They Just Can't Help Themselves..

..can they?  I'm talking about the Democrats.  By now we've all heard about the closed door session of Congress demanded by Harry Reid.  Is there anything else they can do to make themselves look anymore stupid and desperate? 

They couldn't get Bush...they couldn't get Cheney...they couldn't get Frist...they couldn't get Condi, Rumsfeld or Rove...so now they're back on the WMDs.  Wasn't this an issue before the last presidential election?  Didn't the American people speak by re-electing President Bush...letting the Democrats know how we felt about the WMD issue? 

Byron York has some insight:

Perhaps the best explanation for the Democrats' decision to virtually shut down the Senate today can be found in one passage from CIA leak prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's news conference last Friday:

This indictment is not about the war. This indictment's not about the propriety of the war. And people who believe fervently in the war effort, people who oppose it, people who have mixed feelings about it should not look to this indictment for any resolution of how they feel or any vindication of how they feel....The indictment will not seek to prove that the war was justified or unjustified. This is stripped of that debate, and this is focused on a narrow transaction. And I think anyone who's concerned about the war and has feelings for or against shouldn't look to this criminal process for any answers or resolution of that.

Fitzgerald's statement, and his decision to confine the indictment of Lewis Libby to charges of lying and obstruction, threatened to dash the Democrats' hope of using the CIA leak case as an opportunity to re-debate the reasons for going to war in Iraq. So the party, or at least its leaders in the Senate, has decided to use another route, the shutdown of the Senate, as a way to achieve that goal.

Hat tip:  Michelle Malkin 

What the Democrats don't understand is that the silent majority is watching and listening and is getting fed up with their witch hunt.  Didn't they learn anything when they lost the House... Senate... and Presidency?  What is it going to take to get through to them... oh, wait a minute, what do I care?  I'm loving this.

Bulldogpundit  over at ABP puts it best I think:

I think Frist and Company should just sit back and let them pull these juvenile stunts. Hell, they should put it on national TV. It's only going to hurt them. Who knows, maybe they're doing this to throw a bone to their base (the Kos and DU loons) because they know they can't stop Alito. Or maybe this strategy is designed to the delay the Alito hearings so Sandra Day can sit on cases the left will think will rule their way.

Look at the bright side folks - so long as Reid is doing this, the Senate isn't spending our money. He's also making himself and his party look like petulant whiners and horse's a$$es (as if they needed help). And keep this in mind. If the Dems in the Gang of 14 do try to filibuster, do you think this is going to help them win over anyone to vote against the Constitutional Option.

So chill out, grab a brew ("Don't Cost Nothin'") and enjoy the spectacle of a grown man and a national party becoming a sh*it-stain on the toilet bowl of relevancy.

Don't mind if I do Bulldog...don't mind if it do.

Lisa

Comments

[catastrophile]

And what most Reeps don't seem to understand is that when the Senate Intel Committee released the report that only found fault with the CIA for the intel on Iraq -- that report that people love to hold up as "proof" it wasn't the White House's fault -- it was only supposed to be the first part of the investigation, so it didn't go into the White House's handling of the intelligence it was given.

Dems signed off on this report with the understanding that Phase II was going to happen. And now, over a year later, nothing was happening, until all of a sudden Senators emerged from that closed session newly-motivated to at least look at the possibility of finishing the investigation of what we're supposed to believe was merely an incredibly disastrous intelligence failure.

You can call it a stunt, but it sure seems like Reid won this battle. Sure, the Reeps are going to try to deny it, but it doesn't change the fact that they came out of that session singing a different tune than they had on their lips going in.

[Karen]

Gee, Hard to believe with the whining and hissy fits that they can't seem to win an election to get their way.

[Lisa]

Cat... the American people told the dems in no uncertain terms when we re-elected President Bush that we are satisfied with the investigation.

The dems need to focus on the '06 elections and not this continued unsuccessful quest to discredit the administration. But then who am I to give the dems political advice.

[judith]

After reading a number of blogs this morning, it would appear people want to go all the way back to the Clinton days to examine the intelligence. As someone said...boy, W is really good if he got Clinton to manufacture and manipulate the evidence! A friend told me to beware...when the republicans say lets get it ALL out in the open, interesting things are about to happen.

[Shari]

Pass the popcorn! (crunch, crunch)

[Shari]

As I've noted previously, Senator Reid, one of only 100 such men and women in the country, has access to all the pre-war intelligence he wants. He doesn't want to "investigate." He wants a show trial with the Bush administration playing the role of defendant. He and his fellow Democrats couldn't get that with the Plame investigation, so he's stomping his feet and holding his breath in a political temper tantrum hoping he gets what he wants. He thinks the Libby indictment entitles the left to extrapolate and argue that every utterance of the Bush administration is suspect.

http://joustthefacts.typepad.com/joust_the_facts/2005/11/the_stunt.html

Hey, what he said...

[Lisa]

The dems don't have a message... they don't have a plan for the country. They are so engrossed in their hatred for this administration they can't see straight.

But hey folks, like Bulldog said, sit back...have a brew... and enjoy.

'06 and '08 are just around the corner.

[Chris]

Yes, you let them know how you felt about WMD in the last election based on the information you had at the time. Just for the sake of argument...because it has happened before in the not so distant past...what if you found out today that we went to war based on lies? I'm not saying that is what happened, I'm asking you to imagine that it happened that way, that the President and his advisors knew that the intel was old and bad and wasn't indicative of anything like what they put forth in their argument to go to war? What would be your response?

[Rita]

And you never know what they are actually doing in "closed door" sessions. I thought I saw a giant cake being wheeled in...:)

Closed doors, the Senate are a bunch of pussies, and it is time that we start booting some of them out and start restructing the government. I don't trust any of them, all they are after is power, re-election, dirty dealings, and maybe a few strippers at their closed door sessions.

[LargeBill]

This is a big nothing. Dems were all excited last week thinking that indictments would lead to a major opportunity to excoriate the Bush administration over the War on Terrorism. When it turned out the investigation was about nothing and only resulted in an indictment for inconsistent statements their opportunity was lost. Then the president named a new nominee for the Supreme Court and Libby was forgotten. Basically, Reid and friends are like little children sulking because they didn't get what they wanted on Fitzmas morning.

[Shari]

You have seen the following, right? From my freaking Senator. I have the worst two senators...
This from Rockefeller who sits on the intelligence committee that is supposed to be NON-PARTISAN!!

Transcript of a memo written by a Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee staff suggesting how to make the greatest gain off of intelligence data leading to the war against Iraq.

We have carefully reviewed our options under the rules and believe we have identified the best approach. Our plan is as follows:

1) Pull the majority along as far as we can on issues that may lead to major new disclosures regarding improper or questionable conduct by administration officials. We are having some success in that regard. For example, in addition to the president's State of the Union speech, the chairman has agreed to look at the activities of the Office of the Secretary of Defense as well as Secretary Bolton's office at the State Department. The fact that the chairman supports our investigations into these offices and co-signs our requests for information is helpful and potentially crucial. We don't know what we will find but our prospects for getting the access we seek is far greater when we have the backing of the majority. (Note: we can verbally mention some of the intriguing leads we are pursuing.)
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2) Assiduously prepare Democratic "additional views" to attach to any interim or final reports the committee may release. Committee rules provide this opportunity and we intend to take full advantage of it. In that regard, we have already compiled all the public statements on Iraq made by senior administration officials. We will identify the most exaggerated claims and contrast them with the intelligence estimates that have since been declassified. Our additional views will also, among other things, castigate the majority for seeking to limit the scope of the inquiry. The Democrats will then be in a strong position to reopen the question of establishing an independent commission (i.e. the Corzine amendment).

3) Prepare to launch an independent investigation when it becomes clear we have exhausted the opportunity to usefully collaborate with the majority. We can pull the trigger on an independent investigation at any time-- but we can only do so once. The best time to do so will probably be next year either:

A) After we have already released our additional views on an interim report -- thereby providing as many as three opportunities to make our case to the public: 1) additional views on the interim report; 2) announcement of our independent investigation; and 3) additional views on the final investigation; or

B) Once we identify solid leads the majority does not want to pursue. We could attract more coverage and have greater credibility in that context than one in which we simply launch an independent investigation based on principled but vague notions regarding the "use" of intelligence.

In the meantime, even without a specifically authorized independent investigation, we continue to act independently when we encounter foot-dragging on the part of the majority. For example, the FBI Niger investigation was done solely at the request of the vice chairman; we have independently submitted written questions to DoD; and we are preparing further independent requests for information.

Summary

Intelligence issues are clearly secondary to the public's concern regarding the insurgency in Iraq. Yet, we have an important role to play in the revealing the misleading -- if not flagrantly dishonest methods and motives -- of the senior administration officials who made the case for a unilateral, preemptive war. The approach outline above seems to offer the best prospect for exposing the administration's dubious motives and methods.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,102258,00.html

[Matt Hurley]

Chris: "what if you found out today that we went to war based on lies?"

ME: What would it take for you to realize that we didn't?

[dr wnc]

Lisa asked: Is there anything else they can do to make themselves look anymore stupid and desperate?

As we sit back and watch, don't miss the MD democrats with approval from DNC:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/metro/20051101-104932-4054r.htm

[Lisa]

Tell me something Chris... what was the 9/11 commission all about?

How many investigations do we need?

Face it... the dems are digging a hole for themselves and you half way reasonable dems better enlighten the rest of the left loony toons about developing a message before '06 rolls around.

[Chris]

It's funny--you guys keep saying the Dems hate Bush and are so angry they can't see straight--take a look at this thread--you all appear to be frothing at the mouth--are you all so upset because Fox News got knocked off it's talking points--you should have no problem into an independent investigation if Clinton is all to blame like you say--and Lisa--your blonde is showing--the 9/11 commission was about 9/11 not the Iraq War--careful who you are calling looney tunes--my hair isn't pink

[HC]

Lisa

You got to be kidding.

[Chris]

and Matt you either lack imagination and can't envision it happening again--because it did happen once--remember the Gulf of Tnkin? or you just fear the question--either way there is nothing to be lost by an investigation--you are either right and it's all Clinton's fault and no one could have done any better with the intel than Bush did--or you are wrong they manipualted it and as the patriot you are I'm sure you would find that wrong--oh and by the way--Frist is the one who looks like the kook--imagine how much the American people give a shit that Bill Frist was insulted and got hysterical...

[Lisa]

Hey...lay off the hair... it was Halloween and there was beer.

HC...what am I supposed to be kidding about babe?

[USMC Steve]

Why isn't this being handled by the Senate intelligence committee? (And Reid is an "ex-officio" or unofficial member of that panel, so he had the opportunity to see all the info he wanted to look at back then.)

That is their job. They have the oversight responsibility for how all types and levels of intelligence is collected and used.

Membership is 8 Reps, and 7 Dems.

And when the Dems had control waaay back in the day, there were 8 Dems and 7 Reps, so don't even start with that partisan bullshit.

I will however, get my digs in about a bunch of politicians, most of whom are freaking LAWYERS, telling professional spooks how to do their jobs. I was a Signals Intelligence Marine for 20 years, and it just floored me, some of the requirements they came up with for us to follow.

Needless to say, "hire the handicapped, but don't let them take your rectal temperature".

[judith]

Chris, let's just suppose in your pasttime we had a president that ignored the evidence (busy doing STUFF) allowed our people in other countries to be attacked and killed (while he was busy doing STUFF) and his retaliation was laughable (at least to the Arab world) for eight years. Then let us suppose that certain people in the USA let the world know that the ELECTED President (according to the USA rules) would not be acknowledged as the president and would be constantly undermined and internally weakened by his own people...do you think this sounds familiar? Could it possible have anything to do with NEARLY THREE THOUSAND AMERICAN'S BEING KILLED ON OUR OWN SOIL? Now our enemies are once again relying on our weakness and the attacks from within our own borders by our own people to finish this job. Tell me this, how many foreign intelligence services have been done over because of "false" information...none. And why is that? Because the stuff was there and we stalled long enough for it to move.

[catastrophile]

Lisa: "the American people told the dems in no uncertain terms when we re-elected President Bush that we are satisfied with the investigation."

Then can you think of any good reason why it shouldn't be completed?

Shari: "Senator Reid, one of only 100 such men and women in the country, has access to all the pre-war intelligence he wants."

Actually, that's not true. The administration restricted access shortly after 9/11. As minority leader, Reid is one of of a very few members of both houses who's allowed to receive intel briefings.

Shari: "He thinks the Libby indictment entitles the left to extrapolate and argue that every utterance of the Bush administration is suspect."

No -- the administration's track record entitles us to argue that their every utterance is suspect.

Matt: "What would it take for you to realize that we didn't [go to war based on lies]?"

If the administration didn't deceive America, it's got nothing to hide, and there's no reason why it should oppose the completion of the investigation. Hell, if it acted in good faith it should welcome some oversight, to help make sure this doesn't happen again.

Of course, if the administration DOES want this to happen again, it makes perfect sense to try and deep-six this investigation . . . Hmmm . . .

[catastrophile]

USMC Steve: "Why isn't this being handled by the Senate intelligence committee?"

Indeed, that's the question Reid asked. And now three Dems and three Reeps have been charged with finding the answer.

So what's the problem, exactly?

[HC]

Lisa

You really think that this country is satisfied with the Iraq War, it's planning and the justifications Bush gave for the war.

You do not think as more information comes out that some who use to support the administration now have questions.

With Troops losing their lives you do not think we should know if the Administration used proper judgement in going to war.

Maybe in right wing you are satisfied, but the rest of the country is not.

[Chris]

Judith--I'm not playing your game until you play mine. Not one of you as willing to say here that if the government manipulated the intel and lied us into a war that it would bad or something. Now, I didn't say that is the way it happened...but why won't you say it?

[Shari]

From the looks of this thread, we don't know the whole story.

Someone (missed this part) put together 100 quotes of the Administration about the war. The SIC was going to check them for accuracy, so they said, we'll add 100 of the Democrats quotes. Well, Demos howled, so they added 50 Repub quotes and the Demos still didn't like it. This was in May. Evidently they came to an agreement to take the names off the quotes so they wouldn't know who said them. The SIC started working on it again Monday.

This was a pure political stunt because the Demos Merry Fritzmas didn't go as planned and they didn't get their way. Whine, whine, whine.

Please keep it up.

http://home.socal.rr.com/picsgifs/images/Gifs/popcornsmilie.gif