Harkin calls Cheney a 'coward' and criticizes 'backdoor draft'

The Associated Press

DES MOINES -- Sen. Tom Harkin called Vice President Dick Cheney a "coward" for avoiding service in Vietnam and called on President Bush to end the "backdoor draft."

The Iowa Democrat was responding Friday to the call-up of a Des Moines police officer who has already completed his eight-year military commitment.

Harkin echoed comments earlier this week by Des Moines Police Chief William McCarthy, who said the military's treatment of Des Moines Police Officer Rodell Nydam was "evil." ..

"The part of the U.S. code that provides for this anticipates major wars, major national emergencies," Harkin said. "That is not what we're confronting right now. You think about using this law only in (extreme cases), only when we're really in dire, dire need."

Harkin also shot back at Cheney, who said in a visit to Iowa on Tuesday that presidential candidate John Kerry lacks a basic understanding of the war on terrorism and cannot make America safer. ..

"When I hear this coming from Dick Cheney, who was a coward, who would not serve during the Vietnam War, it makes my blood boil," Harkin said. "Those of us who served and those of us who went in the military don't like it when someone like a Dick Cheney comes out and he wants to be tough. Yeah, he'll be tough. He'll be tough with somebody else's blood, somebody else's kids. But not when it was his turn to go."

And that's the definition of a Chickenhawk.

Atleast one person is showing some backbone... Now the rest of you get of your lazzzzyyy ass and start calling them for what the are.....

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

,...and what has the Bush/Cheney club sacrificed?

NA-DA!!!

To the contrary, they're not only "tough with somebody's else's blood, somebody else's kids", they are also profitting. They have sacrificed nothing,...but the truth, our constitution, the health of democracy and the American people.

:grr:

but boy are they going to be screaming like stuck pigs.

"He called Cheney a coward" "How ungentlemantly" "Impeach the bastard!!"


:D

let them squeal!

can defend him. He's placed himself beyond the pale in the public eye (he was always there, but now it's obvious.)

I LOVE YOU!!!!!!:loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :bounce: :bounce: :toast: :toast:

This is the message we need to pound into the media every day!

Right Cheney ON!
Wow! Harkin is telling it like it is!

I know, it's totally off-topic. However, after spending a couple of weeks there recently, your flag avatar made me nostalgic for Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Taos, Quemado, Clayton, Farmington, etc.

Every American should see New Mexico.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that you have the best Governor in all 50!

:D

eom

Great man. A Democrat with balls, yes!

want cheney to tell him to go fuck himself?:P

Right on, Tom!

Too bad this incident had to come up for Harkin to speak out but since it has ..I'm so happy he's doing it forcefully.

Three cheers for Tom Harkin. A few well timed karate chops like that, then leave it to the pundits to do the mopping up. Meantime, back to judo and pushing optimistic memes and controlling the language and framing the debate.

To gain an advantage is always in Karate. Always. If you do not use it, your expertise is lacking severely.

Judo, real Judo has "Atemi Waza"(Striking) and "Koppo"(bone-breaking).

Just so you know.

Sucking your opponent into over-commitment to his attack gives you myriad advantages in response.

From a martial artist of many years of training. I got what Dem_Strategist meant. Don't discount the analogy.

I have been advocating mental judo for some time here.

I don't do martial arts, except in my mind, and then I have to think of something else after 30 seconds or face an unhealthy adrenalin surge.

What I do is play the game of Go (Wei-qi, Baduk, Igo). At times on the 19 x 19 board there are calm moments as the opponents circle each other just out of touch. Other times there are violent fights with groups of stones dieing.

One sense I get of martial arts is that you don't want to strike very often, but if you do strike, then strike decisively and strike hard (though a little tweak now and then does wonders too!). Seems to me Harkin was well-timed and minced few words.

Anyone know how we could all chip in and send him the BIGGEST bouquet of flowers they make?

Howard Dean is NOT the nominee, and he's NOT the VP.

Rock on, Tom, Rock on!!

Coward Cheney needs to stfu.

9 months and 2 days after passage of a law that said fathers could not be drafted.

followed by Cheney.

It may be quite useful.

the info is out there -- was also discussed here

did buzzflash have a timeline with the various regs?

I'll look for it there.

forgot cheney aint got any...You foking coward..

controlled media spews their slime on Harkin now.

WASHINGTON OFFICE
731 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-3254 Phone
(202) 224-9369 Fax
(202) 224-4633 TDD

Or send him an email:

http://harkin.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm

Yay!

Need to support good behavior, perhaps it may encourage more of the same.

While I am not your constituent, I just wanted to thank you for the courage it took to stick up for the people of this country in finally calling a "spade a spade" and calling it just as you see it. It takes a lot of guts to stand up to the White House regime, and you have shown you are capable of saying what needed to be said.

A great deal is at stake in November, and we can only hope that more citizens will find the same kind of courage to stand up for what they believe in, and gain a greater knowledge of the political turmoil that exists now and will continue to exist if this current administration is re-elected.

Thank you, sir, for showing the way.

Thanking him and saying the people of Iowa are fortunate to have him representing them. :toast: Bravo, Senator!

Thank you, Senator Harkin, for pointing out the entirely inappropriate way that the Bush administration is using the power to call up troops whose commitments are long up, except in dire national emergencies. Strong language is called for, and I agree with you that VP Cheney is a coward, just as you have said. I'm a lifelong Texan, and I wish I could have heard a Texan speak as you have!

.

Hip Hip Hooray for Tom Harkin. Kerry can't say stuff like this if he wants to win, so we need gutsy supporters like Harkin to do it.

Thank you Tom Harkin.

I'm proud to say that one of my senators, Frank Lautenberg, has also been willing to blast that chickenhawk Dick Cheney.

It feels good. By all means do what you have to do to win over the undecideds, but it's nice to throw the base some meat every now and then.

MF

one of my favorite Senators.

:loveya: GO Tom!

AP inserts it right into Harkins comments. That's what we don't do. Hope Harkins comes on TV and calls cheney coward again.

stupid response. No undecided voter is going to let that weak and disjointed response sway them. I bet they DO respond to Harkin's statement.

I had to read it three times, this is just the confuse and distract tactic that has you going "what the hell does Howard Dean have to do with this."

They need to send either Jenna, Barbara, or Mary. Of course it will be Mary, Cheney'd probably jump at the chance to unload his gay daughter.

It reminds me of how Bush talks about one thing and then all of a sudden he jumps to something else. I ignored the part about Howard Dean, and with Bush I ignore everything he says.

Finally a democrat with balls. Cheney is a coward.

Please respond before I hit the submit button on this email to Senator Harkin. Thanks.


Dear Senator Harkin,

I saw in a posting at an internet discussion board I frequent, partial text of comments you made in response to Vice President Cheney's attack on Senator Kerry and in response to the current backdoor draft enacted by President Bush.

Sir, Thank You.

Though I am not in your state and so am unable to vote for you, I know there are many on the discussion board which I previously mentioned who are and who will.

Thank you very much for your work and for speaking out on behalf of those who would again make America into the proud and strong country it once was.

Cordially,

A very grateful American.

This is why Howard Dean was so popular. For once, a Democrat who can dish it out! Please... let's hope some others will follow suit in other states.. PLEASE!!!

...despite what the fools who lost 2000 for us say.

We need MUCH more of this.

We need to hear more comments like this from EVERY Democrat! About time these chicken hawks be called what they are-cowards who are tough only when somebody else has to put their life on the line.

With the exception of Colin Powell the whole damn lot of them are nothing more than draft dodging cowards and need to be called out on it. I would love to hear that word used on a daily basis until it is driven into the heads of all these mindless souls that occupy America. Cowards ya hear, Rush Limbaugh=Coward, Hannity=Coward, Coulter=Coward, O'Reily=Coward, Pearle=Coward, Wolfowitz=Coward, Cheney=Coward, Bush*=Coward, Feith=Coward, Rice=Coward, Ridge=Coward all are draft dodging Cowards.

Need consolation? Just put him on your Useless Pricks List.

and a Democrat. Anybody hear what Grassley has to say about a man who served eight years in the military and is trying to make Des Moines a better place to live? I bet he'll stay mum on this. Go get 'em Tom! Do it for Iowa! Do it for America!

I love my Senator!

Give 'em hell Harkin.

We love you.

Basically discounted, in a very denigrating way, Germany and France as being 'friends' of the United States. He said something along the line of:

Germany and Frances are not allies. We had to save France twice in the 20th century. And we fought and defeated Germany twice, so how can they be an ally.

Overall, I was appalled by most of his comments. He is basically towing the Boosh party line.

Left me feeling pretty disgusted.

PS: I guess using his rationale, Romania (a member of the coalition o' the willin) shouldn't be considered an ally since we fought them in W.W. II also.

An unabashed, unapologetic, unambiguous LIBERAL! Any questions!

'up to no good'

Fallujah?"

I would love to see something like that. The Dick Cheneys of the world only spill other people's blood. When Michael Moore asked this question of Blowhard O'Reilly, the loudmouth had no idea what to say. He did everything he could to avoid the question. In fact, a similar question should be asked of every politician involved in sending our country into any war.

I'm impressed - Sen. Harkin rocks hard

Harkin's approach is EXACTLY what is needed as a retort to the Bush attacks. ENOUGH of these long-winded factual rationales! GET SOME BALLS!

The best approach to squelch a bully is to punch him in the nose!

JB

If we respond to every attack with twice the force of the original attack, they will learn a lesson.

We have to punish them for every single attack.

Harkin is punishing Cheney by using Cheney's attack as an opportunity to point out the cowardice of the right wing.

Harkin should not be the only one doing this - every Democrat fighting on Kerry's team should be on the offensive after every right wing smear.

The Donna Brazille technique of soft-peddling any retort to the Repukes is what got Gore hammered during the 2000 election.

In an era of perceived need for strength in politics, Kerry needs to go after Bush/Cheney with full force and call them out for the traitorous chickenhawks they are.

This "sensitive retor" in an effort to not alienate independent voters" that Kerry/Edwards have been using to date only comes off as WEAK and WISHY-WASHY.

STOP PLAYING INTO THE BUSHIE HANDS...GET SOME BALLS AND TAKE THE FIGHT TO THE REPUKES. PUT THEM ON THE DEFENSIVE, DAMNIT!

JB

Maybe if the Kerry campaign starts really highlighting the Bush/Cheney Vietnam military records ( as in "none") the Bush bastards will shut the hell up!

All this pious crap from the media about going "negative"! The Dems should be attacking these Republican phonies 24-7. When Cheney made that "sensitive" speech all the media swooned at how "effective" it was. Whether it was true or not was never a concern. The media have the Dems fighting this campaign with one hand tied behind their back. They did the same to Gore. And look where that got us.

The Dems need to follow Harkin's example and develope spines.

The Neo Fascists that grabbed the power and are serving the Corps. only understand confrontation. The Dems have allowed them to dominate America ever since the coup of 2000. If J. Kerry does win it won't be because he is supported by most Dems but because America cannot bear another term of the Neo Fascists. The "lesser of two evils" is the real problem with the political system. Neither the Democrats or Republicans offer real solutions to rid the USA of the American Plutocracy.

With the Dems things get worse more slowly.

Don't listen to Tom, more important issues are hand. Mr Keyes has the message, just look at some of his good ideas

(snip)
Keyes says that he doesn't need to know any facts about Illinois, because he is championing the issues of the Lord: keeping gays out of schools, putting guns in every pocket, and forcing women to bear children conceived by rape or incest.
(snip)
http://www.buzzflash.com/editorial/04/08/edi04056.html

http://www.takebackthemedia.com/bushnonazi.html

That needed to be said.

Go Fightin' Tom!!

YES!!!!! 'bout time !
Shine the light.....watch the roaches scurry for cover.

I know a ton of people like Cheney, tough talkers but when it comes to go time they run away like pussies. An empty barrel makes the most noise.

I can`t tell you how angry I am at the thought of these worthless chickenhawks attacking someone who actually served. Forget the Karate and Judo. Bush and Cheney deserve a sucker punch right to their lying lips. I`m fed up with Democrats sitting on their hands. Stand up and start shouting. Just say you`re not going to take it any more.

:evilgrin: :toast: O8)

Tom Harkin today just made me damn proud to be a Democrat. God I wish he was my Senator. Just sent him a email thanking him.

Speak truth to power.

(Called him "coward" even!) Memo to Mr. Harkin: You may get a "go f*ck yourself" note pretty soon. But don't worry; this means you did the right thing.

ChickenHawk Cheney

I am SO proud of MY senator. Harkin for majority leader. Well, when we take the senate back anyway. Sent him a big constituent THANK YOU.

Iowa Democrat

Woo Hoo! Nice to feel another positive thrill at something!

Give 'em hell Tom!

I interned for Harkin the summer between my sophomore and junior years at Iowa State, and it was an experience I'll always cherish. I'm a lawyer in D.C. now and have enjoyed opportunities to chat with him on planes and in airports on the occasions I've lucked into being on the same flight with him between D.C. and Des Moines. I hope he runs for reelection again in 2008.

Go Harkin and Go Kerry/Edwards! :-)

:hi:

Thank you Sen Harkin!!!!

It needed to be said, & you had the guts to say it.

but I still think our 2 Senators are good too.:dem:

and see what comes up. I like it.

Oct 16, 2003
Dick Cheney: Coward

Has there ever been a public figure more fearful of the public than Vice President Dick Cheney?

The man is a coward. Sure, he's willing to speak his mind -- but only if he is in front of a carefully screened audience. And even then this timid man refuses to allow any questions to be asked. Is he really so frightened of getting tough, probing questions from his fellow ideologues at the Heritage Foundation? And when he's delivering a speech largely written by fellows of the American Enterprise Institute, isn't it a bit redundant to also deliver that speech to the fellows of the American Enterprise Institute?

Cheney's fear of all but the friendliest audiences is so blatant that even Tom Friedman has noticed. In today's New York Times Friedman writes:

Mr. Cheney was speaking to 200 invited guests at the conservative Heritage Foundation — and even they were not allowed to ask any questions. Great. Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein issue messages from their caves through Al Jazeera, and Mr. Cheney issues messages from his bunker through Fox. ...

Out of fairness, my newspaper feels obligated to run such stories. But I wish we had said to the V.P.: If you're going to give a major speech on Iraq to an audience limited to your own supporters and not allow any questions, that's not news — that's an advertisement, and you should buy an ad on the Op-Ed page.
(snip)
http://slacktivist.typepad.com/slacktivist/2003/10/dick_cheney_cow.html

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=Cheney+coward&btnG=Google+Search

I don't know what the guy is really, but he sure don't sound patriotic

Cheney had FIVE deferments, four student, one paternity. Rush Limbaugh could bivouac in the shade of Cheney's deferments, anal cysts and all.

Big difference between Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) the hero and Joe Lieberman (D-Fox News) the asshole, don't you think?

bastards on. Believe me, the Dems will get much more respect for statements like this than trying to be overly positive. Someone needs to call out Hannity and Rush also. Call all the RW conservative fuckers out and make them prove that they are not cowards!

Hallafuckinglujea.(sp?)

I keep wondering why there isn't a lot more of this - the sentiment has to be out there.

From a REAL pilot to a REAL piece of shit.

Kick

Harkin's comments finally were covered on CNN a few minutes ago, but I don't think they would have been covered if Gen. Clark and Kerry's boatmates had not held a press conference about the SwiftBoat ads.

CNN has lost its credibility, just like the Bush Administration it works for. The only half decent, and I mean HALF, is CBS and NPR radio. Even they worry me with some of their coverage being manipulated and embellished to favor bunnypants.

...was going to call Chaney's hand on this crap.

and proud to be represented by Tom Harkin (yes, I voted for him too!!)

Didn't Tom Harkin originally endorse Howard Dean for President? What was Dean doing during Vietnam?

Seems hypocritical. Doesn't it make Kerry seem weak that he has to defend himself against any foreign policy critique by saying he served in Vietnam or having his surrogates call the other side cowards for not serving? I mean it was over 30 years ago.

Boot this back up.

Look up the word "Chickenhawk" for a better understanding of what is going on here.

Thank you.

Hey, where were YOU??
And more importantly, why arent you in Iraq?
Go away now.

We all defended Clinton in 1992 and 1996 when Republicans tried to use his war record against him. We're also the people who protested the Vietnam War and some of our ilk even treated veterans poorly when they returned.

I'm just saying it's hypocritical for us to call someone a coward when just 12 years ago we would have been screaming bloody murder if someone had said that about Clinton.

Only about half of our presidents have had combat experience. We can't disqualify them from being able to conduct wars if they haven't served themselves.

If Kerry just stuck to his domestic message and convinced voters he could take the war in a new direction he'd win in a walk.

And since Dean never went around blowing off about how some decorated combat vet couldn't be strong on security, your point misses its mark.

the issue has become "Did you or didn't you serve?" which was NOT the issue (conveniently) in the Democratic Primary.

And are you saying that there are no decorated combat veterans who couldn't be strong on security? You're saying that Kerry's 4 months in combat make any question about his handling of security matters completely moot?

The Repukes framed the parameters of debate. They have determined how low one must go to make a political point.

Now they can wallow in the rules they made.


Kudos to Tom!!!:yourock:

"When I hear this coming from Dick Cheney, who was a coward, who would not serve during the Vietnam War, it makes my blood boil," Harkin said. "Those of us who served and those of us who went in the military don't like it when someone like a Dick Cheney comes out and he wants to be tough. Yeah, he'll be tough. He'll be tough with somebody else's blood, somebody else's kids. But not when it was his turn to go."

You go Tom. A real American Patriot. I guess Senator Harkin is tired of having his ass handed to him and he's gotten frisky. F**** up big man.

I heard this on Air America and started cheering him out loud. Great Senator and kudos to Iowa neighbors for supporting him. I may have to write Dayton to get him to show some spine too.