MoveOn against Baird

Posted: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 11:41 AM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: Congress, Democrats

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
The liberal, anti-war group MoveOn.org will go up with an ad by the end of this week in Democratic Rep. Brian Baird’s district in Washington state, accusing him of a “flip-flop” on the Iraq war.

Baird, along with Sens. Clinton and Carl Levin, recently said the troop surge in Iraq is showing signs of progress -- at least in Al-Anbar province. Baird had voted against the Iraq military action in 2003.

“MoveOn.org Political Action Committee is sponsoring the ad to call attention to the congressman’s decision to go against the views of his constituents, and his previous voting record, to support President Bush’s failed policy in Iraq,” the group said in an e-mailed statement.

“Congressman Baird’s new position, in favor of keeping our troops in an unnwinnable civil war in Iraq, is out of line with the majority of his district and the nation,” Nita Chaudhary of MoveOn said in the statement. “So far this has been one of the bloodiest summers in Iraq and voters don’t want to continue down a failed path. They want representatives who will stand up to President Bush’s reckless policy and bring our troops home.”

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Comments

This is a crock.

I've been a supporter of Move On Org since the beginning, but they appear to be going too far here.

This is a guy who had the courage to stand up and say no in 2003 when the vast majority were voting yes.

I'm not sure what he said, but it sounds like he made a concession as did Clinton and others, that there was limited TACTICAL success, citing Anbar as a lone example. There is no implication by any of these good Democrats, including Edwards and Obama, that the surge as a STRATEGY is working. All have said, though I don't know specifically about the Baird, that there is still no viable military solution to the war in Iraq.

It is a crying shame that the zealots are attacking Democrats for being honest. This is proof of their honesty, to recognize limited success where there is success, but deplore the war.

The bottom line is that they all seem to be saying, "in spite of limited success the surge is/will prove to be a failed strategy."

I'm almost mad enough to not give them any money in the future. I can think of many better ways to spend their ad cash. It just gives the Repugs fodder they shouldn't have and maybe raises their flagging spirits. There go the Dems, eating their own children as usual.

Nick Dorsey (Sent Wednesday, August 29, 2007 12:17 PM)

This guy is local so we have seen more indepth reporting locally on Mr. Baird. He did vote against the war in 2003. He also has been to Iraq several times, twice recently. He also is in the midst of several townhall meeting where he is talking face to face with his constituents, not hiding from them. His stance now does not reflect a flip-flop. He was against starting the war. That has not changed. Now that we are where we are, he recognizes that to quickly abandon the Iraqi people is worse than staying to finish with the best possible outcome. He did not want to go in, Bravo. And now doesn't want to pull up our skirts and run away, again Bravo. Sound like two thought out decisions. MoveOn, needs to move on.

RH Oregon (Sent Wednesday, August 29, 2007 12:22 PM)

This is a very messy political situation, with the crazy primary scheduling pressures, etc. I suggest that the current emphasis on primaries as the determinant of the winner of the Democratic Party nominee is a mistake. If the current competitors in the race do not yield their minority gains, no one will win the nomination outright, and the party convention will decide the nominee. The best nominee is clearly Al Gore -- so "eyes on the prize" is a deadlocked convention in which different factions will have a say according to their elected delegates, and policy and P. and VP. candidates will be negotiated at the convention. STAND FAST FOR A DEADLOCKED CONVENTION. I believe such a convention could lead to an FDR type victory in 2008 and a rebirth of a Democratic Party not beholden to the military industrial secret police cold war complex, capable of leadership in a world that requires planetary economic, social, trade, health, etc, solutions rather than beggar your neighbors ones.

Michael Glaubman (Sent Wednesday, August 29, 2007 12:35 PM)

If all he said was that there is progress being made in some areas, it seems to me that MoveOn is jumping the gun...a lot. Are politicians supposed to lie to the public and pretend like there has been zero progress in all of Iraq over the last 6 months just because that is what their constituents want to hear? What a ridiculous proposition. I have never really had an opinion about MoveOn before, but this is just a completely inaccurate portrayal of what Baird said - if, in fact, that is all he said. I don't see that as being a sign of support for the surge at all, but merely an acknowledgment that it's creating progress in some areas. As I said, is he supposed to lie about it?

Carrie, Eastern Iowa (Sent Wednesday, August 29, 2007 12:50 PM)

Al-Anbar province was the one place they pointed to constantly BEFORE the surge as the place wherre "we're making progress." And it's only because we've re-armed the other side of the civil war that's not underway in Iraq. How many Shi'ites in Al-Anbar province? We need a purge, not a surge.

Lee in CA (Sent Wednesday, August 29, 2007 12:59 PM)

fine with me-----you must make your choice and take your chances.

HMT-mi (Sent Wednesday, August 29, 2007 1:13 PM)

Anybody know who got to him, how and why? Has the domestic spying turned up the leverage Bush needs.

nuanced (Sent Wednesday, August 29, 2007 1:14 PM)

This is exactly why those Dems who toe the MoveOn line will lose. MoveOn refuses to see changed facts on the ground; Baird has been to Iraq. Has Chaudhary?

Bruce, NV (Sent Wednesday, August 29, 2007 1:19 PM)

Poor Rep. Baird. He's about to find out who's really in charge of the Democratic Party.

Moveon.org - It's all about the Vision, not the Truth.

Elms Weber, Merrimack Valley, Mass (Sent Wednesday, August 29, 2007 1:52 PM)

Bravo to Baird for having the courage of his convictions, and refusing to be a puppet of George Soros and his sicko organization. It is good to see that Moveon.org's days of bullying people around are numbered.

Hal Bowden (Sent Wednesday, August 29, 2007 3:17 PM)

"It is good to see that Moveon.org's days of bullying people around are numbered. " Yah! Damn them for protecting the rights of all Americans - just like the ACLU! Why can't these creeps stand back and let glorious leader revoke the Constitution?

Typical Bush republican (Sent Wednesday, August 29, 2007 3:40 PM)

I would guess one of hillary's thugs told him to change his tune to match hers or face the consequences, either that or she gave him a roll of hundreds to be more accommodating

MK,MO (Sent Wednesday, August 29, 2007 4:48 PM)

I agree with Michael Glaubman. The current emphasis on the early primaries has taken the focus off the issues. I'd like to hear less about how much money the candidates have raised and more about their voting history, and specific plans, for the problems the next administration will face. I, for one, am saving my money for Al Gore to enter the race. If he doesn't, then I will have to decide who to support at that time. As far as Moveon.org goes, I think they have done a lot to bring the issues to a larger audience, but they do occassionally get sidetracked and fail to see the big picture. But for the most part, I think their views and actions have educated a part of the voting public that were not engaged previously.

Jael, downstate Illinois (Sent Wednesday, August 29, 2007 4:56 PM)

I'm a Dem. & can't stand the baby cowboy Dub-ya, but if we can win, I don't want to deny it just because I don't think we should have gone there in the first place. The fact is, we ARE there and seeing the region become democratic would be great. I'm just sorry some dumbass in the WH thought he had the right to force it on people, for his own glory.

gn lars, Denver (Sent Wednesday, August 29, 2007 5:01 PM)

Mmmmm. I love it when the socialists eat their own. I’ve heard they taste just like chicken.

Rick, Germany (Sent Thursday, August 30, 2007 5:18 AM)

To be clear: Rep. Baird didn't make a limited concession about tactical success. He's indicated that our troops should stay in Iraq "as long as it takes." He's currently indicating that he plans on voting with the Republicans to keep the war going. And that view doesn't gibe with his constituents' views, or most of the country -- Republicans and Democrats -- who want a responsible exit.

The men and women who are serving in Iraq are heroes. But that doesn't mean you can use the force of the military to win someone else's religious civil war.

Eli Pariser (Sent Thursday, August 30, 2007 7:33 AM)

Um, MK? I hate to break it to you, but what he said is dead on. There have been limited, isolated successes in Iraq. I guess you would rather your congressional representatives lied to you?

Carrie, Eastern Iowa (Sent Thursday, August 30, 2007 9:20 AM)

The democrats eating their own......I love it!

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Thursday, August 30, 2007 9:49 AM)

www.fallbackbelmont.com [The BELMONT CLUB],for an insightful analysis of why the demogogic MOVEON is wrong about Iraq, about Baird, about everything. A hammer& sickle crowd that masks itself in the virtues of ''liberty'',''justice''and the ''constitution''.

Lee Holmes (Sent Thursday, August 30, 2007 3:38 PM)

again and again. It's great to see someone who doesn't just tow the party line but thinks for themselves. He went there and saw what was going on. Thank God we have people like him!! Piss off MOVEON. You're a joke.

Michael sorenstein (Sent Thursday, September 06, 2007 12:10 AM)

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