Dennis, Al Called It on WMD; Other Demos Bombed

[redqueen]

Bush's Shell Game
Dennis, Al Called It on WMD; Other Demos Bombed

Mondo Washington
by James Ridgeway
http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0404/mondo2.php

"Since the Democrats never debated going to war in Iraq, and most of the major presidential candidates supported the war at one time or another, they're not in much of a position to confront Bush on the issue. Dennis Kucinich, the Cleveland congressman who is a long shot for the presidential nomination, additionally points out that the main contenders all accepted at face value Bush's assertions of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, thereby making themselves look silly by now saying there never were WMD in Iraq. Well, if they knew that, why didn't they stand up and say so? John Kerry, Joe Lieberman, John Edwards, Howard Dean, and Wesley Clark "all claimed that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, and therefore contributed to the political climate which falsely justified a war," said Kucinich. Only Kucinich and Al Sharpton didn't buy the WMD hype. Here's what each candidate said on this point way back when (the quotes are in chronological order): ..."

[iowapeacechief]

1. And this is far more important than the IWR votes...

...because IF the premise of WMD imminent threat is accepted, those votes can be justified.

Thanks for the VV link.

[redqueen]

4. Exactomundo - MUCH more important than IWR vote

Enabling the MIC to get their war on... I'd say that's worse alright.

[ibegurpard]

2. If this issue is so important to Kucinich

why did he throw his support to Edwards in Iowa?

[redqueen]

3. LOL

take my wife, please!

[iowapeacechief]

5. How many times does this need to be answered?

It was a mutually advantageous one-day strategy. Period.

Plus, Edwards and Kucinich have plenty else in common.

Furthermore, Dean's IWR litmus test and claim to be "the only" antiwar candidate pushed away Kucinich supporters who might have considered him otherwise.

Dennis stands alone as the peace candidate. Only Sharpton was with him on challenging the WMD alarm.

[redqueen]

6. I don't think it matters

It's not about a real concern, it's just a reason to recite a tired bit of spin to try to tarnish DK.

[ShimokitaJer]

7. I don't think it's trying to tarnish Kucinich

Kucinich has an admirable record on the war issues and no one can take that away from him.

However, we have to question his honesty in saying that voters shouldn't give their support to candidates who were "fooled" on the WMD issue, when he has done just that with Edwards. I don't care if it was a "one-time deal" or if he was "just playing politics" -- it is dishonest for him to make it an issue to appeal to voters if he doesn't respect it himself.

[redqueen]

8. How exactly

did that move indicate to you, that Kucinich didn't respect 'it' himself?

What is 'it' anyway?

Kucinich and Al stand alone as the two candidates with the balls to speak up about Iraq's real 'weapons of mass destruction' when the other cowards were tucking their tails and counting their votes and voting with BUSH.

For you to say that his strategic deal to try to get delegates from IA somehow makes him dishonest is patently absurd, IMO.

[ThirdWheelLegend]

9. rq, don't you get it?

DEAN OWNS OUR SUPPORT! As progressives and anti-war folks we are supposed to support the other progressive anti-war candidate.

Unfortunately what the posters are failing to see is that Dean is NOT progressive in his policies, was never really anti-war, and it doesn't help that Dean LIED more than once in official ads/flyers about Kucinich 's and other's positions on the war.

TWL

[redqueen]

12. LOL, that's right

The way I see it, we OWN theirs! :)

[nancyharris]

10. In the days leading up to the war in Iraq

Unlike Congressman Kucinich and tens of thousands of progressive Democrats and Independents, Governor Dean never attended or spoke at a single anti-war rally – not even in his home state.

[genius]

11. Good post

Dennis is certainly the smartest candidate.

[redqueen]

13. I think the important thing

is to note that only Kucinich and Al refused to parrot the pretender's WMD hype which helped them get their war on.

ALL the other candidates helped bush by hyping the WMD threat.

ALL of them.

[KittyWampus]

14. Apparently Writer Didn't Read Clark's Testimony To Congress

but that shouldn't stop someone with an agenda.

Clark clearly said that the threat in Iraq was NOT IMMENIENT and that war WOULD BE A DISTRACTION FROM AL QAIDA.

But I'm sure Dennis fans need some sort of straw to grasp at.

[redqueen]

15. Well isn't everyone in a nasty mood today?!

Take your gripe to James Ridgeway, he wrote it.

:eyes:

As for Clark, he didn't exactly speak up, did he? After all, who watches testimony before Congress - not many.

But then again, he has an excuse, just like everyone else who didn't bother.