Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) is a good man.

[liberaliraqvet26]

I just watched him as the only Republican who attended the Democratic Policy Senate hearing and questioned the generals. He serves in a district that is very military oriented and has probably taken a lot of heat for taking this principled stand. He has seen the error of his ways (freedon fries) and admitted it. While I probably disagree with him on almost everything, we need more people like him in the congress.

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. We don't endorse republicans here

wrong board.

[liberaliraqvet26]

2. I wasnt endorsing him, Im commending him for a principled stand.

I just so happened to watch him just now on CSPAN and as a veteran of this unjust war thought he deserved an applause.

[Schema Thing]

3. I agree. Congress needs more like him. (hopefully w/o the "R")

But if all "R's" had his attitude, at least the administration would be held accountable.

[RufusEarl]

4. This is not the first time Jones has stood up for principals.

and i agree we need more like him in congress of both strips.

[depakid]

11. No kidding

There are plenty of Dems these days who could learn a lesson from this.

Assuming that they can learn at all- which after these past 6 years a reasonable person would have to question.

[Lindsay]

5. I agree with you, liberaliraqvet26.

Mr. Jones has impressed me with his very principled stand on the war. And I applaud his genuine service to his constituents in demanding the truth, rather than supporting the party line and party lies.

This is what conservatives were like when I was a little girl...which was a LONG time ago.

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. I can't applaud any republicans

As long as they align themselves with the most corrupt party and the worst president ever, I can't endorse or support any of them. Just yesterday we found out that a republican congressman had an innappropriate relationship with a teenage boy and his party leadership has known about this for A YEAR. They did nothing to investigate or to protect this young boy from a predator.

On Thursday, the republicans rammed a torture bill through Congress.

They voted to support an illegal and immoral war.

If this man had a conscience, he would abandon his party.

I live in red state hell and two of our highest profile republicans have left the republican party. I praise and support them for this brave decision. Let me know when this republican you praise leaves the corrupt republican party. Then he will get my support.

[brentspeak]

15. 99% of the time, I'd be right with you on that

Gosh knows we have enough threads on these boards trying to undermining the Democrats. I'll make a (rare) exception for Walter Jones,Jr., though. There's a Republican in California, Pete McCloskey, who I was really hoping could win his primary. A great guy, but unfortunately he lost to Richard (ugh!) Pombo. McCloskey's now endorsing Pombo's Democratic opponent, Jerry McNerney. http://www.jerrymcnerney.org/

[choop]

26. ?

Why don't you endorse Republicans here?

[tularetom]

7. An honorable player on a team of lowlifes

He needs to come to the light. The pubs have nothin to offer him.

[ms liberty]

8. Yes, he is a principled man...

He was originally very supportive of the war, and has spoken out consistently since seeing the error of his ways.

I think he may be very conflicted right now about his party. With some careful nurturing, he might could be induced to switch, IMHO. Particularly now, with the whole Foley mess, and even more evidence of lies and deception by the criminals in this administration. He's got the courage to be the only R to show up at those hearings, and has been firm in his stance on the war since his enlightenment. I wouldn't be surprised if he was completely unaware of the Foley thing. I've wondered how he's been treated by his party since his change of view. He would never be a liberal, but I'd take a moderate Democrat over an R anytime.

[liberaliraqvet26]

9. I have heard a number of rumors about party switchers....

from people that work on the hill. I hope he is one of them, we are and should remain a big tent party. We have people like Murtha & Casey who are socially conservative but economically liberal and I believe this is good for the party.

[brentspeak]

14. He used to be a Democrat

He switched affiliation when he ran for Congress in 1994. His father, Walter Sr., was a long-term Democratic congressman in that part of N.C.

[Bjorn Against]

30. Interesting, I did not know that

My impression was that he was very right-wing until he saw the body-bags coming home from Iraq and then he woke up.

He is still very conservative on a number of issues, but I do have to give him props because his stand against the war is very courageous. He represents a district that is very Republican and the chances of a Democratic victory there are very slim. I think DUers should be fairly happy with Jones because he is a hell of a lot better than any other person that district would be likely to elect.

[marions ghost]

10. hmmmmmmm.......

Dunno. Seems like an extreme flip-flopper to me. From freedom fries to repentance for Iraqi Freedom. Schizy. I wonder how much he reflects his constituency?

[ms liberty]

12. His district...

is on the eastern coast of NC. Has military bases, and coastal, a mix of rural and smaller cities and towns, IIRC. It is also an area that was originally settled by French Hugeonots...I know this because my husbands family originally came from that area of NC, and are of that descent. We live on the other side of NC, in the foothills, very red 5th district - I have that disgusting hag, Virginia Foxx. I'd much rather have him!

edit to add: Just checked, he's in the 3rd district, which is one of thosee that is shaped really oddly.

[NJ Democrats]

23. I live here in his district

Lots of coast guard, people from Norfolk-area and Northerners (like myself) as well as natives and lots of god-damn Rebel flags. But it is a very rual area. the biggest town, Elizabeth City (where part of the movie the Guardian was flimed) has 15000 or so people.

[dsc]

25. Wilson is in his district

though we are split and Greenville is in his district though it is split (both have some people in Butterfields district too). Both cities are much bigger than 15k. I am one of his Wilson constituents.

[NJ Democrats]

28. I didn't realize that the district went that far out.

I'm up near Virginia east of Elizabeth City.

[brentspeak]

13. I agree with you. Jones is one of few Republicans I like.

Yes, he was behind the "freedom fries" fiasco, etc. But he's reliably anti-free-trade (a scourge of our nation's economy), much more so than even some of our own Democrats. And it's a rare thing in today's politics for a Congressman to humble himself in public the way he did re. Iraq.

[AX10]

16. Walter Jones will not vote for a Democratic Speaker!

We do NOT support Republicans on this site!

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. Thank you!!

[fuzzyball]

27. Let's face some facts....we are STILL the MINORITY party

hopefully that will change in November. But regardless of that
unless we win a 2/3rd majority in both houses, an extremely unlikely
event, we need good legislators from the repubs. We don't have to vote
for them but we gain nothing by putting them down and making them our
mortal enemies. That is not a smart way to operate and survive in a
dynamic democracy.

[ShortnFiery]

18. He's a man that the Democratic Led Senate can work with across

the aisle. For attending this Democratic Policy Senate hearing he has my respect. He is probably one of the few Republicans that have searched within themselves and is making amends, I hope. ;) :hi:

[beaconess]

19. We need to speak up and commend Republicans when they do the right

thing. Their Republican colleagues won't do it and perhaps getting some love - regardless from where - will encourage them to do it more often. Democrats need to help Republican moderates take back their party - a Democratic majority can get a lot done with the help of a strong liberal/moderate Republican wing - as we did in the 1960s on civil rights.

[dsc]

20. I live in his district

and he will be Congressman for as long as he wishes. He has done the right thing on a few issues, social security, the war, and a few others. He is also about as anti gay as it gets. He is against nearly all abortion. In short he is a social reactionary.

[WinkyDink]

21. If he's so good, let him register as a Democrat. THEN I'll give him the

time of day.

[proud2BlibKansan]

29. I agree

[NJ Democrats]

22. Jones is my Congressman

He while I appricate his postition on Iraq, he stands w/ Bush, Hastert and the rest on everything else. And I will encourge people to vote for and will endorse Craig Weber, whose is Jones's opponent.

[NCarolinawoman]

24. He voted against the torture bill.

I have many relatives in that area who like him a lot.

I don't know if you heard about that House Armed Services hearing when Richard Perle and Wes Clark confronted each other. It was at this hearing when Jones stood up and emotionally confronted Neo-con Pearle and demanded that he and Bush apologize for lying to the American people.

I always keep up with the North Carolina Congressional votes---THE NEWS AND OBSERVER prints these out every Sunday. Jones sides with the Dems on many issues. A lot of his environmental votes are good. The Republican Machine has been really mad at him at times and threatened to run someone against him in the primaries but they gave up on the idea because the guy is too popular.

My guess is that if the Dems took control of the House, Jones would be one of the ones who would switch parties.