It seems so long ago when Democratic Senators Tom Daschle and Patrick Leahy were targeted by the anthrax killer. At the time, Daschle was Majority Leader of the Senate and Leahy was Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. Democrats were trying to stop the passage of the Patriot Act before making some changes to protect the civil rights of American citizens.
The Anthrax letters were delivered right after Sen. Feingold managed to block passage of the bill until there was more discussion about it and some changes made.
Not long after the attacks, the Patriot Act passed.
Here is a review of the events that led to those attacks written not long after they occurred:
Government By Anthrax . Two Senate democratic leaders received anthrax letters mailed the same day that Senator Feingold blocked an attempt to rush the bill through without discussion or amendments.
· And on that very same day, the FBI told the Iowa state lab to
destroy the original batch of the Ames strain, making tracing the
anthrax type more difficult.
· Senator Leahy received an anthrax threat after he expressed reservations about the Bill. As Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, he managed the debate on the Bill.
· Senate Majority Leader Daschle received the first Senate anthrax letter as he led the opposition to the original version of the Bill.
· After receiving the anthrax letter, Daschle switched from supporting a 2 year limit on the Bill, later defending a 4-year sunset clause as the “appropriate balance.”
· No Republican received an anthrax letter.
Explain THAT Fox 'News'!!
I saw Sen. Daschle on Charlie Rose a few years ago. When he was asked what he would remember most about his years in the Senate, he said 'The Anthrax Attack on my office'. The Anthrax used in those attacks on U.S. Senators was Weapons Grade, according to experts.
This was at the height of the period in the aftermath of 9/11 with Republicans accusing Democrats of being traitors, of not being 'Patriotic' and/or 'Siding with Terrorists' among other things.
Online political boards were dominated by Rightwing bullies and the airwaves were filled with rabid, foaming-at-the-mouth hate mongers, like Rush Limbaugh.
And then, not long after the Anthrax Attacks on Sen. Daschle and Sen. Leahy, Rush Limbaugh began one of his most vile campaigns ever, directed at Sen. Daschle.
The rhetoric he used was so incendiary that Daschle began receiving death threats, among them a bomb threat at his home. Protection had to be provided for him and his family.
Outraged by the vicious rhetoric and threats against his home and family, Sen. Daschle spoke out against Limbaugh on the Senate Floor. I remember that speech as it was covered on C-Span. My heart went out to him that day.
Before the speech was even finished, Right-wing Internet boards lit up with increased attacks, mockery, taunting and even threats from the rabid right-wingnuts as Rush Limbaugh, rather than retreat from his incendiary rhetoric, stepped up his attacks and shamefully, nothing was done to stop it.
In fact, if you were not following this online or watching C-Span, but depending on the MSM for your news, you would have come away thinking that Rush Limbaugh was just 'a funny guy' and Daschle was making a mountain out of a mole-hill for political purposes'.
Complicit in the covering up of Rush Limbaugh's dangerous rhetoric was Howard Kurtz of The Washington Post, by way of the DailyHowler:
Limbaugh savaged “Tokyo Tom.” Brokaw and Kurtz left that outKURTZ: Has Tom Daschle lost a couple of screws?
Did the normally mild-mannered senator accuse Rush Limbaugh of inciting violence?
He came pretty darn close. There were cameras there. You can watch the replay.
We can understand that Daschle is down, just having lost his majority leader’s job and absorbed plenty of blame for this month’s Democratic debacle.
What we can’t understand is how the South Dakotan can suggest that a mainstream conservative with a huge radio following is somehow whipping up wackos to threaten Daschle and his family.
Has the senator listened to Rush lately? Sure, he aggressively pokes fun at Democrats and lionizes Republicans, but mainly about policy. He’s Limbaugh so mainstream that those right-wingers Tom Brokaw and Tim Russert had him on their Election Night coverage.
And it was true to their shame, that 'Mainstream Journalists' Tom Brokaw and the late Tim Russert joined in the cover-up of Limbaugh's dangerous rhetoric. Again from the Daily Howler:
Limbaugh savaged “Tokyo Tom.” Brokaw and Kurtz left that outWhat did Brokaw airbrush away? Brokaw failed to report what Limbaugh has said. For example, here are some Limbaugh limnings from last Friday’s program. We got them courtesy of Spinsanity’s Bryan Keefer. Unlike Brokaw, Keefer is someone who gives you the newsworthy facts. As usual, Limbaugh took the coward’s route, “talking to” someone who wasn’t there to respond:
Following courtesy of the The Daily Howler, is an example of Limbaugh's attacks, at a time when the atmosphere in the country was filled with right-wing induced fear and Democrats were being accused of 'either being with us or with the terrorists':
LIMBAUGH: There’s a very high likelihood we’re going to even face additional terrorist attacks ... No country is safe from this threat, not even us, no country is going to be perfect in its efforts to fight it. And Senator Daschle, you know this. Just as you know that you are hoping to benefit politically when our economy stagnates and people lose jobs, you are hoping to politically benefit with the next terrorist attack. And that’s what this comment of yours was about yesterday, Senator, and that’s what make it so despicable. This is almost the Wellstone memorial all over again. You know another attack is going to happen and you’re setting it up so that you can say, “See I told you so and this President nothing to stop it.” You are seeking political advantage in the war on terrorism just exactly as you sought political advantage after the war on terrorism started on September 11. Just as you sought political advantage with the economy plundering , just as you sought political advantage with the stock market collapse, just as you sought political advantage with the corporate scandals.
You seek political advantage with the nation at war. There is no greater testament to the depths to which the Democratic Party and liberalism have fallen. You now position yourself, Senator Daschle, to exploit future terrorist attacks for political gain. You are worse, sir, than the ambulance-chasing tort lawyers that make up your chief contributors. You, sir, are a disgrace. You are a disgrace to patriotism, you are a disgrace to this country, you are a disgrace to the Senate, and you ought to be a disgrace to the Democratic Party but sadly you’re probably a hero among some of them today...
Way to demoralize the troops, Senator! What more do you want to do to destroy this country than what you’ve already tried? It is unconscionable what this man has done! This stuff gets broadcast around the world, Senator. What do you want your nickname to be? Hanoi Tom? Tokyo Tom? You name it, you can have it apparently. You sit there and pontificate on the fact that we’re not winning the war on terrorism when you and your party have done nothing but try to sabotage it, which you are continuing to do. This little speech of yours yesterday, and this appearance of yours on television last night, let’s call it what it is. It’s nothing more than an attempt to sabotage the war on terrorism for your own personal and your party’s political gain. This is cheap. And it’s beneath even you. And that’s pretty low.That was in response to Sen. Daschle's speech in the Senate about the threats he had received, blaming Limbaugh's incitement of the fringes of the Republican Party.
And the media not only did not cover the true nature of this dangerous rhetoric, they covered it up! But Limbaugh's rabid, radical audience was listening. His attacks on Daschle and the Democratic Party have continued unabated and unchallenged to this day.
What is happening now is merely a continuation of decades of indoctrination by right-wing hate radio and Fox 'News' against Democrats.
I think it's safe to say that Rush Limbaugh, Fox, Palin, Beck, Savage and Hannity et al are dangerous propagandists who have received cover from the MSM.
If violence occurs against a Democrat, all of the above will be responsible. And the leadership of the Republican Party who have elevated these hatemongers to positions of leadership in their own party.
And to the MSM, Shame on you! Limbaugh and his ilk are NOT entertainers. Cover the hate so that the American people can judge for themselves who is responsible for the current violence against Democratic members of Congress, before it's too late!
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