Why didn't Jay Rockefeller listen to Robert C Byrd before the war ?

[kentuck]

Listening to Rockefeller yesterday saying that if he known the intelligence was bad, he would not have voted the way he did to permit Bush to go to war. Now, he wasn't the only one Democrat, as we all know. However, the senior Senator from West VA, Senator Byrd, was on the floor almost every day giving passionate pleas to think about what they were doing. Advising them to read the Constitution. But, they only smiled and looked down their noses at the "old man" and voted with Bush and the Republicans to give George W Bush unlimited powers in going to war. I realize that was in the past but I have a difficult time with those that whine about it now...

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Sen. Byrd is my hero

I felt that he was a beacon of light in the darkness and hysteria of 2003. I'm sure he, like me and the other anti-war demonstrators, are sad that so few would listen to us at the time.

[theHandpuppet]

2. Personally...

I think Byrd and Rockefeller take turns playing "good cop, bad cop" on a lot of issues in order to placate all sides and preserve the Dem seats in the Senate. I don't like it, but that's my theory.

I'll you, though, if they BOTH don't vote to strike down this FMA I'm going to be pissed as hell.

[ThomWV]

6. Nonsense

Robert Byrd does not need to play good-cop/bad-cop games to win in West Virginia, I can absolutly assure you of that. Senator Rockefeller has also earned a position of respect in the eyes of West Virginia voters and is a shoe-in anytime he comes up for reelection. We are a very lucky state to be served by these two men of prudence and vision. The fact that from time to time they do not walk in lock step is a simple credit to each of their intellects and the integrity of each. Good honest men can come to different conclusions when faced with a set of facts. However you will notice that the junior Senator has also been smart enough to take in new facts as they became available and was not afraid to change his mind as he became better informed. I have no complaint with the performance of either of my Senators. How about yours?

[theHandpuppet]

8. Okay, since you asked...

HRC (The Human Rights Campaign) scorecard: (to be found at hrc.org)

Sen. Robert Byrd 29%
Sen Rockefeller: 71%

You'll have to forgive me if I find a 29% score from the HRC abysmal and discouraging, and Rockefeller could also so better. With so much at stake with this FMA debate, I'm not granting any halos right now, not even to Byrd, a man whom I honestly admire for many reasons but not for his homophobia.

[Yupster]

11. Lay off Byrd on human rights

You act like he's a former klansman or something.

[onecitizen]

3. Why didn't he listen to ME!! HA!

I sent him several letters, emails and phone calls. What I got back from him was a very thick packet of info on why we SHOULD go to war. You know, I'm sick of these guys saying they got duped! Please. If you're that easily fooled, you need to get out of politics. They were all worried about being called unpatriotic and losing their cushy jobs. Get a backbone. Say what you mean and don't get pushed around by these mandy-pandy, slimy, scum who call themselves Conservatives. :nopity:

[wurzel]

4. Byrd's speeches should be published in book form.

A frail old guy who shakes like a leaf. And about the only one in the Senate with any guts.

[teryang]

5. A goal of American policy is to repatriate energy assets

...in Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Libya.

Now that we are occupying Iraq permanently, Rockefeller can safely change his tune. Biden is a similar flunky for the blue bloods, he talks up a storm and is very clever but basically he is a conquistador at heart.

[Malva Zebrina]

7. I also have a difficult time with that

it seems to me that the Iraq invasion is slowly making it's way downstream and soon it will be deposited in the vast ocean of forgotten things. That, indeed, is a horrific fate for such a egregious crime, but even people who I know were against the war, are now falling into the river of apathy-

I for one will never forget it and never forget the circumstances under which it occurred on the part of this madman.

Having two candidates that voted for it, does not help either, as apparently they are very reluctant to hold George Bush responsible. So we do not hear it mentioned much any more, and now especially since we gave the Iraqi's back their country on June 30. :eyes:

Shame on America.

I am certain George Bush will get away with all the war crimes he committed. He may even emerge in glowing terms in the history books. He may even suggest that he be carved into Mt. Rushmore because he was so great in "freeing" Iraq from an evil man who gassed his own people.

What do we tell the children when they bring up the notion that Kerry/Edwards voted to give Bush the blank check? Niether one of them ever said they made an error, so what do we tell the children?

I must vote for Kerry, as everyone knows they must also if Bush is to be kicked out on his Cheneying ass.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

9. Why aren't Kerry and Edwards saying the same thing as Rockefeller?

Why are they still supporting the occupation if it's acknowledged to be the result of an illegal invasion?

Oh, I forgot, it's all about winning the "center". It's all for the greater good. The 20,000+ dead are unfortunate byproducts in our glorious march to the White House. It's just "smart" politics.

And, God forbid that we should question the policies of "our" nominees.

[babzilla]

10. political expedience, pure and simple

At the time of the vote, something like 80% of the polls supported invading Iraq, voting against the IWR would have taken spine and guts.

Now that the polls are moving away from the rah-rah period, its time to cover his ass.

In this case, hindsight is not only 20/20 it is also a transparent attempt to hop on to the shifting-winds bandwagon.

Pathetic. Especially considering that he was the dealmaker that agreed to put off reporting on the WH part of the equation until after the election.
:mad: