Well, as long as Will has brought it up here on HA, I thought I’d chime in and say that it is most definitely NOT time for Rep. Jim McDermott to retire. Seattle is fortunate to have the luxury of sending somebody like McDermott to Congress, a bomb-thrower who speaks his mind and gives the other guys conniptions (and yes, “the other guys” are sometimes his fellow Democrats.) There is as much a need for congressmen like McDermott as there is for congressmen like Rep. Norm Dicks, and for his part, McDermott plays his role well.
Joel Connelly abuses “McDermott’s ‘amen corner'” for brooking no criticism of their congressman, but it sure seems equally fashionable these days in both conservative and liberal circles to take a one-sided look at McDermott’s record. Take for example Joel’s “blame where credit is due” depiction of McDermott’s stance on the Iraq war:
It harkens back to 2002. McDermott went on network TV from Baghdad to say Bush would lie to get us into a war. The truth of the charge will be debated for years.
But it exposed Democrats to political attack and sent party leaders running — literally to the Oval Office — to show their patriotism.
That’s right, the Iraq War was apparently all McDermott’s fault for displaying the poor judgment to go on national television and warn the American people about the truth. According to Joel, it wasn’t the Bush administration’s fault for lying us into war, nor McDermott’s colleagues’ fault for cowardly caving in to the White House — McDermott is to blame. Hell, antics aside, Joel can’t even give McDermott credit for being right. (And he was.)
Then there’s the abuse heaped on McDermott for refusing to settle Rep. John Boehner’s lawsuit. Um… if Joel had found himself in possession of a tape exposing the Republican leadership defying a House Ethics Committee mandate not to conspire against any ruling regarding Speaker Newt Gingrich… I’m guessing he would have run with it, despite the fact that it was likely taped illegally. And I’m guessing Joel would have escaped without any civil or criminal charges, just as the New York Times and Washington Post went unpunished for publishing the tape after McDermott subsequently leaked it to them. Hell, I can’t help but wonder how much more supportive the editorial pages of the Times and P-I might have been, had McDermott leaked the tapes to them instead of to their big city competitors?
The fact is, the Republican leadership was caught with their pants down, and it ultimately led to Gingrich’s resignation. McDermott deserves thanks for that, not criticism, and perhaps, maybe, a little appreciation for once again taking a principled stand in defense of his right to speak the truth, regardless of the political or financial consequences. Countless congressmen go to D.C. for a decade or two and use the influence of their office to come home multi-millionaires. McDermott comes home $800,000 in debt for refusing to back down on what he believed to be his First Amendment rights, and for this he gets roundly lambasted in the local press? What is wrong with this picture?
No doubt McDermott is not the perfect congressman, but then, who is? A little bit of pork, a little more eloquence, perhaps a dollop of political savvy would all serve McDermott and his district well. But then, a Congress composed entirely of Norm Dicks’s or Jay Inslees or Adam Smiths would be a disaster. Guys like McDermott give guys like Smith the room to be, well, Adam Smith. Flaws and all, I have always been proud to call Jim McDermott my representative.
All that said, it wouldn’t surprise me if McDermott is considering retirement, and if you’re reading this Jim, don’t listen to Joel: now is not the time. 2008 is a busy and important year, what with the White House, the governor’s mansion and WA-08 all up for grabs, and we sure as hell don’t need the drama of the inevitable 12-way primary race to replace you sucking up all our media and financial resources. If you want out, spend the next year working to elect more and better Democrats, enjoy one final term in an expanded majority, and then let the battle for your seat-for-life play itself out in 2010 when the only other high-profile race on the ballot will be another lopsided victory by Sen. Patty Murray.
Besides… I’m just not ready to run.
Bravo!
It’s so cute when the First Church of Liberal has a schism … Old Triple Chin (more chins than a Chinese phone book, as Joan Rivers used to say) vs. Bald Stealth Tranny. And is anybody surprised that BST pumps up McDermott, a crook and lying liar, while calling Bush a liar?
We know beyond all doubt that McDermott lied. We do not know that Bush lied us into Savage-Schmader invasion of Iraq. (What’s clear is that when Doorknob Dan made the coherent and compelling case for war that Bush was unable or unwilling to make, Bush was persuaded by Dan’s impeccable obscene logic and just followed along. The dope got roped.)
And when Goldstein writes that McDermott’s theft and lies ‘ultimately’ led to the retirement of Gingrich, Goldstein lies. Gingrich stepped aside when he lost seats in 1998. McDermott’s part, as usual, was drunk and comic relief, with no relief in sight. That’s why Super Chunk Connolly is finally right: We need regime change in the 7th.
goldy:
I choose McDermott over the whole lot of republican critters that have run the place – Gingrich, DeLay, Boehner and others.
When are you going to run goldy?
Maybe Dave Ross has some advice – I bet he would beat that pathetic Reichert now…especially after his votes supporting bush and against Schip (among others). Reichert was a lousy sheriff and is even a worse congresman. the guy can’t debate and waffles more than Mitt romney – in the end he votes straight bush.
@2:
Dear Maroon troll:
McDermott never stole anything – he was given the tapes. typical republican talking point – a lie.
Gingrich WAS caught lying on the tapes as was Boehner.
Get your facts straight.
goldy would make a far better congressman than any of the republicans from this state.
In fact, if you look at the pathetic job that bush and the corrupt republicans are doing – Goldy would be outstanding.
2
Are you trying to communicate in English? Anyone who writes as incoherently as you is incapable of clear thinking. You really should keep your “thoughts” to yourself instead of publicly embarrassing yourself.
Run Goldy run! On the notright ticket against Phat Joel!
@2:
Read this book on how republicans operate:
How to rig an election, Confessions of a republican operative.
by Allen Raymond
Lovely details on robocalling democrats with angry black voices and spanish speaking voices into democratic union homes to stifle the democratic vote.
this is Karl rove’s “math”
Of course, Raymond went to jail for following orders by the republican party to jam democratic phones in New Hampshire.
If you really want to learn about republican values – read the book.
Corrupt to the core = Republicans
Cheaters = Republicns
Stealing elections = Republicans
Using the Justice dept. for political advantage = Republicans
McDermott fenced stolen property. Ergo he’s a crook. McDermott lied about fencing stolen property. Ergo he’s a lying liar.
Gingrich was not caught lying on the tapes. He was caught planning strategy.
Yep, Ms. Grundy the Grammarian and leftist, got me. I dropped an article in mid-sentence. Assumed everybody would be quick enough to keep up. Should have known that one’s expectations are always too high when addressing leftists.
I used to be a left-wing lib-tard Democrat, #7. I know from the inside how your side plays the game, and I suggest you read The Dark Side of Camelot, by an obscure reporter named Sy Hersh, to understand the template used by fat-cat ‘Crats since 1960 to steal elections.
“Besides … I’m just not ready to run.” But she is. Goldstein’s ex, the shiksa chick. Very clear who had the ‘nads in THAT family. (And why did America’s Fun Couple split? My guess is that she was jealous of his infatuation with Darcy Christ Superstar.)
8
Your incomprehensibility goes far beyone the mere dropping of an article. Do you honestly think you have anything of value to say? If so, you are delusional, my dimwitted friend.
@8
McDermott fenced stolen property. Ergo he’s a crook.
“Fencing” requires a profit motive, which was not the case in this incident. Ergo, you’re a fucking retard.
Amen! Thanks Goldy, Joel is full of crap.
Bravo!
And this new push against McDermott seems to be coming from some of our most mealy mouth, corporatist local “democratic” politicos. They just can’t wait to be another voice for Microsoft/Starbucks/Boeing etc in the congress. Are any of you going to be happier with Jennie Durkan or (vomit)Dwight Pelz or (super vomit)Adam Kline? The same people who just sold us out in the prosecutor’s race?
@5:
Sheesh! I’m glad it wasn’t just me! :-)
WADT Goldy
I see two parts ot Goldy’s argument. One is the issue of 08.
I would argue that this depends on WHO is available and WHO has the resources. If, for example, Ron Sims wanted to do this I do not think there would be an issue.
The problem her eis one of leadership. In a better run party, the effort to groom a replacement would be underway now.
The second is whther to replace Jim.
Nonone here would question McD as an outspoken advocate of issues important to us all. The issue is not his courage, it is his effectiveness. Patty Murry has shown that one can be outspoken AND effective. This District offers an awful lot that could be support for a powerful Congressperson.
Bottomline, I think that this WOULD be the time for McD to resign IF there is a really great candidate that McD can endorse. If not, then 2010 is fine too, BUT the effort to get there should have already begun ..perhaps as suggested by Joel, as part of an effort to pay of Jim’s debt.
I love the fact that Connelly plays to liberal greed: GO AWAY JIMMYDUD AND WE’LL PAY YOUR LEGAL BILLS.
What a hoot.
I can’t wait for goldstein the darcy pimp to run. Every single word he’s placed on this site instantly becomes fair game to use against him.
Ah … Lee … the free-speech absolutist who can’t or won’t tolerate dissent. Being called a fucking retard by a wanker and poufter like you is sort-of a compliment. Being called a violent retard by a retard like pudless lucy is even better.
You’re no friend of mine, leftist. I’m no friend of yours.
My friends, in order of importance, are Roger Rabbit and Mr. Goldstein. The excellent Piper, a gentleman and Baptist, wants to reform my friend Roger in a reformatory, rehabilitate him in rehab, or detoxify him in detox. I am more friendly and merciful. I want to put the Rabbit out of his misery.
My friend Goldstein isn’t worth the effort: check my earlier post re media consolidation.
@18
Ah … Lee … the free-speech absolutist who can’t or won’t tolerate dissent.
Hold your horses there cowboy! I most certainly tolerate dissent. The comment is still there, right? I just cherish my right to point out when another person’s dissent proves that they’re a fucking retard. And the comment at #8, which you referred to McDermott’s actions as “fencing”, was clearly an indication that you’re a fucking retard.
Being called a fucking retard by a wanker and poufter like you is sort-of a compliment.
Whatever helps you cry yourself to sleep at night, champ!
Lee @ 20
You don’t understand. The wingnuts’ constitutionally protected right to say something stupid isn’t the same as your constitutionally protect right to point out the stupidity of what they say.
There is such a weird quality to the McDermott haters. They are always at their most foaming when he once again is right (correct) on some issue that the politicos are blathering over to muss up the truth. He was right on the War, and boy are they never going to let him forget their anger that they were wrong (and stupid and blind, etc.). He is right even on the silly Christmas validation vote. It was put up there by one of the very worst ultra-wingnut Republicans; it does nothing but recognize a fact (might as well have been a resolution that night happens in the dark). Moreover it is another of those inane GOP ploys to stir up some stupidity to appeal to the stupidest of their voters. Good for McD for not playing that game.
And the tape issue is nothing more than an attempt by GOP to shift attention away from the real criminals and towards someone who got the truth out in the open. And shame on them again. And shame on the gutless Democrats who get euchred into playing the GOP stupidities.
@21
Yeah, I seem to always forget that…
Just more empty hatred from the Wrong……er, Right. How boring.
Jim will always get my vote, and if he’s not on the ballot, my write-in.
He’s my Congressman, and I’m proud of him.
All mealy-mouthed “Democrats” (most of whom don’t know what being a Democrat means) who rail against McDermott can kiss my ruddy red ass.
typo @18,
What that I use foul language? I’m not afraid of my record.
Hell, yes, the P-I would have run with it if they had the tape … and thanks to McDermott’s victories in the earlier stages of the 11-year legal battle (up to and including the DC Court of Appeals en banc split decision earlier this year), they’d be within their legal rights.
These days, of course, the GOP conspiracy audio (never heard in public, and not likely to be heard now) would have gone straight to the blogs by the next day, and people on all sides could make up their own minds.
Note: Media amici filing in support of Jim’s position include the P-I’s parent Hearst Corporation. As for the Seattle Times, we can only speculate.
Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
ABC, Inc.
Advance Publications, Inc.
The Associated Press
Belo Corporation
Cable News Network LP, LLLP
CBS Corporation
Daily News, L.P.
The Hearst Corporation
Magazine Publishers of America
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
NBC Universal, Inc.
The New York Times Company
Newsweek, Inc.
NYP Holdings, Inc.
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Time, Inc.
The Washington Post
The issue isn’t so much one of “leadership” as it is of the rest of the Democrat herd having so much as a trace of backbone. Jim at least has consistently had the guts to speak the unvarnished truth. Unfortunately, you’d think that Pelosi and Hoyer were still cowering under the thumb of DeLay or Gingrich, and Ried seems to spend most of his time running around trying to find Bill Frist’s ass to kiss.
“McDermott deserves thanks for that, not criticism, and perhaps, maybe, a little appreciation for once again taking a principled stand in defense of his right to speak the truth, regardless of the political or financial consequences.”
McDermott deserves more than our thanks for leaking that tape of unethical Republicans plotting a criminal conspiracy; he deserves the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It will have to come from the next president, though. Chimpface doesn’t believe in freedom.
Hey you limp-dick liberals:
McDimWitt acquired a tape which broke the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 (ECPA) law of 1986, eavesdropping by two US citizens using illegal police scanner in their car and then recording it (2 laws broken) being Gingrich and Boehner are United States Citizens and you guys say that’s great and wonderful, but if the US Govmint eavesdrop on a call from the US to a terrorist that’s a no-no?
Hmmm… You limp-dick liberals are strange!
Typical, so typical.
Oh is this a right wing talking point? Hmmm… ? Or is it just common sense?
RonK@28: Thanks for putting together the list of liberal MSM types!
This really helps.
@31
No one’s saying that what the couple did wasn’t illegal or shouldn’t be. But what McDermott did can rationally be argued not to be. He did not make the recording, he only passed it along. By the logic of many of McDermott’s detractors, you could be breaking the law by unknowingly buying something on Ebay that someone else determined that you should have known was originally obtained illegally.
Lee, I really suggest you read what the ECPA says about handling illegally made phone recordings. In other words for your simpleton friends – he violated the federal wiretapping law (ECPA) by illegally disclosing the contents of an illegally intercepted cell phone conference call (police scanner).
Does this help Lee?
And since these are US Citizens what are the FISA issues here? They be Americans right?
Sorry but your EBay argument doesn’t wash. If EBay knowing accepts stolen articles then I’d agree. McDimWitt knowingly accepted the illegally made tapes then plays the malignant idiot card?
NOPE!
@35
FISA has nothing to do with this. There’s obviously a difference between the government spying on us and American citizens spying on one another. What the Florida couple was doing was certainly illegal (and way creepy), but I don’t believe that McDermott’s actions were illegal (although I agree that he didn’t use very good judgement).
Dear Miserable Cretin calling himself “Puddybud” (the dumbest of dumb handles):
Just BACK OFF you fucking ignorant, pinheaded little christianist hack.
You only care about advancing your little religionist agenda. You sir, are no better than the jihadists you say you hate so much, and will only be happy when we all live under YOUR little version of bullshit laws and religious observances.
You are no republican nor are you a democrat…NOR are you an adequate citizen of this democratic republic. You embarass yourself with your moronic arguments and trivializations of important issues.
Besides…aren’t the “end times” coming anyway? Why do you give a flying fuck what the unsaved masses are doing? Run along and get your little supplies ready for your ark or spaceship or whatever is gonna get you the fuck away from the rest of us…
…AND LEAVE MY CONGRESSSMAN ALONE!!!
That Congressman McDermott had even a small part in bringing down the evil Gingrich and the odious “Contract ON America” should forever cement his legacy as a great American Patriot.
And…that goes for the rest of you Democracy-hating fascists as well.
We could do a helluva lot worse than Jim, but we could also do better IMHO. I do think Jim should have gotten the new evening slot on KIRO 710.
Rujax. Easy boy.
@38
Just BACK OFF you fucking ignorant, pinheaded little christianist hack.
You only care about advancing your little religionist agenda. You sir, are no better than the jihadists you say you hate so much, and will only be happy when we all live under YOUR little version of bullshit laws and religious observances.
First, put down the mouse and just back away from the computer. Don’t want you to hurt yourself.
Second, now that you’ve just compared ~79% of the US population to “jihadists”, I think it’s clear that you and your representative for life, Baghdad Jim, are the extremists and out of the mainstream.
Merrry Christmas
Sighhh …
I am not a lawyer but my guess is that JM DID break the law. S the Fuck what?
Among other law breakers I can think of, there are:
MLK, Gandhi, Alinski, the Wobblies, John Hancock, Sam Adams, Benjy Franklin, FD Roosevelt, …
BTW. GW Bush et al seem to be pretty good at breaking the law too.
Sometimes law breaking is the only ethical answer!
Something odious arrived on HorsesASSHoles.
Ohhhh… Dearest Rudejacks!
Wow so many of these liberal HorsesASSHoles live in McDimWitt’s district. This really says something for the “finest” minds in Seattle.
Where did I bring my Christianity to this thread? Please show me the URL? Citation? Blog Entry? Just don’t show me the rudejacks! fart stain.
You still are one of the five original dull knives. Who pulled you out of the drawer?
I see malignant malleable mindless ignorant idiot syndrome has attacked you again. I prescribed some Fukitol but you must have run out of your medication.
The ECPA law was written and passed by a democrat congress. And………. I am not sorry that your little single celled amoeba organism called a brain just exploded.
The truth is the truth. McDimWitt broke ECPA. Too bad you and Lee can’t stand the truth.
It cements his legacy he owes almost $800K.
So as
So as YLB – The Clueless One ™ AKA
Yelling Libby Blatherer – The Clueless One ™ AKA
Yelling Loser Bozo – The Clueless One ™ AKA
M2I2 Malleable Minded Ignorant Idiot ™
I mean Goober said – Send Jim your pennies. He’ll need almost 80 million of them!
Hay Jim fans …
I can not speak for Joel (though we do have a similar rotund impact on society.
BUT, I do not see what he said as McD bashing at all. What McD’s fandom needs to understand is that we do not elect spokespeople for Congress any more than, hopefully, we elct sex stars, baseball players, or poets.
Sure it is good and fine to have someone who is outspoken and some of McD;s acts speak well for all of us. I for one am proud of his breaking the effin law in re the tapes.
BUT, to his fans, tell me how ELSE he serves olur interests. What legislation has he sponsored or how has he gotten the feds to pay attention to some need imortant to you (or I)?
I am NOT talkng about pork of either the Lazy B sort or the sushi Congress likley doles out to Redmond. I would admire our Senator in Tennies MORE of she made Boeing earn an honest living. But, even w/o pork, there are many issues we folks on cap hill care about and I have yet to see any trickle down from the toes of our rep.
HOWSA about this.
What if Sunny Jim were to anounce that at 71, with demo majority, he feels this would be a good time to run for a lst term. He could then offer, in effect, to vet his own successor, meeting with Richard Pope, Ron Sims, Joel Connely, Goldy, .. with anyone who wnated to succeed him.
As they say, I’ld buy that.
PuttyButt @ 32 — Thanks for identifying the Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, and Belo Corp as “liberal MSM types”.
It really helps identify how far off-planet your perspective is.
Sadly RonK you think I can’t discern the various right and left papers.
All I need is YLB – The Clueless One ™ AKA
Yelling Libby Blatherer – The Clueless One ™ AKA
Yelling Loser Bozo – The Clueless One ™ AKA
M2I2 Malleable Minded Ignorant Idiot ™ to remind me which are which.
Did you forget his latest Murdoch Scaife screech?
“criminal conspiracy …” “Christianist hack …”
Typical left-wing Lee-wing moonbat asshat (Mc)Dimwittery.
There was no criminal conspiracy being discussed in the stolen communication that McDermott fenced. Gin-grinch was planning or plotting a response to a House ethics inquiry. Criminal had nothing to do with it. Neither did civil, pun intended.
House Democrat Horsesasses had thrown dozens of smears, against Newt, at the wall to see if any would stick. The 75th or 76th smear sort of stuck, and Newt was stuck with the problem of how to respond. That was not a criminal conspiracy.
The criminal conspiracy, adjudicated, regarded Baghdad Jim’s lies about the fencing of stolen property. That’s why you fat cats have been holding Liberally Drunk Jim Defense-Fund Fundraisers.
(Lee, of course, is too damn dumb to understand any of this, so he should go back to his usual occupation of shoveling shit into the wind. It’s what he does best.)
McDermott’s tape episode mainly shows a lack of competence. He could have released it on the House floor, where the Constitution gives him immunity. But he didn’t want to take responsbility so he released it surreptiously, but got caught. When Boehner sued him for his violation of the eavesdropping statute, he could have settled for $50,000 in attorney fees and said he was sorry. He didn’t want to say he’s sorry, so he ran up Boehner’s attorney fees to around a million dollars and now he says he can’t afford to pay. Why didn’t he think of that earlier?
whats wrong with inslee?