy”, this is perhaps hyperbole, but there was a lot of questioning about “why do they hate us” on the Left, in effect seeing the USA as the “real” instigator of the attacks.
Rove is being pretty honest for a guy whose full time job is politics.
Many highly visible members of the Democratic Party have, over the last few years, been more than ready to dish out venom and abuse, not only on their political opponents, but also on our men and women in uniform, who as an organization have not taken sides in the political wrangly. But, when called out on their own remarks, they are plenty eager to ignore the challenge and cast aspersions on the challenger.
Or my favorite: claim it’s their opponents that are unable to take what they dish out. Sort of like the pre-emptive “don’t question my patriotism!” cry that pops up from time to time.
One thing people seem to overlook…just where in his comments did he refere to “democrates?” I read it as a reference to “liberals.” They seems to find offense in everything…including things said about other people.
One of the unsaid points concerning party unity and being willing to accept these noxious hyperbolics that seem to pass for debate for the Democrats these days is that Mayor Daily felt the need to publicly reproach Sen Durbin for his remarks. The Mayor’s political positions had seemed to crab-walk around some Dem positions for a while now. I think the final straw was (does anyone else remember this) Daily’s son joining the 82nd Airborne a few years ago. When they might be talking about YOUR kid it becomes more than you can stomach. I don’t fault the Mayor for this, I praise him for it; sometimes it’s that final motivation that defines the outcome.
Rove spoke at a New York Conservative Party meeting. It’s important to note that NY has both Conservative and Liberal Parties. They usually endorse the Republican and Democratic candidates respectively, but not always.
So when he said “Liberals” or “Conservatives” he also referred to New York Parties. This is what got Schumer and Clinton so riled up.
I don’t think it’s any accident that Rove dropped this bombshell in the heart of Liberal Manhatten – a neighborhood of the city worst hit on 911. He taunts the libs from within their own lair.
He’s clever as a fox!
-Steve
And my advise to the liberals, if the truth hurts take an aspirin for the pain. And, I am still waiting for several of the Hollywood liberals to fulfill their promises to move out of the country if Bush was elected.
Perhaps Rove should concentrate more on “leftists” than “liberals.” Leftists are truly a loathsome life form, whereas liberals span the entire spectrum from left to libertarian to moderate right. The liberal idea is what birthed the american nation. It is foolish to cede this terminology to the left. A smart person would separate the leftists from the liberals.
Well it is foolish to cede a lot of vocabulary to the left. Liberal is one term (which in the US context means something rather different than in most other countries). Progressive is the other term. Letting the left define what constitutes progress is foolish.