Congress At War
Some in the audience in Congress tonight have more at stake personally than just their political reputations and futures. Here’s USA Today on Congressmen with children at war in Iraq. Nine out of 535, with an unknown number of others who have other relatives there. I suspect that puts them roughly in line with the nation at large, maybe somewhat less. If anyone has the stats on that, post in comments.
Everyone knows what Sen. James Webb, D-Va., said to President Bush when he just couldn’t stay away from a big White House reception but shunned the president, then rudely rebuked Bush’s polite inquiry about the well-being of his son. (see below for links to how Webb’s son feels about serving in Iraq). Dad, a cad, has been chosen to deliver the Democratic rebuke to Bush tonight, apparently because he did such a great job last time.
Here’s someone else with a son in Iraq whose voice you might not have heard before:
Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., whose son Sam is scheduled to return to Iraq for his second tour of duty this spring as the head of a Marine scout sniper platoon, is less equivocal. Bond said his son has convinced him that “pulling out early downgrades and denigrates the sacrifices that we’ve made.”
Here’s someone who threw his weight around, probably inappropriately, but you gotta admire the spirit. Beats pork and patronage:
Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., who chaired the panel last year, said he was in a hearing when his son, also named Duncan, called him on a satellite phone during a battle in Fallujah.
The younger Hunter was “very unhappy,” his father said, because the Marines were being ordered to stop attacking. “So I called up the Pentagon,” the congressman said.
A reader currently in Iraq writes, “Sen. Webb’s son very much wanted to be here” and points to these links: Villainous Company and MEF.
Forward-deployed reader adds, “Webb is nothing but a hypocite.”
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Posted by Jules Crittenden at 10:22 am on Tuesday, January 23, 2007
6 Responses to “Congress At War”
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January 23rd, 2007 at 12:30 pm
Congress At War
Congress At WarJules Crittenden Some in the audience in Congress tonight have more at stake personally than just their political reputations and futures. Here’s USA Today on Congressmen with children at war in Iraq. Nine out of 535, with an
January 23rd, 2007 at 12:50 pm
[...] Hat tip: Jules Crittenden [...]
January 23rd, 2007 at 2:45 pm
How about the stats on the number of our forces killed because of those in the government and media who indulge in thoughtless pontification? (I’m giving a lot of people the benefit of the doubt, of course. Those who have given thought to their murderous pontifications ought to be shot.)
January 23rd, 2007 at 8:38 pm
Jules-I counted seven Republicans in the story and two Democrats FWIW. Given Barbara Boxer’s little tirade against Condi Rice the other day, I wonder if she would be willing to leave the decisions about how to conduct the war up to these nine elected officials.
January 24th, 2007 at 12:03 am
Well, the USA Today did not say that only nine had children there, it just listed nine that did. If my calcs are right, I have read that there are roughly 1.4MM military, in a country of 300MM or .47% of the population. Nine of 535 is 1.7%. I always thought this was an empty argument when people talk about how few republicans or congress people or people in the administration have people in their direct family in Iraq, when in reality, very few of ANY population actually have direct family in Iraq. Keep in mind that of the 1.4 MM in the military - many of them have not been to Iraq or Afghanistan. I stop & talk to military people in the airports every week to thank them for their service, but I am amazed at how many have not been to the war zone. I personally volunteered & worked there off & on for two years, primarily to support our troops.
January 24th, 2007 at 12:24 am
I know Hunter acted like a concerned father (there are times when you should use the power you have even if it benefits yourself personally) but what would calling the Pentagon do?
As for Webb’s response, it was better than recent Democratic responses though contradictory on Iraq. And he mercifully didn’t use his son in Iraq as an emotion punching bag.