Anti-War Groups Turning Up Heat On Wavering Republicans
The Politico
With Congress again debating Iraq, anti-war activists are turning up the heat on an increasing number of wavering Republicans to move them from criticizing the war to ending it.
Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, an umbrella organization of anti-war groups, began a extensive robocalling project aimed at constituents of 12 senators and 52 House members, urging them to call the congressional offices of the targeted members and press them to vote for expected anti-war amendments. The calls include a prerecorded message from Iraq war veteran John Bruhns, who says, “It’s time to get our troops out of this endless war.”
In Minnesota, Americans United for Change yesterday launched a $100,000, weeklong television ad campaign urging Republican Sen. Norm Coleman to support amendments offered in the Senate to end the war.
Like many of the targeted Republicans, Coleman has been critical of the Iraq war effort but hasn’t signed on to legislation aimed at ending U.S. involvement in it. “We are pushing them to put that talk into action and vote for binding legislation,” said Moira Mack, a spokeswoman for AAEI.
The intense lobbying campaign comes as Senate Republican leaders are scrambling for a response to the latest Iraq developments, including an escalation in violence and signals from the White House that a mid-July progress report will show that Iraqi political leaders are failing to meet the benchmarks for progress sent out by President Bush, party insiders say.
“You are not going to expect all the benchmarks to be met at the beginning of something,” said White House spokesman Tony Snow, who also tried to refute a New York Times report of internal administration debate over redeploying or withdrawing some troops.
The White House is trying to tamp down Republican defections after a recent spate of high-profile GOP shifts against the war in the Senate, where debate is beginning on the defense authorization bill. Among the shifting Republican senators are Dick Lugar of Indiana, Pete V. Domenici of New Mexico, Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and George Voinovich of Ohio.
But it’s an increasingly uphill struggle as the war drags on with scant evidence of progress. And the noisy — and unanswered — anti-war grass-roots efforts are specifically aimed at Republicans in the hope of further isolating the White House.
Senate Republicans are confident their Democratic rivals won’t be able to marshal the 60 votes needed for amendments to the defense bill that would begin withdrawing troops from the war zone. But they have yet to stake out a clear position.
Many are anxious about what Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) will say after his July Fourth recess trip to Iraq. The presidential hopeful is scheduled to deliver an address on Iraq on Friday in Concord, N.H. And if McCain and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a close McCain ally and war supporter, criticize the progress of the White House Iraq surge plan, it will make it more difficult for other Republicans to retain a hard line on the war.
One Senate insider, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said many Republicans are no longer unquestionably supporting Bush’s policies for continuing the war and are looking for a “third way” on Iraq. But that doesn’t automatically mean they will begin voting with Democrats.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) declined to say whether he and others would support an amendment by Alexander and Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.) to implement the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group or some other, yet-to-be-detailed proposal by Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), a senior member of the Armed Services Committee.
“All of that stuff is kind of a work in progress right now,” McConnell said Monday. “We’re having a lot of discussions about it.”
On the other hand, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) and the Democrats have promised to force a vote on a troop readiness proposal he crafted with Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.). And waiting in the wings is an amendment by Sens. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Carl Levin (D-Mich.) to force a withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from Iraq by April 1, 2008.
Also, Senate Democrats are closely watching what their presidential candidates do on the Iraq votes. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is a co-sponsor of the Reid-Webb readiness amendment, and his staff said on Monday that he was backing the Reed-Levin amendment to set a firm April 1 withdrawal date.
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) is also backing the Reid-Webb proposal but has not given any indication of whether she will back a firm exit date for Iraq. Clinton, though, is drafting a proposal with Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) to force a new authorization vote for the U.S. military effort in Iraq, and Clinton’s office said she is hopeful of a vote on her proposal.
All this maneuvering comes in the wake of the launch of the anti-war organizations’ “Iraq Summer” campaign, which included dispatching 100 grass-roots organizers to 15 states and 40 congressional districts.
During the July Fourth recess, dozens of events were held and more than 3,000 anti-war signs were posted in yards and windows.
In Iowa, Sue Dinsdale, mother of an Iraq war veteran, led anti-war protesters from the Ames Veterans Memorial to a town hall meeting hosted by Rep. Tom Latham (R-Iowa). During it, Dinsdale asked Latham to “stand with your constituents to end this war,” rather than with Bush. Latham demurred to commit to either side, saying he’s still gathering facts.
In New Mexico, anti-war activists conducted door-to-door canvasses near the offices and homes of Domenici and Rep. Heather Wilson (R-N.M.), talking with their constituents about the war and providing anti-war signs to those willing to display them.
And in addition to the Coleman ads this week, protesters are planning to gather outside a local Chamber of Commerce lunch that will include Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.).
In Maine on Thursday, anti-war protests are planned in Bangor and Lewiston, home to moderate Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins. And Virginia war opponents are coordinating four different constituent office visits with congressional representatives, with a press conference to follow.
Sununu, whose fellow New Hampshire senator, Gregg, broke with Bush this weekend, will be the target of events this week in the Granite State. Anti-war activists plan door-to-door canvasses, a rally in Keane and the start of a campaign encouraging the wearing of green arm bands in memory of those who died in Iraq.
Be respectful of others and their opinions. Inflammatory remarks and inane leftist drivel will be deleted. It ain’t about free speech, remember you’re in a private domain. My website, my prerogative.
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Okay, now where is the link (I know someone has em, I’m too much recovering Dem yet) to say “find those cojones and take care of us”
Janica
July 10th, 2007 at 1:36 amShameless creatures, the shameless grandstanding. And Webb’s a Vietnam veteran and if I heard it right has a son either in Iraq or was there. I live in a congressional district and I’m surrounded, on one side Murphy, a former 82d Airborne Captain and Sestak a retired, I think at least three maybe four star Admiral. I was just a Sergeant and I can figure it out. They are blinded by hate and personal agendas. The surge will be successful and if the President leaves office and has at least contained Iran the democrats’ number one priority will be to immediately dismantle that.
July 10th, 2007 at 1:58 amIt’s kind of disheartening.
July 10th, 2007 at 2:39 amThey still need a veto-proof majority. I don’t think they have it. And Jim Webb is just another elitist snob who thinks he has something to contribute to the world. He has nothing. Jim Webb has ALWAYS been about “All for me and none for you”. Just another loudmouth in a nice suite.
July 10th, 2007 at 4:14 amYep. Webb is another one of “those”. A disgrace to the military and the “rules don’t apply to me” crowd.
July 10th, 2007 at 4:32 amWhy does it always have to be the anti-war movement? Those of us who support the military and the fight against Islamofascism(Lets not kid ourselves that is the fight we are in!)To organize and let congress know this is not the path to go down, just like the immigration bill. People do have a voice when it is used. I am sure, I believe that there are many more AMERICANS who want to continue the fight to win, because AMERICANS are not LOSERS!!!!! We will never bow down to the oppression and tyranny of Islam. We the people really need to start countering the MSM and Left agenda. We should start by disrupting Cindy STUPID Sheehan’s march on Washington!!!!
July 10th, 2007 at 4:58 amThere has been so much misinformation put out there by ways of the internet and news media ie: CNN and the dinosaur news that the Average Americans dont know the full real story about Iraq or the greater war on terror as a whole. Its a shame that our own congress is working so hard to undermine our President and our brave Troops out there on the front lines. Could you imagine if they would have defunded them? Its not like they would have just jumped on a plane and left in 2 days..some would have been left behind without the armor,bullets and even they would have needed..Congress doesnt care if our troops win or lose and i think they want the latter to happen
July 10th, 2007 at 7:05 amThe money men behind the media insert people into position that twist everything to sound like our brave are risking their lives for nothing. This gets the hippies to pull their peace symbols and tye-dye out of mothballs. So a bunch of aging hippies and their children raised solely by M-TV, while their parents smoked more dope, hold some signs. Just because they think they changed the world with Woodstock.
Then another driving force, Hollywood’s mindless actors, who don’t have an original thought behind their botox-tight face and bedhead hairdos, who are heard purely for celebrity sake. Take away the Prada bag and the big sun glasses… you got white trash that couldn’t hold a job at a carwash.
What twisted webs are weaved… when no one knocks them down for 40 years.
July 10th, 2007 at 7:44 amDan I agree with your assessment of Jim, “the jackass” Webb - what a joke - I live in Virginia (an Allen supporter all the way) and I have never been so embarrassed to have him as a represenative of this state.
July 10th, 2007 at 8:18 amWow..have you guys noticed how Reid and Pelosi look like they could be brother & sister. Maybe it is just those empty looking eyes (no soul). I wonder if Webb is packing in that picture!!
July 10th, 2007 at 9:45 amTake the time to email the worms. Call their offices. You can only talk to some flunky, but they will tally you on the right side. Email can be short and respectful, even though you don’t feel it you want it read. Example:
“Dear Senator Alexander,
It seems that more and more good news is coming from Iraq. I hope that you and the rest of our leaders in congress will not waver in your support of General Petraeus’s plan. The better his plan works, the sooner our troops can come home.
Senator Alexander, you have a unique opportunity among the other senators to stand out as a patriot, just by giving the military the chance to prevail in their mission. Support them, don’t undermine them.
Respectfully, Your name”
It’s easy to find addresses and phone numbers. Google
July 10th, 2007 at 11:31 amFoxy LadyAngler, I think I love you.
Jimmi Hendrix
July 10th, 2007 at 11:53 amWoodstock
Jam~ Easy, stud. I never said the music is on trial. Call me a hypocrite, but despite everything… I love the music!
July 10th, 2007 at 12:23 pmHJ:
I too live in Va. We sure got some lousy reps. But, that’s OK. I give both of those assclowns as much hell as I can.
July 10th, 2007 at 2:39 pmLadyAngler, I read you right on Woodstock.
July 12th, 2007 at 4:31 amJam~ Perhaps you did.
July 12th, 2007 at 5:05 am