Former Clinton Press Sec: Smartest thing for Dems to do is be supportive

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

Turning Iraq into a sharply partisan issue, however, carries deep risks for Democrats and the country, others warn. "Credit the Democrats for not trying to pour more gasoline on the fire, even if they're not particularly unified in their message," said Michael McCurry, a former Clinton White House press secretary. "Democrats could jump all over them and try to pin Bush down on it, but I'm not sure it would do anything but make things worse. The smartest thing for Democrats to do is be supportive."



And some argue that Democrats do not need to craft an alternative policy, deeming it better simply to let Bush struggle on his own. "The need for a coherent alternative mattered more when the benefit of the doubt went to the commander in chief," said Jeremy Rosner of Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, a Democratic polling firm. "Now he's getting to a dicey range of public opinion."

Still, the Democratic discord has provided solace for Bush advisers at a difficult time. Although Bush's approval ratings have sunk, the Democrats have gained no ground at his expense. In a Washington Post-ABC News poll in June, just 42 percent of Americans approved of congressional Democrats, a figure even lower than Bush's.

Republican strategists chortle at the Democrats' inability to fashion a coherent message on the war. The Republican National Committee on Friday released a series of contrasting Democratic statements on troop withdrawals. "Instead of attacking our president's resolve," RNC spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt said in a statement, "Democrats might want to focus on the debate within their own party."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9034086/page/2/

[still_one]

1. supportive of what?

killing over 1800 Americans?
wounding over 13000 Americans?
killing over 100000 civilians?

going to war based on lies?

The only thing the Democrats should do is provide solutions, NOT support

How's this for a solution, BRING THE TROOPS HOME FROM IRAQ NOW!!!

[Al-CIAda]

16. Mike McCurry=Brittany Spears? nt

[Fleshdancer]

18. Oops! I Sold Out Again

yeah, I think the Spears analogy works pretty well sadly enough.

[flpoljunkie]

32. Supportive of Cindy Sheehan's protests? Some would argue that supporting

the troops would mean not sending them to unnecessary, preemptive wars without the equipment and numbers they need to succeed.

I thought the paragraph below from the article worth highlighting. Bushco PR job in the drive to get the IWR out of Congress was relentless, and even better, the media rolled over, seeing the war as inevitable with visions of dollars signs and war correspendent adventures in their heads--a colossal failure on their part.

Simply put, Bush lied to the American people and to Congress, went to the Congress in bad faith with his IWR--which he not only failed to follow, but ran around the country saying war was his "last resort"--the most blatant lie of all--coming from the man who said to Condi and three Senators in her office, in March, 2002, "F*ck Saddam. We're taking him out." (How many Americans know this exchange took place in March, 2002?)

http://cnn.allpolitics.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=CNN.com+-+First+Stop%2C+Iraq+-+Mar.+24%2C+2003&expire=-1&urlID=5798268&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2003%2FALLPOLITICS%2F03%2F24%2Ftimep.saddam.tm%2F&partnerID=2001

"Clearly Democrats are not united in what is the critique of what we're doing there and what is the answer to what we do next," said Steve Elmendorf, a senior party strategist whose former boss, then-House Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt (Mo.), voted in 2002 to authorize the invasion of Iraq. "The difficulty of coming to a unified position is that for a lot of people who voted for it, they have to decide whether they can admit that they were misled."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9034086/

[bribri16]

34. Under the same circumstances with Dems in control of all branches of gov't

the Republicians would NOT be "supportive." Just think back to the Clinton administration. They were not even supportive of the goal of going after Osama. The incoming Bush admin simply turned their backs on all the Al-qaeda warnings by the Clinton admin.

[aquart]

2. He wants us to cheer the Republicans on? Cheer TREASON??

What a slimy jellyfish.

[jobycom]

3. Nice that it's all a political strategy to everyone, eh?

Not like there are real human beings suffering while the media treats this like a tennis match to see who scores next.

[Dogmudgeon]

4. It's not an either-or dilemma

It's possible to "be supportive" and critical at the same time. In fact, if it's done right, it can make Bush look like even more of a clueless jackass than he already is.

I wouldn't say that Cindy Sheehan is "ripping Bush a new one". She's being very polite and very mature about handling her grief. And Bush is still avoiding her.

This ongoing "commander-in-chief" rhetoric still bothers me, too. Bush isn't our commander-in-chief, he's the president we elected to manage the affairs of our nation. Does he need an extra-special title to make people think he's competent at what he does?

--p!

[madfloridian]

5. Baloney...this is just too much.

I think that some of our party leaders are showing their true colors...imperialist in nature.

[Fovea]

6. Be supportive of the troops, check!

Be supportive of Caligula in Chief's massive charlie foxtrot... no way.
Remember, Americans and innocent Iraqis are being blown to bits daily because of this war built on lies.

I don't attack the president's resolve, I attack his motivations.

[mike_c]

7. supportive of an illegal war of aggression based on lies?!

Fuck that. :puke:

[FogerRox]

12. hey mike-- right on bro FUCK THAT JErK OFF

Michael McCurry you are a jerk off--- I rarly get so vulgar---
but FUCK YOU McCURRY

[bluestateguy]

8. Well at least we have Republicans like Chuck Hagel and Ron Paul

Seems that they are the ones saying the things that need to be said.

[Al-CIAda]

15. Yes, our surrender monkey Dems are doubly embarrasing in that light.

Cowards who are afraid to confrom the treason before us, or upset the corporate agenda.

[HardWorkingDem]

9. Best things the Dems could do is....

develop a coherent message and stick to it NOW.

The key should be to getting American soldiers out as soon as possible, though with Bolton going to the UN there seems little chance with UN Peace Keepers going in.

The Dems should come up with a unifying message, hold a huge press conference and go on a whirlwind blitz tour to get it out there.

One thing would be to go hat in hand to countries surrounding Iraq and then our allies again and kiss their ass. But we know this isn't going to happen with Bush.

[FreedomAngel82]

10. Uh what?

Does this person not read the polls?! I can't stand the DLC.

[Autonomy]

11. I think "supportive" is political-speak

for crafting a positive message and staying above the fray. It's very Clintonian message. I'm pretty sure both McCurry and Rosner are talking to Democratic office-holders, and not us peons. He's saying that Bush's numbers don't need any help to plummet, but he's concerned about the lack of Demos's gaining from it.

Studies have demonstrated that, even when an opponent's numbers are dropping, one's own numbers will not rise unless by a positive message of hope and a clear, cogent plan. Bill says that all the time.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

13. Maybe, but I've got to stand behind Howard Dean's remarks...

...from the same article:

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, who rose to public prominence on an antiwar presidential campaign, said on television a week ago that it was the responsibility of the president, not the opposition, to come up with a plan for Iraq.

[Andromeda]

20. Stop making sense!

It's true that the Democrats badly need to come up with a positive message and a credible plan to resolve the quagmire that is Iraq.

Just relying on Bushes tanking numbers isn't enough.

Democrats need to stand for something NOW because the people aren't getting the message.

Welcome to DU, Autonomy. :hi:

[wli]

14. WRONG! Zero tolerance! No quarter! Never forgive! Never forget!

"Supportiveness" is giving aid and comfort to the enemy.

The Republican Party is a terrorist organization. There is no room for "tolerance" or "supportiveness." They must be hyperaggressively prosecuted, their crimes hyperaggressively exposed, and the failures and war crimes committed in the Iraq war should by all means be exploited to its maximum political and juridical potential by the Democrats, with extreme prejudice and the maximum penalties sought in all cases.

War criminals have no place in our society. War criminals have no place in global society. Their citizenship should be in question, not those of ordinary US citizens. Their rights should be in question, not those of ordinary US citizens. Their holding of office, on the other hand, is not in question: it is purely illegitimate.

There is no room for this kind of pandering to neocon genocidal maniacs. They deserve nothing but prosecution for treason and war crimes period.

The slightest iota of "support" or "tolerance" for this evil is a tacit endorsement of war crimes and terrorism.

[renie408]

26. That sounds real good here

And I am sure that there are a lot of DU'ers that will read your post and do a Tiger-like fist pump and yell, "Fucking A!!!". Only we were all doing that last year and still lost the election. WE get it. But WE are not the ones that McCurry is talking about. McCurry is talking about the OTHER half of the country who in the next election can choose between A) the Democratic Party or B) another Republican who they think maybe can do stuff better than this last Republican and who still holds their 'family values' and who isn't calling them terrorists.

Being right didn't win the last election. The key is to be right in a way that allows us to win. 'We' are 'right' right now. What good does it do us with no power in government to affect change??

[wli]

50. it's not as if DLC-style rolling over is going to get us anywhere either

It's mutual Zugzwang, really. We get nowhere without honest elections, they are in prosecutorially boiling hot water.

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[DemInDistress]

19. message for Mike..

Your either for us democrats of America or your with the Bush Crmie Family's illegal invasion of Iraq.Cant be supportive of lies,forgeries and fakes......Join us Mike and help impeach this lying idiot failure from Texas....

[Skidmore]

21. Another message for Mike.

If you want to be supportive, please find yourself an enlistment form and turn it in to the nearest recruitment center you can find. Oh, and make certain you pick up one for each and every adult child you have. You want to fight, knock yourself out.

[MadHound]

22. FUCK THAT!

Goddamn quisling DLC appeasement assholes, fuck have you fools ever heard of being an OPPOSITION PARTY!? Be supportive of over 1800 American deaths? Supportive of tens of thousands of Iraqi innocents killed? Supportive of an illegal, immoral war? FUCK THAT!

Christ on a pogo stick! And these people wonder why many committed liberals are fleeing the party in droves, well it is exactly because of shit like this. If this is what the party is becoming, I think I'll stay Green, thank you very much. They may be relatively small and ineffective at this point, but at least they aren't bought and paid for corporate whores, and have the backbone to stand up in opposition to this madness.

[Totally Committed]

23. WTF has happened?????

"Democrats could jump all over them and try to pin Bush down on it, but I'm not sure it would do anything but make things worse. The smartest thing for Democrats to do is be supportive." -- Mike Mc Curry

Lately, I feel like I have fallen asleep and awakened, not only in a hell created by Bush and his Warforeverandever Crowd, but by the Democrats, themselves. Oh, not all Democrats, but some of the former Clintonistas, in particular.

We've got the likes of Paul Begala and James Carville out there, flapping their gums non-stop, acting like a pair of Yodas, when they are are, among other things, the team that got Zell Miller elected as a Democrat.

We've got Hillary, herself, getting into bed with not only the DLC (as if that isn't bad enough, fergawdssake), but with elements of the Republican Party (notably, Uber-Neo-Con Newt Gingrich) and hiring a "Republican Guard" to make sure everyone knows she's no Leftie. Like we'd think that, with her out beating the drums of war and saying 80,000 more troops are needed!

We've got Bill Clinton getting all cozy with Pappy Bush, and saying things that make me wonder if they didn't suck out his brain while they were giving him his heart bypass.

Now, we have Mike Mc Curry lauding our do-nothing Party for doing nothing, because that's the safest thing to do in a situation like this. HUH?

As the saying goes, "No guts, no glory." Have we become a Party content with never having the feeling of the glory of righteousness on our side again? Where the hell is our outrage? Haven't we learned that our silence on the deaths and the war that caused them makes us COMPLICIT with the other side? W T F ??????????????????????.

It's early in the morning, and I need some coffee before I stroke out for good. This has ired me no end. No end. My heart can't take much more of this.

Is this Party of ours so far gone that it is beyond repair? I used to think not. I used to think the good and decent people could fix it. I have to say I am now officially discouraged.

Maybe I'll feel better after my coffee.

TC

[Al-CIAda]

25. Bravo, great post. nt

[Mairead]

36. What has happened? The gloves have come off, that's what

The Clintons and Clintonites are coming out of the soft-GOP closet.

Frankly, that scares hell out of me because it implies that the fascists now have such a complete lock on the system that they no longer even have to pretend there's more than one party.

[Donna Zen]

42. Tell where you're going after you throw in the towel...

I'm going with you TC.

Plan B is well under way. They're counting on the chorus to chant: but they're not republicans.

Well, guess what... either am I. I know the difference between republicans and Democrats, just as I know the difference between the truth and bullshit.

General Clark believes that we must have a two-party system. He said that the greatest danger to America is a one-party system. But even my support for Wes cannot get me to support the unsupportable.

I've tried to change the party from the inside only to be treated like a 3-headed kook because I had the nerve to find lies about war offensive. I honestly think that the party could care less about people like me, and until they lose my vote, they see no need to. The Democrats are more concerned about wingnutz than they are about their base. So fuck em.

[depakid]

24. "Republican strategists chortle...."

That's about the long and short of it....

Thanks to the DINO's, the Dems look to be headed into another pounding in 2006.

At this point, it's hard to see why anyone would want to vote for many of them.

"Because they're not Republicans" seems to be the only rationale....

[Q]

27. This is simply mind-boggling...

...and it's people and moments like this that make me wonder why I continue to call myself a Democrat.

What we're talking about here is the difference between

RIGHT AND WRONG

And our party has come out on the side of WRONG.

I'd like to think that they're just chickenshit cowards. But after four years of Bush raping and pillaging our country and the rest of the world and 'our' leadership doing nothing about it...I've come to the conclusion that the Clinton DLCers are complicit in the lies and deceptions.

We 'commoner' Democrats have been put in an awful position. We now have to fight...not only the rabid, insane, criminal Bush administration...but factions within our own party working WITH THEM to help cover up their crimes and misdeeds.

This is Clinton's real legacy.

[Totally Committed]

28. ".. the difference between RIGHT AND WRONG.."

"...and it's people and moments like this that make me wonder why I continue to call myself a Democrat."

"This is Clinton's real legacy."

Heart-breakingly true. Just devastating. Great post.

[renie408]

29. Is there the possibility??

That these comments were taken out of context or that there was a further explanation to the comments that is not included in this article? The whole thing seems to be spinning for the right and for making Dems look bad. Could it be that McCurry didn't REALLY mean that we should all support the Bush agenda in Iraq? That he meant that Dems should make an effort to reinforce our sympathy with the troops, the Iraqi people and the situation in which they have been placed instead of coming out ONLY with pointing fingers?

[xxqqqzme]

38. is there a possibility?

no, we are being abandoned by the Democratic Party once again.

[OneTwentyoNine]

30. Sure thing Mike,changing my outlook and attitude about Iraq right now...

Gee,how shocking another Democrat SELLOUT who wrote this puff piece no doubt at the urging of Hillary Clinton and/or Bill.

Honestly,expect to see shit like this on a daily basis as Hillary really gears up for her "Don't worry be happy" election tour.

[Ninga]

31. Thanks Mike, what a great idea! Let's see now.....

we are all going to "hold back criticism" and watch W implode.

And gee wiz, we can also watch the body count continue to rise along with our apathy.

Great stuff Mike.

Go away and take the DLC with you.

[Gyre]

33. Where does that leave our "moral authority"?

Doesn't that make us "aiders and abetters"? Hence, no standing to critisize them on their biggest blunders?

Gyre

[BeachBuckeye]

35. Mike, you are so full of it!

I don't think we need two Republican parties. Mike and his band of DLC corporate masters must be thrown out of the Democratic Party. I will not support any Democratic candidate who continues to support the war. If they swallowed Bush's lies and voted for it initially I can forgive them but not if they continually lend support to Bush for this illegal and immoral war.

[Pewlett Hackard]

37. WRONG

SADDAM WAS ON OUR SIDE. SADDAM WAS NOT SUPPORTING TERRORISM OR ATTACKING AMERICANS. DEMOCRATS HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE: THE TRUTH!!!!

[Al-CIAda]

39. Yes, the alternative is to grow a pair and BLAST THE TRUTH!!!! nt

[GasolineBoycott]

40. Compromised Principles

Yeah, lets forget that the war is wrong and illegal, lets forget that 600$ billion has been wasted, lets forget that gasoline prices have hit the insanity level. Our streets are full of pedophiles and the economy is crashing. Just support the fool who brought all this to you and pay attention to mass media and damsel in distress stories. Once again, the Democrats show they are part of a one-party system, the big oil oligarchy.

[Donna Zen]

41. Key words: Clinton administration

Hillary is running for the WH and has a wee problem with her vote on the war. He wants you to be supportive of her.

If Hillary had voted "nea" then the advice would be entirely different.

[rniel]

43. Anything to get elected I guess

That's what It's all about for them. I guess it doesn't matter that over 1800 soldiers died for no good reason.

[Totally Committed]

44. Great Steve Clemons (The Washington Note) quote:

"Everybody's on the make," says Steve Clemons of the New America Foundation, who led the fight against John Bolton from his blog, The Washington Note. "They're all worried about their next government job. People pull their punches or try to craft years in advance what sort of positions they're gonna be up for. The culture of Washington is very risk-averse."

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/20050815/the_strategic_class.php

[gratuitous]

47. And they don't even get elected

So they don't even have that for a reason. Oddly enough, when presented a choice between bloodthirsty, profiteering warmongers and bloodthirsty, profiteering warmonger-lites, the electorate seems to prefer the genuine article.

And the main reason that Democrats can't seem to craft a unified message against this illegal war is because there are a lot of folks running around with a D under their party affiliation who won't face reality. There are two ways to get out of Iraq: Fast and half-fast. And there's a large segment of the Democratic party that is half-assed.

[Donna Zen]

48. pssst!

...not their kids.

[inthebrain]

45. If the people in this party took risks.......

Like acctually decalaring the war a flop, they might get some where!!!!

Biggest mistake made in the 04 election was picking a candidate that thought he could fight a better war in Iraq. So far, all that has been offered by the partys leadership as a solution it to increase the amount of troops over there.

Sending more will only create more terrorists!!!

I think sending in the UN and getting the fuck out is a much more viable solution. THe Iraqi's at least RESPECT the UN meanwhile Republicans foolishly want to tear it down. Then again that's all the Republicans are good at; destroying things like SS, Medicare, Democracy at home and Iraq.

If the Dems stopped acting like wimps and took a principled stand against this war they would get somewhere.

[Sean Reynolds]

46. This doesn't make sense. Support Pres. Bush's war...

As it brings him down? Do they not think this could eventually hurt Democrats, too?

It's getting to the point where no one in their right mind wants anything to do with the pro-war crowd and that includes the Democrats that voted for it. If they want to continue on this sinking ship fine, but it's not a sound policy.

[Wizard777]

49. Bush lied, Americans died, and the Democrats are in trouble for it.

:wtf: :crazy: :dunce: :puke: :silly: :nopity: :thumbsdown: :shrug: :tinfoilhat: :banghead:



Fuck 'em! :kick:

[IdaBriggs]

51. Dem leadership is in trouble for not doing ANYTHING about it.

In fact, most of them still let him get away with it.

[AtomicKitten]

52. Blah, blah, blah, blah

Yes, that's right. Sign on to this disaster. That's the ticket.
That'll win over voters.

It's going to take a smart, sassy, strong candidate like Paul Hackett to call a turd a turd and move on.

Thanks Mike. Your 15 minutes of fame expired.

[spuddonna]

53. Former Clinton Press Sec: Needs To Take Off GOPLite Beer Goggles, Get Life

Get bent, McCurry!!! :mad:

Look, the last thing our party needs right now is to 'Biden' our time looking like Diet Classic GOP...

The DLC and Dem party leaders need to wake up and smell the hot burning carnage that is Iraq and our freaking economy!

The reason that Paul Hackett is so popular; the reason Cindy Sheehan is so inspirational; hell, the reason Jon Stewart is so damn funny is because they have one thing in common: They speak the truth!

Guess what, DLC? The majority of people are not Republican-lite! They are poor and barely-middle class families that are on the brink of a economic meltdown, and are worried that their kids are going to be headed overseas for the next 'great' war!

We used to represent these people by supporting their efforts to organize, to work for a higher minimum wage, to set up social programs that would keep the weakest members of our society from falling through the cracks.

Helping to pass corp. kiss-ass bankruptcy laws, and 'cracking down on video games' are not on the list of "Things That Most Americans Agree Need To Be Fixed Immediately!" How about: lower health insurance so I'm not taking out a second mortgage to make sure my kids can go to the hospital if they're sick? How about govt accountability for the billions of dollars we've spent on this war, that have been pissed away on God knows what? How about fixing the mess of our underfunded educational system? How about our global melting problem? (Yeah, I know it's supposed to be 'warming', but I think that we're actually progressing into the melting phase now...) And yes, God dammit, don't tell me 'we can't do anything - we don't have the votes' I know, I know!! But JMJ, SHOULDN'T we have a plan? Even if the thing needs to be redone, shouldn't we be the counter to these imbeciles in DC now?!

Ah, I feel cleansed... This rant was brought to you by the letter O for Outrage! :)

[Stockholm]

54. In Mr. McCurry´s defense he is only saying that...

"The smartest thing for Democrats to do is be supportive"

Not that it would be the right thing.

He is a political animal only interested in winning elections (one reason I sometime disagree with the writings of Mr. Will Pitt)

Unfortunately these people often end up hurting their own objective when they realise they have alienated the very people they were fighting for. Crowding the middle does not work in the long run - especially in a country/party in such bad shape as the US and DLC.

For christ sake, check out the DLC website and their "newsletter" with the caption "The view from the vital center" - they are only half right.

The DLC have one thing going for them though. The views expressed at DU and KOS etc. are not representative of Democratic voters in general.

Just my two cents.