Democratic Underground - Chickenhawk Reep says vet Dem (who served in Iraq) doesn't support troops!

How outrageous can it get? In Ohio's 2nd Congressional district, you've got Democrat Paul Hackett (who, if elected, would be the only person in Congress who has actually served in Iraq)... running against chickenhawk Republican Jean Schmidt.

And Ms. chickenhawk Republican is claiming that (you guessed it) Mr. veteran Dem "doesn't support the troops." The Democrat was only a US Marine doing cleanup in Fallujah... whereas the Republican bravely sat home banging on her keyboard.

But this time the vet Dem is actually fighting back against the chickenhawk Republican. And getting lots of support - even in an overwhelmingly Republican district. What a concept - opposing the Iraq war! Maybe someone should alert the DLC!

Ms. Schmidt commends Mr. Hackett for his service, but believes Mr. Hackett should "stand with the president" by "supporting the Iraqi war effort and our troops that are over there."

When asked to answer that charge, Mr. Hackett is blunt: "The only way I know how to support the troops is by going over there." {which he did!} He doesn't hesitate to criticize Ms. Schmidt's support of the war: "All the chicken hawks back here who said, 'Oh, Iraq is talking bad about us. They're going to threaten us' -- look, if you really believe that, you leave your wife and three kids and go sign up for the Army or Marines and go over there and fight. Otherwise, shut your mouth."

-- Atrios at Eschaton, 26 July 2005

And, by the way, I think Mr. Hackett is even patriotic enough for the DLC, don't you? Of course, Mr. Hackett doesn't endorse free trade and he doesn't seem inclined to jettison all of our civil liberties one at a time in order to appease religious zealots and panicked neocons, so I'm not sure he's quite malleable enough.

I understand the Republicans have found his achilles heel though, as they always do. Seems Mr. Hackett is a bit of an effeminate pansy. As a US Marine he was only involved in transporting goods and cash through a war zone instead of furiously pounding out the words "Smoke 'Em Out!" on his little keyboard ... as true patriot Republicans do. Well, nobody's perfect. Perhaps the voters will overlook his cowardice.

-- Digby at Hullabaloo, 26 July 2005

Chickenhawk Reep says vet Dem (who served in Iraq) doesn't support troops! [View All]