Biden: Reid Should Not Apologize For Pace Remarks

[cal04]

In a conference call with bloggers last week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) criticized outgoing Joint Chiefs Chairman Peter Pace for his “incompetent” management of the Iraq war and was subsequently attacked by members of Congress as well as the White House for his remarks.

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) released a statement charging that Reid’s remarks were “incredibly disappointing” and “highly inappropriate.” White House spokesperson Tony Snow called Reid’s remarks “outrageous” and stated, “I certainly hope he does apologize.”

Today on ABC’s This Week, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joe Biden (D-DE) said that Reid owes no apology to Pace. Biden asserted that Reid’s remarks were directed at Pace’s involvement in President Bush’s “abject failure” of policy in Iraq:

STEPHANOPOULOS: Did Senator Reid slander the generals, and does he owe them an apology?

BIDEN: No and no. The fact of the matter is, this policy, the president’s policy, is an abject failure. It continues to be a failure. There continues to be denial about the progress that is not being made.

Watch it:

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/06/17/biden-reid-apologize/

[MadBadger]

1. I love how the Republicans act shocked. Do you think McCain was really disappointed?

[saltpoint]

2. Good for Joe Biden. I think he's exactly right on this and what

rankles is how Stephanopolous worded his question.

"Harry Reid slanders a general!"

I agree with Biden. Reid told the truth. The apology should come from the Bush administration's conduct of U.S. foreign policy and after 6 and a half years I'm yet to hear one.

[blondeatlast]

4. Great minds think alike and post at the same time, see below... nt

[spanone]

10. The Senate Majority Leader has every right to question any General.

[saltpoint]

14. Yes. As we do -- we mere citizens.

If Mary Landrieu can publicly threaten to punch Bush in the face over New Orleans, Harry Reid can question a general's competence regarding Iraq.

[blondeatlast]

3. Steph is such a tool... "Did Senator Reid slander the generals...?"

NO, Georgie, Senator Reid spoke the minds of the American people.

Tool. Tool. Tool.

Edit: typo

[maxsolomon]

6. correct framing of the question, george:

"should anyone care about the hot air pouring out of GOP in response to Sen. Reid's accurate critique of Gen. Pace's failure?"

[ninkasi]

8. I like your version

of the question much better. It's certainly much more accurate.:hi:

[saltpoint]

9. LOL! What a gas. I love it.

Bartender! A beer for my good pal blondeatlast -- and make it snappy!

[global1]

5. Before This Next Week Is Out - Reid Will Apologize.......

the Repugs always get the Dems to back down.

[Warren Stupidity]

7. And the question is why?

Why, time and again, do our leaders back down, give in, apologize?

[xchrom]

11. two reasons: first is so that republicans don't label them as ''wild eyed liberals'' --

and second is that there is a republican somewhere{under a rock?} that will vote for a someone in the democratic party.

[Somawas]

12. Good to see the Senator from MBNA get at least one thing right.

nt.

[Canuckistanian]

13. McCain a hypocrite - what a surprise:

McCain Hypocritically Attacks Reid For Criticizing General

The Politico leaked word today that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) was critical of outgoing Joint Chiefs chairman Gen. Peter Pace and Iraq commander Gen. David Petraeus during a conference call Tuesday. Reid reportedly called Pace “incompetent.”

Within hours, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) released a statement charging that Reid’s remarks were “incredibly disappointing” and “highly inappropriate.”

McCain’s outrage is pure hypocrisy. Last February, when Gen. George Casey stepped down as the top U.S. commander in Iraq and was nominated as Army chief of staff. McCain was highly critical of his appointment, going so far as to issue an “extremely rare public reprimand” to Casey during a Senate hearing

More at link:
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/06/14/mccain-general/

[Bitwit1234]

15. Right now don't we have FREE SPEECH

Aren't we suppose to be able to criticize if we wish. Just because everyone in this country is not a rubber stamp of the little dictator in the white house they republicans start to pee themselves.

[LordJFT]

16. Yet I love how Biden continues to vote to fund this "abject failure"

[DS1]

17. FUCK YOU McCAIN