Against the war? The DLC agrees with Bush - you are DEFEATIST!

From DailyKos:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/3/22/191541/792

A friend of mine, Ed Kilgore, who works for the DLC, wrote:

I sometimes despair of convincing bloggers that people like me support what we support and oppose what we oppose for reasons of principle.

When it comes to Ed, I am certain that is true. I am even willing to operate under the premise that others in the DLC operate that way. But here is the DLC's problem - Marshall Wittman works for them:

Unfortunately, American progressives rarely speak about the stakes in the war against Jihadism. They are far too preoccupied with complaining about the Administration's failures in the war. Of course, there is much to criticize. But, the enemy is not this President, but a profoundly reactionary faction that seeks to defeat America in Iraq and then move on to other triumphs. Whatever one's position on the wisdom of removing Saddam's tyranny, that fact should be apparent.

. . . Defeatism prevails in the Democratic Party. While that stance may appear to have short-term political benefits, the party will and should pay a stiff price with both the American people and history if it presses for retreat at the moment our enemy is on the offensive.

Zarqawi understands the stakes. Blair understands the stakes. It's time for Democrats to grasp the stakes, as well.

Let's forget about the inaccuracy of Wittman's analysis. Being wrong is not a sin. What is shameful and despicable is Wittman's continued aping of the Republican Party's New McCarthyite tactic of labelling disagreement with him and Bush as "defeatism." Understand what he is saying - Zbig Brzezenzki, General Wesley Clark, former Reagan Secretary of the Navy and current Dem Virginia Senatorial candidate Jim Webb, former Reagan Administration official Lawrence Korb and over 70% of the American People want defeat for the United States in Iraq according to Wittman.

I am sorry Ed, but Wittman and the DLC, as long as the DLC does not disavow his pronouncements, are not entitled to respect in my view. The D in DLC is supposed to stand for Democratic (I know Wittman claims to be an Independent, though his support for McCain says otherwise). Attacking the patriotism of Democrats for disagreeing with you is not what I expect to hear from Democratic organizations. As many negative things as we have written about Joe Lieberman, we have never, and we never will, question his love for the United States. His loyalty to the Democratic Party? Well, I think he has left himself open to such questioning.

Hillary Clinton is closely identified with the DLC. What is her opinion of these scurrilous attacks on the patriotism of Democrats by Wittman?

My decorated veteran ass. eom

when he switched sides...but since then he's done everything possible to live up to the allegation he's a plant.

But not all DLC are like this. Ed Kilgore, as Armando mentions, is a good guy and a good dem.


The DLC would be an OK organization if they'd just disassociate themselves from people who make comments like this.

It's not the moderate or conservative Dems that bug me. It's when they turn their guns on their fellow party members rather than the real enemy.

He will be publishing the Democratic plan for taking over. A list of proposals, policy stands and issues.

oh boy. gee. wow. let me hear about it again. super. awesome. golly. rah and double rah. I am on the edge of my seat. I can hardly wait. A DLC policy manual. wow. yippee. i can't contain my excitement from boiling over.what an amazing idea. Let's rally the troops behing this one. amazing. rah. Really. honestly. i am so incredible excited I can hardly breath. imagine that. A DLC policy manual. Oooh, I better be careful before i stain my pants with sperm. whoo hooo. rah. I feel such a great sensation coming over me. the excitement is about to attack. wait. wait. wait. here it comes. the excitement is too much. wait. here it is. oh well, it was only a fart.

Emmanuel is the Paul Wolfowitz of Democratic politics!

I suspect some triangulation bastardization and explanations of why we have to stay the course.

.....many DLC members DON'T AGREE WITH THIS. As everyone at DU keeps telling me Democrats are multi inclusive and not everyone follows he party line. In many ways that very refreshing about Democrats but in other ways it is simply fodder when the pick and choose times hit.

who screw moderates and liberals, just to promote their own. Since they control the DLC, and seem to have a large voice for the Democratic party, we have a problem.

Rahm Emmanuel cares less for ideals and goals, but for power, money and control. Smart? very. trustworthy? not one bit.

All the DLC cares about is getting their ilk elected so that they can reap the benefits of public office, just as much as the GOP has.

The DLC doesn't care one iota for the US Constitution, and the Bill of Rights that is part of. The DLC only cares about campaign contributions from women and LGBTs while at the same time it sells our reproductive and human rights out time and time again.

Former PNACer Marshall Wittman, represents the PPI/neolib flip-side of the PNAC/neocon coin.

has morphed into a destructive force. The sooner it dies, the better.

REAL DEMOCRATS, NOT DINO-RATS as represented by the leadership in DCCC and DLC.

There is only one way to destroy them and that is through OURTAGE. They are NOT getting their money from us...it is coming from corporate America. DLC has too much to lose now that they have infiltrated the party and taken control.

The very fact that they DARE to bring in candidates and place them in position in local races is incredible. As long as you don't show some absolute outrage, then they will continue to fcuk u in the ass w/o grease.

WAKE UP!

As fellow Democrats, they are entitled to their opinion, but IMO they can be counted as easily impressionable scaredy-cats.

Democrats can combat terror without succumbing to this administration's scare tactics. It is critical to make that distinction and Dems must draw an easily read clarification between the parties.