He politely endured shouts from the audience: "Chicken hawks! Impeach Bush! Our children are dying!

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/23/AR2007082302011.html


By Dana Milbank
Friday, August 24, 2007; Page A02

The sign outside Accotink Unitarian Universalist Church in Burke announces that it is a "liberal, welcoming religious community." For Rep. Tom Davis yesterday, it was more liberal than welcoming.

The Virginia Republican, a possible Senate candidate who supports the Iraq war, had bravely agreed to attend a meeting of the antiwar Americans Against Escalation in Iraq. It was a journey into the belly of the beast, and Davis got out in one piece. Almost.

He accepted -- but did not drink from -- the bottle of water with the sticker saying "Iraq War/Wrong Way." He spoke from the lectern with the poster demanding "Representative Davis . . . End This War." He politely endured shouts from the audience: "Chicken hawks! Impeach Bush! Our children are dying! You didn't answer the question!"

Then, as the moderator tried to bring the forum to an amicable close, a man in the second row stood up. "This has been a terrible meeting!" shouted David Kuebrich. "Let's not thank Representative Davis, who has been for the most part lock-stepping with the Bush administration."

Others applauded, booed Davis and joined in the protest. The congressman, buttonholed by angry activists, beat a hasty retreat, pushing aside chairs to get out of the church.

[Skidmore]

1. May this scenario be repeated many times and in many places.

[saltpoint]

2. I definitely like it that the UU venue was too much for ol' Tom Davis.

Let's hope it's a harbinger of the election outcome in his Senate race for November 08.

Go, Democrats.

[demnan]

3. I should have been there at that one

Sounds like a lively crowd! Hurray Iraq Summer!

[Smarmie Doofus]

4. I'm thinking he was trying to provoke an 'incident'.

Unless he's a complete ( I mean TOTAL) fool.

What kind of a reaction did he expect at a UU church?

My guess is he's looking for sympathy votes in any upcoming GOP primary.

[youngdem]

5. This should happen EVERY FUCKING DAY until our kids are home

Outside Rove's house, outside Bush Sr.'s house, outside the White House, outside the Rep's PERSONAL residences at home and in Georgetown, at EVERY SINGLE MEETING involving a Congressman. Make them worry for their personal safety and make them FEAR being humiliated in public for their illegal war. Since we know that politicians are the archetype example of self-centered assholes, this may be the only way to reach them. No need to actually hurt them, in fact doing so would be counterproductive, but making them fear is fair play given the terrorists they are, killing innocent civilians and American soldiers for NO good reason.

It is LONG, LONG, LONG past the time for niceties. Time to get direct, confrontational, and coercive. Just not violent.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

18. CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE IS THE POWER

IN YOUR FACE TO THE WAR MACHINE

[John Kerry VonErich]

22. Not anymore

Success, IMO, is determined by the amount of press it gets and the story's possition when it comes to disobiedience. Civil or not.

[leftchick]

6. god, doesn't this sound familiar

<snip>

Davis tried to soothe the crowd with phrases such as "there aren't any easy answers." He reminded the group that he was one of 17 Republicans in the House to vote against Bush's "surge" in Iraq -- though Davis played down his many votes in support of continuing the conflict. He condemned the "dysfunctional" Iraqi government and the "backwards" political developments in an Iraq under "anarchy."

he sounds like hillary.

[The Vinyl Ripper]

8. Under relevant international treaties, providing security for the occupied population

Is the responsibility of the occupying power.

"He condemned the "dysfunctional" Iraqi government and the "backwards" political developments in an Iraq under "anarchy."

If Iraq is under anarchy it is the fault of the United States.

[blogslut]

7. An almost decent article from old Dana Milbank

Bout time.

My favorite part?

The conservative Web site Free Republic, getting wind of yesterday's meeting by what it called the antiwar "moonbats," urged its patrons to attend and "inject a little verbal calcium into backbone." But the Freepers, as they call themselves, didn't show up, leaving Davis (dubbed a RINO, Republican in name only, by conservatives) free to pander to the moonbats.

[Judi Lynn]

26. Wondrous! Freepers were Missing In Action! They had other committments.

They were probably all tied up savaging Democrats back at home, in Mom's basement on their Flying Keyboards. I'd imagine the number of Freeps masquerading as Democrats right here skyrocketed during his meeting.

Here's another decent paragraph from the Washington Post:

But Davis appeared less than comfortable from the moment he entered the church wearing yacht-club attire -- blue blazer, striped oxford, cotton chinos, brown bucks. Perhaps noticing all the Democratic bumper stickers on the cars in the lot, or the antiwar stickers and posters in the audience, he spent much of the session shifting in his seat.
(snip)

He sure could have used a little emotional support from his super committed, loyal, courageous Freepers!

I've seen this guy bearing down, acting vicious to very decent people on C-Span. He deserves every bit of this and far, far more.

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[Buns_of_Fire]

27. No PortaPotties, no Freepers. QED. (And n/t, too!)

[DemBones DemBones]

31. You're kidding, right? The pro-war GOP Congressman

is portrayed as "politely" enduring the shouts of protester, and other acts of heroics. He spoke at a platform adorned with an anti-war sign! What courage.

What drivel.

[peacebird]

9. Tom Davis spoke to our community group before the war - said we had no choice

but to go to war now, because we had all those troops in place and to do anything less than attack we be viewed as cowardice.

:wtf:

I said that was the LAMEST excuse to risk our kids lives that I had ever heard.

He is a total b*stard.

[John Kerry VonErich]

10. Be careful Unitarians

Knowing how congress works, that could be considered, in view, political and could constitute a possible removal of their tax exempt status. But on the good side for unitarians, what they did doesn't mean that it was morally wrong.

[silverlib]

16. No kidding - Texas tried to take away tax exemption

http://www.alevin.com/weblog/archives/001401.html

This was the only link I could find. I think Rylander/Strayhorn (Texas Comptroller with various additional names) finally withdrew the request for withdrawal of IRS status.

I think it is interesting that John Adams and John Q. Adams were Unitarians.

[KaptBunnyPants]

20. Well, if they succeed, that would be a precedent.

Then we could remove the tax free status from ALL right wing churches, and better yet do it retroactively so that we could audit their financial records. There are way more rightist Christians than Unitarians, so I think we win on that tit for tat.

[LibDemAlways]

11. Milbank is such a repuke shill. Davis "bravely"

attended the meeting in the "belly of the beast." He "politely endured" shouts from the audience made up of "angry" activists.

Boo Hoo. Poor Davis. Those mean anti-war protestors beat poor brave Tom up.

Milbank must be dizzy from all the spinning.

[peekaloo]

13. Instead of surrendering to the angry mob, Davis fought his way out of the room,

singlehandedly pushing back the metal chairs who had formed a peace chain before him. Afterward a battle weary Davis compared his struggle to exit the room with that of our soldiers in the fight against terrorists in Iraq.

I wanna be a corporate media whore, too!

:sarcasm:

[LibDemAlways]

17. The only thing missing from that story was how

Davis was shattered by the experience and has now been diagnosed with PTSD.

Milbank's editors had to draw the line somewhere.

[Bitwit1234]

12. THIS happened in Virginia to Tom Davis

That I can't believe. They have loved him for years. AND George Allen wants to run for governor. Remember Jerry Falwall is no longer beating the drum there in the southern part of Virginia so he is going to drop a lot of votes there.

[seemslikeadream]

14. Watch it here C-SPAN I did it was GREAT

http://www.cspan.org/videoarchives.asp?CatCodePairs=,&ArchiveDays=100

Rep. Davis (R-VA) Speech at the Americans Against Escalation in Iraq Meeting
Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA) attended the Americans Against Escalation in Iraq's "Take a Stand" town hall meeting, held at the Accotink Unitarian Church, to explain the U.S. policy in Iraq.
8/23/2007: WASHINGTON, DC: 50 min.

[Mabus]

19. I watched it live but I'd be happy to watch it again

To tell you the truth I was a little shocked when I saw Davis there when I tuned in. I thought, just momentarily, that Davis was changing his mind. Sadly, he wasn't. Thanks for the head's up.

K&R because it is worth watching.

[CitizenLeft]

15. I've been getting this guy mixed up with Eric Cantor

I had the wrong name to the face... Cantor is equally bad, if not worse. And stupid, too.

[warren pease]

21. Nice spin, Milbank, you tool...

"It was a journey into the belly of the beast, and Davis got out in one piece. Almost."

Translation: A democrat would have been exercising poor judgment by choosing to do what Davis did, but Davis, being a republican, was simply being heroic and sincerely trying to explain his beliefs to an irrationally hostile crowd of partisan democrats and outside agitators.


"...bravely agreed to attend a meeting of the antiwar Americans Against Escalation in Iraq..."

Translation: Unlike cowardly, unpatriotic democrats who oppose the occupation and "The Surge (R)," and who would never leave their bevies of privilege and luxury to argue their positions with pro-Iraq war constituents, the brave Davis, throwing caution to the winds, risked life and limb to confront radicals who advocate peace.


"He politely endured shouts from the audience..."

Translation: Rather than reduce the scene to a shouting match, Davis chose to keep things civil and dignified. He refused to be baited into heated argument, the opposite of what democrats would have done when addressing a pro-war crowd of angry constituents. As a result, instead of fanning the flames of fury and barely contained violence -- as democrats are prone to do -- Davis defused the situation through his unwavering politeness and courtesy and respect for other points of view.


"The congressman, buttonholed by angry activists, beat a hasty retreat..."

Translation: Not wishing to further provoke these vicious peaceniks, Davis chose discretion as the better part of valor and made and dignified but hurried exit, taking the time to shake hands and offer encouraging words to those more vocal constituents who insisted on abridging his right to travel. Democrats, in similar circumstances, have had security beat and arrest pro-war attendees for far less reason. One even pulled out his own Glock 22 and fired warning shots into the air before fleeing into a gas-guzzling giant SUV.


Milbank and his editors: just fighting the good fight for their GOP partners in crime.


wp

[Robbien]

25. I noticed all that wording also

There is a lot to dislike about Milbank's subversive writing style.

[madeline_con]

23. "You didn't answer the question!"

What was the question?

[never_get_over_it]

24. Tom Davis

is a lying sack of shit hypocrite who was rumored to be "doing" Jean Marie Devolites a VA state legislator bible thumping anti choice family values freak, while they were both married to other people. And at the same time Jean Marie and Tom were enjoying each other's company Tom was voting to impeach Bill Clinton - oh and guess the rumor must have been TRUE since they are now married to each other. He is a disgusting slimey little puke - not because his marital indiscretions because other than the massive hypocrisy I couldn't care less - I was unfortunate to have him "represent" me in Congress from 1995 until they redistricted the undesirable Dems in his District into Jim Moran's district which I think was 2002.....didn't like him when he was on the Fairfax County Board and still don't like him - hope to hell he doesn't end up in the Senate.

[The Vinyl Ripper]

28. IMO, total silence would work even better..

No greetings, no catcalls, no boos, just nothing whatsoever.

That is even more unnerving to a speaker than vocal rejection.

You can see how this meeting was spun, *total* silence would be harder to spin positively.

[Lost4words]

29. Now thats a nice sunday morning story, Davis desreves this everyday!

[flyarm]

30. we should all be at every repug rep's speeches..but we aren't on their list to

be invited..so we need to read the papers and see when and where they are speaking!! and go!!

fly

[Senator]

32. K&R