Are the Dem Leaders staying away for a good reason?

[Marnieworld]

It seems that they have been pretty quiet and letting others do their talking. Some here are starting to get angry at their silence. I'm wondering, could they be silent at the moment out of respect for the dead and dying? The crisis is still not over. NOLA isn't evacuated yet. Perhaps they are waiting for the moment when every person who is still alive is out of the city and in a shelter to speak, demand resignations impeachment etc. NOLA is a tomb, a watery grave. Perhaps it is best to wait for the bodies of the dead to be respectfully put to rest before we loudly fight the battle to right this tragic wrong. The results of the policies and priorities of the Republicans in Congress and the White House are on horrible swollen display. What is there to add? Reality says it all.

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. Yes - don't know if * and his cronies need any help with their display

of self destruction. It is really quite stunning - except surprising to none of us here, I presume.

[belle]

5. Yeah, it seems like they're mostly helping quietly and letting the R's

hang themselves. Can't say I blame them. There'll be time enough for recriminations, and I do fully expect some, ah, strong words. and actions. but later.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

24. Do What Gore Did: Get the Job Done and don't need credit

Great things can be done if you don't need to take credit.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4629505

Bush and his gang are spinning their wheels in the mud, digging themselves deeper.

[Wilber_Stool]

2. We don't have any leaders.

It's empty at the top.

[xultar]

9. WOW with even Dean in charge. I'm shocked people are turning on him

so quickly.

[jrthin]

3. They're waiting to see

which direction the wind is blowing. We really do need a new party; the dems we have now are too weak and cowardly to carry our water.

[Booster]

26. Yes, and while they wait for the wind, people are dying. I can't

believe the Dems in Wash don't have power in the state they represent to at least do something along the lines of Al Gore. They should be ignoring the Dimson and doing something for the good of the people that stands out in sharp contrast to what Bush is doing. Their silence just makes them look like they don't give a shit either.

[babyk]

4. yes

Dem leaders are smart.

[NRaleighLiberal]

6. I think some are smart, but none are savvy...takes more than brains

to deal with what we are up against on the right

[neweurope]

7. Dem leaders seem to have managed to be quiet on every other

topic, also. That has hurt you immensely:

Because Dem leaders don't ever speak out against the Bushistas and a well known person like Bill Clinton even holds hands with the Bush family - nobody in other countries believes anything is wrong in the USA. The opposition doesn't critize Bush, I hear in Germany, and people don't believe me when I tell them what's going on in your country.

------------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[kansasblue]

8. I think maybe it's best. Any soon as you introduce partisan....

politics into the mix they the Redstaters get all up in you face about it. They're had years of it and just think Bush's problems are created/exaggerated by the Dems/libs.

now finally, and quietly the war and NO are taking a toll. And without Kennedy, Kerry, Clinton pointing it out it works better.

It's a shame it's this way but it seems to be working as Bush's polls sink and sink.

kb

[FreedomAngel82]

19. Good point

Good point. That is true as well. :shrug: Maybe they're letting the right people take charge now.

[Wizard777]

10. No One will be able to accuse them of being "reactionary."

I feel that they are slowly, methodically, and deliberately putting the pieces of this puzzle together. Then they will come out with the Really BIG Picture. Once they have all the pieces.

[VolcanoJen]

11. The "Silent Strategy" will fail us, and the American people...

... as it has every single time it has been employed under the Bush Regime.

I'm ready for a progressive, speak-out party. I'm thisclose to ripping up my voter registration card.

[Raksha]

12. They are always waiting for the "right moment" that never comes.

So I'm giving them a deadline: TUESDAY, when Congress reconvenes. On Tuesday they had better start kicking ass and taking names! I know already that some will and some won't. Those who will are our true leaders; those that urge caution and restraint for ANY reason are disposable. It's that simple.

[liberalpragmatist]

13. I'm disappointed - their strategy seems to be let Bush rot in his own mess

The WP quoted an anonymous Democratic congressman or staffer saying that their strategy was to let the disaster speak for itself.

Personally though I think we need to get on their tail pretty soon. The silent stragey may work if we keep quiet for a couple weeks and focus on relief, but relatively soon they need to confront him over the issue without mercy. Otherwise nobody's going to find us an acceptable alternative.

In the past day, Mary Landrieu seems to be leading the way. She tried to be nice and conciliatory for awhile, but I think learning that the supposed attempt to fix the break was just a photo-op totally broke her.

Also Wes Clark and John Edwards have both written online about the incompetence of the response, with Edwards especially focusing on the class and race issues that are being brought to the forefront. Hopefully they'll be joined in coming days by the likes of Boxer, Kennedy, Feingold, Kerry, Reid, and others.

[politicasista]

15. Kerry just got back from Iraq

but has issued statements, as well as Kennedy, Feingold, Boxer, and others. I am sure we'll here more from them this week and beyond. I glad the General, the CBC and others are doing the talking right now.

[longship]

14. I agree. Repugs don't need much help here.

Repugs are doling out the self-hanging rope as fast as it can be deployed.

I think any Dem comments other than expressions of support for NOLA and MS may ricochet. I think they are doing exactly what they need to do. Sit back, watch Shrubby and Company self-destruct, and prepare for holding them accountable when Congress reconvenes after the holiday.

The lies, the equivocations, the fraud (staged photo-ops), and the rest must figure prominently.

I cannot believe the extent to which Chimpy has fucked this up. And they keep on fucking it up. The Dems should be as helpful as they can for NOLA and MS, but should give Chimpy and Company no comfort and no comment.


Oh! I almost forgot...

Where's Crashcart?

[applegrove]

16. They are not making this political. So Bush & co. cannot hide behind

a smoke screen.

Excellent policy. Dems are doing things like walking the walk.

[FreedomAngel82]

17. It is interesting

The only one really speaking out is Landrieu as she should of course. Not even Teddy or Barbara are out. :shrug:

[porphyrian]

18. Sure, if cowardice and ass-covering are good ideas. - n/t

[Tyranny_R_US]

20. If Bush can say the response was unacceptable...

Why couldn't our reps (other than the Black Caucus) say this a few days ago?

:wtf:

[walldude]

21. I bet Henry Waxman is getting his ducks in a row

for this. While right now I'm pissed at most Dems, Conyers and Waxman have been steadily trying to nail these bastards...

[Malikshah]

22. There is NO reason to stay away. They should help in any way they

can and that includes speaking truth to power.

Any politician caught playing politics should be run out on a rail and humiliated in public (I prefer public nudity with honey and fire ants myself)

i.e. -- the regime screwed up. so keep quiet or we'll be accused of politicizing... is total bullshit.

that's what happened with the DNC/RNC fiasco where the dems kept quite and the repubs accused kerry of everything but necrophiliac pedophilia.

in other words-- all you more of the same convential wisdom "chess-game" politicians...

get over yourselves. you've failed.

Speak out. Speak up. and get your asses moving.

Oh-- and have a happy dingdong day. :)

[madrchsod]

23. i have my doubts but

i think we are going to hear alot more from them as soon as they get back to washington. pelosi will get the house people in line and reid and durbin will get the senate ready. there just maybe a coordinated response by the democrats in the coming weeks. there is two sc fights coming up,the plame grand jury,the war, and the flood....georgie is going to need a really long vacation next year

[Karmadillo]

25. It doesn't take a genius to see the same ol' pattern at work. If silence

were going to pay dividends for the Democratic Party, we'd certainly know it by now. It's like they want to make sure they don't stir up enough support to take back power in the next election.

[WHAT]

27. no...

[Cocoa]

28. Gore refused to talk to the press

I think that's probably the right thing. I don't see what good it would do for the dems, other than the responsible LA and NO dems, to assume a high profile right now.

We have to demand that the dems show leadership, we absolutely have to. Especially Joe Lieberman, who will be the dems' leader in the congressional hearings.

But there is a lot of truth in that annoying phrase "now is not the time."

[Malikshah]

29. Screw him and anyone else who remains quiet

As an american, he should be disgusted and have the intestinal fortitude to speak out.

Speaking truth to power is not a crime as of yet

Not doing so is allowing the regime to get away with it.

[Cocoa]

31. Gore moved HUMAN BEINGS from NO to Tennessee

let's be the party of action over noise, the exact opposite of the GOP.

http://www.thedailytimes.com/sited/story/html/216543

<snip>

Rob Webb, director of Rural/Metro Ambulance Service in Blount County, said hospital patients and evacuees flown into Knoxville from New Orleans Saturday showed their gratitude as they left the plane.

``I welcomed them to Tennessee, told them they were going to be taken care of in a nice hospital,'' Webb said.

An American Airlines plane arrived at McGhee Tyson Airport at 3:10 p.m. Saturday with about 130 people from New Orleans.

Former Vice President Al Gore was on the plane, helping patients. He did not grant interviews to reporters Saturday.

``My understanding was that he made this happen, that he actually arranged for this aircraft,'' Webb said.

[MojoXN]

30. They sure are...

The "Let 'em dig their own grave" technique.

MojoXN

[Auntie Bush]

32. I don't think it would be very smart for Dems to criticize and get the

"Press" on their backs just when they are finally on bush's back, head, chest and up his stinkin as*. I personally think it's a good sound safe strategy. Plenty of time to ATTACK at a more appropriate moment...just like they did with the Schiavo debacle. Don't push them under water and get accused of murder when they are already drowning and going down for the third time. That would be truly stupid! So let's get off the Dem's back. They have much more important things to do than defend themselves from other Liberals.
Give them a break and help them win the next election and then hang all the criminals by their swollen fat bal*s...if you can find them! They probably don't have any or they burst into oblivion from all the hypocrisy pumped into them.