If you are as sick as I am of listening to Democrats lie about how Max Cleland’s ‘patriotism was questioned,’ then you will enjoy this Hanks post.
It was not Max Cleland’s patriotism that was questioned, it was his judgement and his voting record. And if his recent behavior and penchants for over lying is any sign, questioning his judgement was a sound service to the voters of Georgia.
S.W. Anderson
In the 2002 campaign there was a lowdown, dirty effort to depict Cleland as soft on terrorists. Maybe you don’t consider that questioning the man’s patriotism, but I do.
Imagine the outrage if Democrats had depicted George W. Bush as soft on terrorism because he was against creating a Department of Homeland Security before he was for creating a Department of Homeland security.
Also, for what it’s worth, there’s no ‘e’ in judgment.
You might find a different take on what Cleland’s attempt to call on Bush at the Crawford ranch could have meant for Bush.
Bloggerhead
I understand that Chambliss never actually questioned Cleland’s patriotism–just as GWB hasn’t actually questioned Kerry’s war record–but running an ad flashing the images of bin Laden & Saddam simply because Cleland voted for union protections is a bit sleazy nonetheless, don’t you think?
After all, the leader of Chambliss’s party was opposed to the DHS from the outset, before flip-flopping. And what benefit has the union busting been shown to confer on the new department, anyway? Less heightened alerts, more duct tape? And as I understand it, the morphing of the image of Bush & Hitler–in an ad that never gained wide influence–is regarded as the purest manifestation of lefty lunacy, evil & anti-americanism. So where’s the meaningful difference?
If everyone can tell that you’re keeping your hands clean, then you really aren’t. And one thing’s for sure, Cleland’s balls survived the battlefield.
Justin Ogren
I remember all that, that ad on Cleland is pretty hilarious, I mean it’s so corny and awful you just can’t help but laughing hysterically at it.
CadillaqJaq
Personally, I thought Max’s performance in Crawford TX was hilarious and corny. Not befitting a surrogate for a war hero running for the most powerful elective office on the planet.
Had Max toned down his spittle soaked attack rhetoric, which in some cases bordered on untruthfulness, I’d have given him much higher marks.
It’s too bad that while defending his country his carelessness with a grenade caused him to lose various limbs, but what is his excuse for his apparent loss of gray matter?
RW
bloggerhead,
Cleland didn’t survive his election.
It wasn’t even close.
You guys keep forgetting that the voters of GA, who had elected him to public office for decades, felt him so unworthy to return to Washington that they fired him. Emphatically so.
HH
So either A) one is not allowed to criticize anyone for votes on national security or B) they are allowed, just so long as they don’t specifically reference any threats to national security. Most of all the Cleland campaign, which was running a mean-spirited campaign anyway (“The sicker you get” when you learn about Chambliss), saw that that ad was effective in criticizing how beholden he was to Dem/union interests and successfully refuted his “I like Bush too” act (and we know now more than ever how much of an act it was), so they lashed out further.
Terry
I’m just as sorry as others that Cleland’s drinking led to his own grenade blowing off several of his body parts. However, his own extremely disgusting and nasty campaign in 2002, as well as his subsequent behavior, disqualifies him from some sort of lefty-inspired martyrdom. He deserved the verdict rendered by his fellow citizens in 2002 when they bounced his sorry ass out of office. I personally regret that President Bush gave him his $130,000 per year job with the EX/IM Bank following his defeat at the polls.
Slartibartfast
“Also, for what it’s worth, there’s no ‘e’ in judgment.”
When correcting someone else’s spelling, sometimes it’s wise to pick up a Math book AND a dictionary:
1) There’s always at least one ‘e’ in judgement.
2) My dictionary says:
judgment: Also judgement.
S.W. Anderson
Startibartfast: OK, you got me. Should of said two. Up too late, I guess.
Oh well, at least I apparently made somebody’s whole day. Enjoy.
Ken Hahn
The Democratic position seems to be Max Cleleand is a Democrat so he can’t have done anything wrong. He must have been smeared to lose. Thus whatever questions Republicans have about his performance are really about his patriotism.
Cleland lost, Gore lost. excuses are simply refusal to realize that the Democratic Party marginalizes itself more every day. I’d say get over it but Democrats never do. They’re still running against Herbert Hoover. He’s been dead fourty years like so many of their voters.
Thomas J. Jackson
When Clelland left did someone remind his owner to take his organ along with him? I hope Bush left a tip in Clelland’s hat-it was the charitable thing to do for this professional victim.
wild bird
Should cleland get a purple heart? well im not one to comment on such things but he deserves it better then kerry dose