Senator Robert C. Byrd got his campaign dirty already with a letter to the democratic faithful. In his “prebuttal” – a new trick of the democrats: attack your opponents for something they have not even done yet – Byrd slams Raese for something Byrd predicts Raese will do in the future while Byrd does the very thing he blames Raese for doing one day. Confused yet? I am too.
In the letter sporting a picture obviously taken several years ago, Byrd wrote, “The Republican Party has recruited a wealthy carpetbagger who has even hired the man responsible for the vicious Swift Boat attacks against Senator Kerry in the 2004 election – evidence that he will stop at nothing to unseat me.” [emphasis his]
The humorous thing is he stood on the floor of the Senate on February 12, 2003, to argue against the war on Iraq. His reason? I’ll let him explain it. “This nation is about to embark upon the first test of a revolutionary doctrine applied in an extraordinary way at an unfortunate time. The doctrine of preemption — the idea that the United States or any other nation can legitimately attack a nation that is not imminently threatening but may be threatening in the future — is a radical new twist on the traditional idea of self-defense.”
According to Byrd, we cannot attack Iraq first to keep the United States safe, but he can attack Raese first to keep his campaign safe. Okaaaaaay.
The term “carpetbagger” comes from an event Byrd doubtless remembers: the Civil War. During the reconstruction between 1865 and 1877, northern businessmen and politicians headed south to spoil, I mean, oversee the region. They came with the inexpensive luggage of the time and hence the term “carpetbaggers.” Who knows, maybe Byrd was the one who originally coined the phrase. Members of the KKK used to lynch carpetbaggers; he could have first heard the word at an annual meeting.
Now that the letter attacking Raese is public, Byrd is claiming he did not originally like the word “carpetbagger” and wanted it struck. If you believe that, it’s your problem, but this puts Byrd is an awkward spot no matter what he says. Does he admit he meant to use the word “carpetbagger” and soil his reputation as a nice old man or does he claim he did not want the word used and admit he cannot even control his own campaign letters?
Obviously Byrd is the one who will stop at nothing. I wonder if he is able to stop even if he wanted to. Is there a democratic candidate who can stay positive, stick to the facts and not slander his opponent? Senator Byrd, the most mature and revered of all democratic legislators, the last bastion of reason in the democrat party, proves the answer is “no.”
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Senator Byrd
You speak like a true KKK’er.I am wondering why you don’t wear your Confederate flag tie? A nice hangman’s noose tie tack would look nice as well.
Do the state a favor… retire.
Why is Byrd running daily campaign ads already? WWVA is running the same pathetic “man of faith” radio ad from the old Klansman several times a day.
Looks like the senile old coot realizes he finally has an opponent. Go Raese!
The term “carpetbagger” would be more appropriate if applied to Byrd’s fellow senator from West Virginia. “Rocky” is the definition of carpetbagger. I will never understand why working people would vote for a New York elite, who has never had a real job, to represent them in the Senate. At least John admits he got his money the old fashioned way — he inherited it. At least he knows how to run a corporation and how to meet a payroll.
As long as we’re defining terms, maybe we need a little lesson on slander. First off, I think you mean libel (slander refers to defamation that is spoken, not written). Secondly, statements of opinion cannot be defamatory. That’s the beauty of living in a country that protects freedom of speech - we’re free to express our opinions. I think it’s pretty safe to say that the passage you quote is a matter of Senator Byrd’s opinion about Raese, unless you’re claiming that Raese did not in fact hire the person who was responsible for the truly heinous Swift Boat attacks on John Kerry. (I have no idea whether that’s true, but you don’t appear to be disputing that part.) So in short, the title of your post is flat-out wrong.
Oh, by the way, you get Republican brownie points for managing to work the Iraq war into this discussion somehow - comparing Byrd’s statement about Raese to Bush waging war on Iraq, now that’s rich.
Hi Raging Red,
Point taken about libel vs. slander. You’re correct that it is not in accordance with the strict legal definition of “slander.” The point is still true: Byrd is playing dirty, he did it first, and he is wrong.
Regardless of whether it is libel or slander, Byrd released a false statement. “Carpetbagger,” according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is “An outsider, especially a politician, who presumptuously seeks a position or success in a new locality.” Raese is a native of Morgantown, West Virginia, and is anything but an outsider.
Thanks for the brownie points. Would you agree that it is inconsistent for Byrd to not believe in preemption against terrorists in Iraq but support it against his opponent in the election?
If memory serves me correctly, I believe the Robert Byrd radio barrage started the day after the Primary… on my way home from Charleston, I managed to pick up my local talk station on the road, and heard that ad and was considering pulling off to the side of the road and vomitting…
Byrd’s a bit of a carpetbagger as well… does the location “North Wilkesboro, NC” ring a bell???
Would you agree that it is inconsistent for Byrd to not believe in preemption against terrorists in Iraq but support it against his opponent in the election?
Well, no, because comparing war strategy to campaign strategy is about as apples and oranges a comparison one can make.