Senator Tom Harkin: "Well, I don’t know. Maybe he[Rush Limbaugh] was just high on his drugs again"
For those who don't know, the Senator said this recently during a Senate session and may be the first US Senator to mock another human being's medical affliction from the Senate floor. I'm not sure, but I couldn't imagine another example. So, after thinking about it a while, I decided that this was way too despicable to mention in passing, and if Senator Harkin wants to dust off skeletons, then let's do it! So, I decided to take a stroll through Harkin's political career. Here are some highlights:
--While running for his Senate seat in 1984, and again while running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1992, Harkin has faced criticism for claiming that he had flown combat missions over North Vietnam. In a 1979 round table discussion with other Congressional Veterans, Harkin said of his service as a Navy pilot: “One year was in Vietnam. I was flying F-4s and F-8s on combat air patrols and photo-reconnaissance support missions”. This is actually not true. Harkin never flew combat aircraft in Vietnam, making him one of those phony soldiers Limbaugh was referring to. No wonder Harkin took such offense at Limbaugh's comments.
--Senator Harkin gave a nationally televised and controversial eulogy for Senator Paul Wellstone, a close ally in the Senate who perished in a plane crash 11 days before his potential re-election. In the eulogy, Harkin urged the crowd to “stand up for Paul" and talked about “passing on Paul's legacy” and to win the 2002 Senate election “For Paul” . Even during a funeral, Senator Harkin was being a good little politician
--In June 2001, the Des Moines Register reported that Senator Harkin had “inadvertently omitted” $200,000 in Conoco stock owned by his wife Ruth and some $15,000 owned by their daughter Amy on his Senate financial statement. Inadvertently? When it comes to politicians, it's only inadevertent when it gets discovered.
--In September of 2006 Senator Harkin commented on Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's September 20th 2006 United Nations speech in which Chavez referred to President George Bush as the devil. Senator Harkin said that while Chavez's comments were “incendiary,” he could “… understand the frustration, ah, and the anger of certain people around the world because of George Bush's policies”. A communist dictator calls our President the devil, and Harkin says 'I understand'
--In September of 2007, Harkin demanded apology from General Pace - the week before Pace's military retirement - for condemning homosexuality and adultery in the military. Pace promptly reminded the Senator that the UCMJ prohibits these behaviors in the military, and Harkin then voiced his opinion that the policy should be changed to accomodate homosexuality and adultery.
All of these things are the typical behaviors of a man who lacks any moral standard, and mocking someone else for their medical ailment is more of the same. I guess, given the record, we shouldn't expect anything less from Iowa Senator Tom Harkin
12 comments:
Would it be ok if he had just tasered Limbaugh instead? I hear you're promoting relentless tasering these days.
Allison, I would recommend you avoid ad hominem attacks. That's the behavior of the politicians you adore and, to be frank, is beneath you. Is there an issue with this post you would like to debate, or do you just prefer to be petty and cheap with no coherent point to offer?
John,
Where, oh where do you find these friends of "When Evil Prospers"? reb
I am doing nothing but pointing out your contradictions. I am not attacking you personally, especially considering you staunchly defended the post to which I was referring. Calling out other people for actions equal to your own just seems...silly...to me. That was my only point.
And I was pointing out the parallel between you and the Lefty leaders of this country who deliberately misrepresent for the purpose of slander. That was my only point.
Reb, I am trying to position myself on the frontline of the blogosphere, a medium the Left is trying to claim as their own. The Right dominates radio. FoxNews is dominating cable. So the Left is using the blogosphere as their counter. That means there are many who will find themselves on this site and not like its contents. But I'm not going anywhere.
As a matter of fairness "and mocking someone else for their medical ailment" is indeed reprehensible..who can forget Rush
jiggling and shaking all over when
he accused Micheal J. Fox of faking his Parkinsons? There is no high moral ground in politics anymore.....
Exactly, bb.
I agree. No party or politician is immune. (Except maybe Ron Paul.) I don't think any political leader has any morals.
In general, it's entirely possible "he was just high on his drugs again." And just as possible that Mr. Harkin is a liar. Just more Republicans and Democrats bickering, each being wrong.
And I hammered Limbaugh on this site for that behavior. But let's not lose perspective. The extremists on both sides will resort to this kind of thing. I've heard and seen radicals expressing joy about Tony Snow's cancer relapsing. There is always despicable behavior from commentators and activists.
But Harkin is a prominent US Senator who resorted to this behavior ON THE SENATE FLOOR!!! Equating that to an inflammatory radio personality making insensitive and hurtful comments on his show is ridiculous. Saying 'oh, Rush Limbaugh did it too' as a means of justifying Harkin's comments is ridiculous. How about for once being non-partisan and for once condemning bad behavior from the party you support without pointing out other bad behavior from the party you oppose? To do otherwise simply makes you one of "them" and damages your credibility.
"How about for once being non-partisan" 'scuse me, didn't realize this was a non-partisan site :)
BB, that's ok, you're relatively new here. In terms of Dem vs GOP, yes this is a non partisan site, in the sense that I do not endorse either party. I carry traditional conservative points of view, so of the two I am more likely to agree with the GOP. But, currently, I feel the GOP is a party of gutless cowards who will not take a stand for their principles, and the Congressional "leadership" of that party failed this country miserably over the past decade. I have a link to the Constitution Party, but they are anti-war, which I disagree with. So there isn't a party out there that I agree with enough to count myself "with" them, and therefore I am non-partisan.
If you look through this site you will find nothing in the way of an endorsement for GOP, despite your insinuation.
John, I Fully Support Your Independent Stance.
When Bush/Cheney, and their top advisors indicate their resolve and determination to confront Global Jihad, We Stand With Them!
When any of this administration, (as have All Past Administrations) shown weakness on the strict enforcement of our borders, allowing Illegal Immigrants to make a mockery of our national sovereignty, I will publicly and strongly oppose such action.
G.W. Bush 1 ~ CNN's Lou Dobbs, 1
Our Mindless Partisanship is a National Discrace!
My Old Party's Nominees Unanimous Inability To Publicly Defend Gen David Petraeus against that sleazy NY Times/MoveOn Full Page Ad, declaring that fine man as a
"Gen-Be-Tray-Us" was clear, cowardly inaction! They have Buckled to Their Master, George Soros! They'll Pay For That Insult On Election Day.
Military Families Tend To Have
Indelible Memories! reb
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