Gen. Shelton Endorses, Obama Thinks Rumsfeld OK [UPDATED x2]
By SusanUnPC on March 1, 2008 at 3:44 PM in Afghanistan, Barack Obama, Flag officers, Hillary Clinton, NATO, Soldiers/Veterans
UPDATES: Don’t miss “Just Words” video and the new Jack Nicholson video (awesome). They’re both below. (And “Buzz Up” Jack’s ad.)
Ask Army Major General Antonio Taguba (Ret.) what he thinks of Donald Rumsfeld. (Gen. Taguba is one of 28 flag officers — including, today, General Henry Hugh Shelton (two-term Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) — who have endorsed Hillary Clinton. Gen. Taguba endorsed Sen. Clinton because of her “unequivocal opposition to the use of torture under any circumstances” [NoQuarter story].) Let Sy Hersh tell the story of how Gen. Taguba told the the truth in the report he was assigned to write about Abu Ghraib and, for that, was ridiculed by then Defense Secretary Rumsfeld. Gen. Taguba’s career was “shunted,” says Hersh, and he was “forced out” of the military. Now hear what Barack Obama thinks of Donald Rumsfeld:
Breaking today: General Henry Hugh Shelton has endorsed her to be the Nation’s next Commander-in-Chief:
One of our nation’s top military figures, General Shelton served two terms as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush.
In announcing his endorsement, General Shelton said, “I’ve been with Senator Clinton when she has been with our military men and women. I know from those experiences that she understands the demands and sacrifice of military life. I am confident she will always put the readiness and well being of our troops first. She is ready to be Commander-in-Chief.”
General Shelton joins General John Shalikashvili as the second former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to have endorsed Senator Clinton. General Shelton is the fourth flag officer to endorse Senator Clinton this week.
The first Green Beret to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, … Read all.
Here is the list of 28 flag officers who have endorsed Hillary Clinton to be our next Commander In Chief:
Flag Officers Endorsing Hillary Clinton for President and Commander-in-Chief
- General Wesley Clark
- General John M. Shalikashvili
- General Henry Hugh Shelton
- General Johnnie E. Wilson
- Admiral William Owens
- Lt. Gen. Joe Ballard
- Lt. Gen. Robert Gard
- Lt. Gen. Claudia J. Kennedy
- Lt. Gen. Donald L. Kerrick
- Lt. Gen. Frederick E. Vollrath
- Vice Admiral Joseph A. Sestak
- Major General Roger R. Blunt
- Major General George A. Buskirk, Jr.
- Major General Edward L. Correa, Jr.
- Major General Paul D. Eaton
- Major General Paul D. Monroe, Jr.
- Major General Antonio M. Taguba
- Rear Admiral Connie Mariano
- Rear Admiral Alan M. Steinman
- Rear Admiral David Stone
- Brigadier General Michael Dunn
- Brigadier General Belisario Flores
- Brigadier General Evelyn “Pat” Foote
- Brigadier General Keith H. Kerr
- Brigadier General Virgil A. Richard
- Brigadier General Preston Taylor
- Brigadier General John M. Watkins, Jr.
- Brigadier General Jack Yeager
UPDATE:
Statement from Howard Wolfson in Response to Sen. Obama’s Attack on Hillary Clinton
In an effort to deflect attention from voters asking whether he is ready to lead on national security, Barack Obama launched a series of negative attacks against Hillary Clinton today.
In response, Howard Wolfson, Communications Director, issued the following statement:
Real change isn’t attacking NAFTA in Ohio while news outlets report that your chief policy aide told the Canadians your criticism is just rhetoric.
Real change isn’t attacking lobbyists while utilizing their services throughout your campaign.
Real change isn’t voting against a cap on credit card interest rates and opposing a freeze on home foreclosures on subprime borrowers.
And real change isn’t running away from a debate on national security because you don’t have the strength and the experience to go toe to toe with John McCain.
UPDATE II:
UPDATE III — it’s Jack on Hill:
Check out Hillary’s new donation campaign! 50,000 donors in 72 hours! You don’t have to donate, but you really should check out the dynamic graphics. Just terrific, and a lot of fun to watch.
Wait a minute - wasn’t Rumsfeld a big proponent of the satellite killer plane when he was first appointed and didn’t that put him outside the mainstream? Am I wrong about that? Wasn’t that one of the reason we all thought he was loony from the get go?
Right.
Which also says to me the problems the military has been experiencing have far more to do with Bush, and Washington, than a dearth of any talent.
Maybe a wake up call.
Not just the military, but it’s nice to see people in positions of power who still but country before money, or position.
PUT country before money or power.
Sorry.
Pushed the wrong button.
heh.
Now you sound like, oops, I-pushed-the-wrong-button Obama. (Which he did, many times in the Illinois State Senate, he claims … to explain some of his stupidest votes … please don’t give this guy the football.)
Good point - never made that connection! Oops - was that the nuke button? Sorry
As an aside, in Bob Woodward’s book, “State of Denial” he makes the point Shelton saw his job as representing the common soldier at the President’s table, the foot soldier being a legal equal to the President, deserving an equal voice in the decisions made that affected his, or her, life, such as going to war with Iraq, and Afghanistan.
This is the very basis, the foundation of our government, without respecting this philosophy of equality, we fail, America fails.
Woodward went on to say Shelton was soon excluded from top level meetings with Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld, as they didn’t care about the soldier’s welfare, or the law, for that matter, they only cared about implementing their political world vision, even at the expense of US law, or sane thinking.
A really good read about the mindset of this administration, they really thought the US government was their private corporation.
Which is why it’s not OK to take money from men like Auchi, because it directly affects men like Gen Shelton, and those who serve under them, when they ask men like Rumsfeld, for a favor.
And to connect the dots further, when men like Gen Shelton leave, (and it was my impression, from Woodward’s book, Shelton was asked by Rumsfeld to disregard American law, and he wouldn’t) anyway, when the Sheltons leave, you end up with the Petreaus’s, and the Petreaus’s can’t win wars.
And America still needs to be able to win wars.
One of the crazier dynamics of this election as it pertains to leftwing blogs is how many of the same blogs that went after Joe Lieberman are now lockstep behind Obama, one of the biggest “LieberDems” there is.
I would argue that CLinton is MUCH more of a “Lieberdem”. . .
How did SHE vote on Rumsfeld? Ooops! She voted to CONFIRM!
How did she vote on IWR? How about Kyl-Lieberman, cluster bombs, etc?
.
Ok, Neb, you stick out like a sore thumb.
Now we all know where all the neocon/Obama resentment of smart people originates:
“Pay attention to ME!”
I’d like to see a link on her voting to confirm Rumsfeld. Or are you just fantasizing? Go ahead - make your case.
Oh, btw, how did Obama vote on Kyl Lieberman?
>>I’d like to see a link on her voting to confirm Rumsfeld. Or are you just fantasizing? Go ahead - make your case.
It was a unanimous voice vote with no Senator objecting.
http://edition.cnn.com/2001/ALLPOLITICS/stories/01/20/senate.vote/
>>Oh, btw, how did Obama vote on Kyl Lieberman?
Again, he objected to Kyl Lieberman and stated his opposition on the Senate floor, but was not present for the vote. He had been told that the vote was not forthcoming and had to attend a previously scheduled campaign event.
From the Senate record:
As far as missing votes:
From Reuters:
Hope this clears it up for you!
“It was a unanimous voice vote with no Senator objecting.”
(my italics and boldface)
Library of Congress:
“Confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote”
Why are you people wasting your time on this poster? Don’t you have sidewalks to shovel, lawns to mow, dogs to walk, paint to watch dry?
Right, so Clinton voted with the other progressives in the senate and you have a problem with that. Interesting. so, to your mind - Feingold is a Lieberdem?
And congrats on getting Obama to show up and vote. That’s a change of habit for him. I wonder if he’ll start ducking out on the tougher votes later this year….
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/11/02/obama.missed.votes/index.html
Wrong premise here-
Obama is questioning her judgement. In that area, you have then examine whether his judgement was better, APPLES FOR APPLES.
And when stacking it APPLES FOR APPLES, he didn’t show different judgement about Rumsfeld.
Did she miss on the Rumsfeld thing, apparently so. But so did he, yet he is saying he has better judgement.
And on the Kyl-Leiberman amendment…strange bedfellows
Not Voting - 2
McCain (R-AZ)
Obama (D-IL)
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00349
Because those who prefer a Hitler solution, will gravitate towards equal Hitlerian measures.
There’s not much difference in the poles. Both love violence, both use violence to justify their means.
Why to always keep the radicals in each wing on either side of the aisle in check — or they’ll come back to cannibalize their very ideology they claim to endorse.
It’s not that Liberalism in itself is bad, it’s the flaming Liberal with gas and a match that IS.
Or the dimwitted neocons with authority over the US army.
It’s not as if they have to risk anything, they have others do it for them, and, if it fails, well, they’ve always had a free ride, what’s to make them think differently, this time?
“My Dad, or my dealer, can get me out of this, he has connections.”
Neo-Cons take Communist beliefs and then try to masquerate as conservatives cherry picking ideals. Traditionals spotted Bush before the Iraq war, and were one of the first dissenters of him.
They’re a bane to both sides of the aisle, as they don’t follow either ideology. But so pleasing to each, too.
A cancer within.
All I can say Dems, be careful of the same sheep covered wolves, like O-Bomba. Once entrenched, you can root them out like Lieberman.
Oops…CAN’T root them out like Lieberman.
I’m concerned about his refusal to denounce private armies in Iraq? How can we get out of Iraq if he wants our ‘business’ interests there to be protected with taxpayer financed private armies who are protected by American law? It’s obvious to me why HIllary has the support of the real military and now why Obama hearts Rumsfeld. Isn’t it time for the occupation to end?
Probably because O-Bomba’s so proud of his middle name, he’s confusing Hussein with being a Hessian (who were hired mercs in the American Revolution).
Right, highly disciplined, if I remember, and not hired to slaughter innocents.
The American revolutionaries were Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington, not Eric Prince, and Barack Obama.
lol.
The King was partly German. So lots of Germans joined the British Army. Many of them stayed on after the war a settled in Pennsylvannia and Ohio!
Nice piece,Susan. Very well done.
Wait. . .
How did Sen. Clinton VOTE on Rumsfeld???
Oops! She voted to CONFIRM him! Does that mean that she thought that he was in the political mainstream?
Or that he was “out-of-the-mainstream”, but she lacked the politcal courage to oppose him???
And Obama voted to fund him, and the war, continually. When it came to putting his money where his mouth is, (heh) obama wussed.
Again.
Why?
You have to come back with something more than white noise, if you wanna dance, neb…
Your point Ned? When did you vote for Rumsfields apointment…? seriously your missing the point being made, which SusanUnPC, does a fine job of highlighting.
So for just fun can you stop with the strawman BS?
You appear to be indulding in a wierd form relativism. You can’t contrast Senator Obama’s
utter failure to expand his experience on the committe he was AWOL from and his big fat O in military affairs. And while we are at it can you please tell me what is his record on the homeland security committe?
Have you all seen this:
Didn’t Obama donate all the money to charity that he received from Rezco?
Why would Clinton KEEP $170,000 from this SCUMBAG?!?!?
[ADMINISTRATOR: NED, THIS IS WHY WE HAVE OPEN THREADS. IT’S WHY MOST ACTIVE BLOGS HAVE OPEN THREADS. THEY’RE FOR OFF-TOPIC ITEMS. DIG? THIS HAD BETTER BE THE LAST TIME YOU POST OFF-TOPIC INFO IN OTHER THAN AN OPEN THREAD. YOU HAVE BEEN SERVED. YOU CAN POST THIS STUFF, BUT DO IT IN THE APPROPRIATE THREADS.]
Bulbous Nebbish -
Now you’re all about guilty until proven innocent - even in a civil trial?
No wonder you find it so easy to support Barack Obama. You’re a hypocrite.
Read the article. We’re off topic here.
How is it on topic? because it contains the name Hillary? The topic is about experience handling military, and you bring up financial contributions. If this is what you call on topic, then you don’t seem to distinguish apples and apples and oranges and oranges.
Rumfeld is ok?
The “Donald Rumfeld”??
Which planet have you been, Sen. Obama??
Even Bush asked Rumfeld to leave. Don’t tell me you are worse than Bush.!
Find Obama’s appearance on MTP, when he explains he will vote against Alito, but “he really wished he didnt have to, I mean, Alito and Bush are ok, right?”
He did this when a lot of us, on Kos, even, were in the midst of watching Cheney and Bush try to pull down the Constitution, in the mane of the “great war on terror.” I remember feeling appalled Obama didn’t quite seem to get it.
Fer real.
I wonder if the kos people forgot about all of that?
Or maybe it doesnt matter, there was a kook on Kos posting, not too long ago, about changes he thought should be made to the Constitution.
That’s usually your first tip off…
Simon: just for clarification: Obama says he wished he could have voted present?
“he really wished he didnt have to, I mean, Alito and Bush are ok, right?”
The Kossians have no memory, they forgot about the Obama that castigated them for sticking their lumpen prole noses into senatorial politics just a few years ago.
Obama showed his colors for all and they didn’t see it.
The Kos people didn’t get it either when Pelosi and Reid started 2007 by rolling over for Bush on just about everything he wanted.
Then again the Reid/Pelosi betrayals went over the heads of a lot of folks who now are major Obama supporters in the blogosphere.
“Rumsfeld is okay”…..what the heck are you smoking Neb?
Where the heck have you been for the past (7) years…give me a break…geeze, get a clue.
Check out Hillary’s new donation campaign! 50,000 donors in 72 hours! You don’t have to donate, but you really should check out the dynamic graphics. Just terrific, and a lot of fun to watch.
Better watch out. It looks like you’re also off-topic. . .
I added it to the story above, and just in case people might miss it, i added it in a comment. Author’s prerogative. Me general. You private.
You private
and Ned volunteers for latrene duty ’cause his skill set is a match for the job…
I Salute you General!
Salute!
So does this mean that I can’t advocate that people go to Obama’s web site, volunteer, and make a contribution?
This is the biggest election of our generation and the question is: are we going to continue with the failed policies of the past, the division, the triangulation, and the demonization of one’s opponents?
Or are we going to believe in our ability to bring about change in our country, to get rid of lobbyist money, to work together as Democrats, Independents, and Republicans, to take the country back FOR ALL AMERICANS and not just for the special interests?
Over 1,000,000 individuals have contributed to Obama thus far. . . this is a movement which won’t be stopped. Go to Obama’s web site, read his position PDF, watch his speeches and read his books. Then volunteer or contribute.
There is something exciting happening here. Hillary Clinton cannot get it done, she does not inspire people of all persuations and is too mired in divisive political strategies. Her 11 state swing strategy was a failure and the 50-state strategy as designed by Dean and employed by Obama was an enormous success.
Join the campaign and we will have the best nominee we’ve had in generations on Weds!
[…] NO QUARTER wrote an interesting post today on Gen. Shelton Endorses, Obama Thinks Rumsfeld OKHere’s a quick excerpt Ask Army Major General Antonio Taguba (Ret.) what he thinks of Donald Rumsfeld. (Gen. Taguba is one of 28 flag officers who have endorsed Hillary Clinton as of this week. Gen. Taguba endorsed Sen. Clinton because of her “unequivocal opposition to the use of torture under any circumstances” [NoQuarter story].) Let Sy Hersh tell the story of how Gen. Taguba told the the truth in the report he was assigned to write about Abu Ghraib and, for that, was ridiculed by then Defense Secretary Rumsfeld. G […]
BRAVO JACK N. !!! AWESOME AD !!!!
Some of you may remember the despicable anti-Dean ad in Iowa put out by a 527 called “Americans for Jobs, Health Care and Values.”
A member of the leadership who was also the spokesman for the group was Robert Gibbs, now a spokesman for Barack Obama.
Gibbs not only embraced the ad, he helped make it happen.
And now, he’s speaking for a candidate who also has no military or foreign policy experience. Obama clearly dipped into the slimiest corners of DC to pluck out Gibbs, didn’t he?
So why do they scream like little girls because Hillary put out an ad stating she’s the best choice for CiC?
Good point. And add another name to the hit parade list. Sorry about the web dust. Historical contexts are crucial to cutting through the current noise.
Chris Cillizza; Wednesday, January 17, 2007
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/01/the_obama_inner_circle.html
Obama Jumps Into Presidential Fray
Senator Forms Exploratory Committee
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/16/AR2007011600529.html
If I came from the moon and just had the time to inform myself about what General Taguba did in investigating the Abu Ghraib scandal and learning that he endorsed Senator Clinton–that alone would be enough for me to vote for Hillary.
If you do not know what Gen. T. did in this respect as he was fully aware that it would cost him his career, you ought to study this.
Susan, thanks informing me of Gen. T. taking Senator Clinton’s side–one more very important reason to vote for her
I’d be emabarrassed if I was BO…talking about “superior judgment” while making “boneheaded decisions” it’s kind of like saying you’ll repeal NAFTA while telling Canda you won’t. Nothing matches up with this guy. Oh yeah, and talking about transparency while saying, “we will neither confirm nor deny a conversation took place.” Ugh, it makes me sick to my stomach…that’s Bush speak.
Hillary knows what she’s saying, she means it and she’ll stand by it no matter how much energy people exert to get her to compromise. That’s what we need after Bush — a president who says and does everything she says. God, that would be such a relief.
[…] may speak a bit differently than the 28 flag officers who have endorsed Hillary Clinton. The Osama part is over the top, but he gets it about readiness, just like the 28 flag officers. […]
[…] Gen. Taguba’s endorsement was but one of 30 flag officers backing Hillary Clinton, including General Henry Hugh Shelton (two-term Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of […]