Politics from the Palouse to Puget Sound

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

WA Senate Candidates Weigh In On Petraeus Confirmation

The U.S. Senate today unanimously confirmed the appointment of General David Petraeus as the top military commander in Afghanistan to replace Stanley McChrystal.













Washington U.S. Senate candidate Dino Rossi issued a press release praising the confirmation, stating:

I commend President Obama on his outstanding pick of Gen. David Petraeus to serve as commander of the multinational forces in Afghanistan. The U.S. Senate’s vote to confirm him today demonstrates that they have the same confidence I do in Gen. Petraeus’s ability to lead a successful counterinsurgency campaign.
Rossi's fellow Republican candidate Paul Akers' campaign also issued a press release, taking a swipe at incumbent Democratic Senator Patty Murray's former stance on General "Betray-Us."  If you remember, in 2007, the Senate passed a measure supporting then-Iraq commander Petraeus in the face of MoveOn.org's slanderous attacks on him.  Murray voted against the resolution, along with Ted Kennedy and Harry Reid.  Obama, Biden, and Washington's other Senator Maria Cantwell conveniently did not vote:
Today, US Senator Patty Murray significantly changed her position on the leadership of General Petraeus to follow Democrat Party leaders. Murray voted to confirm General David Petraeus as Commander of US Armed Forces in Afghanistan. In 2007, Murray protested the leadership of Gen. Petraeus, going so far as to vote against an amendment to show full support for Petraeus and condemning personal attacks against him or any other member of the US Armed Forces.

US Senate candidate Paul Akers called on Senate leaders to stop playing political games with America's military.
Not surprisingly, there was no word from Murray's office today on her vote to confirm Petraeus.

No word either from the camp of Republican candidate Clint Didier.  The latest on his website urges readers to sign a Declarartion of Support for the Campaign for Liberty.  Given that, we're probably not likely to see a mention of the war in Afghanistan.

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