DNC responds to Mehlman's attacks on Democrats

SillyGoose

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Sat Feb-11-06 07:22 PM
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DNC responds to Mehlman's attacks on Democrats

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Democratic National Committee Communications Director Karen Finney issued the following statement in response to Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman's divisive partisan attacks on Democrats ability to protect America:

"Ken Mehlman's angry attacks are harmful to America. Using the security of the American people as a political wedge issue is disgraceful," said Spokeswoman Karen Finney. "Democrats will not be lectured to from a Republican party that leaked classified information in a time of war, sent our troops to war without the proper equipment and have left America's ports and borders, chemical and nuclear plants vulnerable to attack some five years after September 11th. As we saw in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, under Republican watch, we are not safer today than we were five years ago, a finding reconfirmed this by the F's and D's this Republican administration received by the 9/11 commission.

"The fact is that it was Democrats who pushed to create a Department of Homeland Security. It was Democrats who pushed to make our airlines safer. It is Democrats who are now working to make sure we close the remaining gaps in our nation's security. It was Democrats who demanded reform of the intelligence community.

"And it is Democrats who are pushing for a foreign policy that honestly deals with the threats of today, and the threats of tomorrow -- like securing the nuclear materials around the world. Republicans in Washington had to be dragged kicking and screaming to our side on all of these issues that protect America. Democrats believe that we must fight the War on Terror, protect our country from attacks and follow the rule of law, not be distracted by unsubstantiated rhetoric."

http://www.usnewswire.com/

This is in response to the following comments by Ken Mehlman:

GOP chairman questions Democrats' ability to protect Americans

WASHINGTON - Ken Mehlman, chairman of the Republican National Committee, declared Friday that Democrats who have condemned the Bush administration's controversial eavesdropping program may not be suited to safeguard Americans against terror attacks.

"We do not and we never should question these Democrat leaders' patriotism, but we do question their judgment and we do question their ability to keep the American people safe," he said. "These are people we know love their country, the question is: Can they protect it?"

In a speech to activists gathered at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Mehlman suggested Republicans should make an election-year example out of Democrats who criticize the National Security Agency's domestic surveillance program. He made no mention, though, of a growing number of Republicans in Congress who also have raised concerns about the wiretapping.

"Do Nancy Pelosi and Howard Dean really think that when NSA is listening in on terrorists planning attacks on America, they should hang up when those terrorists call their sleeper cells in the United States?" he said, referring to the House minority leader and the Democratic National Committee chairman.

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/...

DU discussion thread about Mehlman's comments: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2100230