Op-Ed
Why Nancy Pelosi Will Never Hold the Gavel
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John Manetta Once Told Me
Heartless, Not Stupid
.jpg "Heartless, Not Stupid")
Democrats have hyped up the midterm elections as their Gingrich revolution; their coup de etat; their 1960’s revolution reborn. They have heightened the expectations to such a level that anything besides a democratic legislature will produce a backlash that will tear their party to pieces. They are counting on anti-republican sentiment to carry the day. This revolution, however, will never come.
Despite all the shortcomings of the Republican Party to balance their coalition of Evangelicals and economic conservatives; despite all the scandals and corruption; despite everything that appears to be going wrong today, the Democrats will not get the seven seats needed in the Senate or the 35 seats in the House. And here is why — they are the same Democrats that were voted out of every elected position years ago. And there is no better example of this than Jim Webb’s vie for George Allen’s seat in the senate.
On paper, Jim Webb is the perfect candidate for the Democrats’ new image. A decorated Marine, a true patriot, Vietnam hero, as well as a credited anti-war activist; there will be no Swift Boat Veteran story here … this guy is the real deal. Support the Troops voting base — Check.
Webb served as Secretary for the Navy under Reagan. The Democrats could not be more excited. They have the perfect “George W. Bush and the neo-cons have taken credibility out of the Republican party” candidate. Not even Charles “I’m not a hero” Barkley’s recent conversion to liberalism has grabbed as many headlines. Disgruntled moderate voters — Check.
The time is ripe; the candidate is perfect; so one must wonder why Webb is trailing by six percent of the vote headed into the election. And the answer is quite simple … he is a Democrat. The Democrats and Webb’s campaign staff are going to squander away a seemingly good candidate. Senator Allen’s recent campaign attack has exposed Webb as just another Democrat in “disgruntled moderate’s” clothing.
Allen’s latest revelation has exposed Webb’s depictions of sexually exploited children. As an author, he penned pieces of perverted fiction that would have Mark Foley jumping on Oprah’s couch (you know, when he starts his book tour). In fact, some of Webb’s fiction reads like the inevitable page-turner Mark Foley on Mark Foley, which is sure to hit Barnes and Noble by July.
Webb’s literary prowess is very well evident in this priceless gem from his 2002 novel Lost Soldiers: “A shirtless man walked toward them along a mud pathway. His muscles were young and hard … His eyes were so red that they appeared to be burned by fire. A naked boy ran happily toward him from a little plot of dirt. The man grabbed his young son in his arms, turned him upside down, and put the boy’s penis in his mouth.”
Webb went on WTOP radio in Virginia to defend himself. He protested the actual reading of the Lost Soldiers excerpt, saying it was inappropriate. He even called the Allen campaign’s press release a “Karl Rove tactic.” While Democrats are up in arms about tearing through every computer Mark Foley ever logged onto, they treat a public reading of their published literature like an invasion of their civil liberties (probably as a result of the Patriot Act).
After the complaining had quieted and the passage was read, Webb went on to defend his work, saying that the scene “is in no way sexual” because he saw it happen in a Bangkok slum. A Bangkok slum! You know Bangkok, the sex slave capital of the world … that Bangkok. Or at least it would appear that way to us ignorant Westerners, if only we understood that over there, it’s no big deal to put a 4 -year-old boy’s privates in your mouth. It is this type of cultural barrier that makes it so easy to understand why John Mark Karr (you remember, the American child molester who lied about killing Jon Benet Ramsey) chose Thailand as his vacation spot.
Is it just me or have I heard this before?
If Republicans are described as the Party of Blowhards, then the Democrats should be called the Party of Blow Jobs. Be it a father and son or an adulterous former Arkansas governor and a heavyset intern, if there is a penis in a mouth, the Democrats will be there to categorically deny that there is anything sexual about it.
With all the confusion about the good ol’ Bangkok father-son bonding experience settled, Webb went on the attack … John Kerry style.
Allen brought into question the need for such sexually explicit scenes in his book. And Jim Webb responded “I fought in Vietnam … you did not, so there.” Apparently Jim Webb and the Democrats did not get the memo explaining “Vietnam was soooooooo 2004.” John Kerry already reported for duty during his presidential campaign and “report for duty” he did … as a senator in Massachusetts.
Anytime Republicans bring to question a Democratic candidate’s past, all roads lead to Vietnam. Ask a Democratic veteran candidate about gay marriage and you’ll hear something like, “I fought in Vietnam, while you were off loafing around.” We know, generic Democrat veteran, we heard you the last time.
Howard Dean and Jim Webb have convinced themselves that the stars have aligned just right. And Michael Moore’s horoscope probably reads “a great change will come November 7th.” But it won’t. The Democrats have run the same campaign that they use every election cycle, and this one will be no different. They tell us they want to change the nation, but they can’t even change their campaign style. And that is why Nancy Pelosi will never hold the gavel.
Billy McMorris is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at wjm27@cornell.edu. John Manetta Once Told Me appears Tuesdays.
Dems
Your dreaming pal. To blame Clinton and Democrats for the mess in the middleeast and the rest of the world is the definition of a loser party that has lost it's way. The blame and fear game will not work this time. The Republican party no longer stands for morals,or even common sense. They have lost my vote. Here in Indiana, that means alot,since we are a very conservative state. What's conservative about record spending, a war that has no victory in sight, and a leader who can not define what victory even means. My vote is a statement about how I feel about the President. Your living in a dream world and in the past. Get over it.
You're Going To Feel Stupid When Pelosi Takes Over
You see, there is a difference between fantasy and reality. In the authors' mind, for instance, Jim Webb, who actually went to Vietnam and knows of what he speaks, is morally inferior to George Allen, a priviliged child, whom his divorced wife accused of hitting her, whom his younger sister says is a bully, and who never fought in any war, anywhere.
It would be a safe bet that Billy McMorris is white, admires the Confederate flag in the same way that George Allen does, and has never fought in any war.
I hope you read your crystal
I hope you read your crystal ball correctly because if Nancy Palosi does get the gavel her "100 first days" are going to lead the nation to higher taxes and less defense from terrorists. And we will have all the gay and lesbians jumping for joy because her SF values will be held in the other hand. So stand by and pray the Republicans can hold on. I don't like the idea of a recession, higher taxes, more welfare/handouts and a dirty bomb in my backyard.
gimmie one of those ol' Clinton recessions
Gawd:
Balanced Budget, expanding economy, welfare reduction= Clinton "recession"
You must be joking
Quickly, So you can retain this information: The Repbulicans have already lost the house... The Senate is closer but might even fal,l as well. You apparantly have not read any polls.
Pointless rant about Webb
Pointless rant about Webb that has nothing to do with Pelosi. Pelosi is vying for Speaker of the House not Senate Majority Leader. Should Webb win in Virgina, the democrats could take the Senate or at least tie at 50/50.
Obviously Democrats cannot gain a majority in either house without strengthening their conservative 'blue-dog' ranks, whom are less likely to vote for Pelosi as speaker should the democrats win.
Asian genital kissing
You're ignorant of Cambodian culture. All this hot air and you haven't even bothered to do your homework.
Bush Derangement Syndrome
Yes, but will Leftists have another full scale "Bush Derangement Syndrome" meltdown? or just their standard "it's-not-FAIR!" baby fit again?
Cornell called, they once again rejected your application
Try as you might, Cornell still won't accept you for freshman admission this year or any other. There is no major in "Sleazy Writing" or "Opportunistic Immorality" at Cornell. So sorry, you seem to be out of options.
Wow, Brad up there is
Wow, Brad up there is looking for a "a dirty bomb" in his backyard. Cluck, cluck, cluck. What is with you chicken hawk republicans? No guts, that's what it is. All you have is fear, fear, fear and a truckload of lies. While you all are hiding behind mommy's apron, I'm voting for the guy Billy described as a "decorated Marine, a true patriot, Vietnam hero." That's Jim Webb. A tough smart military man, unlike Allen. The republicans are just not up to the task in Iraq and never have been. We have years of proof. Oh, and guess what? Joe Sixpack voter hasn't a clue who Pelosi is. She's not running. Thanks for playing though.
I smell a whiny loser
If flatulence was worth it weight in gold, this blowhard would be a millionoaire(its gas, so ummm, he'd have to be constanly farting.)
It goes to show, you can spin anything to make your side appear the winner of the argument. However, I think this election the republicans are on receiving end of the shaft, no matter how much they wanna spin.
Cornell Junior Intellectual
Have you read any of Webb's novels? I have, and I would rank his war novel writing ability with those of Crane and Remarque. His book, "Fields of Fire," is reviewed by most as the best Vietnam novel, bar none.
I think you are just another ignorant Republican who typifies why we, as a country, are in the biggest mess we have ever been in, bar none.
How much did it cost?
Man that must be really expensive stuff to make you hallucinate all of that! My Goodness can we say, "state of denial?" Let's see. Dems have 44 Senators and 1 Independent so that means they need 6 Senators and GOP has 231 Reps and Dems 203 Reps so 15 changing hands (net) is enough.
Cook Political Report lists for the House:
"Democrats currently have 7 seats listed as Lean or Toss Up.
Republicans currently have 54seats listed as Lean or Toss Up. "
for the Senate:
Dems have 2 Toss Up
GOP has 7 Toss up
see http://www.cookpolitical.com/default.php
Webb's poll numbers are consistently on the rise in spite of the really important "Literary Matters" so that Charlie Cook now lists that race as "toss up." If Allen and the brilliant Republicans like Mr. McMorris are being effective at trashing Mr. Webb, think where he would be if they did not make the effort.
Let us quote from Charlie a little bit more. From his latest dated October 24th.:
"Since 1994 is the most recent of these "wave" elections, when all politics is hardly local, compare the most recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, conducted October 13-16 among 1,006 registered voters nationwide, with the comparable NBC/WSJ poll from October 1994. President Bill Clinton and the Democrats were in the hot seat, headed toward a 52-seat loss in the House and an eight-seat Senate defeat.
In the October 1994 NBC/WSJ poll, 39 percent of voters thought the country was headed in the right direction, compared with 48 percent who said it was on the wrong track -- a nine-point lead for wrong track. In the recent poll, just 26 percent said right direction and 61 percent said wrong track; a net difference of 35 points, significantly worse than 1994.
The October 1994 poll gave Clinton a job approval rating of 48 percent and a disapproval rating of 43 percent, a five-point difference. This month, just 38 percent approved of President Bush's performance compared to 57 percent who disapproved, a net disapproval of 19 points. Again, it's significantly worse than 1994.
In the poll taken 12 years ago, 24 percent approved of the job Congress was doing and 67 percent disapproved, a net disapproval of 43 points. In last week's poll, just 16 percent approved of Congress and a whopping 75 percent disapproved, a 59-point net disapproval.
At this point in 1994, the GOP had moved into a six-point lead in the generic congressional ballot test (44 percent to 38 percent). In the latest poll, the Democrats have a 15-point lead -- 52 percent to 37 percent. Once again, much worse than '94.
Finally, in October 1994, 39 percent said their congressman had performed well enough to deserve re-election compared with 49 percent who thought it was time to give a new person a chance -- a 10-point difference. In the new poll, the same 39 percent favored re-election, but the percentage preferring a new representative was a bit lower at 45 percent, a six-point difference and only marginally better for incumbents than 12 years ago.
In short, in four of the five diagnostic indicators, the situation is significantly worse for Republicans today than it was for Democrats in 1994. And in the remaining one, this year is marginally better."
The GOP is going to get slaughtered. And given their abysmal record over the last twelve years, they deserve it.
"House Speaker Pelosi".
"House Speaker Pelosi". There's something about the phrase that just gives the neocons fits.
It's a mystery really, because if you ask one they can never, ever give you a reason why.
Chalk it up to fear of strong, intelligent, outspoken women. That and the effects of overexposure to the mindless drivel of Oxycontin Limbaugh.
Soon they will live with the pain every day.
Hillarious!
"...if there is a penis in a mouth, the Democrats will be there to categorically deny that there is anything sexual about it." That is hillarious!
By the way...wouldn't characterizing Democrats as "the Party of Blow Jobs" cause pretty much every male to become a Democrat?
"Howard Dean and Jim Webb
"Howard Dean and Jim Webb have convinced themselves that the stars have aligned just right. And Michael Moore’s horoscope probably reads “a great change will come November 7th.” But it won’t. The Democrats have run the same campaign that they use every election cycle, and this one will be no different. They tell us they want to change the nation, but they can’t even change their campaign style. And that is why Nancy Pelosi will never hold the gavel."
Do you have a set time and place at which you will be eating your own words?
Billy said: "And that is why
Billy said: "And that is why Nancy Pelosi will never hold the gavel."
hahahahhah! And you are just plain wrong. The greedy, corrupt war profiteers lost _BIG_ time, and you are wrong. :)
best regards
Jeff Miller,
majority voter and proud Liberal Democrat