Holy Joe Bewails Free Speech

by emptywheel

MoveOn has a hot new ad in today's NYT pointing out that Petraeus' statements differ from all the known metrics out there. And boy has it made Sanctimonious Joe pissed. Not surprisingly, Joe is trying to call in those chits he got for agreeing to caucus with the Democrats in January.

The personal attack on Gen. David Petraeus launched today by Moveon.org is an outrageous and despicable act of slander that every member of the Congress -- Democrat and Republican -- has a solemn responsibility to condemn.

General Petraeus has served his country honorably and selflessly for over thirty-five years. He has risked his life in combat and accepted lengthy deployments away from his family to defend our nation and its citizens from its enemies. For this, he deserves the respect, admiration, and gratitude of every American -- not the disgraceful slander of Moveon.org.

It has been widely reported that Moveon.org has worked closely over the past months with many members of the Democratic Party in coordinating their efforts to derail the strategy that General Petraeus has been leading in Iraq.

[snip]

As a member of the Senate Democratic caucus, I therefore call on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to denounce Moveon.org in no uncertain terms for its vile attack on Gen. Petraeus. General Petraeus deserves no less.

Mind you, Joe doesn't address the central allegation that MoveOn makes--that Petraeus is lying to Congress. Which he'd have to do to prove his own accusations about slander. Rather, Sanctimonious Joe says we've got to honor Generals, even if they lie to us.

If I were MoveOn, I'd lodge a legal complaint against Joe for alleging that MoveOn and the Democrats are violating restrictions on 527s and PACs.

Comments

[P J Evans]

Can we censor Joe for lying about being anything other than a shill for the maladministration?

[AZ Matt]

Duncan Hunter is upset over the MoveOn ad. The Republicans are in sync with with Joe.

[Bill Melater]

Sanctimonious SOB should be reminded of a saying out in the real world: "You're only as good as your last job."

Applied to General Betrayus, this would be revised to: "You're only as honest as the last time you told the truth."

[JEP]

one-word edit;
"If I were C.R.E.W. I'd lodge a legal complaint against Joe for alleging that MoveOn and the Democrats are violating restrictions on 527s and PACs."

Just a suggestion...

[Elvis Elvisberg]

It's a stupid, counterproductive, distracting ad.

The focus oughtta be on the numbers, but the noise about this stupid ad will practically drown it out.

Yes, that's because the GOP is immoral, noisy, and fact-averse, and because the media sucks. But that's the lay of the land.

[phred]

Elvis, I disagree. MoveOn and the lefty blogosphere have been trying with limited success to point out that there is a lot of fiction where the WH and the punditocracy declare facts. With this ad MoveOn will draw a lot of attention to the discrepancies. Yes, Holy Joe & the Rethugs will wail and scream about how mean we all are, but that will give progressives a very big megaphone to discuss the facts of the matter. The question remains however, whether they will make use of the megaphone that's just been handed to them. I'm guessing Pelosi and Reid will yet again crumble rather than take advantage of the gift they have just been handed.

[rukus]

Applied to General Betrayus, this would be revised to: "You're only as honest as the last time you told the truth."

Shouldn't this be: You are only as honest as the last time that you told a lie.

As with these people, they tell a lot of lies---why ever believe anything that they say? Even if they do tell the truth every once in a blue moon. (Actually I don't even think this.)

If you don't lie, then you are honest.

Eh, I don't know why I am arguing this.

[Maalox]

Looks like Joe is hiding his crotch behind the lectern again. Must have pissed his pants again. He gets a little cranky when other folks see or smell his urine.

He'll make a great spokesmodel for Depends Undergarments someday.

[norbizness]

Unfortunately, as a realist, I have to concede that Elvis is right. MoveOn can try to get free publicity in a way that their experts know will make it about the concrete distortions of the Pentagon and the partisan record of General Petraeus rather than about whether they are important as a progressive mouthpiece.

[Cara]

Funny how the GOP didn't denounce the Swift Boaters for their statements about Kerry.....

[Cara]

Funny how the GOP didn't denounce the Swift Boaters for their statements about Kerry.....

[Cara]

Funny how the GOP didn't denounce the Swift Boaters for their statements about Kerry.....

[Cara]

Funny how the GOP didn't denounce the Swift Boaters for their statements about Kerry.....

[Cara]

Funny how the GOP didn't denounce the Swift Boaters for their statements about Kerry.....

[JEP]

Move-On is appealing to their base... We, the People.

Which is not some "lefty" collection of closet commies, it is all of us.

No doubt, many of Move On's managers proudly claim the "Lefty" label, but the essence of the movement isn't right or left or center, Move On has NEVER been about "lefty politics," it has ALWAYS been about peace and justice.

When did those become "Lefty" concepts?

[pseudonymous in nc]

As a member of the Senate Democratic cau--

Oh, fuck off, Joe. Whatever happened to your petty cash fund last year, anyway?

Let the fucker jump. Heck, kick him off his committee and go to sharing chairs with the GOP. His committee is a joke as it is.

[DHinMI]

Agreed with Elvis and norbizness. In such a target-rich environment, that was a stupid targeting decision, especially since the public thinks we should start leaving Iraq, regardless of whether or not we're making military progress. The public appears to respect Petreus, but they don't give a crap about his report. Stuff like the MoveOn ad just help the GOP to legitimize a report that currently isn't likely to have any effect at persuading the public that we should stay in Iraq.

[JEP]

"General Petraeus has served his country honorably and selflessly for over thirty-five years."

But today, instead, he served his commander in chief, not the American People.

Shades of Alberto Gonzales!

Protect the President, not the Constitution.

[P J Evans]

The public appears to respect Petreus

The public respected MacArthur and LeMay, too, right up until it became clear they were putting the country second. H*ll, they probably respected Arnold (Benedict, not Hap).

[DHinMI]

So should we spend time and attention attacking a guy they respect but who isn't persuading them to change their beliefs and desire us to stay longer in Iraq, or should we just brush past him and not elevate his standing in the public eye?

[oldtree]

Old dull Joe has forgotten he works for us. He is demanding the end to free speech, and yet still called a democrat? still given a committee seat? this is insane Mr. Reid. End it.

[Sally]

The word went forth: Trash the MoveOn ad. The functionaries are in full throat--Hunter, Ros-?, Gergen, Matthews--with more to follow. One must never forget the sensibilities of the Republic thugs and their minions. How sweet it would be if the right's vocal indignation over "Betray Us" serves to highlight the truth of the facts presented in the ad.

[Chris Andersen]

It has been widely reported that Moveon.org has worked closely over the past months with many members of the Democratic Party in coordinating their efforts to derail the strategy that General Petraeus has been leading in Iraq.

So is Joe really accusing the Democratic Party of deliberately undermining a military effort? Isn't that called treason? Does Joe Lieberman really think the Democratic Party is committing treason?

[P J Evans]

Chris @ 16:28

Yes.
The GOP has said so many times, back into Bush 41's time, so it must be true. [/sarcasm]

[Neil]

The personal attack on Petraeus' veracity bumps it up a notch. Usually, this approach causes the underlying issue to be given short coverage and the hullabaloo more than it merits.

In this case, you've got to wonder if Sanctimonious Joe, defnder of military defenders, and his Republican brethren haven't just picked a fight with the 65% majority that already wonders if Bush has Petreaus under order to sell the war, again.

It's rich that whimpering Joe is the man to step forward to protect Gneral Petraeus' honor.