Sen. Warner retires.
By on Aug 31st, 2007 at 2:12 pm
Sen. Warner retires.
Sen. John Warner (R-VA), who has served five terms in the Senate, has announced that he is retiring and won’t run for re-election.
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Boy, that’s a pretty good Democratic pickup opportunity. Totally up for grabs.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:14 pmthis just in……………..
Warner will not run for re-election.
Comment by hacker bob — August 31, 2007 @ 2:09 pm
What, Not “HT”?
August 31st, 2007 at 2:14 pmMore good news going into the election season.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:14 pmI think VA was in play anyway, but this is good news. Kinda thought it would happen, though.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:16 pmCAN we go for the Republican TRIFACTA today? :)
August 31st, 2007 at 2:18 pmWill the Democratic Warner (i.e. former Gov. Mark Warner) run for that seat?
August 31st, 2007 at 2:19 pmCAN we go for the Republican TRIFACTA today? :)
Comment by HereinDC — August 31, 2007 @ 2:18 pm
What, Bush and Cheney are retiring? Hope it’s by 5pm today.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:20 pmThis opens the door for Mark Warner, former Democrat Gov. of Va..

August 31st, 2007 at 2:20 pmWas that a sudden stillness in the air above the tobacco fields?
August 31st, 2007 at 2:20 pmand hark!
What is that wail keening from the weapons plants?
Macaca…here boy…come on…where’s my little macaca?
August 31st, 2007 at 2:20 pmWill the Democratic Warner (i.e. former Gov. Mark Warner) run for that seat?
Comment by lestatdelc — August 31, 2007 @ 2:19 pm
That is the speculation at this time.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:21 pmBLOW
August 31st, 2007 at 2:21 pmSNOW
CROW
The people of his State have let him know they wont vote for him after seeing what he’s done in the pass 6 years by supporting the criminal Bush Administration.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:22 pmLook for more oldies to step down as the worse Administration in the history of the United States falls down. Americans asked God to bless America while Satan was running the United States.
I love Resignation Fridays.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:23 pmThis will open the door for Mark Warner, former Dem. Gov. of Va..

August 31st, 2007 at 2:24 pmSaw the handwriting on the wall did he. I expect there will be several more of these on the Republican side of the isle.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:26 pmAs a solid Democrat, I have valued Senator John Warner’s contribution to the US Senate and in particular his expertise/experience with the military. Now, I want to vote for another Senator Warner – in this case, the very capable and popular Democratic Governor Mark Warner.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:26 pmComment by Jackie — August 31, 2007 @ 2:22 pm
Jackie, that’s not true; John Warner probably would have still won.

August 31st, 2007 at 2:28 pmPublic Law 109-364, or the “John Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2007″ (H.R.5122) (2), which was signed by the commander in chief on October 17th, 2006, in a private Oval Office ceremony, allows the President to declare a “public emergency” and station troops anywhere in America and take control of state-based National Guard units without the consent of the governor or local authorities, in order to “suppress public disorder.”
President Bush seized this unprecedented power on the very same day that he signed the equally odious Military Commissions Act of 2006. In a sense, the two laws complement one another. One allows for torture and detention abroad, while the other seeks to enforce acquiescence at home, preparing to order the military onto the streets of America. Remember, the term for putting an area under military law enforcement control is precise; the term is “martial law.”
August 31st, 2007 at 2:28 pmThey’re dropping like flies. They can see the writing on the wall. The era of conservative republican dominance is over. Bush has destroyed the modern conservative, libertarian movement and that will be a great thing for the American people. Maybe now we can begin to get back to core American values.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:29 pmAny speculation that Warner decided to speak his mind knowing that he would be retiring? I’m refering to his latest news conf. on Iraq.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:30 pm#17 “I have valued Senator John Warner’s contribution to the US Senate and in particular his expertise/experience with the military.”
You mean like when he voted to toss the military into the meat-grinder of the worst foreign policy decision in our nations history?
August 31st, 2007 at 2:30 pmActually this is highly suspicous.
Warner comes out last week that he is done supporting Bush on the continutation of the Iraq war, and the very next week he annouces his permanent retirement from Congress.
And NO ONE finds this just a LITTLE odd?
August 31st, 2007 at 2:30 pmAs a person living in VA, he has been a great representative of my state.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:30 pmI love Resignation Fridays.
Funny.
Now— if Chimpy and Darth would resign and do us all a favor.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:31 pmGOP now frantically scouring airport men’s rooms for a new Republican candidate to run in his place.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:31 pmWarner comes out last week that he is done supporting Bush on the continutation of the Iraq war, and the very next week he annouces his permanent retirement from Congress.
And NO ONE finds this just a LITTLE odd?
I agree that this is beyond coincidence. Maybe they showed Warner the cement shoes he would be wearing if he didn’t say bye bye.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:32 pmGOP now frantically scouring airport men’s rooms for a new Republican candidate to run in his place.
Isn’t GOP headquarters located in Reagen airport men’s room.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:33 pmNo, theres something funny about this.
Last week Warner shook the press by announcing his end of support for the continuation of the war in Iraq, and a week later he resigns permanently from congress?
Someone squeezed him and squeezed him hard.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:34 pmSomeone squeezed him and squeezed him hard.
in the men’s room
August 31st, 2007 at 2:36 pmBush has destroyed the modern conservative, libertarian movement and that will be a great thing for the American people. Maybe now we can begin to get back to core American values.
Comment by Ret. Col. Jack Ripper
Yeah, core American values like telling other people how to run their lives and then taking their money to give to other people who you deem more deserving of it.
So if Bush did something that you think will be a great thing for the American people (destroyed the conservative, libertarian movement), then you must like him, right?
August 31st, 2007 at 2:38 pmI agree that this is beyond coincidence. Maybe they showed Warner the cement shoes he would be wearing if he didn’t say bye bye.
Comment by Dermot — August 31, 2007 @ 2:32 pm
Lol, well I’m not sure they’re that desperate yet, but they certainly showed him something that he didn’t like, most likely something they got on him that they threatened him with if he didn’t recant his call for withdrawal from Iraq. Something that would ruin his congressional career. Chances are he refused to recant his call for withdrawal and decided to resign instead.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:39 pmBefore anyone tries to say something bad about the Senator I’ll add in my personal philosophy:
He’s a veteran of WW2, earned his law degree (in and around being a veteran of the Korean War), and helped create manageable maritime rules for maintaining peace during the cold war.
If John Warner says he’s done, it’s because he says he’s done.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:40 pmBut a Congressmen like Warner dosent’ suddenly just up and decide to quit a lifetime of service overnight.
Last week he became the most influential and visible opponent to continuing Bush’s war in Iraq.
This week, he annouces he’s retiring permanently from a lifetime in Congress.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out someone found a soft spot, and squeezed.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:43 pmComment by BARTLEBEE — August 31, 2007 @ 2:34 pm
I’m not so sure I see anything sinister behind this. The guy’s like, what, 80? And it’s not like he’s leaving tomorrow. He’s retiring at the end of the term. It could just be that he knew he wasn’t going to run for re-election so he could speak his mind more freely.
Out with one Warner…in with another!
August 31st, 2007 at 2:43 pmTony Snow, Turd Blossom, Sen. Warner and Sen. Craig. It’s a good week indeed.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:44 pmIf John Warner says he’s done, it’s because he says he’s done.
Comment by DM — August 31, 2007 @ 2:40 pm
I didn’t say anything bad about him. I said someone has got something on him, or someone is pressuring him or threatening him in some way.
Last week Warner was ALL OVER THE PRESS. Last week EVERYONE was talking about Warners departure from supporting Bush’s war, and his call for withdrawal from Iraq.
Then, the very next week, he suddenly announces he is quitting Congress at the end of his term.
Like I said, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that someone from the right came down on him, and came down hard.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:47 pmCynicon Implant: “Yeah, core American values like telling other people how to run their lives and then taking their money to give to other people who you deem more deserving of it.”
I define “core American values” as being in line with the philosophies of the Founders of our country. Check into them. What you’ll find is that, by today’s standards, most of them were liberals. And, no, I don’t like Bush, but I view his destruction of the modern conservative movement as a “silver lining.”
August 31st, 2007 at 2:47 pmPublic Law 109-364, or the “John Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2007″ (H.R.5122)
This is all I need to say good riddance.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:47 pmYeah, core American values like telling other people how to run their lives
(don’t be gay, don’t have abortions, don’t pray to allah)
and then taking their money to give to other people who you deem more deserving of it. (Blackwater, KBR, Haliburton)
Comment by Cynicon Implant
August 31st, 2007 at 2:48 pm#36 given that Turd Blossom announced his resignation officially over two weeks ago… must be that whole thing about weeks getting shorter in the fall.
;-P
August 31st, 2007 at 2:49 pmMaybe it was a headsup to the Bush Crime family when Warner made his statement last week.
John Warner has HAD HIS FILL.
Warner IS THE ONE who was telling the Right what is going on!
August 31st, 2007 at 2:50 pmLOL
August 31st, 2007 at 2:53 pmSince Santorum “really” was living in Virginia and not PA, maybe he’ll be the GOP pick. LOL
Marge, Comment #4 — Thank you, Marge. Here, here!
Every single Founder recognized that taxation was the way to finance civil government and pay for the “commons.” And, all governments, in one way or another tell people “how to run their lives.” At the time of our Consitutional convention, people in New York, Boston and Philadelphia were absolutely required to be part of “bucket brigades” to fight fires. They were required to own buckets without flat bottoms, so they couldn’t even set them down without spilling the water. It was a crime NOT to be an active part of the “bucket brigade.”
August 31st, 2007 at 2:55 pmI’m not so sure I see anything sinister behind this.
Comment by LibStl — August 31, 2007 @ 2:43 pm
Then you don’t see anything.
John Warner has been a Virginia senator for almost THIRTY YEARS.
Thirty years. And then, last week, he becomes the most visible and most influential opponent to the war in Iraq. Bush and the White House come out swinging, trying to downplay his defection. The media was all abuzz with the Republican Chairman of the Armed Services committee who was now calling for bringing the troops home, and the VERY NEXT WEEK, he annouces his permanent retirement from Congress.
Sorry, but I’m not buying. SOMEONE squeezed him, because his opposition to the war was just too damaging.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:55 pm#40 Comment by Marge N. Overa
Brilliant – that was a great smack down. Kudos to you.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:59 pmJim Gilmore would easily defeat Mark Warner for this seat. No contest.
August 31st, 2007 at 3:09 pm#45 Take the tin foil off. Warner hasn’t raised any money since last year towards his re-election fund. This move to not seek re-election was long-ago telegraphed. You have it backwards. Warner is being shoved out because he spoke up. He spoke up because he knew he wasn’t going to have to moderate his posture on issues any more given the size of the GOP voting base in VA that are still drinking the kool-aide.
August 31st, 2007 at 3:11 pm#47 Correction:
should read:
August 31st, 2007 at 3:12 pm
Bye!
Don’t let the Iraq War hit you in the ass on the way out.
August 31st, 2007 at 3:18 pmbut which came first, speaking out or plans to retire?
August 31st, 2007 at 3:23 pm& if he *HAD* planned it, why choose this moment to announce?
August 31st, 2007 at 3:27 pmHe did not want to be exposed giving BJs in restrooms like Craig > lol.
August 31st, 2007 at 3:35 pmNo, theres something funny about this.
Last week Warner shook the press by announcing his end of support for the continuation of the war in Iraq, and a week later he resigns permanently from congress?
Someone squeezed him and squeezed him hard.
Comment by BARTLEBEE — August 31, 2007 @ 2:34 pm
I also think he planned this before but finally he grew a conscious about what he has been doing to the military and decided to go out with both guns blazing.
He may the best thing to happen to the Dems over the next year and a half!
August 31st, 2007 at 4:02 pmIt doesn’t take a genius to figure out someone found a soft spot, and squeezed.
Comment by BARTLEBEE — August 31, 2007 @ 2:43 pm
I saw it completely differently; I figured he knew he was leaving, so he was finally free to say what he said last week. If he was planning on running for re-election, he’d have to continue to either toe the party line, or tipetoe around it and distance himself a little from Bush. Now he can be candid, because he has nothing to lose.
August 31st, 2007 at 4:20 pmI saw it completely differently; I figured he knew he was leaving, so he was finally free to say what he said last week.
Comment by gummitch — August 31, 2007 @ 4:20 pm
Thats another very distinct possiblity. I am not claiming that I know why he left, I just know its tied to his coming out against Bush last week. Its certainly possible that the decision to leave was made, and THEN his opposition to the war, but that still supports my statement that he’s afraid of them for some reason.
Why else would he feel the need to resign from congress before stepping out against Bush?
August 31st, 2007 at 4:28 pmSenators have seemed afraid of Bush since right after 911. Something was said to them, or implied to them, or they know about something, that made most of them afraid to stand up to the Bush administration. Warner’s conscience finally got the better of him, and he could no longer send our young men and women into the meatgrinder for the sole reason of maintaining the guilded image of a failing president.
But something scared him enough to say, if I do this, then I need to leave, or after he said it, scared him enough to decide to leave rather than face it.
August 31st, 2007 at 4:36 pmSad to see him go. The one that needs to go, Larry Craig, hasn’t left yet!
http://OsiSpeaks.com or http://OsiSpeaks.org
August 31st, 2007 at 4:48 pmSen Warner is NOT Resigning….he just announced he won’t seek reelection for the Senate. He has been a Senator for almost 30 years, and is 80 years old. His party, (and the committee chairmanship that goes with it),is not likely to regain anything in 2008.
August 31st, 2007 at 4:55 pmWarner is a loyal republican…but he has always spoken out for the welfare of our military. That welfare has been systematically wrecked by the Bush administration. Tragic deaths in a pointless war effort trumps party loyalty for this senator.
Sen Warner is NOT Resigning….he just announced he won’t seek reelection for the Senate.
Comment by Badger — August 31, 2007 @ 4:55 pm
:|
uhhh, we know this.
And thats the same as resigning when you’ve held the seat since 1979. Thanks for the wiki info but I know all about Senator Warner, since he’s MY Senator.
August 31st, 2007 at 5:03 pmAnd THATS why I said
and the VERY NEXT WEEK, he annouces his permanent retirement from Congress.
August 31st, 2007 at 5:06 pmComment by BARTLEBEE — August 31, 2007 @ 2:55 pm
Why else would he feel the need to resign from congress before stepping out against Bush?
Comment by BARTLEBEE — August 31, 2007 @ 4:28 pm
Sorry…that “need to resign” part threw me.
August 31st, 2007 at 5:13 pmI agree with you that his comments last week are related to his announcement this week…. I am prepared to criticize his judgement but not his integrity.
#45 Take the tin foil off. Warner hasn’t raised any money since last year towards his re-election fund.
Comment by lestatdelc — August 31, 2007 @ 3:11 pm
Thanks for the wiki info.
And if I’m gonna take off my tin foil hat, then you need to take off your horse blinders, because you can’t see the forest for the trees.
Warners resignation is tied to his coming out against the war, and all I want to know is how. You can sit back and jerk off to your self important smuggery for all I care, but I see a connection, and I’d like to know more.
August 31st, 2007 at 5:16 pmI am prepared to criticize his judgement but not his integrity.
Comment by Badger — August 31, 2007 @ 5:13 pm
You say that like I questioned his integrity somewhere.
Please point to the place where I questioned his integrity.
August 31st, 2007 at 5:18 pmI made no assumptions good or bad about Warners character. I just said there is something to the TIMING of all this.
And if ANY negative character judgements are assumed or implied in my posts, then it would be towards the Bush administration. Saying someones being pressured implies the pressure’er is the bad guy, not the pressure’ee.
August 31st, 2007 at 5:21 pmPlease point to the place where I questioned his integrity.
Comment by BARTLEBEE — August 31, 2007 @ 5:18 pm
I didn’t…but other posters did. It’s just my opinion from watching him on TV. If you share it….great!
August 31st, 2007 at 5:22 pmOh ok. Well understand no one else was talking so I assumed you were directing that towards me and my comments.
As for what I think about Warner, he’s been my Senator for years. I don’t agree with everything he’s done but he’s a decent man at heart, something painfully visably lacking in the Bush administration.
His conscience is getting to him over the thousands of troops coming home with no arms, legs or in a body bag, and he’s decided his conscience is greater than some misguided party loyalty.
His conscience is getting to him, and having a conscience is a good thing.
August 31st, 2007 at 5:28 pmBut he should have stood stronger on the torture issue.
August 31st, 2007 at 5:47 pmHe used to be respected many years ago.
Getting old must be tough.
August 31st, 2007 at 6:15 pmWARNER NEEDED NO “SOFT SPOT” TO BE SQUEEZED BY SOME EVIL CONSPIRATORS. The man is a war hero and KNOWS WHAT WAR IS and he also knows that his American boys are dying for a lie and the man is displaying FINALLY some true integrity by leaving political life on a HIGH and NOBLE NOTE.
August 31st, 2007 at 11:06 pmby leaving political life on a HIGH and NOBLE NOTE.
Comment by Shirley #70
…SHIIT!
…Warner sold his soul (if he ever had one)…
…like ALL of the Repulsivescum and Bluedog conned’selfserving retards!
…he’s leaving DISGRACED, disgusTING, and disheveled…
…he’s LOST any gravitas he ever had…
… acting as a tool for the murderous, thieving, TREASONOUS criminal Bushite junta…
September 1st, 2007 at 12:00 amWarner goes at a time he thinks is god for him. Not good for America. It was good when he was in the majority and didn’t ahave to actually work or ask questions or even answer hard questions of accountability for the use of the military.
For Warner it isn’t as much fun in the minority now. It’s not so easy acting out the fantasy of superiority simply because his trusted elected position and happened to have majority powers that he allowed to be used by Bush and his Administration.
Warner only recently started to imply some amount of independent dignity. What did the Administration black mail Warner with. Is Warner a Larry Craig in disguise?
September 1st, 2007 at 2:08 am