September 11, 2007
Memo to MoveOn.org (Lanny Davis)
Memo to MoveOn.org:
1. I agree with your efforts to end the war in Iraq. I was opposed to the war from the outset and still am. I believe that the war has weakened America's focus on the war on terrorism, not strengthened it.
2. But I believe the people who support the war, including President Bush, sincerely believed that the removal of Saddam Hussein was a good thing and was necessary to defeat the terrorists whom Hussein might have assisted. I disagree — but I do not challenge their or anyone's good faith or sincerity, as you do.
3. I strongly disagree with your full-page ad attacking Gen. David Petraeus personally. Your language and innuendo regarding the general's good faith and patriotism was offensive to me.
4. More importantly, I believe your ad hurts the effort to end the war. You risk alienating a broad middle of the electorate who are still ambiguous about a withdrawal timetable and the war and whom we must win over.
5. But I strongly defend your right to dissent during wartime, and strongly disagree with anyone who suggests that your opinions, as outrageous as I believe them to be in choice of words and personal attacks, weaken and divide the country. If anything, your ad was so patently over-the-top and unfair that, in my judgment, few serious people will take it seriously, much less allow it to weaken and divide the country.
6. But I defend your rights under the First Amendment to be outrageous and counter-productive — and the rights of others to disagree with and criticize your words, as I am in my blog. And with your right to disagree with me in response.
That's what the First Amendment is about — not only in wartime but especially in wartime.
Sincerely,
Lanny Davis
13 Comments
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No another John Kerry. You just don't get it Lanny. People are fed up. You are part of the problem, not part of the solution, and you are worried about a little ad when soldiers and innocent civilians in Iraq are getting shredded? Where is your indignation about that Lanny? You are, in a word, foolish.
BTW, did you see Tucker Carlson ask Taki, I mean Pataki, about the government being involved in 9/11? I about fell out of my chair. I am proud of Tucker for not being afraid to ask the question even though Pataki lied through his teeth in his response. http://www.howstuffworks.com/building-implosion.htm
Comment by Gary Anderson — September 11, 2007 @ 6:25 pm
BTW Lanny, rather than the blame stopping, as Pataki wants, the blame is just beginning. Wait until another 1/3 of the citizens finds out Bush allowed 9/11.
Comment by Gary Anderson — September 11, 2007 @ 6:27 pm
I think it was basically a celebration of free speech, a carnival of wartime playfulness!
After all you know about sticks and stones, and all that…these peaceful activists never hurt anyone unlike this like-minded gentleman:
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2007/09/american-moonbat-kills-dutch-student.html
Comment by Igor R. — September 11, 2007 @ 7:04 pm
Those are good words, Lanny, and I take no issue with much of them.
Here is my issue though. You represent that DC establishment who develop your own truth. That "broad middle" that you mention feels differently than you think that they do. It is you, in our party, who are helping to incur the wrath of both the other side and many in our party.
The "broad middle", by any polling, wants us to leave now, or very soon after now. They are the true patriots, and they are the ones who actually do love our country, and support the troops. This middle ground that you profess to know, is simply not where you think they are. You are a good man, but you don't want to take the gloves off and fight for what is right. You want to maintain the comity and fraternalism that is Washington, at the expense of our wonderful soldiers who are literally sweating it out in hell.
Comment by Chris Calbi — September 11, 2007 @ 7:39 pm
That ad wasn't dissent. Nor cute, nor intelligent. It was an anti-American rant by a bunch of left wing political lunatics.
Comment by Robert Rosencrans — September 12, 2007 @ 8:21 am
Igor, murder crosses the line, not free speech. And free speech has to be paid for these days, since the propaganda press refuses to discuss it freely.
Comment by Gary Anderson — September 12, 2007 @ 2:51 pm
Well done Lanny. A perilous many of your D colleagues appear to have ingested serious and damaging drugs, and the paranoid ranting of the left puts to shame any lingering excesses on the right. A voice that respects good will and sincerity on both sides, without demonizing, is most welcome to an R like me.
Comment by Kendrick — September 12, 2007 @ 4:25 pm
Yay, Lanny! You're sounding more and more like your hero Joe Lieberman! Keep up the GREAT work!
Comment by Yankee Clipper — September 13, 2007 @ 1:16 pm
Kendrick, middle of the road just doesn't work. You can see how well Lanny's suggestion for the new Attorney General was received by Harry Reid when it was announced.
Comment by Igor R. — September 13, 2007 @ 5:24 pm
Free speech isn't free. Every soldier, sailor and marine is out there fighting for your right to spew the garbage that you do. And in response to that all you do is bash them and this country! Must feel great eh?
Comment by Sheryl Mallison — September 17, 2007 @ 1:46 pm
Why is it… that organizations like moveon.org, AIPAC, ADL are against public financed campaigns……
Comment by don — September 18, 2007 @ 5:04 pm
Sheryl Mallison………not all our soldiers are fighting…those that attended the military academys are taken care of……how do I know this……because my Nephew Graduated from West Point in 2006…..has he been sent to Iraq? NO…he's set-up is a cushy job in Williamsburg VA. attending College Classes at William S& Mary at night…….while many of the guard have been sent to Iraq 2 or 3 times.
Comment by don — September 18, 2007 @ 5:08 pm
You PINKO commies at move on should just do that move on to another country! You need to kiss the ground the soldiers who keep saving your sorry rears walk on! Please do us a favor and move down to Venesuela. That PINKO commie best buddy would kill you in about 10 minutes! Please leave! Please Please PLease
Live free or die in Texas
Comment by Dusty — October 1, 2007 @ 4:09 pm