Thursday, January 11, 2007

Is Nelson Running for Something?

Is U.S. Senator Ben Nelson running for some other office we don’t know about?

Is there a reason he’s teetering from side to side on THE major political question of the day?

On the President’s plan to send 21,000 more troops to Iraq, guess where Senator Chuck Hagel stands?

“The most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Vietnam.”
You may agree or disagree with Hagel’s stance, but there’s no doubt about understanding his position.

How about Rep. Lee Terry?
“I support the President's plan.”

Rep. Jeff Fortenberry?
“It seems reasonable and prudent.”

Rep. Adrian Smith – just got to DC:
“I support this effort.”

Heck, let’s go across the river and see what ol’ Sen. Tom Harkin thinks:
“The wrong strategy.”

None of these elected representatives to the United States Congress has any problem telling you where they stand regarding the top issue of the day.

But Ben Nelson? Well let’s see:

He is "not convinced that sending in an additional 21,000 troops will quell the sectarian violence or stabilize Baghdad."

While "trying to maintain an open mind" on that question, Nelson said, he cannot ignore the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group and senior military leaders who have argued that sending more U.S. troops is not the answer.

Nelson said he agrees with the president's approach to establish benchmarks for progress by the Iraqis. That's a strategy Nelson has long advocated as "conditions for staying" in Iraq. (Hagel says Bush strategy is wrong-headed - LJS - 1/11/07.)

Uh…what?

Senator, the campaign is over.
Hop down and take a position. It's what you were elected to do.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nellie is just waiting for the dust to settle a little. He's waiting to see what upside/downside there might be for his campaign donors and family business interests...like the corrupt pol he's always been. Plus he isn't likely to take the Hagel suicide plunge anyway. Wonder if Chuck will be in Iowa or New Hampshire this weekend?

Anonymous said...

Seems to me Nelson is "running from something."

Anonymous said...

SS - The bush plan had multiple facets - Nelson supports some - the benchmarks and job creation - and is unsure about the surge.
Politicians are not elected to "take positions" - that's what the campaign is for. They are elected to do what's right. In this case, the NE house members followed their talking points and Senator Hagel did his usual schtick.
I read somewhere that Hagel supports the reconstruction and job creation efforts. Of course saying that in his response wouldn't grab headlines. Hagel's incessent Vietnam references deny the reality that we are fighting an unconventional enemy. The major differnece between Vietnam and Iraq is that our enemy today - unlike in Southeast Asia - is willing to pursue as across the globe. So enough already with the Veitnam references.

Of the five members of the delegation I'd say that Nelson's response was the most thoughtful.

Street Sweeper said...

Drifter,
Ben Nelson can't come down and take a stand on the main issue facing America today. Does he or does he not support the influx of 20K more troops? NO ONE KNOWS.

Gimme a freaking break.

Anonymous said...

This is Ben's time in the sun. Like it or not -- and I don't -- Uncle Ben will have more influence in D.C. than our other four delegation members combined. Accept it.

Anonymous said...

If "thoughtful" = hesitant, inconclusive, indefinite, indeterminate, irresolute, pussyfoot, straddle, tentative, unclear, undecided, undetermined, unsettled, unstable, vacillating, waffle, wavering, weak-kneed, weenie OR wishy-washy, then yes, Senator Nelson is most certainly thoughtful.

Anonymous said...

Nelson always takes his firmest stand in front of a mirror.

Anonymous said...

so then one of the folks out here in blogger land should run for the office. it is funny how people will armchair quarterback and bad mouth a person who is out in front. that isn't to say the people who choose to lead should not be questioned, but to chime in an anonymous arena and act the way some of the poster's have here is not a sign of partisanship getting any better. i don't like what i know of Ben but at least i can rest assured i have no issue in what i have said publicly, whether anon or not.

scottyP

Street Sweeper said...

In response to that comment, I'm just going to quote Grampa Simpson:

"…like the time I caught the ferry over to Shelbyville. I needed a new heel for my shoe, so, I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on 'em. 'Give me five bees for a quarter,' you’d say. Now where were we? Oh yeah -- the important thing was that I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time. They didn’t have white onions because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones..."

Anonymous said...

yup figure you are right on that one. Perhaps a better way to say it would be to just come out and say it, whatever it is. Hmmm kind of reminds me of a certain president who made the famous comment "... depends on what is is?

Whew glad we cleared that one up!