GraniteGrok: No fury like a mother scorned-- The Movie

In this prior post, I reported on the Friday visit paid NH's 2nd Congressional District representative, Democrat Paul Hodes, by a group of relatives, friends, family members, veterans, and supporters of our military. The purpose of the appointment was to express outrage and dismay with the congressman's vote for the recent pork-laden military appropriation bill containing a specific deadline for troop withdrawal from Iraq.

Certain media covering the event have chosen to focus on the sometimes elevated passion and emotion that this group of close-knit military supporters brought to the meeting, missing the overall message expressed by the group of desiring a united country supporting the troops and the mission to the end-- an end that finishes with victory. When a group of mothers and fathers, veterans, supporters, and patriots feel that the ones they care about, and the country they love, is being threatened you can't blame them for being concerned. When the threat comes from the political motives and machinations of politicians, with little regard to doing what's right, you can understand why concern turns to anger.

What follows below is a nine minute video that rather nicely captures the essence of the meeting. If only more Americans felt as these people do, we might actually win the war. A democratic nation cannot sustain a war without the support of the people. Watch the video. Take a stand like these people have. How did YOUR congressman vote? Does he/she fully support the troops to victory? If not, give him/her an earful like the "Moms of Fury" and their friends did this past Friday. Who knows, maybe some of them will see the light...

Comments

From what I saw in the video, they (the Congressman and the woman with him - sorry I didn't catch who she was) believe that the war is already lost. Their presentation of the issue is: we're toast, so let's pull out. That is the attitude of the loser. Not to mention, they never tell us WHY they think we've lost. They always turn it around and say "why do you think we can win?" We need to start asking them over and over - "why do YOU think we've lost?" Be persistent, make them answer. The Congressional attitude is cowardly and craven. Not to mention the problem of turning Iraq into another Darfur. I think the military supporters did an excellent job. And I do believe that there are a majority of the people in this country who feel the way they do. The problem is the news media have once again tried to marginalize the majority. They aren't quite as successful as they used to be because of the internet - but the internet is still not the message blaring into homes 24/7 like CNN or any of the other news machines.

Posted by: Teresa | April 8, 2007 10:35 AM

Many thanks for posting this video. What a refreshing change from watching Cindy Sheehan and her supporters on the left. These people "get it. Morris Rapoport P.S. Would it be possible for you to email me the video clip's YouTube URL. I'd like to download it and send it to a bunch of people.

Posted by: Morris Rapoport | April 8, 2007 11:52 AM

In this film, I thought the most astonishing moment was when the Congressman's aide thought she could deflect criticism of the cut and run vote by asking the constituents for their own detailed steps to to win the war. ....Because she's sure it can't be won. ....and she (and her party) refuse to go to the trouble of thinking how it should be done. ....Cut and run will turn Iraq into Cambodia, ....with the side benefit that the blame will fall on Republicans. ....It's all ok with them, as long as their party gets in and stays in power.

Posted by: Bill Lever | April 8, 2007 12:07 PM

The crabby woman wanting the "moms" to tell her how to win is the congressman's wife, Peggo

Posted by: doug | April 8, 2007 12:37 PM

Best comments by the lady: Congress should be putting pressure on the Enemy
Let the world know the entire country is behind our
troops and their mission

Posted by: Steve W | April 8, 2007 12:37 PM

Welcome to the Instalanch, guys!

Posted by: DCE | April 8, 2007 12:44 PM

Dan's Mom is a keeper. I'd follow that lady till Hell freezes over. She's right. If you quit now, you are disrespecting the sacrifices made already. If we don't win, many thousands of Americans will still die, and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis will perish. Git 'em, ma'am. Subsunk

Posted by: Subsunk | April 8, 2007 1:36 PM

Finally. Somebody knows how to talk (back) to their Congressman. As many point out, more of us need to do this.

Posted by: Daniel | April 8, 2007 3:02 PM

Wow, I love these American mothers.

Posted by: syn | April 8, 2007 3:20 PM

Write the congressmen and senators. They try to isolate themselves from everything that is counter to their philosophy, let them know what the other half thinks.

Posted by: Mike H. | April 8, 2007 4:51 PM

It must be pointed out that our military is all volenteer and that if they aren't allowed to win many will just quit their service and go home to protect their own. Who then will defend the USA?

Posted by: Clyde Conner | April 8, 2007 5:10 PM

I do not know who the lady is doing most of the talking to the congressman but she is my new HERO. I would back her 100 percent. (maybe she should run for the congressman's job in the next election cycle).

Posted by: Kevin P. | April 9, 2007 11:03 AM

Greetings from the Great state of North Carolina! Great video! I would have liked to see how the Congressman answered the questions a bit more, but I have a feeling I already know how he answered ('we already lost' template bulletpoints, probably). I recently was in the Supermarket and happened to see my Congressman there, right after he had voted AGAINST protection of the 'John Does' who alerted US Airways officials of the strange behavior of the flying imams. This problem of the war in Iraq is only one part of the overall war against us by the Islamist enemy. While we fight in a hot war in Iraq and Afghanistan, we fight in a cold war and a litigation war against their friends in the west like CAIR and others. Keep up the good work! I will certainly check in from now on.

Posted by: David | April 9, 2007 11:10 AM

Doug, Good work getting this video up and getting linked to by the big dogs. I would recommend rolling with this exposure and keep posting on Hodes and the rest of the softball (read defeatist) leadership that is invading us from Vermont and Massachusetts. I am a proud New Hampshiremen living abroad and cannot believe our state would vote in such slimy intellectual lightweight. Or as I prefer to say: A TOTAL IDIOT! Thanks again.

Posted by: YoJimbo | April 9, 2007 11:15 AM

And the answer the amazingly insightful and bridge building question from Mrs. Hodes is really rather simple: LET THE GENERALS DO THEIR JOB. LET THE TROOPS DO THEIR JOB. WIN THE WAR BY LETTING THEM. The Iraqi people deserve our best.

Posted by: yoJimbo | April 9, 2007 11:23 AM

I recently wrote an email to my congressman, Timothy Bishop, 1st congressional district of NY (D). This is actually the 2nd email I have sent him. His staff doesn't even reply! What is even more twisted is that when I called his D.C. office last week to express my disgust with the bribes used to pass the recent war funding legislation in the house, the staffer I talked to wanted to defend the pork/bribes as "the only way to get the legislation through the house." This young staffer had absolutely no clue what integrity was... She simply didn't get it and, that is scary.

Posted by: Babs | April 9, 2007 11:48 AM

more of this. i'll be sending this to alderman balcer of the 11th ward of chicago. perhaps he can gather some military mothers and fathers and vets to visit representative kirk and sneator obama.

Posted by: jummy | April 9, 2007 12:20 PM

Hypocritical Republicans bitching and moaning that they lost the election? Check. Demanding that Democrats agree with them because they are family members of people in the military, while simultaneously denouncing Sheehan for supposedly "Absolute Moral Authority"? Check. Failing to prove the Iraq War was worth it, swallowing the White House's Cool-Aid whole, and then posting a video about it online? Check. You lost, get over it, the war is a waste, and you sneering little vipers are the same sorts of people that personally slandered Cindy Sheehan over the years while simultaneously invoking your OWN absolute moral authority. I.e., you're full of s***.

Posted by: Tom | April 9, 2007 12:25 PM

What is it so many liberals think they are proving something by using profanity? Yeah Moms!! We Win!!

Posted by: Ronnie | April 9, 2007 1:21 PM

progressives are unable to disagree with someone on a matter of public policy without hating them on a personal level. just ignore him.

Posted by: jummy | April 9, 2007 1:50 PM

Tom. Just so we all can better understand your nuanced and balanced viewpoint. If the US "won" the war (meaning a stabilized Iraq with a functional democratic government allowing for our troops to be “redeployed over the horizon”), would you be mad as hell? Seriously.

Posted by: YoJimbo | April 9, 2007 2:02 PM

I have a simple answer on how to win the war. 1) Kill more terrorists 2) Educate more Iraqi women We were not respectful of cultural differences when we overturned German fascism and Japanese bushido after WWII. We should change the culture in Iraq. I do think we should start removing troops. We have been in NATO Europe long enough. WWII has been over for 60 years. If we use the same yardstick for Iraq we could begin withdrawals in 2067 or so.

Posted by: Michael | April 9, 2007 2:08 PM

That was great! Clincher - "Congress needs to be putting pressure on the ENEMY!" We need to reapeating that often.

Posted by: lonetown | April 9, 2007 3:53 PM

Did you hear Hodes blame America's war in Iraq for global terrorism? Is his lack of history so bad? Did these same people not burn efigy's of Clinton, Bush 1, Reagan, Carter, and on and on? Our being in Iraq has not changed the mentality of radical Islam one iota, it has always been anti-American. There is Islamic terrorism in every country where there are Islamists, it has nothing to do with Bush. Their terror has progressed with technology and time, regardless of American policy.

Posted by: Greg Salts | April 9, 2007 5:20 PM

I LOVE Dan's mom. (So sorry for your loss. He was a true American hero) I'm moving to N.H. so I can vote for her for congress next cycle. By the way, didn't EVERY one of our military men & women enlist. They weren't drafted. They chose to enlist BECAUSE they believe in the mission. For God's sake, let them do their jobs!!! Why can't the Chickenhawks in Washington put the national security of the U.S. over their constant thirst fot power? They do not have a clue & that is scary. God Bless America!

Posted by: Russ | April 9, 2007 6:06 PM

As a veteran it was refreshing for my wife and I that there are still real patriots out there who will stand up for our fighting men and women. I am sick and tired of a Congress who will say they support the troops and then stab them in the back every chance they get. Hopefully, the American people will remember come 2008. We also, would like to post this video on our blog, if this is possible please let us know.

Posted by: Damon and Sara Roman | April 9, 2007 7:22 PM

How do we win the war in Iraq? First, in how long? How long did it take to win in Germany? How long did it take to wing in Japan? I am not talking the initial victory; I’m talking about hearts and minds 40 years at a minimum. To me, an admitted arm chair general, our options are simple and easy. Plans to “Win in Iraq” in order of politicall incorrectness. 1. Pull our troops and nuke IRaq into oblivion (with a few strays landing in Iran for good measure.) 2. Take every illegal alien and put them in the military, once they have served two full tours in Iraq, they are a citizen. 3. Retaliate against any Government suspected of moving war or bomb materials into Iraq. 4. Defund the nanny state and put all that money into troop hiring and training, hire mercenaries in the short term and put a soldier on every comer in every burg so the terrorists have no where to hide. 5. Let the generals run the war and supply them with whatever they say they need. This is stupid, the democrats sound like Neville Chamberlain “Peace in our time!” I would much rather have the world fear us than be our friend while picking our pocket and stabbing us in the back.

Posted by: Jerry | April 9, 2007 7:22 PM

I don't agree w/ the talking points here. The "pork" has nothing to do with anything, as there is less "pork" in this bill than in other war appropriation bills during the Republican congress. We need to change course in Iraq. What we've been doing has not been working, and unfortunately, this recent troop buildup has only increased the violence in the country. There is a civil war going on, and America is not loved by either side, partially because we helped start the civil war. To leave may not sound like a "good" idea, as we are American, and we can not fail to do good - that is all of our intentions here regardless of our political stance. But the truth is that what we have been doing is not working, and we need a very large change. More troops will only send a signal that we plan on staying longer, while all the people, the citizens of Iraq who form the armies of this civil war, do not want us there at all, let along longer. This isn't a "Stand by our troops" issue. We all stand by our troops. The issue at hand is about the mission our troops are given. We may stand by our troops, but do we have to stand by the comanders who decide what are troops are doing? I do not think so. Side note - I read a bunch of the replies, and they all seem to agree w/ the video. I understand there is an approval process for new posters, so I hope that this process does not limit the content of the posts aside from screening out spam.

Posted by: Andrew Slater | April 9, 2007 9:26 PM

This is in answer to Andrew Slater's post. I agree, this is not a pork issue. However, I don't agree with one other thing that you posted and here's why. What we are doing is working in large part but NOT REPORTED. Michael Yon's blog tells a different story but the MSM is not reporting these stories. The left has never wanted to win this war and as a new low, Nancy Pelosi visits Syria just to make sure and send a message of a divided nation. You are also wrong about the citizens of Iraq not wanting us there any longer. I might suggest you watch "Voices from Iraq" but failing that, read some of the blogs of the active duty military and/or Michael Yon's blog. They are over there, they are real and they are telling a different story. Finally, it most certainly IS a stand by our troops issue and no, everyone does not support the troops. I have in the last several months read several blogs by leftists who just came right out and said in so many words that they did not, in fact, support the troops. The Democrats, with the exception of the former Democrat, Joseph Lieberman, have never wanted this war to succeed and they have done everything in their power, with the help of the liberal MSM, to make sure we did not succeed. Everything you have said is diametrially opposed to what the people in this video and most of the replies say. The left has politicized a war for survival against militant islamofascists and given the old hippies from the 60s a chance to pull out their motheaten tie-dye and take to the streets yet again. One of the speakers in this video mentioned the N.V. General who wrote a book. That was General Giap and he most definitely said that after Tet, the N.V. felt they were defeated and were ready to throw in the towel. However, they had kept a strong eye on the antiwar movement in the United States and felt the U.S. was losing the war on the HOMEFRONT. The result, we precipitously withdrew from Vietnman, millions of South Vietnamese and Cambodians died as a result, just as will happen in Iraq if the leftists have their way. That, in my opinion, it is not only shameful, it is criminal, because this time we know what will happen to them.

Posted by: Glenda Findley | April 10, 2007 2:41 PM

American political scientist and communications theorist Harold Lasswell (1927) said propaganda offered four major objectives: 1. To mobilize hatred against the enemy; 2. To preserve the friendship of allies; 3. To preserve the friendship and, if possible, to procure the cooperation of neutrals; and 4. To demoralize the enemy. Since the launch of the Iraq war, America's Democratic leaders have systematically produced and delivered propaganda targeting the Bush administration and, by proxy, the war in Iraq. The military appropriation bill and the troop withdrawal deadline are part of this overall strategy. Why would the Democrats do such a thing? Because winning the war in Iraq means victory for Bush and, most likely, a Republican as our 44th president. In other words, victory in Iraq means defeat for the Democrats. Inconscionable.

Posted by: Mary Pinkerton | April 10, 2007 8:41 PM

You GO ladies.....We love you.

Posted by: Ron B. | April 11, 2007 12:33 PM

Pigs like this congress-critter and his pibblet wife need to be sent to a new troff come election time. "None of them will see the light till they feel the heat!? Make it happen patriots.

Posted by: Rev. Ed Anthony Co-Chaplain GoE | April 11, 2007 12:48 PM

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