In Farewell Address, Jeffords Urges U.S. Foreign Policy To Be ‘Less Haughty And More Humble’
By on Sep 28th, 2006 at 10:05 am
In Farewell Address, Jeffords Urges U.S. Foreign Policy To Be ‘Less Haughty And More Humble’
Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-VT), who became best known for his defection from the Republican Party in 2001 because he said he could not support President Bush’s agenda, delivered his farewell address to the Senate yesterday.
Culminating a 32-year career in Congress that included voting against the Oct. 2002 Iraq war resolution, Jeffords struck a cautionary tone, warning: “We would be better served in world affairs today by being less haughty and more humble. I regret that my departure from Congress, like my arrival, finds our country at war. Young and even not-so-young Americans are sacrificing life and limb, while the rest of us are making little or no sacrifice.” Watch it:
[flv http://video.thinkprogress.org/2006/09/jeffords.320.240.flv]
Transcript of his remarks HERE.
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An honorable man.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:11 amAnd thus leaves one of the few honorable republican politicians that woke up to the Republican anti-democracy agenda.
He will be missed.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:14 am‘Less Haughty And More Humble’
Wow. There’s a thought. How about “Pull Your Heads Out of Your Asses, Now?”
Any chance a Dem is going to get his seat?
September 28th, 2006 at 10:15 amSorry. Jeffords is a good man, a man of principle. I’m just kind of stuck on cranky these days…
September 28th, 2006 at 10:17 amThe GOP of today has degenerated into a cesspool of extreme wingnuts !
There are just 3 moderate Republicans left in Senate ( Snowe, Collins, Chafee ). If Americans don’t think these GOP bastards want to further shred the Constitution and impinge upon your civil liberties than you are deaf, dumb, and blind.
You may think it doesn’t affect you now but it will !
Vote Dem in Nov or suffer the consequences…
September 28th, 2006 at 10:18 amThis Vermonter thanks this good man for his principled service.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:18 am#3 – Zooey, nothing to apologize for! Who DOES’NT get cranky when we consider how much the Republican agenda has screwed America and our Constitution?!?
By the way, Democrat Bernie Sandars has maintained a lead of at least 12 percentage points (or more) in just about every poll taken between him and Richard Tarrant, his republican opponent. It looks like a Dem will take the Vermont Senate seat in November to carry on the legacy of fighting against the extremist agenda and faliures of the Bush Administration.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:24 amAs I read on Raw Story, most of the GOPer’s skipped his farewell speech.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:24 amOnly one Republican Senator spoke at his farewell.
They’re like a bunch of three year olds…
Thanks Dem Soldier. Cranky was the mildest word I could think of, and I’m trying to avoid being deleted (one day at a time).
Thanks also for the election info. Now we just hope for a legit voting day. I never thought I’d even think those words in this country.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:29 amThe GOP will label him a traitor and say that he hated America and our freedom to try to smear his legacy. I wish him well.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:30 amThis is a truly sad time in American history…
…all of the sane, reasoned, ethical politicians are being drummed out of service…
…the REAL heroes like Max Cleland, Murtha, Shinseki, and Powell have been dishonored and denigrated…
…while the TRASH of American politics (especially those on the right)…
…continue to undermine our democracy, and destroy our nation…
Jim Jeffords is a good and decent human being…
…someone we can ill afford to have leave Congress at this grave time…
…but the sick al Cracker Bushites make it impossible for people of strong character and morals…
…to want to work with them or to save them…
…they (criminal Bushite junta members, operatives and supporters) deserve to be destroyed…
September 28th, 2006 at 10:31 amIsn’t Jeffords the crusty old stubborn dude who tried to have Lake Champlain declared a “Great Lake” (it’s little more than a puddle) in order to attract Federal dollars to build highways & roads in Varment?
September 28th, 2006 at 10:42 amBernie Sanders is not a democrat.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:46 amThat, is a honorable man, and a man worthy of respect.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:56 amLook’s like yankmee has yanked him/herself one too many times…
…now he/she is BLIND!
September 28th, 2006 at 10:58 amBuh bye, Jim! You won’t be missed….More good news:
Poll: Lieberman Leads Lamont in Conn.
Sep 28, 7:15 AM (ET)
HAMDEN, Conn. (AP) – Sen. Joe Lieberman has a 10-point advantage over Democrat Ned Lamont among likely Connecticut voters, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday.
Lieberman, a three-term Democrat running as an independent after losing the party nomination in a primary, is favored by 49 percent to 39 percent over Lamont in the three-way race. Republican Alan Schlesinger trails with 5 percent.
The race has tightened slightly since an Aug. 17 poll that showed Lieberman leading 53 percent to 41 percent.
“Ned Lamont has lost momentum,” said poll director Douglas Schwartz said. “He’s gained only two points in six weeks. He’s going to have to do something different in the next six weeks or … Lieberman stays in for another six years.”
September 28th, 2006 at 11:04 amHis speech reminds me that there was a time when I thought no man could occupy the office of president and betray the trust of the people. There was a time and not too long ago but it like him are gone.
September 28th, 2006 at 11:04 amThree words: Good riddance, loser.
September 28th, 2006 at 11:10 amYoung and even not-so-young Americans are sacrificing life and limb, while the rest of us are making little or no sacrifice.
Bush thinks we can have both guns and butter. Or more accurately, he thinks we can have both Cheetos and electrodes.
September 28th, 2006 at 11:23 amExley
Here is a question for you:
Now you claim Lieberman is a staunch Democrat right?
And Lamont is running under the Democrat ticket right?
And you support the Republicans right?
Now if Lieberman, has 49% of the vote, and Lamont has 39% of the vote, and they are both Democrats, umm, how are you winning again?
September 28th, 2006 at 11:28 amexlax just likes to come on these threads to post his hatred. He likes reading his own crap.
September 28th, 2006 at 11:40 am#16 – Even BETTER news!
PA Senate race: incumbent Republican Santorum 39% vs. challenger Democrat Casey 51%. So long Sen. Santorum! Don’t let the door hit you where the good lord split you!
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/28/us/politics/28senate.html?hp&ex=1159502400&en=cf33b74f600c3a00&ei=5094&partner=homepage
” Six weeks before Election Day, the Democrats suddenly face a map with unexpected opportunities in their battle for control of the Senate.
In Virginia, a state that few expected to be seriously competitive, Senator George Allen looks newly vulnerable after a series of controversies over charges of racial insensitivity, strategists in both parties say. In Tennessee, another Southern state long considered safely red, Representative Harold E. Ford Jr., a Democrat, has run a strong campaign that has kept that state in contention.
Elsewhere, Democratic challengers are either ahead or close in races in five states held by the Republicans: Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, according to political strategists in both parties and the latest polls.”
“In Pennsylvania, Rick Santorum, the No. 3 Republican in the Senate, has been lagging behind Bob Casey, the state treasurer, for months. In Rhode Island, Senator Lincoln Chafee, a Republican, overcame his primary challenge, but remains locked in a tight race with Sheldon Whitehouse, the Democrat and former state attorney general.
Senator Mike Dewine, Republican of Ohio, is fighting an unhappy political mood in his state, stoked by local Republican scandals and economic unease.. Independent polls suggest Mr. Dewine remains in a tight race with his Democratic challenger, Representative Sherrod Brown.
In Montana, Senator Conrad Burns, the Republican, has been considered vulnerable for months to his Democratic challenger, Jon Tester, a farmer and state senator. And any route to a majority for the Democrats would have to include Missouri, where Senator Jim Talent, the Republican, is being challenged by Claire McCaskill, the state auditor.”
All is not rosey for the Dems, but the Reps are floundering more and more each day! The tide is truning against the pro-deficit, pro-debt, pro-big-government, anti-Constitution Republicans!
September 28th, 2006 at 11:42 amWe still have a chance to stop on of the most egregious features of the Detainee/Torture bill. Please contact your Senators and tell them to support Patrick Leahy and Arlen Specter’s ammendment to restore habeas corpus rights, allowing suspects at the very least an opportunity to challenge their detainment in court. Senators Collins and Snowe, both moderate Republicans, need a bit of a push on this
capital switchboard: 866.340.9281 .or. 866.808.0065
September 28th, 2006 at 11:54 am…
A favorite tactic employed by GOP wingnuts is to say blatant lies and then move on to the next lie, ignoring any challenges to the veracity of their previous outrageous statements.
September 28th, 2006 at 11:56 am#20, Bruce…I am not a big Lieberman fan. I certainly didn’t vote for him and Gore in 2000. But since the GOPer in Connecticut has no chance and the far-left has targeted Lieberman and attempted to defeat him because they perceive him as being too close to President Bush and because he supported deposing Saddam Hussein, I would find it very amusing to see how devastated the far-leftists at Daily Kos and Thinkprogress would be should Lieberman win….As the article states, the race is largely seen as a referendum on the liberation of Iraq. If Lieberman wins, it is a big sign of support for the president, according to some political observers.
September 28th, 2006 at 11:59 am#22….Santorum’s chances of victory are remote. But if Santorum is going to be replaced by a Democrat, we can all be happy that it is a Democrat who is staunchly pro-life and has said he would have voted to confirm Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court.
September 28th, 2006 at 12:01 pm#25 – “I would find it very amusing to see how devastated the far-leftists at Daily Kos and Thinkprogress would be should Lieberman win.”
Probably about as devistated as you will be should the Dems regain majority in either House or Senate.
September 28th, 2006 at 12:06 pm#26 – He’s Pro-life, but anti-big-federal-government that Sen. Santorum seems to support. Unlike the Republicans, the Demcorats don’t require all Dems to follow the party line like the Repubublicans require. Why aren’t there more moderate Reps? Because they’ve been told “it’s either the new neo-con way, or we’ll throw you out of the party!”
September 28th, 2006 at 12:08 pm#27….I have steeled myself for that possibility. History indicates at least one of the houses will go to the Dems. Even the great and extremely popular Ronald Reagan saw the Senate go Democratic during his second-term, mid-term elections in 1986.
September 28th, 2006 at 12:18 pmThe Republican Party could learn a thing or two about TRUE conservatism from this man. I am not conservative, but I sure as hell respect him. It’s too bad I can’t feel that way about more conservatives.
September 28th, 2006 at 12:36 pmMay Excrement (#’s 16,25,26&29) and Tom(b) (#18),
Go the way of other fertilizer REAL soon…
…may vegetation grow over them…
September 28th, 2006 at 1:23 pmJeffords served for many years as a Republican in the Senate before he became an independent (in a very independent state) – when he gave his farewell speech, not a Republican was present. They turned their backs on him. Party politics is everything to Republicans.
September 28th, 2006 at 1:33 pmJim Jeffords is an empty-headed empty suit who could only have become a senator in a state like Vermont. The sooner he is gone, the better. At least Bernie Sanders doesn’t pretend to be something he is not.
September 28th, 2006 at 1:34 pmThat poll that puts Liebermann ahead by 10 points, is countered by another poll that puts Lamont within two points – within the margin of error.
September 28th, 2006 at 1:35 pmSantorum is a cooked goose. Allen may not survive unless he can roust all the rednecks to come out to vote.
Speaking of cooked gooses, Jon Tester just shot himself fatally in the foot by telling Montanans he would repeal the Patriot Act. So Tester is officially in favor of returning to the Clinton policy of having the FBI and CIA keeping secrets from each other. Hey, now, that’s a winner of an idea!
Let’s see: Tester self-destructing, Allen ahead, Lamont and Menendez behind, DeWine catching up, Talent holding firm – somehow I don’t think Christmas will come ealry for the nutroots this year.
September 28th, 2006 at 2:13 pmCitizen Inbred,
I see great sorrow in your future…
…your fruit will wither and die on the vine…
…this will be a good thing for the earth…
September 28th, 2006 at 2:21 pmCitizen Dad, you’ve been swigging the kool-aide too much, sweetie!
Brown is ahead of DeWine by 4.1%
Menendez is ahead by 7%
Lieberman is only ahead by 2%, and his lead has been falling.
http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/info-flash05a.html?project=elections06-ft&h=495&w=778&hasAd=1
Then again, if it helps you to sleep at night dreaming of regressive triumph come November, who am I to shatter your fantasy world?
September 28th, 2006 at 4:01 pmAn interesting trend in the Quinnipac University polls between Sen. Lieberman Vs. Mr. Lamont:
Apr-30 Lieberman: 56% Lamont: 13% Lieberman +43
Jun-06 Lieberman: 56% Lamont: 18% Lieberman +38
Jul-18 Lieberman: 51% Lamont: 27% Lieberman +24
Aug-14 Lieberman: 53% Lamont: 41% Lieberman +12
Sep-25 Lieberman: 49% Lamont: 39% Lieberman +10
They’re the only polling that shows that high of a percentage for Sen. Lieberman. I guess that Sen. Lieberman isn’t quite as hot as the regressives would like for him to be!
http://www.uselectionatlas.org/POLLS/SENATE/2006/polls.php?fips=9
September 28th, 2006 at 4:13 pmNow we know why Howard Dean wanted strong Democrat efforts in ALL 50 States. We can start turning the ugly red of the Reptiles on the map to the beautiful blue of freedom. Dean… your a genius!
September 28th, 2006 at 4:39 pmalthough it was a slap in the face to many friends and supporters, I respect jeffords for doing what he thought was right. congress needs more of that attitude. when he announced his intentions to become independant he said this in the article:
I have informed President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Senator Lott of my decision.
They are good people with whom I disagree.
If you respect jeffords like i do, i take his words about bush as credible. just because we don’t always agree with bush and company, we can all agree, they are good men.
September 28th, 2006 at 5:12 pmJeffords can’t support the Republicans because he is a man of conscience, and they are not. He actually cares about his country and it’s people, and they do not. He has principles, they do not. He is a good man, and they ….well
September 28th, 2006 at 5:15 pmAsking the Republicans to be humble is like asking a snake to juggle.
Asking Republicans to be less haughty is like asking poop to be less stinky.
Tee shirt ideas:
September 28th, 2006 at 5:35 pm“Friends don’t let friends vote Reptilian”
“No Mo(R)e”
Wow, Citizen Dad, you really need to grow a brain. Do you realize how little Montanans like Big Brother? Tester is going to score big on repealing the Patriot Act. Not everybody is as chickenshit as you and the citizens of Montana have brass ones.
September 28th, 2006 at 9:39 pm