the Right Angler
Senator Joe Biden (D:DE): “This is bull___, this is malarkey. This is outrageous, for the president of the United States to go to a foreign country, to sit in the Knesset...and make this kind of ridiculous statement."
Senator John Kerry (D:MA): “[Bush] is still playing the disgusting and dangerous political game Karl Rove perfected, which is insulting to every American and disrespectful to our ally Israel. George Bush should be making Israel secure, not slandering Barack Obama from the Knesset.”
Senator Dick Durbin (D:IL): “There is no escaping what the president is doing. It is an attack on Senator Obama's position that we should not be avoiding even those we disagree with when it comes to negotiations and diplomacy.”
So, what has these Democrat attack dogs so fired up: the truth, of course. President Bush recently visited Israel to celebrate 60 years of Israel's independence. He gave a speech that was warmly received in the Knesset (the legislature of Israel). Now, you've just read the venomous reaction by the Democrats. Are you ready to read what President Bush said that ruffled so many feathers? Here is the transcript:
We believe that free people should strive and sacrifice for peace. So we applaud the courageous choices Israeli's leaders have made. We also believe that nations have a right to defend themselves and that no nation should ever be forced to negotiate with killers pledged to its destruction. (Applause.)
We believe that targeting innocent lives to achieve political objectives is always and everywhere wrong. So we stand together against terror and extremism, and we will never let down our guard or lose our resolve. (Applause.)
The fight against terror and extremism is the defining challenge of our time. It is more than a clash of arms. It is a clash of visions, a great ideological struggle. On the one side are those who defend the ideals of justice and dignity with the power of reason and truth. On the other side are those who pursue a narrow vision of cruelty and control by committing murder, inciting fear, and spreading lies..
And that is why the founding charter of Hamas calls for the "elimination" of Israel. And that is why the followers of Hezbollah chant "Death to Israel, Death to America!" That is why Osama bin Laden teaches that "the killing of Jews and Americans is one of the biggest duties." And that is why the President of Iran dreams of returning the Middle East to the Middle Ages and calls for Israel to be wiped off the map.
There are good and decent people who cannot fathom the darkness in these men and try to explain away their words. It's natural, but it is deadly wrong. As witnesses to evil in the past, we carry a solemn responsibility to take these words seriously. Jews and Americans have seen the consequences of disregarding the words of leaders who espouse hatred. And that is a mistake the world must not repeat in the 21st century.
Some seem to believe that we should negotiate with the terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along. We have heard this foolish delusion before. As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American senator declared: "Lord, if I could only have talked to Hitler, all this might have been avoided." We have an obligation to call this what it is -- the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history. (Applause.)
Let me ask you: what is your reaction to this speech? Pretty good, right? It’s truthful, uplifting, reassuring, not much to disagree with. Makes you feel good that we have someone with such a complete understanding of our enemies and such a firm resolve to defend us, right?
So, what’s the problem then? How could this speech elicit such a venomous response? Because it’s the truth; that’s why.
The Democrats quoted above interpreted this as a direct attack on Barack Obama. Very interesting considering that President Bush never mentioned Barack once. He directly referred to Hamas, Hezbollah, Osama bin Laden and Hitler, but not one mention of Barack Obama. So, why the vigorous defense then?
It’s quite simple really: there is a perception that Barack is soft on terrorists and weak on national security. Why? Because he is soft on terrorists and weak on national security
He is on record saying that he would open diplomatic relations with Iran even though their leader refers to Israel as “a rotting corpse” and rails that Israel should be “wiped off the map”. Hamas, a powerful terrorist organization based in Iran, recently endorsed Barack Obama for President. Barack voted against funding our troops in Iraq because he was upset that the bill didn’t include a withdrawal timeline. Just ask any military strategist if it’s wise to disclose to your enemy exactly when you will be withdrawing your troops, and you will see why Barack’s leadership is in question on these issues.
So, when President Bush referred to “some” who “believe that we should negotiate with terrorists and radicals”, the Democrat attack machine naturally thought he was referring to their guy because, you know, he does believe that we should negotiate with terrorists and radicals.
The only problem is that President Bush wasn’t referring to Barack at all. According to the White House, he was referring to "a wide range of people who have talked to or suggested we talk to Hamas, Hezbollah or their state sponsors over a long period of time.” White House Press Secretary, Dana Perino, added: “I understand when you're running for office you sometimes think the world revolves around you. That is not always true. And it is not true in this case."
So in the end, these rabid defenders have done nothing more than publicly drag Barack Obama into a group of people that they insist he was never a member of. All because they know full well that he is a lifetime member of the Terrorist-Appeasement Club; a club whose policies have failed tragically so many times throughout the world’s history. Sadly, in this case, the truth could end up hurting all of us.
