Shaw blames Rumsfeld for his, Republican's loss

[DoYouEverWonder]

Nov. 11, 2006

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Still smarting from his first political defeat in 35 years, U.S. Rep. Clay Shaw blamed the loss on the timing of Donald Rumsfeld's resignation, saying the defense secretary could have saved him and other ousted Republicans by leaving sooner.

"My first impression was that the extra votes that I needed would have been there," Shaw said. "I think it could have made a difference in who is running the Congress."

Shaw, a Republican from Fort Lauderdale, lost his bid for a 14th term in the House to state Sen. Ron Klein (D-Boca Raton) on Tuesday. Klein repeatedly pegged Shaw as the president's puppet, linking Shaw's fortune and his handling of the Iraq war to Bush.

At least 27 other Republican House members lost their seats as voters signaled discontent with GOP rule, giving the Democrats control of the U.S. House and Senate for the first time in 12 years. A day later, Rumsfeld announced his resignation.

"The national mood was not that they liked Democrats, but that they didn't like Republicans," Shaw said.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/politics/elections/15989569.htm


Typical Repug, blaming everybody and everything except himself.

[aquart]

1. Yes. "They didn't like Republicans."

Think about that, Clay. Take it in. Somewhere in this country, a DEAD Democrat defeated an incumbent Republican. We voted for a corpse rather than one of you.

And, if you see Rummy, thank him for me.

[daleo]

10. And it wasn't the first time

If I recall correctly, Ashcroft was beaten by a dead Democrat in the 2000 election.

[maryallen]

11. Yes, Mel Carnahan of Missouri, who ...

unfortunately, died in a plane crash very similar to the one that would subsequently, claim the life of Senator Paul Wellstone.

[daleo]

12. Yes, two in quick succession

It made you wonder.

[aquart]

13. Carnahan.

Who would clearly have been a better Senator dead than Ashcroft alive.

[daleo]

15. But could he sing as well?

"Let the eagle fly!"

[acmavm]

2. Like he said, voters didn't like the republican party. Why would

that have been any different if Rumsfeld would have left earlier. Would they have been any less corrupt? Would the Foley thing just have been a big misunderstanding. Would the soldiers lost in Iraq be any less dead? Would the country be less in debt than it is now? Would they just forget about spying on us? Would they be thinking about new tactics in the 'war on terra' or would the still be 'staying the course'?

What a dumb ass.

[orpupilofnature57]

3. The Good Ole Boy network ,cannibalizes all the time ,right Brownie?

Like Rats jumping a sinking ship!

[iamjoy]

9. Be Fair, We Do It Too

we Democrats eat our own after a loss - those who don't think the machine were rigged are trying to find some one to blame. Gore, Kerry, Dean, etc.

So now we get to see Republicans doing it.

[orpupilofnature57]

18. We castigate each other too ,what repuker ,name one that criticized

Shrub for axing rummy ,if that had been Clinton half the Dem's would of been up his ass.

[benny05]

4. It is typical repuke reaction n/t

[PermanentRevolution]

5. Well, he's kind of right

At least, in his specific case.

He got re-elected 12 times in the most heavily Democratic county in Florida because he appealed widely to both parties. This time, though, he had the Bush albatross around his neck. I'm not going to miss him, but he 's very much a casualty of the wave, rather than his specific politics.

[HaggardsMethDealer]

6. I think that he is partially right.

I think in close races, it would have helped GOP candidates if Bush took bold measures like firing Rumsfeld and making it crystal clear that the Iraq policy needed to change. I think that it might have turned a few seats for them.

But he is also dead wrong in that the liberal measures (excluding the gay marriage amendments) passed all over the country. Stem cell measures, minimum wage increases, etc...they all passed unanimously.

There WAS a liberal/progressive wave but bold action by Bush that actually appeared to mean something might have saved a few seats.

[Generic Brad]

7. How disingenuous of him

There's plenty of blame to go around. While Rumsfeld was a factor, he was not the only factor.

[Infomaniac]

8. 'Pugs will never accept responsibility for their actions

Although I must admit I am enjoying all the fingerpointing amongst the 'pugs. I'm so glad we found in in the goodness of our hearts to drop off the Circular Firing Squad instruction manual at RNC headquarters. This confrontation between moderate and conservative 'pugs is a day late and a dollar short. It's also widely believed among moderate 'pugs that Dim Son sold the moderate wing down the river. It also means that the few remaining 'pug moderates have even less reason to trust Shrub. Shrub may soon learn those moderate 'pugs have more to gain from working with the dems than they do working to save Dim Son's butt.

[JI7]

14. so Iraq is a mess and people dying but they don't care

but they lose an election and them blame each other. disgusting scumbags.

[BenDavid]

16. All I have to say to poor old

Mr. Shaw is, " if ands and buts were candy and nuts we would have Hanukkah every day....or Christmas every day based upon one's beliefs.

[Skittles]

17. yeah, that would have saved y'all

sure

[wishlist]

19. BUSH should be focus of blame for keeping Rumsfeld after Iraq failures

Any Repubs like this one who are once again letting Bush off the hook and going along with Bush's scapegoating of Rummy are cowardly chickenshits just like Bush.

[lebkuchen]

20. I predicted in a past post that if Rummy stayed on, GOP heads would roll

Same for Hastert. Keep them both on and they will go down w/the ship.

And they have. Too bad Bush didn't act sooner. Too bad, so sad.

[fladonkey]

21. Clay....

had a good run. Now its time to retire and spend time with his family...even his wife said so.