Debates set for presidential candidates
Sept. 26, 2008 — Presidential debate focused on foreign policy and national security at University of Mississippi, Oxford, Miss., 9 p.m. (Eastern), moderated by Jim Lehrer. According to the Commission on Presidential Debates, it will go on as planned.
Oct. 2, 2008 — Vice presidential debate at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., 9 p.m. (Eastern), moderated by Gwen Ifill. Debate ticket lottery registration ends at noon on Friday, Sept. 26.
Oct. 7, 2008 — Presidential debate in a town hall format at Belmont University, Nashville, Tenn., 9 p.m. (Eastern), moderated by Tom Brokaw.
Oct. 15, 2008 —Presidential debate focused on domestic and economic issues at Hofsta University, Hempstead, N.Y., 9 p.m. (Eastern), moderated by Bob Schieffer. Debate ticket lottery registration for students ends at noon on Friday, Oct. 3.
Other debate schedules
ABC News
Democracy in Action
Democratic Party
Oval Office 2008
Wikipedia (Democrats)
Wikipedia (Republicans)
You Decide 2008
Past debates
July 23, 2007 — Democrats debated at the Citadel in Charleston, S.C., at 7 p.m. (EDT) on Monday, July 23, 2007. CNN and YouTube aired the debate, moderated by Anderson Cooper and sponsored by the South Carolina Democratic Party. CNN editors chose questions from videos posted on YouTube by viewers July 14-22.
Aug. 5, 2007 — Republicans debated at Drake University‘s Sheslow Auditorium in Des Moines on Sunday, Aug. 5, 2007, as a special edition of This Week with George Stephanopoulos (who moderated) on ABC. David Yepsen, political columnist for The Des Moines Register also asked questions. Tickets were available only to university students, faculty and staff. Doing it the YouTube way? (Shh! Don’t tell the candidates. They might not show up.) Stephanopoulos asked viewers for video questions.
Aug. 7, 2007 — Democrats will debate Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2007, at 6 p.m. (CDT) — broadcast live on MSNBC and XM Radio — at the AFL-CIO Presidential Candidates Forum at Soldier Field in Chicago. Gates open at 4 p.m. Everyone will be seated by 5:30 p.m. Host: Keith Olbermann, live broadcast of Countdown with Keith Olberman, 7:30-8 p.m. Tickets are available only for union members and their families. Contact your local union or the Chicago Federation of Labor at (312) 222-1000 for ticket information. Members outside Chicago can request tickets by calling (202) 637-5297 or e-mailing kbauer@aflcio.org. Submit questions for candidates here.
Aug. 9, 2007 — Democrats debated on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2007, in Los Angeles at 6 p.m. PDT (9 p.m. EDT) on the Logo network and the Logo Web site. Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese, Melissa Etheridge and Jonathan Capehart were panelists. Margaret Carlson moderated.
Aug. 19, 2007 — Democrats debated at Drake University‘s Sheslow Auditorium in Des Moines on Sunday, Aug. 19, 2007, at 8 a.m. (CDT) as a special edition of This Week with George Stephanopoulos (who moderated) on ABC. David Yepsen, political columnist for The Des Moines Register also asked questions. Tickets were available only to university students, faculty and staff. The debate was sponsored by the Iowa Democratic Party and sanctioned by the Democratic National Committee. See a transcript here or here. See ABC video here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here. Watch and rate video questions here.
Sept. 5, 2007 — Republicans debated Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2007, at 9 p.m. (EDT) at the University of New Hampshire‘s Whittemore Center in Durham, N.H. Sponsored by the New Hampshire Republican Party, the debate aired on FOX News. Deadline for press credentials was Aug. 24.
Sept. 9, 2007 — Democrats debated Sunday, Sept. 9, 2007, at 6:30 p.m. (EDT) at BankUnited Center at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Fla. It aired on Univision, RadioCadena and Univision.com. Univision’s news anchors Jorge Ramos and Maria Elena Salinas moderated. The debate focused on topics of particular importance to the U.S. Hispanic community, including education, economy, Latin American foreign policy, immigration and health care. All questions were asked in Spanish and translated to English for candidates. The candidates answered in English, and their answers were translated into Spanish. Tickets were available only to students, faculty and staff, and the debate was sold out.
While most coverage of the debate was fairly bland (as expected), Marc Cooper offered an interesting critique on Huffington Post.
Sept. 12, 2007 — Democrats will take part in a “presidential candidate mashup,” sponsored by Huffington Post, Slate and Yahoo! and moderated by Charlie Rose, on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007. Slatedescribes a mashup as “a new kind of campaign forum that will put you in charge of shaping exactly what kind of viewing experience you want to have — from the questions that are asked to the way you can pick and choose the issues you want to hear about and the candidates you want to hear from.” Rose will ask each of the candidates questions sent in by viewers. The videos will be coded and put online.
Submit questions to Huffington Post by sending a comment here. Include “Question for a Candidate” at the top of the comment. Submit questions to Slate to questionthecandidates@slate.com. Vote on topics at Yahoo! here. Facebook and MySpace will have platforms for submitting questions.
Sept. 16, 2007 — Republicans were set to debate Sunday, Sept. 16, 2007, at 6:30 p.m. (EDT). According to the Miami Herald, however, it has been canceled after only one Republican candidate (Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.) agreed to participate.
Sept. 17, 2007 — Some Republicans debated Monday, Sept. 17, 2007, at 7:30 p.m. (EDT) at the Broward Center for Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Organized by the Values Voter organization, it aired live on Sky Angel and aired later on the Inspiration Network, the DayStar Television Network, God TV and TBN Nejat TV. It streamed live on Values Voter Debate, American Family Association Online and radio and aired on VCY America.
Joseph Farah of WorldNetDaily moderated. According to WorldNetDaily, questions came from Paul Weyrich, founder and president of the Free Congress Foundation; Phyllis Schlafly, founder and president of Eagle Forum; Don Wildmon, founder and chairman of the American Family Association; Judge Roy Moore, a WND columnist with the Foundation for Moral Law; Rick Scarborough of Vision America; and Mat Staver of Liberty Council. Viewers could send questions to f2ainfo@f2a.org.
Republicans slated to participate: Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., Mike Huckabee, Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, and John Cox. Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Fred Thompson declined to participate. Democratic candidates declined to participate in a separate debate.
Sept. 20, 2007 — Democrats answered questions about long-term financial security and health care on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007, at the Adler Theatre in Davenport, Iowa. Sponsored by Iowa AARP and its advocacy program, Divided We Fail, the forum aired live on Iowa Public Television and PBS stations across the country at 7 p.m. (CDT). PBS correspondent and anchor Judy Woodruff moderated. To register for tickets, call AARP at 877-926-8300 or write iaaarp@aarp.org. Iowans were invited to e-mail questions by Sept. 1 to mfetterhoff@aarp.org.
Candidates planning to participate were Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., John Edwards and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson. Debate organizers did not invite Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel to the forum. Read coverage here.
Sept. 23, 2007 — Democrats debated Sunday, Sept. 23, 2007, at Detroit’s Fox Theater. Sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus, it aired on Fox News. Obama and Clinton, so far, refuse to participate.
The CBC and Fox News have not set a date and place for a Republican debate.
I don’t see coverage for this debate anywhere. Did it happen?
Sept. 26, 2007 —Democrats debated Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2007, at Spaulding Auditorium of the Hopkins Center at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. It aired on MSNBC, New England Cable News, NBC News and NH Public Radio. Co-sponsors were the Democratic National Committee and the New Hampshire Democratic Party. Tim Russert, NBC’s Washington Bureau Chief and host of Meet the Press,” moderated. Deadline for ticket-lottery applications was 5 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2007. Tickets were available only to student, faculty or staff of the college or permanent residents of New Hampshire.
Transcript here. Video here.
Sept. 27, 2007 — Republicans debated at the All American Presidential Forums on PBS on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2007, at 9 p.m. (EDT) at Morgan State University in Baltimore. Tavis Smiley moderated. The transcript is here. Watch or listen online here.
(Democrats debated June 28, 2007, at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Find the transcript here.)
Oct. 9, 2007 — Republicans debated on economic issues on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2007, at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Centerin Dearborn, Mich. Sponsored by CNBC, MSNBC, The Wall Street Journal, the City of Dearborn, the University of Michigan-Dearborn and the Michigan GOP, the debate aired live on CNBC at 4 p.m. EDT. MSNBC rebroadcasted at 9 p.m.
Transcript here. Video here.
Oct. 14, 2007 — Republicans will debate in Manchester, N.H., sponsored by ABC News, WMUR-TV, and the New Hampshire Union Leader. Canceled.
Oct. 20, 2007 — Democrats will debate in Manchester, N.H., sponsored by ABC News, WMUR-TV, and the New Hampshire Union Leader. Canceled.
Oct. 21, 2007 — Republicans debated on Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007, at 8 p.m. (EDT) at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando, Fla. Sponsored by the Republican Party of Florida and FOX News. Information about press credentials is here.
Summary by FactCheck.
Oct. 25, 2007 — Two Republicans, Gov. Mike Huckabee and Sen. John McCain, answered questions about long-term financial security and health care on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2007, at 7 p.m. (CDT) at the Orpheum Theater in Sioux City, Iowa. Sponsored by Iowa AARP and its advocacy program, Divided We Fail, the forum aired live on Iowa Public Television and PBS stations across the country.
Dean Borg, host of IPT’s “Iowa Press,” moderated the 90-minute discussion solely focused on health care and financial security. PBS correspondent and anchor Judy Woodruff moderated. Sioux City Journal Editorial Page Editor Mike Gors and audience members also asked questions. AARP President Erik Olsen, AARP members and volunteers from five states traveled to Sioux City to attend the forum.
To register for tickets, call AARP at 877-926-8300 or write iaaarp@aarp.org. Iowans could e-mail questions by Sept. 1 to mfetterhoff@aarp.org.
View video here. GOP candidates: Prevention is health key, Bret Hayworth, The Globe Gazette, Oct. 25, 2007. More covereage here.
Oct. 30, 2007 — Democrats (except Mike Gravel) will debate at the Drexel University Main Building Auditorium in Philadelphia from 9 to 11 p.m. (EDT) on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2007. Mike Gravel has been excluded from the debates because he did not meet fundraising and polling requirements. He’s not happy about it:
NBC’s decision is proof that our corporate media do not want a genuine debate over our impending war with Iran. … The fact that NBC is owned by General Electric, one of the world’s leading military contractors, is frightening and certainly smacks of censorship directed at the most outspoken critic of the influence that the military-industrial complex holds over this great nation. In the past decade, GE has benefited financially from the global war on terrorism and currently holds almost $2 billion in military contracts.
But wait. He’s got someone willing to pay his way into the debate. Gregory Chase offered NBC $1 million to include Gravel. Will it work? Stay tuned.
Sponsored by the Pennsylvania Democratic Party and the Democratic National Committee the debate will air live on MSNBC and be aired again on Telemundo. Brian Williams will moderate, and Tim Russert will ask questions. Deadline for press credentials was Friday, Oct. 19, 2007, at 6 p.m.
***POSTPONED*** — Republicans were scheduled to debate Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2007, at Iowa State University‘s Stephens Auditorium in Ames, Iowa, on MSNBC and MSNBC.com, but it has been postponed. More details to come.
Nov. 9, 2007 — Economic advisers for presidential candidates discussed economic issues in a debate at 9 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 9, 2007, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the National Association for Business Economics and the National Economists Club, David Wessel of The Wall Street Journal asked questions, and Judy Woodruff of The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer moderated. The event was open to NABE and NEC members and to credentialed journalists from business and financial media outlets. Registration was free, but space was limited, and advance registration was required. Registration deadline was Nov. 1.
Nov. 15, 2007 — Democrats debated Thursday, Nov. 15, 2007, at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, sponsored by the Nevada Democratic Party and CNN. Deadline to request tickets was Nov. 2.
Nov. 28, 2007 — The CNN/YouTube debate for Republicans, which had been postponed, was held Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2007, at 7 p.m. (EDT), at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg, Fla. Anderson Cooper moderated. The debate, sponsored by the Republican Party of Florida, aired live on CNN and CNN en Español. Viewers posted video questions on YouTube until Nov. 25, 2007.
Dec. 1, 2007 — Democrats and Republicans were invited to participate in Heartland Candidate Forum at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2007, at Hy-Vee Conference Center in Des Moines. Sponsored by more than 24 community organizations (Common Cause, Center for Community Change, Iowa CCI, Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church, Working Families Win, Gamaliel Foundation, National Training & Information Center, Progressive Coalition of Central Iowa, among others), the forum covered health care, jobs, immigration, farming and the environment, housing and “clean elections.”
To attend, contact Common Cause at iowa@commoncause.org with the subject “Heartland Forum” and include name, address, telephone number, e-mail address and number of tickets requested. Or register here. Sign up for updates here. Deadline for press credentials was Nov. 27.
Coverage here, here and here.
Dec. 1, 2007 — Democrats will debate at The Iowa Black & Brown Presidential Forum at 8 p.m. (EST) on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2007, at North High Schoolin Des Moines. Moderators: Michele Norris and Ray Suarez. HDNet live coverage will start at 7:30 p.m. (EST) with preview discussion featuring Mary Campos, Wayne Ford and Dan Rather. They will have a post-forum discussion afterward.
Dec. 4, 2007 — Democrats will debate at 2 p.m. (EST) on Monday, Dec. 3, 2007, at the State Historical Society of Iowa in Des Moines. Sponsored by National Public Radio and Iowa Public Radio, the debate will air on NPR stations, Sirius Satellite Radio, American Forces Radio and NPR.org. Steve Inskeep, Michele Norris and Robert Siegel will moderate, and all candidates are expected to attend. Because of the high level of security required, the State of Iowa Historical Building will be closed to the public. Apply for press credentials here.
Republicans were scheduled for a similar debate on Dec. 3, 2007, but it is being rescheduled.
Dec. 4, 2007 — Republicans were scheduled to debate Thursday, Dec. 4, 2007, at Hy-Vee Conference Centerin Des Moines, but it was canceled Nov. 15 because of lack of participation. Sponsored by the Republican Party of Iowa, it was to air on FOX News.
Dec. 9, 2007 — Republicans debated at 7 p.m. (EST) on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2007, BankUnited Center at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Fla. The debate was originally scheduled for Sept. 16 but was canceled after only one Republican candidate agreed to participate. It aired on Univision, RadioCadena and Univision.com. Univision’s news anchors Jorge Ramos and Maria Elena Salinas moderated. Questions were asked in Spanish and translated to English for candidates. The candidates answered in English, and their answers were translated into Spanish.
Dec. 10, 2007 — Democrats debated in Los Angeles, sponsored by the DNC.
Dec. 12, 2007 — Republicans debated at 2 p.m. (EST) on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2007, at Iowa Public Television’s Maytag Auditorium in Johnston, Iowa. Sponsored by The Des Moines Register and Iowa Public Television, the debate aired on IPTV and aired again later.
Dec. 13, 2007 — Democrats debated at 2 p.m. (EST) on Thursday, Dec. 13, 2007, at Iowa Public Television’s Maytag Auditorium in Johnston, Iowa. Sponsored by The Des Moines Register and Iowa Public Television, the debate aired on IPTV and aired again later. Submit questions or ask about tickets here.
Coverage here.
This was canceled. Dec. 17, 2007 — Democrats will debate Monday, Dec. 17, 2007, at the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum in Boston. Sponsored by Politico, it will air on CNN.
Jan. 1-2, 2008 — MySpace held online presidential town hall forums. Coverage here.
Jan. 10, 2008 — Republicans on FOX News, moderated by Brit Hume at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Transcript here. More coverage here.
Jan. 15, 2008 — Democrats debated Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2008, at 9 p.m. (EST) in Las Vegas and aired on MSNBC on television and online. Submit questions here. Or here. Brian Williams moderated. Tim Russert and Natalie Morales also asked questions. Sponsors: NBC News, the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, 100 Black Men of America, IMPACTO, the African American Democratic Leadership Council and the College of Southern Nevada.
Jan. 21, 2008 — Democrats debated Monday, Jan. 21, 2008, at 8 p.m. (EST) at the Palace Theatre in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus Institute and the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, the debate aired on CNN. Wolf Blitzer moderated. Joe Johns and Suzanne Malveaux asked questions.
Jan. 30, 2008 — Republicans debated in California. Sponsored by CNN, Los Angeles Times and Politico. Coverage here.
Jan. 31, 2008 — Democrats will debate in California. Sponsored by CNN and the Los Angeles Times.
Feb. 21, 2008 — Democrats, sponsored by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Feb. 21, 2008, in Carson City, Nevada.
Feb. 28, 2008 — MSNBC hosts back to back forums on energy for presidential candidates from both parties, Houston.
(Originally posted: July 2007)
Posted by Becky @
12:05 am |
State Department halts dignitary visits … for four days
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is pissed. Blackwater USA employees killed one Iraqi police officer and 10 Iraqi civilians and wounded at least 13 Iraqi bystanders in a shootout in Baghdad on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2007. Maliki called the action criminal, threatened to prosecute those involved, canceled Blackwater’s operating license and ordered the company out of the country on Monday. On Tuesday, the United States suspended all land travel by U.S. diplomats and other civilian officials in Iraq outside the Green Zone in Baghdad.
Scratch that. Convoys guarded by Blackwater resumed today after suspending them for only four days. The U.S. embassy struck back at the prime minister, releasing a report that details corruption in his government.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice got the prime minister to agree to set up a commission to “look into the matter.” Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., asked Blackwater USA founder and owner Erik Prince to appear before the House Government Reform Committeeon Oct. 2, 2007, to determine if private contractors serve U.S. interests in Iraq and whether Blackwater USA “has advanced or impeded U.S. efforts.”
I’m curious. Who were the U.S. diplomats being guarded by Blackwater employees, and will they be required to testify before the committee?
Was it Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Wash., and his delegation — Reps. Barbara Cubin, R-Wyo., Brad Ellsworth, D-Ind., and fourth-timer Steve Pearce, R-N.M. — who recently returned from an “intense two-day tour” of Iraq? No. They were there the weekend before last.
Was it Rep. Charlie Wilson, D-Ohio, and his delegation — Reps. John Boehner, R-Ohio, Peter Hoekstra, R-Mich., Peter King, R-N.Y., Tom Latham, R-Iowa, Devin Nunes, R-Calif., and Pat Tiberi, R-Ohio — who just returned from Iraq? No. They were in Baghdad earlier last week. (Gosh, it’s hard to keep track, isn’t it?)
Was it third-time visitor Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, and her delegation — Sens. Max Baucus, D-Mont., fourth-timer Ben Nelson, D-Neb., and third-timer Ken Salazar, D-Colo.? Maybe. They were on the heels of the other delegation and were in Iraq on Saturday and Sunday.
Blackwater spokeswoman Anne E. Tyrrell said Blackwater’s contractors acted lawfully and that the “civilians” who were killed were armed enemies. An Iraqi report said Blackwater guards were not ambushed. Instead, they fired at a car when it did not heed a police officer’s call to stop, killing a couple and their infant. In video shot after the episode, the child appeared to have burned to the mother’s body after the car caught fire.
In the meantime, Blackwater remains in Iraq, and Rice is telling everyone she has ordered a “full and complete review” of security practices, including Blackwater, which has a $1 billion, five-year contract with the U.S. State Department.
USA TODAY added an update to its breaking-news blog:
Update at 4:45 p.m. ET:We’ve requested comment from Blackwater USA. In the meantime, campaign finance records show that Prince has been a big donor to the Republican Party. In July, he gave $20,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee.
Nice try, but that’s just the beginning.
Prince also gave the National Republican Congressional Committee $25,000 in 2005, $25,000 in 2004, $20,000 in 2000, $15,000 in 1989, $1,000 in 1986, as well as $71,950 to the RNC Republican National State Elections Committee in 2000, and the following:
- $1,000 on Nov. 2, 2004, to Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., who visited Iraq in September 2006.
- $1,000 on Sept. 26, 2005, and $1,000 on Nov. 16, 2004, to Rep. Thomas DeLay, R-Texas, who visited Iraq in August 2003.
- $1,000 on Oct. 29, 2004, to Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., who visited Iraq in February 2005.
- $500 on Sept. 21, 1999, $1,000 on Aug. 24, 2004, and $1,000 on March 31, 2005, to Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-Minn., who visited Iraq in August 2003, September 2003, June 2004 and November 2004.
- $1,000 on Oct. 29, 2004, to Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., who visited Iraq at least six times.
- $2,100 on Aug. 23, 2006, to Sen. John Kyl, R-Ariz., who visited Iraq in November 2004 and February 2007.
- $1,000 on Nov. 2, 2004, to Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., who visited Iraq in September 2003.
- $1,000 on Jan. 4, 2006, and $2,000 on Dec. 19, 2005, to Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., who visited Iraq in February 2004, September 2005 and April 2007 (his fifth visit).
- $750 on Oct. 29, 2004, to Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, who visited Iraq in February 2005.
- $1,000 on Oct. 31, 2005, and $500 on Sept. 26, 2005, to Rep. Jim Saxton, R-N.J., who visited Iraq in October 2003 and July 2005.
- $1,000 on March 31, 2005, to Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Kan., who visited Iraq in September 2003.
That’s just for starters. I’ll keep looking. The USA TODAY guy might want to do the same.
Posted by Becky @
4:36 pm |
The high cost of dignitary visits, part 5
War is Peace — Freedom is Slavery — Ignorance is Strength
This war is about peace. — President George W. Bush
Sanctioned visits to Iraq by elected officials started in May 2003, and they have been back-to-back ever since. A National Guard general tried to see his troops in late 2003, but a Defense Department policy restricted his travel “for safety reasons” because a limited number of soldiers were available for security details. The general could not visit his troops, but more than 20 delegations visited Iraq in just eight months in 2003. (He finally got to visit his troops by the end of the year.)
Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., started the parade of delegations to Iraq by requesting a visit in early 2003. The Pentagon and the State Department refused. He took off for Iraq anyway in April by joining a convoy of relief workers into Iraq.
This will not be my last time going to Iraq. — Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn.
He was correct. He has been to Iraq 18 times … so far.
Less than a month later, a delegation left for Baghdad on May 23, 2003. Until then, Baghdad had been off limits because it was unsafe, even with armed military escorts. Elected officials insisted on going, however, saying they could not exercise “congressional oversight” from Washington. Three more delegations visited from June to August.
Even though 23 people died in a car bombing of the Baghdad United Nations headquarters on Aug. 19, 2003, an 11-member delegation visited the city on Aug. 25.
By the end of 2003, about a third of the U.S. Congress had visited Iraq.
The Pentagon promoted congressional visits, and House GOP leaders asked every Republican member to visit Iraq as soon as possible. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld believed visits would increase congressional support.
Surprise, surprise. They did.
I was hopeful that progress was being made, but based on the media coverage I had seen, I wasn’t certain. After three days of touring the country, I am now certain that we are making progress. — Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., after his Sept. 13-15, 2003, visit to Iraq (York Daily Record, Sept. 24, 2003).
War is peace.
U.S. House members were part of a delegation in Iraq, Oct. 6-10, 2003. Amory Houghton Jr., R-N.Y., said he was not concerned about his safety.
There’s a waiting list. A lot of people want to go. I think they’ll protect us pretty well. The one thing they don’t want to do is to have a bunch of congressmen slaughtered over there.— Rep. Amory Houghton, R-N.Y. (Star-Gazette)
(Delegation: Reps. Michael N. Castle, R-Del.; Jim Davis, D-Fla.; Wayne Gilchrest, R-Md.; Amory Houghton Jr., R-N.Y.; Ron Kind, D-Wis.; Gregory W. Meeks, D-N.Y.; Fred Upton, R-Mich.; Greg Walden, R-Ore.)
War is peace.
Right on their heels was an all-female delegation during the week of Oct. 20, 2003. Rep. Deborah Pryce, R-Ohio, wondered if there was a more positive story in Iraq than often portrayed in media accounts that emphasize continuing violence and Iraqi and U.S. fatalities.
The positive stuff isn’t coming through. — Rep. Deborah Pryce, R-Ohio (The Columbus Dispatch, Oct. 10, 2003)
They wouldn’t be staying overnight in Iraq, though, for security reasons. (Delegation: Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., Jennifer Dunn, R-Wash., Katherine Harris, R-Fla., Darlene Hooley, D-Ore., Sue Kelly, R-N.Y., Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y., Deborah Pryce, R-Ohio, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla.)
War is peace.
Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Fla., visited Nov. 6, 2003, even after a military transport helicopter went down, killing at least 16 troops (FLORIDA TODAY, Nov. 3, 2003). Rep. Bob Beauprez, R-Colo., expected to leave for Iraq in mid-November 2003 even though a trip by another congressional delegation had to be cut short after a bomb blast ripped through United Nations headquarters (Rocky Mountain News, Nov. 15, 2003).
A suicide bomb killed about 50 people and injured scores of others near Baghdad on Feb. 10, 2004, but Gov. Kathleen Blanco, D-La., “presented a positive picture of the occupied country” during her delegation’s visit Feb. 10-11, 2004. Even though extensive security measures highlighted danger at every turn, Blanco said she never felt at risk: “We were well-protected.” Guard units in front and behind their vehicles escorted the delegation, and Apache helicopters flew overhead.
War is peace.
In April 2004, Rumsfeld, who extended the tours of some 20,000 troops, expressed surprise that the death toll was higher than he expected. April was the deadliest month of the war so far with 147 U.S. troops and hundreds of Iraqis killed.
Sen. Robert Bennett, R-Utah returned with renewed confidence in the importance of the war and that troop morale was high after his visit June 3-6, 2004.
Things were going fine in Iraq. — Sen. Robert Bennett, R-Utah (The Associated Press, June 7, 2004)
Unconcerned for his safety, Bennett reported a sense of optimism from Iraq. He blamed the slowed Iraq reconstruction on Americans who protested the way building and infrastructure contracts were awarded. (Delegation: Sens. Robert F. Bennett, R-Utah; Bill Frist, R-Tenn; John Ensign, R-Nev.)
War is peace.
Rep. Jo Ann Davis, R-Va., and three others visited Baghdad and Fallujah, June 11-13, 2004. They wore body armor at all times, but Davis said,
… it wasn’t like there was a bomb going off every minute. — Rep. Jo Ann Davis, R-Va., June 2004
War is peace.
Two U.S. troops died on July 14, 2004, when a suicide bomb killed 11 and wounded 40 near the British embassy, insurgents beheaded a hostage and assassinated the governor of Mosul and the director general of Iraq’s Industry Ministry, capping off an explosion of violence in July, as almost 36 U.S. troops died in the first two weeks.
At least seven more delegations visited in August and September, during which time a mortar hit the roof of the U.S. embassy, and two mortar shells exploded about 500 yards from a delegation waiting to board a helicopter, and one U.S. soldier died in Baghdad that day.
Continued violence kept a September delegation from seeing much of Iraq up close, as they spent most of their time in helicopters and Humvees with tight security and flak jackets. Another delegation visited while officials sought freedom for several hostages. Two car bombs wounded American and Iraqi troops west of Baghdad on Sept. 26. Egyptian and British leaders urged the release of abducted workers and a civil engineer kidnapped with two Americans, later beheaded. Insurgents had kidnapped more than 140 foreigners and killed at least 26 of them. A rocket slammed into a busy Baghdad neighborhood, killing at least one and wounding eight. Hours later, another loud blast shook the U.S. embassy, where the delegation was.
A car bomb exploded in front of the Green Zone in October 2004, and another delegation arrived days later. Several more delegations visited from then until the end of the year. In January 2005, insurgents bombed the U.S. embassy, killing two Americans, while a delegation was in Baghdad for the elections. Yet another delegation visited in mid-January 2005.
As 55 people died in Iraq, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., said none of the senators dared drive through Baghdad’s streets, even in armored cars during her Feb. 19, 2005, visit. Even so,
Much of Iraq was functioning quite well. — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., Feb. 19, 2005
War is peace.
A delegation visited Baghdad on April 1, 2007. A U.S. soldier and American contractor died, and a rocket wounded five people. Officials acknowledged an increase in violence after 500 Iraqis and six U.S. troops died, while Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., visited Baghdad and insisted security was improving. Four soldiers died when an explosive detonated near their vehicle in Baghdad on April 1. (Delegation: Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; John McCain, R-Ariz.; Reps. Mike Pence, R-Ind.; Rick Renzi, R-Ariz.)
War is peace.
…
Under the table Winston’s feet made convulsive movements. … He was back at the Ministry of Love, with everything forgiven, his soul white as snow. He was in the public dock, confessing everything, implicating everybody. He was walking down the white-tiled corridor, with the feeling of walking in sunlight, and an armed guard at his back. The long-hoped-for bullet was entering his brain. … But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself.
…
This just in — The surge is working.
Posted by Becky @
10:57 am |
The high cost of dignitary visits, part 4
How to spot a dignitary visit to Iraq.
Some dignitary is at the embassy? Boom!
Mortars, rockets or car bombs strike in and around the U.S. embassy and Green Zone with regularity during most, if not all, delegation visits, killing and injuring more U.S. troops. (Remember, preparing one site for a dignitary visit can involve 200 to 300 troops and start from two to three days out.)
An American delegation met Iranians in Baghdad on May 28, 2007. Brilliant. Hold a high-profile meeting of dignitaries … in Baghdad. Oh, and publicize it. I don’t know. Isn’t that sort of like holding a national hurricane convention in Florida during a Category 5 hurricane – and expecting the National Guard to stand outside in the storm?
The more the merrier
Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., was also in Iraq on Memorial Day 2007 with a delegation. While he was there, a 24-year-old Connecticut soldier died in a helicopter crash, which Courtney called a “terrible tragedy.” Emphasizing the danger of their visit, a roadside bomb exploded about 500 yards from where the delegation was in Baghdad.
Ten U.S. troops died on Memorial Day, a car bomb killed at least 21 people, and insurgents hijacked a bus and kidnapped 15 passengers in Baghdad. Two U.S. troops died May 27.
Three blasts rocked the compound where British Prime Minister Tony Blair met Iraqi leaders on May 19, 2007, and one explosion occurred just outside the Green Zone. Initial reports mentioned that one person was injured and (whew!) it was not someone in Blair’s party. Right. It was an American soldier. Seven U.S. troops also died that day.
An explosion rattled the windows of the U.S. embassy, where Vice President Dick Cheney spent most of the day, May 9, 2007. Thirty-seven U.S. troops died leading up to and surrounding the May 2007 visits by Cheney and Blair.
Is this a new development? Nope. It’s déjà vu.
One U.S. soldier providing security for U.S. officials visiting Baghdad died July 6, 2003. One U.S. soldier on patrol in Baghdad during a delegation visit died July 7, 2003.
Even though 23 people died from a car bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad on Aug. 19, 2003, an 11-member delegation visited the city just days later on Aug. 25, 2003, and again on Aug. 28. They visited Kirkuk on Aug. 29. Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., said the bombing would not change the delegation’s plans.
I don’t want to do anything foolish, but I think it’s very important that I go there. If I’m ordering young men and women to go into harm’s way, as a member of Congress I need to see what they’re dealing with. — Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn. (Westport News, Aug. 29, 2003)
Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pa., said the bombing was a wake-up call, but he had a personal duty as a member of Congress to visit Iraq.
I believe our military forces would stop us from going if it weren’t relatively safe for us to go over there.— Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pa. (Public Opinion, Aug. 23, 2003)
Rep. Mark Kennedy, R-Minn., worried about their safety but said the risk troops were taking in Iraq was “far more than I’ll be taking” (Star Tribune, Aug. 20, 2003).
How much risk were the troops taking with his delegation there?
(In addition to Kennedy, Shays and Shuster, Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., was part of the delegation.)
Seventeen members of Congress took a five-day tour of the region, including Kirkuk, Mosul and Baghdad, Sept. 25-28, 2003. American-occupied al-Rashid Hotel in Baghdad was attacked Sept. 27. Three makeshift rockets were fired at the hotel, one hitting and superficially damaging part of its 14th floor, another landing in a courtyard, and a third damaging a private house nearby (Bucks County Courier Times, Sept. 29, 2003). Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., said protecting U.S. troops was his highest priority, but he criticized media coverage of Iraq.
All you see among the talking heads is that another soldier was killed today. It must be taken into perspective. How many people were killed in Washington, D.C., at the same time? — Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Calif. (The Press-Enterprise, Oct. 1, 2003)
While they were there, seven soldiers died, one from Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen’s home state of New Jersey. At a hearing before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Frelinghuysen said he had a positive experience in Iraq (Hearing before the Committee on Government Reform, House of Representatives, Oct. 8, 2003).
(Delegation: Reps. Henry Bonilla, R-Texas; Ken Calvert, R-Calif.; Davis, Norm Dicks, D-Wash.; Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-N.J.; Kay Granger, R-Texas; Tim Holden, D-Pa.; Mark Kirk, R-Ill.; Rick Larsen, D-Wash.; Jerry Lewis, R-Calif.; George Nethercutt, R-Wash.; Todd Platts, R-Pa.; Don Sherwood, R-Pa.; John Shimkus, R-Ill.; Ellen Tauscher, D-Calif.; Todd Tiahrt, R-Kan.; James Walsh, R-N.Y.)
Overlapping that trip was a five-member delegation with five House members who visited Iraq Oct. 11-12, 2003. They were in Mosul on Oct. 12 when a suicide attack killed at least seven people in Baghdad. That was the seventh fatal car-bomb attack since early August, and military officials reported an average of 22 attacks a day against U.S. forces the week before (Star Tribune, Oct. 14, 2003).
(Delegation: Reps. John Kline, R-Minn.; John M. McHugh, R-N.Y.; Jim Saxton, R-N.J.; Jim Turner, D-Texas; Michael Turner, R-Ohio.)
Just before President George W. Bush visited for a couple of hours on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27, 2003, a U.S. soldier died in a mortar attack.
A mortar hit the roof of the U.S. embassy in the fortified International Zone, and two mortar shells exploded about 500 yards from a delegation that was waiting to board a helicopter on Aug. 19, 2004 (Pacific Daily News, Aug. 29, 2004).
(Delegation: Reps. John Boozman, R-Ark., Madeleine Bordallo, D-Guam, Tom Cole, R-Okla., Jim Marshall, D-Ga., Jeff Miller, R-Fla., Adam Schiff, D-Calif.)
A delegation visited in September 2004, and a rocket exploded near the U.S. embassy, where they were staying. Seven troops died during that visit.
A delegation visited Sept. 25-26, 2004, amid violence and officials seeking freedom for several hostages. Two car bombs wounded American and Iraqi troops west of Baghdad on Sept. 26. Egyptian and British leaders urged the release of six Egyptian telecommunications workers abducted with four Iraqis the week before and Kenneth Bigley, a British civil engineer kidnapped Sept. 16 with two American civil engineers, Eugene Armstrong and Jack Hensley, who later were beheaded. More than 140 foreigners had been kidnapped in Iraq, and at least 26 had been killed. Fighting in Ramadi killed at least three people and wounded four, and insurgents fired mortar rounds and rockets at two U.S. positions. A rocket slammed into a busy Baghdad neighborhood, killing at least one person and wounding eight. Hours after the attack, another loud blast shook the U.S. embassy (Bucks County Courier Times, Sept. 27, 2004). Scott Garrett, R-N.J., said the situation in Iraq was getting worse, as his delegation was in the U.S. embassy in Baghdad on Sept. 26 when a rocket landed about 500 meters away. Confined to Baghdad (it was too dangerous to travel elsewhere), they saw little of the city because the military designed their travel so they would not become targets. They traveled in Humvees and armored helicopters with at least six troops as escorts. Garrett reported regular mortar and rocket attacks during their visit (Daily Record, Sept. 27, 2004; The Record, Sept. 28, 2004).
Only one person questioned these visits publicly during a campaign debate: Larry Diedrich, former senator of South Dakota, who was running against Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D.
When people go to Iraq, I hope we don’t put our troops in greater danger. I just want them to keep that in mind. That is a comment I hear around the state too.— Larry Diedrich, South Dakota
Herseth was “insulted” by his words that suggested she “might have put American troops at risk.”
Many have traveled to Iraq. It is our responsibility, it is our duty to stay close to them, see firsthand their work and find out what they need in their jobs to carry out their mission. So it is insulting that anyone says the trip puts the soldiers in danger. I’m disappointed in Larry Diedrich. — Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D. (Argus Leader, Oct. 17, 2004).
The end.
(Delegation: Reps. Scott Garrett, R-N.J.; Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D.; Ernest Istook, R-Okla.; Tom Osborne, R-Neb.; Tom Udall, D-N.M.)
Well, not quite. It never really ends.
Insurgents bombed the U.S. embassy, killing two Americans, while a delegation was in Baghdad in January 2005 for the elections.
A mortar shell sailed into the Green Zone in March 2006 when a delegation was there, and a U.S. soldier died.
Baghdad still feels like an occupation zone. I was physically present in Baghdad, as I noted, for about 24 hours, but it is hard to say that I saw the city. I left with an enduring image of concrete barriers and convoys of SUVs. I last visited Baghdad in March 2005, and the environment now is no better than it was at that time. The three mortar rounds that exploded during one meeting I had with an Iraqi vice president – no one was harmed – they were launched from some way out, but still they hit. It shows just how insecure the city remains. — Rep. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., reporting on his Web site about his Jan. 9-10, 2007, visit to Iraq
Oops. Brownback must have missed the memo from Rep. Jerry Lewis about telling only the “good news” from Iraq.
A car bomb “shook the windows” of the U.S. embassy and five U.S. troops died when Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., and Rep. Joe Sestak, D-Pa., met Gen. David Petraeus in Baghdad in mid-April 2007 (Lincoln Journal-Star, April 19, 2007).
Posted by Becky @
12:03 pm |
Democrats to debate Monday night on CNN
Democratic presidential candidates will debate at the Citadel in Charleston, S.C., from 7 to 9 p.m. on Monday, July 23, 2007. CNN and YouTube will air the debate, hosted by Anderson Cooper and the South Carolina Democratic Party. CNN editors will choose questions from videos posted on YouTube by viewers July 14-22.
On-site tickets will be available to only invited guests, Citadel faculty, staff, cadets and students, not the public. The deadline for requesting press credentials was July 18.
CNN and YouTube plan a similar debate for Republican candidates Monday, Sept. 17 at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg, Fla. Hosts: Anderson Cooper and the Republican Party of Florida. The debate will air live on CNN and CNN en Espanol.
Posted by Becky @
12:49 pm |
Presidential candidates strike a pose on war
Before the ink was dry on the $120 billion war-funding package passed without withdrawal deadlines by the U.S. Senate and House on May 24, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., returned her focus to her campaign with this: “If President Bush does not end the war, when I am president, I will.” It has become a mantra (slogan, if you will), repeated on her blog.
Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., said in April, “So I make a solemn pledge to you, as president, we will be out of Iraq.”
As senator? Not so much.
Last I heard, Congress still had some power. Why are they willing to wait until 2009 (or beyond) to end a war the majority of Americans wanted to end with the influx of Democrats they voted into office last year?
In the Democratic debate on June 3, Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., mentioned getting 2,500 mine-resistant V-shaped armored vehicles into Iraq by August to “save lives,” and he has pushed this idea several times since. It seemed oddly specific, so I looked it up. Those vehicles are called MRAPs, or Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles. They will not be available by August. They will not be available until 2009, at a cost of $900,000 each. The U.S. Army plans to buy 2,500 MRAPs over the next three years, at a cost of $2.25 billion. The U.S. Marine Corps plans to replace its 3,700 Humvees in Iraq, which will cost $3.7 billion. That’s a sweet $6-billion deal for some defense company. Do Biden and his colleagues want to prolong this war another two years so they can fulfill contracts?
According to The Center for Responsive Politics, the defense industry gave more than $48 million to elected officials since 2002. Two of the companies that make MRAPs are BAE Systems and General Dynamics, two of the top defense contributors. GD has given $4.5 million to elected officials, and BAE has given $2 million since 2002. Let’s look at some of the 2008 presidential candidates.
- Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., took $246,410 from the defense industry in 2006, including $20,000 from BAE.
- Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, D-Conn., took $96,800 in 2006.
- Clinton took $72,200 in 2006, including $8,000 from BAE.
- Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., took $53,500 in 2004, including $1,000 each from BAE and GD.
- Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., took $2,000 in 2006 and $18,000 in 2004.
- Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., took $1,000 in 2006 and $2,000 in 2004.
As for the Democrats who recently refused to end the war, the 25 senators who voted for the war funding in May have taken money from defense companies, while only 12 did not. The 66 representatives who voted for the funding taken money from defense companies, while only 20 did not.
Whose interests do they really serve?
Posted by Becky @
4:56 pm |
