Patrap's WunderBlog

Keep on Rockin n the Free World

Posted by: Patrap, 09:33 PM GMT del 19 Luglio 2012

Keep on Rockin' in the Free World"..

McCain Channels Joseph Welch: Decimates Bachmann for Attack on Muslim Clinton Aide

POSTED BY JOE GANDELMAN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF IN FEATURED ARTICLES, POLITICS, RELIGION, SOCIETY.
JUL 19TH, 2012

Arizona Senator John McCain is one of American politics’ most complex political figures After becoming a political and cultural hero in the late 1990s into 2000 due to the story of his incredible bravery while in the military, in recent years as he ran for President in an ill-fated campaign and faced a potentially tough challenger for re-election to the Senate he seemingly good-bye to his former constituency of moderates who admired him for being somewhat unpredictable in politics — as someone who could transcend partisanship. But yesterday he returned to old form, channeling the late Joseph Welch, the head counsel for the United States Army while it was under investigation by Joseph McCarthy’s Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations for Communist activities.

The issue: Republican Tea Party icon Rep. Michele Bachmann’s McCarthy-like phoney charges against a top aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Huma Abedin, who happens to be a Muslim. And in doing so several things happened:

McCain slipped back into his old identity of the former Prisoner of War who seem to not quite fit into the cookie-cutter mold of making partisan pronouncements aimed at blasting the other side and defending his own but speaking forcefully on issues to try and further define his vision of what America really is and should be.
He pushed Bachmann back into her old pre-Republican primary status: as a far right Republican on the fringe of mainstream party thought and, instead, one who deserves to be in the political Twlight — or shun — Zone.
His comments gave at least one prominent GOPer a chance to back up McCain in no uncertain terms, further cementing her status as someone who in past times would be labelled by people in BOTH parties with this word: “extremist.”
It gave Bachmann a chance to redefine her position — which she eventually refused to do. This means she’ll be out of the maintream but perhaps could get a spot as a provocative paid Fox News commentator or get a nationally syndicated talk show of her own when her district’s voters tire of her.
It ended her viability as a credible Republican presidential candidate in the future since there will be Republicans (including many thoughtful conservatives) who’ll consider her too extreme.
Here’s the LA Time’s account of McCain’s comments:

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) came to an unexpected and impassioned defense of Huma Abedin, a top aide to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, saying that “sinister accusations” by congressional conservatives about her alleged connection to the Muslim Brotherhood must end.

The attacks have been led by Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), the chairwoman of the tea party caucus in the House, and four other lawmakers, who have asked federal officials to investigate whether Abedin, a Muslim American who is deputy chief of staff at the State Department, is influencing U.S. policy in ways beneficial to the pan-Arab Islamic group.

Abedin is one of Clinton’s closest aides, and former President Clinton presided at her wedding. The lawmakers cite an online report that alleges Abedin’s relatives, including her deceased father, have connections to the Muslim Brotherhood.

“These attacks on Huma have no logic, no basis and no merit. And they need to stop now,” said McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee and its top voice on defense policy. “I have every confidence in Huma’s loyalty to our country, and everyone else should as well. All Americans owe Huma a debt of gratitude for her many years of superior public service. I hope these ugly and unfortunate attacks on her can be immediately brought to an end and put behind us before any further damage is done to a woman, an American, of genuine patriotism and love of country.”

McCain acknowledged the unusual nature of his decision to come to the Senate floor to speak about a particular individual. But he said he was compelled to do so to protect her character and reputation in the face of attacks being made “without concern for fact or fairness.”

“Huma represents what is best about America: the daughter of immigrants, who has risen to the highest levels of our government on the basis of her substantial personal merit and her abiding commitment to the American ideals that she embodies so fully,” said McCain, who said he had seen Abedin in action overseas, at Clinton’s side. “I am proud to know Huma, and to call her my friend.”

Bachmann and the other lawmakers singled out various individuals for scrutiny in a series of letters late last week to the inspectors general at several departments, including State, Defense and Homeland Security. They are seeking investigations into the alleged ties of these individuals, who work for or advise the agencies, to the Muslim Brotherhood.

Here’s the video of his comments in full:

From Wikipedia, this account of Welch finally saying for all to hear who McCarthy really was:

Until this moment, Senator, I think I have never really gauged your cruelty or your recklessness. Fred Fisher is a young man who went to the Harvard Law School and came into my firm and is starting what looks to be a brilliant career with us. Little did I dream you could be so reckless and so cruel as to do an injury to that lad. It is true he is still with Hale and Dorr. It is true that he will continue to be with Hale and Dorr. It is, I regret to say, equally true that I fear he shall always bear a scar needlessly inflicted by you. If it were in my power to forgive you for your reckless cruelty I would do so. I like to think I am a gentle man but your forgiveness will have to come from someone other than me.

When McCarthy tried to renew his attack, Welch interrupted him:

Senator, may we not drop this? We know he belonged to the Lawyers Guild. Let us not assassinate this lad further, Senator. You’ve done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?

McCarthy tried to ask Welch another question about Fisher, and Welch cut him off:

Mr. McCarthy, I will not discuss this further with you. You have sat within six feet of me and could have asked me about Fred Fisher. You have seen fit to bring it out. And if there is a God in Heaven it will do neither you nor your cause any good. I will not discuss it further.

The gallery erupted in applause.

Part of the commentary by Bachmann’s former consultant Ed Rollins on the Fox News website, titled: Bachmann’s former campaign chief — shame on you, Michele. (Rollins’ reaction proves “great minds think alike”):

I have been a practitioner of tough politics for many decades. There is little that amazes me and even less that shocks me. I have to say that Congresswoman Michele Bachmann’s outrageous and false charges against a top aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Huma Abedin reaches that threshold.

Her unsubstantiated charge against Abedin, a widely respected top aide to Secretary Hillary Clinton, accusing her of some sort of far-fetched connection to the Muslim brotherhood, is extreme and dishonest.

Having worked for Congressman Bachman’s campaign for president, I am fully aware that she sometimes has difficulty with her facts, but this is downright vicious and reaches the late Senator Joe McCarthy level. (Joe McCarthy falsely made claims that there were large numbers of Communists and Soviet spies inside the State Department in the early 1950’s. On December 2, 1954, the Senate voted to “condemn” McCarthy on two counts.)

Senator John McCain, an American hero, stood on the floor of the Senate Wednesday and condemned Mrs. Bachmann, if not by name then by her actions:

In that sentence, Rollins removed any political figleaf Bachmann or her supporters on the political moon had that McCain really wasn’t talking about here. Rollins recounts McCain’s speech, then ends:

The Republican Party, which John McCain led as our nominee in 2008, is going to become irrelevant if we become the party of intolerance and hate. The party founded by Abraham Lincoln was a party that fought slavery and intolerance at every level.

I can assure Mrs. Bachmann, that Ms. Abedin has been thru every top clearance available and would never have been given her position with any questions of her loyalty to this country.

As a member of Congress, with a seat on the House Intelligence Committee, Mrs. Bachmann you know better. Shame on you, Michele! You should stand on the floor of the House and apologize to Huma Abedin and to Secretary Clinton and to the millions of hard working,loyal, Muslim Americans for your wild and unsubstantiated charges. As a devoted Christian, you need to ask forgiveness for this grievous lack of judgment and reckless behavior.

And Bachmann’s response? She refuses to back down. Here’s part of the CBS News account, which includes their putting it into a larger context.:

But Bachmann and the others wrote, “Huma Abedin has three family members — her late father, her mother and her brother — connected to Muslim Brotherhood operatives and/or organizations.”

Minnesota’s Keith Ellison, the nation’s first Muslim congressman, says, “Our country has gone through a McCarthy period. We cannot allow America to go back to another one.”

He said the letters reminded him of the 1950s-era witch hunt for Communists in the government, and called Bachmann’s evidence misleading and fake.

“It’s like a bizarre game of six degrees of separation. She mentions that her father, who has been dead for two decades, knew a guy who knew a guy who knew a guy who was connected to the Muslim brotherhood in some unspecified way!” Ellison said.

Abedin is a 37-year-old new mother who has graced the pages of Vogue. She is married to former New York Rep. Anthony Weiner, who is Jewish and a fierce defender of Israel.

Weiner resigned in disgrace last year after his provocative texts to female supporters were made public.

In this week’s People magazine, the two said they have worked hard to repair their marriage. “I’m proud to be married to him,” Abedin said.

This isn’t the first time that Bachmann has let her suspicions outpace the facts.

Last year, she suggested, falsely, that HPV vaccines might cause mental retardation.

And in 2009, she urged the media to look into the loyalties of her congressional colleagues. “Are they pro-America or anti-America?” she asked. “I think the American people would love to see an expose like that.”

CBS News asked all five House members for an interview about the letters they sent, but none agreed.

In a statement, Bachmann did not back down, saying she would “not be silent as this administration appeases our enemies” and saying she wants a full investigation into the Muslim Brotherhood.

Create your own visitor map

Permalink | A A A

Top of Page

Reader Comments

Display: 0, 50, 100, 200

Sort: Newest First - Order Posted

Viewing: 1 - 20

Page: 1 — Blog Index

1. Patrap 09:37 PM GMT del 19 Luglio 2012
Member Since: Luglio 3, 2005 Posts: 370 Comments: 111244

2. Patrap 12:22 AM GMT del 20 Luglio 2012
Timing is everything. GOP senators block top Obama jobs initiative - CNN.com www.cnn.com Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked the No.1 item on the president's congressional "to-do-list," refusing to allow a vote on a bill that would give tax breaks for companies that "insource" jobs to the U.S. from overseas while eliminating tax deductions for companies that move jobs abroad. Member Since: Luglio 3, 2005 Posts: 370 Comments: 111244

4. Patrap 01:36 AM GMT del 20 Luglio 2012
Wall Photos by: Firing Rick Scott Member Since: Luglio 3, 2005 Posts: 370 Comments: 111244

5. Patrap 01:21 PM GMT del 20 Luglio 2012
Member Since: Luglio 3, 2005 Posts: 370 Comments: 111244

6. ycd0108 01:53 PM GMT del 20 Luglio 2012
Morning Pat: Just a little rain falling here this morn. The "Grey Wet" Coast is comfortably Numb. I'm not sure what the Bachmann female is sayin' but we used to call the band "Bachmann Turner Overweight". Member Since: Gennaio 1, 2008 Posts: 141 Comments: 3432

7. MariettaMoon 02:02 PM GMT del 20 Luglio 2012
The lunatic fringe on the right. Member Since: Giugno 11, 2011 Posts: 36 Comments: 676

9. Patrap 06:45 PM GMT del 20 Luglio 2012
U betcha LC...,MariettaMoon LOL Member Since: Luglio 3, 2005 Posts: 370 Comments: 111244

10. Patrap 10:17 PM GMT del 20 Luglio 2012
Guns death and noise Sand oil and blood Frontiers drawn on paper No consideration made for The poor creature who is living By the grace of God just giving He's live on network news Live on network news Flags, princes, kings Patriotic fools As freedom lies in twisted heaps Whose final breath his soul to keep Whose greatest foe, the endless sleep Whose dying wish to reach next week A bloody star on the network news A bloody star on the network news Tanks, boats and planes Fire, pain and lies Environmental terrorists Tease propaganda's paper fist Whose trade is all the truth that fits Who often lies but never sits But on the fence it's the network news Yes on the fence it's network news Hallelujah, hallelujah, .. oil, oil Hallelujah, hallelujah, .. oil, oil Ooh yeah, ooh yeah Ooh yeah, ooh yeah The lion and the serpent parade out in the sun All order flex and gesture All hail, the techno infidel has come With satellite bravado and infra-red texture Beyond these days in time to come Whose fate is it to measure Upon these sands such damage done To spoil Gods finest treasure Oh Beyond these days in time to come Whose fate is it to measure Upon these sands such damage done To spoil Gods finest treasure I believe, I believe, I believe .... Hallelujah, hallelujah ... oil oil Hallelujah, hallelujah ... oil oil Beyond these days in time to come Oh, whose fate is it to measure Ohh Beyond these days in time to come Who, oh, who is it to measure, oh Hallelujah, hallelujah Guns death and noise Sand oil and blood Guns death and noise Sand oil and blood Member Since: Luglio 3, 2005 Posts: 370 Comments: 111244

11. Patrap 12:48 AM GMT del 21 Luglio 2012
Now, red is urgent, green's a let off And the score shows just another spin off Orange dance and brown in old Grey is weary, don't touch gold In the fireworks, away from the heat Behind closed doors, away from the street No-one is listening, at least that's what you think Cause a slow fuse burns, much faster than you think Like the new look, all that matters Through the last one, back in the shadows Purple each one [leaf swam?], yellow Silver his wound, and don't touch gold Dance through the coloured razzamatazz Spin alone desert affairs Reckless love is creeping on you Now watch her ways [Watch out, reckless] 'Cos reckless love will drive you crazy Will wear your mind out [The way you wind up] Creeps up on you when you don't know It'll find out, ah Reckless love, reckless love Oh reckless love, reckless love Oh yeah Waste with my heart to the top of a kiss Tried my desire to take in at your ears Breakin' my heart for it's all I own Crazy with my heart Ah come on, in these times I'm alone Crazy with my heart Other the arms that held me so tight Crazy with my heart Stuck in my mind with you in the night Feelin' reckless, feelin' reckless, reckless love Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh, oh Ooh reckless, oh, reckless love, reckless love Reckless love, reckless love Reckless love, reckless love Reckless love, reckless love Burn, oh baby burn Feel it creepin' up on you Reckless love, reckless love Now, now, now Reckless love, oh, oh, yeah Come on, come on, come on, come on Reckless, get it Reckless love, reckless love Ooh, oh, oh, oh, oh, yes Member Since: Luglio 3, 2005 Posts: 370 Comments: 111244

12. Patrap 04:33 PM GMT del 21 Luglio 2012
Far four winds blow There's trouble and it won't go I'd really like to help you but you know Truth twist - liars dance Money, money - greed, chance Let's take a little more before we go Cause we won't be back again No we won't be back again Trees cry - men bow Kneel before the fatted cow Let's take a little moo before we go We won't be back again No we won't be back again Oh we won't be back again Tell me Jesus what to do A little time for me, and none for you Just leave it to the lady who's sure She won't be back again I know she won't be back again I'm sure she won't be back again Oh she won't be back again Member Since: Luglio 3, 2005 Posts: 370 Comments: 111244

13. auburn (Mod) 04:39 PM GMT del 21 Luglio 2012
Ya can identify a few just from the map...LOL Member Since: Agosto 27, 2006 Posts: 538 Comments: 46631

14. Patrap 04:44 PM GMT del 21 Luglio 2012
U betch-a sweet bippy Aub. LoL Member Since: Luglio 3, 2005 Posts: 370 Comments: 111244

15. Naga5000 04:47 PM GMT del 21 Luglio 2012
This kind of rhetoric by Bachmann is not surprising. In the past decade, we have seen a small fringe switch over to the old McCarthy-esque techniques. From my neck of the woods, Alan West is on the democrats for being not only secret communists, but being actual members of the communist party. Link You can hear other versions of this rhetoric every time Obama is called a socialist, or with the synonymous use of terms like liberal and intellectual elite. There is no time for debate only demonization. Member Since: Giugno 1, 2010 Posts: 1 Comments: 458

16. auburn (Mod) 05:02 PM GMT del 21 Luglio 2012
Does "The other"blog still post on here?haven't seen it on the page in awhile.. Member Since: Agosto 27, 2006 Posts: 538 Comments: 46631

17. Patrap 05:03 PM GMT del 21 Luglio 2012
There's another Blog? ACK..!! Member Since: Luglio 3, 2005 Posts: 370 Comments: 111244

18. Patrap 05:51 PM GMT del 21 Luglio 2012
In 3 Minutes at 17:54 UTC 21 July 1969, 43 years ago this afternoon Apollo 11's Eagle with Moonwalkers Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin lifted off from Tranquility base to rendezvous with Mike Collins in orbit aboard Columbia, the Command Module. Weather was not a factor. Member Since: Luglio 3, 2005 Posts: 370 Comments: 111244

19. Patrap 02:30 AM GMT del 22 Luglio 2012
He came dancing across the water With his galleons and guns Looking for the new world In that palace in the sun. On the shore lay Montezuma With his coca leaves and pearls In his halls he often wondered With the secrets of the worlds. And his subjects gathered 'round him Like the leaves around a tree In their clothes of many colors For the angry gods to see. And the women all were beautiful And the men stood straight and strong They offered life in sacrifice So that others could go on. Hate was just a legend And war was never known The people worked together And they lifted many stones. They carried them to the flatlands But they died along the way And they built up with their bare hands What we still can't do today. And I know she's living there And she loves me to this day I still can't remember when Or how I lost my way. He came dancing across the water Cortez, Cortez What a killer. Member Since: Luglio 3, 2005 Posts: 370 Comments: 111244

20. ycd0108 03:08 AM GMT del 22 Luglio 2012
"Keep on Rockin'" Sympathy for the lady on the Base Guitar. Probably told you the story of sitting in a bar in Chang Mai and "Tuk" coming on stage with: "There is a town in north Ontario" Member Since: Gennaio 1, 2008 Posts: 141 Comments: 3432

Viewing: 1 - 20

Page: 1 — Blog Index

Top of Page

New Comment

Community Standards Policy Comments will take a few seconds to appear.

Post Your Comments

Please sign in to post comments.

or Join

Not only will you be able to leave comments on this blog, but you'll also have the ability to upload and share your photos in our Wunder Photos section.

About Patrap

Tropical Blogs

Tropical Weather Stickers®

Contact This Author

Local Weather

New Orleans, Louisiana

85 °F

Nubi sparse

Detailed Conditions & Forecast

Recent Photos

Patrap's Wunder Photos

Previous Entries for 2013

Uptown New Orleans, LA
Elevation:	20 ft
Temperatura:	84.7 °F
Punto di rugiada:	68.0 °F
Umidità:	57%
Vento:	3.1 mph from the SO
Raffiche di vento:	7.4 mph
Updated: 05:18 PM CDT del 18 Maggio 2013 Station History