Redstate

By Marcus Traianus Posted in Democrats — Comments (1) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

Anyone caring to remember the salad days of 1998 may recall events such as Clinton-Lewinsky, embassy bombings in Africa or nuclear tests in both India and Pakistan. However, one event you may have trouble recalling is the election of a new junior Senator from New York, Chuck Schumer. In the years after his election, we would also find that Mr. Schumer’s campaign received one of the largest fines ever leveled by the FEC for illegal contributions (over $250,000 in fines and restitution). While Schumer was never found personally responsible, if we use his modus operandi of guilt by association it would probably be appropriate for him to resign now.

Those living outside New York will probably best recognize Mr. Schumer for his ability partner with the MSM on almost any issue and speak endlessly in specious platitudes. In the new Congress, expect to see more of Schumer in his role of oblique inquisitor on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

To the observant, Schumer’s latest statements about conditions at Walter Reed are certainly unsurprising given his compendium of overtly misleading political statements. His characterization of the latter situation as “The Katrina of 2007" or his accompanying statement in a letter to Secretary Gates that “My fear is that Walter Reed is just the tip of the iceberg, and merely highlights the pervasive and systemic mistreatment of our service members", is more of the same politically directed doublespeak. In fact, Schumer has been presented with innumerable opportunities since 1998 to help fix this issue, but has taken a pass with others. That is of course until the camera’s recently showed up and an opportunity for ridiculous, political grandstanding appeared.

His adroit ability to exploit situations represents political opportunism at its worst. If fairly reviewed in the context of our populaces growing disdain for politicians of all stripes behaving in this manner, it would be rewarded with the proverbial “gold watch”. But this is New York, where otherwise punishable behavior is commuted if it provides enough insidious parochial gratification. There is quite possibly nothing more irreligious to our Republic and way of life then such apathetic comportment.

Also compliant in the majority of this conduct is an either uncaring or parochially motivated press that seems to only hold those loathed accountable for past statements and memories. Given Mr. Schumer’s now outspoken position against the war in Iraq, I was hoping someone would remember this speech he gave to the Council on Foreign Relations in 2002. Notice this excerpt;

The whole world has changed. The seminal moment of September 11th showed us one very clear thing. There were all the symbols and signals beforehand but we chose to ignore them. But on September 11th it became very clear that our worlds had dramatically changed, because the very technology that has so blessed us and made our lives so much easier and accounted for a great deal of the prosperity over the last 15 years, had a very dark side. That dark side was to enable a small group, not even a nation, of fanatical people to do severe damage here in the homeland. I think it was Vice President Cheney who said that more Americans…this war more Americans will die on the homefront than the battlefront. And that is absolutely true.

But Mr. Schumer does not stop there. He continues at COFR;

But in my judgment the one country that will not succumb will be Iraq. I think we will have no choice but to engage in a large-scale military action in Iraq. I hope we will do it by trying to get as much of the world on our side as possible. I wouldn’t be surprised if in 90 days we go to the UN and put forward a resolution that Iraq should open themselves up now, post-September 11th world to our inspectors. Of course they won’t, but if we get 150 of the 162 nations in the UN voting for it, that starts building the coalition and setting the framework…having said that, whether they’re with us or not, we’re going to have to go into Iraq. Because they present the greatest danger of these weapons of mass destruction being placed in the hands of terrorists. And we’ll have to finish up the job there.

Compared with this more recent statement;

"What Happened With Scooter Libby Is Just A Continuation Of A Long Line Of Policy Of Don't Have Debate, Don't Hear Other Facts, Try To Manipulate The Facts So It Meets The Argument You Want."