Can I get an "Amen" for Gary Hart?

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

From his blog:

Did you ever wish you could manage your life one problem at a time? It might make the many tough decisions we all face actually managable. But, you say, life doesn't work that way.

Well, if it doesn't work that way for you and me, why in the world would we think it worked for the president of the United States? But, apparently that is how the supposedly sophisticated pundits and most of the president's critics think he should manage the business of the nation. "He should deal with jobs first," they chatter, "then he can do health care," they opine, "then he can do energy, then education, and then..." on and on and on.

*****

The largest, most complex, most widely-dispersed nation in human history doesn't exactly run itself. It requires multi-tasking management on a scale few humans can contemplate. To President Obama's media and opposition critics it must be said: Grow up and understand what being president of the United States means at this stage in our history. Quit making ridiculous and childish demands for the president to do one thing at a time.

Life doesn't work that way and intelligent, mature, and thoughtful people know that. And be grateful we have a president who can do more than one thing at a time.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gary-hart/one-thing-at-a-time_b_499158.html">One Thing At A Time

[Cha]

1. Most of the corporatemediawhores

tried their best to not have Obama elected so they aren't ones to judge with any impartiality.

Amen Gary Hart!

[Jennicut]

2. The rest of us must do that in our everyday lives. The problems the President faces are way more

complex then that but by making it seem so hard to get a handle on, it becomes the impossible. And it is not impossible for Obama to do more then one thing at a time.

[dchill]

3. Amen.

[cornermouse]

4. Gary Hart - cheated on his wife.

Clearly immoral, should be disenfranchised from the democratic party, and obliterated from the face of the earth...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Hart
1988 presidential campaign and the Donna Rice affair

Rumors began circulating nearly immediately that Hart was having an extramarital affair. In an interview that appeared in the New York Times on May 3, 1987, Hart responded to the rumors by daring the press corps: "Follow me around. I don't care. I'm serious. If anybody wants to put a tail on me, go ahead. They'll be very bored."<9> The Miami Herald had been investigating Hart's alleged womanizing for weeks before the "dare" appeared in the New York Times.

[Sebastian Doyle]

6. Donna Rice was a Repuke plant

Not that I excuse Gary Hart for being stupid enough to fall for it, but I suspected that was a setup all along. And when Donna Rice came back a few years later as a "Christian anti-porn crusader" that was all the confirmation I needed. If Hart had been elected in 88, we never would have had Poppy Bush as President, let alone his imbecile Chimp son. (Unless you count the fact that Poppy was more than likely the one actually in charge from 1981-89)

[cornermouse]

7. You're kidding me, right?

[Sebastian Doyle]

10. Nope.

http://www.congressionalbadboys.com/Donna.htm

[cornermouse]

12. I tend to look for websites that are a little more....

substantial... sources than those named congressionalbadboys. Sorry. No sale.

He cheated. The democratic party is only tolerating those who pass a purity test. FDR, JFK, MLK, and Teddy would all fail to pass the test along with Gary. You gotta be consistent if you're going to establish rules.

[sandnsea]

8. You're joking I hope

Nobody else has been disenfranchised from the Democratic Party for cheating on their wife.

[cornermouse]

9. Oh really?

Another kidder.

:spray: :rofl:

[sandnsea]

16. Clinton? Spitzer?

Gavin Newsom? Villaraigosa?

:shrug:

[cornermouse]

21. Remember what was said about both Bill and Chelsea on DU

when Hillary was running for president? Did you think we'd forget? The same thing with Spitzer. I don't know what Newsom did but Villaraigosa was apparently about corruption instead of sex, so he's still eligible. Now if he'd had an affair....

[karynnj]

23. uhm he had an affair with some TV news person

[sandnsea]

25. Is Gary Hart's wife running for President?

I don't get your point.

And you're still carrying a grudge over the primaries? Really?? Because I don't think Bill & Hil are.

[cornermouse]

28. rofl

:rofl:

[Canuckistanian]

11. Gary Hart was the start of this "new morality"

Until Gary Hart's affair, the media ignored marital infidelities. Ever since, it's been open season on politicians' love lives.

Now you may think this is a good thing until you realize that politicians have ALWAYS had affairs - since time immemorial. It's in their DNA. It's what they are, like it or not.

The problem is, it's FAR TOO LATE to be equating "morality" with "infidelity". Presidents and other leaders have been having affairs since Ancient Egypt.

Since when has it been a barometer of their leadership skills?

[cornermouse]

13. As far as I"m concerned it isn't.

I don't care if they have naked women running through the bedroom every 3 minutes as long as they implement policies that benefit "we, the people".

[Canuckistanian]

17. Did Gary Hart let you down?

Say, wasn't he the co-author of the famous "US Commission on National Security/21st Century" report that was roundly ignored by Bush?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hart-Rudman_Task_Force_on_Homeland_Security

Funny, I don't remember a single mention of his affair in that report.

[cornermouse]

18. In the interest of clarification, let's try this again.

You say "The problem is, it's FAR TOO LATE to be equating "morality" with "infidelity". Presidents and other leaders have been having affairs since Ancient Egypt. Since when has it been a barometer of their leadership skills?"

I say "As far as I"m concerned it isn't (a barometer of their leadership skills). I don't care if they have naked women running through the bedroom every 3 minutes as long as they implement policies that benefit "we, the people"."

[Drunken Irishman]

19. Uh...WTF?

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[cornermouse]

27. Name calling?

Isn't there something about that in the rules?...

[Name removed]

32. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[karynnj]

22. Hart also had many accomplishments

and his wife is still with him. Not to mention, he did not lie about it, then deny his own child for nearly 2 years, and he did not misuse funds from a poverty center. It was also not a long term affair and his wife was not dealing with incurable cancer.

[cornermouse]

26. Oh that makes it so-o-o-o-o much better.

By the way, do you remember all those DU attacks on Elizabeth? It seems incurable cancer only matters when it becomes an advantage in a disagreement.

[karynnj]

33. I remember that Elizabeth was used as the attack dog of the Edwards campaign

attacking the Clintons and Obamas. The worst was telling a crowd in Iowa on the eve of the caucuses that Obama's healthcare plan would not cover her because cancer was a pre-existing condition - a blatant lie and this was in her prepared comments. What of her speaking of her better choices that made her happier than Hillary? (Distorting the fact that with her oldest kids, she made the same decision as Hillary (to work - and there is NOTHING wrong with that decision.) During the campaign, the Edwards supporters here used her cancer as a shield - saying, in essence, she could attack or lie all she wanted, but no one could counter it ... because she had cancer.

The next point that she was attacked was when Edwards "confessed" and her Daily Kos post spoke of her knowing in 2006. Then she was stunned that people responded directly to that post questioning why she let JRE run with this landmine there. Then, that criticism was mixed with intense sympathy for all she had to deal with, but this was an election for President. It was not so much attacks but questioning how they could have risked McCain winning.

I do remember attacks when her second book came out - and those based on things she said and did. I don't see you arguing that anyone else should not be criticized for anything they said or did.

I do think that the Elizabeth Edwards stories in both Game Change and Young's book, only some of which had backup, were reported as written and most people defended her here - even as they admitted that there was likely some truth there.

At this point, between those books and Hunter's comments, I think that Elizabeth Edwards has been treated very unfairly and I suspect that many here will agree, but that does not make her a saint. What she did in the campaign still happened. Life has been very unfair to her - and for that she deserves sympathy.

[donheld]

30. What a damned fool

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

34. Obliterated, you say?

Sanctimonious much?

:eyes:

[cornermouse]

35. When I see double standards, I say it.

That is the real meaning of being fair and even handed.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

37. Obliterated?

What other Democrats have been "obliterated" for a similar offense? And since Hart has not held elected office for more than twenty years, in what sense has he not already been obliterated?

[PVnRT]

36. That's idiotic

I thought us liberals were the "purity police."

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

38. Apparently we're a "Big Tent" now...(nt)

[PVnRT]

41. "Big Tent" - like Hart had on his boat?

OH SNAP

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

42. Wow...A twenty-two year old current events joke!

You must be working for Jay Leno....

[PVnRT]

44. I have some bully material about flappers and that Charleston dance, too

[damonm]

43. Must be nice...

to be pure, without sin or error, and casting the first stone.

I wouldn't have the slightest idea.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

46. He fhould have ftonef lain upon hif cheft until he if deceafed.

Save it for the witch burning, Cotton Mather.

[babylonsister]

5. Rec'd and AMEN! Thanks! nt

[saltpoint]

14. 'Volunteered for Gary Hart against Mondale. Liked him then.

Like him now.

He is an expansive and interesting mind.

Also he holds a high degree in divinity. I would pay a large sum to hear Gary Hart debate "social issues" with Franklin Graham or Jim Dobson or some other far right theocrat.

[saltpoint]

15. Dammit to hell, I'm giving a second 'Amen' for Gary Hart, and anybody

don't like it they can stick their wiener on a waffle iron.

[awoke_in_2003]

20. Ribbed for her pleasure. nt

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

40. Can an get an "Ouch" for Saltpoint?

:rofl:

[saltpoint]

45. Hey Jeff! Howdy.

Do what you can to keep that cretinous fool Tommy Thompson out of the Wisconsin Senate race.

I'm rootin' for Russ!

[Ron Green]

29. Despite the pissing-on that this thread has unfortunately suffered,

I'll give an "Amen."

[FrenchieCat]

31. Amen!

[PBS Poll-435]

39. Monkey Business. nt

[whistler162]

47. Good Senator good possible Presidential candidate

but one DUMB F*** to double daring the press to follow him around.