Max Cleland plans pro-Murtha rally -- the day before VFTT's Boot Murtha Rally in Johnstown, PA

BootMurtha.com ^ | 8/26/2006 | IPWGOP

[IPWGOP]

WELCOME BACK, MAX!
Max Cleland is coming back to Johnstown!!

Former Sen. Max Cleland of Georgia is throwing a rally in Johnstown, PA for Rep. John Murtha -- the day before Vets for the Truth's Boot Murtha Rally.

The news is highlighted in the following release from Murtha's re-election committee:

[EXCERPT:]

JOHNSTOWN, Pa., Aug. 25 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Murtha for Congress Committee said that former U.S. Sen. Max Cleland (D-Ga.) announced last night he's leading a large-scale effort among his veteran brothers to support U.S. Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.), who is coming under attack from "radical right-wing forces in the veterans' community" aimed at "swift-boating Murtha, like they did former Democratic nominee for president Sen. John Kerry.

The rally will be held Saturday, Sept. 30, 2006 at 11 a.m. in Central Park in Johnstown, Pa. Cleland said he expects veterans from all over America to make the journey "to support Murtha in an unprecedented show of unity against the war."

VFTT's Boot Murtha Rally is set for Sunday, Oct. 1 starting at 2 pm. Rally participants will gather at Central Park in Johnstown and proceed to the Cambria County War Memorial Arena for the full event. Pennsylvania radio personalities Quinn & Rose of the popular "War Room with Quinn & Rose" show will be co-emcee'ing the Rally. Also lined up for the Boot Murtha Rally:

Terry Pennington, father of Rob Pennington, one of the so-called "Pendleton Eight," who are being held without bail at the Camp Pendleton, CA, brig.  They are being charged with murder and conspiracy, those seven Marines and one Navy Corpsman. 

David Beamer, father of Todd Beamer, leader of the anti-hijacker group on Flight 93 (the man who said, "Let's roll!"

John Wrobleski, father of a Marine killed in Iraq, and who deeply resents the dishonor brought upon the USMC by Murtha's comments.

Gregg Garvey, father of Justin Garvey, who was killed in Iraq, founder of a program that enables local communities to purchase and erect memorials to their fallen sons and daughters.  He will lead the memorial service that precedes the rally.

 

BootMurtha.com

[IPWGOP]

I took a stand. While I can't be at the rally, my contribution to Vets for the Truth wasn't cheap.

Thank you for supporting Vets for the Truth!!

[JulieRNR21]

Great photo, Linda!

What are a 'handsome' bunch of American Patriots!
I'm looking forward to meeting them and others on.......

October 1.....D-Day in PA....Deploy-murtha Day!

[freema]

AWESOME! Can't wait to hear more!

[jazusamo]

Thank you for the short report Lynn, very encouraging indeed, I'm looking forward greatly to your full report.

Those are great pics of great Americans.

[Coop]

Thanks for the photos and update.

[metalurgist]

You post is the "official" report. Here's the rest of the story.

The infallibility of grief, take 2. Of course, Cleland did not actually lose his legs and part of one arm "in the Vietnam War;" he lost them during the war, in a stupid accident: he was hopping out of a helicopter that was taking him and other soldiers on a "beer run," and a grenade slipped either from his own vest or someone else's. He bent over to pick it up, and it exploded. His grievous injuries were not attained in combat; and indeed, none of his decorations were for that incident (he, personally, never claimed they were; but he, personally, also never corrected the record when others claimed Cleland lost his limbs in combat). The meme was launched, not just by the Washington Post but virtually every other newspaper, magazine, and television network: Saxby Chambliss, how dare you question the patriotism of a guy who lost three limbs?

[bert]

I would say that murtha the mouth is running scared.....

Scared? Surely not. He's a decorated Marine Corps hero. What could frighten such a man?

[RedRover]

Great report and great news! If Murtha wasn't shaken, he wouldn't keep calling on John Kerry's buddy to stage these events. I hope Max is every bit as effective for Murtha as he was for Kerry.

[jazusamo]

Thanks for the link. A very grim reminder of just how evil these fanatics are that we're fighting.

[HarleyLady27]

LOSING.....I am married to a former Marine (2 tours in Nam) and believe me, they DO NOT like to lose....

And of course, murtha the mouth will lose come this election....no doubt about it....

[bert]

So what does that piece mean?

[Coop]

So what does that piece mean?

It means that the folks whining about us "radicals" targeting Murtha will have some ammunition. How Cleland was hurt is absolutely irrelevant. He served his country during wartime. He apparently made a tragic mistake for which he nearly lost his life and did lose much more.

But rather than focus on Murtha, or Cleland's behavior now, some folks want to live in the past. What their motivation is, I don't know.

[radar101]

Here is one--who I am not worthy to tie her shoes--who has stated it LIKE IT IS!

http://mediamatters.org/items/200606090006

On Fox, Coulter further criticized victims -- including Max Cleland and Christopher Reeve -- for using their "personal story": "Just make the argument. Be a man. Step up to the plate."

Summary: On Fox News' Your World with Neil Cavuto, right-wing pundit Ann Coulter defended her inflammatory attacks on the widows of 9-11 victims -- who she said "enjoy[] their husbands' deaths" and "revel[] in their status as celebrities" -- by attacking other people she accused of using their "personal story" to gather support for a political cause.

In an interview on the June 8 edition of Fox News' Your World with Neil Cavuto, right-wing pundit Ann Coulter defended the inflammatory attacks in her new book on the widows of 9-11 victims -- who she said "enjoy[] their husbands' deaths" and "revel[] in their status as celebrities" -- by attacking other people she accused of using their "personal story" to gather support for a political cause. Beyond naming the "Jersey Girls" again, referring to the 9-11 widows who pushed for the establishment of the commission to investigate the attacks -- Coulter also singled out Vietnam war veteran and former Sen. Max Cleland (D-GA), a triple amputee who lost his seat to Republican Saxby Chambliss in the wake of a smear campaign attacking his patriotism, and the late actor Christopher Reeve, whom she criticized for "arguing for stem cell -- embryonic stem-cell research -- not adult stem-cell research."

Claiming, "You never see it on the other side" -- that conservatives don't similarly use their "personal stories" as the catalyst for political activism -- Coulter said, "Just make the argument. Be a man. Step up to the plate."

Host Neil Cavuto apparently agreed, saying, "To challenge them almost looks sacrilegious."

Specifically, Coulter falsely denied that some 9-11 victims' relatives promote President Bush and conservative viewpoints. Coulter said, "To the extent you have had any relatives of 9-11 victims on TV [promoting Republicans or conservative views], you've seen them on one time and it's pretty much in response to the Jersey Girls."

In fact, relatives of victims of the attacks repeatedly appeared on television in support of Bush's 2004 re-election campaign and more recently to rally support for other controversial policies, including the administration's warrantless domestic surveillance program. During the opening night of the 2004 Republican National Convention, three relatives of 9-11 victims gave speeches broadcast on national television -- Debra Burlingame, whose brother died in the attacks; and Deena Burnett and Tara Stackpole, who both lost their husbands. On numerous occasions, Burlingame publicly supported Bush's re-election. Following the public disclosure of Bush's warrantless domestic surveillance program, Burlingame defended the program in a February 6 New York Post op-ed and in appearances on the April 3 edition of The Rush Limbaugh Show and on the January 30 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes. Further, a conservative advocacy group, Progress for America, released an ad in October 2004 in support of Bush's re-election titled "Ashley's Story." In the ad, 16 year-old Ashley Faulkner, whose mother died on 9-11, recounted the story of Bush embracing her at a campaign event. Said Faulkner: "He's the most powerful man in the world and all he wants to do is make sure I'm safe, that I'm OK."

Earlier in the interview, Coulter argued that Osama bin Laden is "completely irrelevant" and compared him to an "old celebrity." She also suggested that Rep. John Murtha (D-PA), a vocal critic of the war in Iraq, had not responded to the news of the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. In fact, Murtha had repeatedly appeared on television that afternoon, describing Zarqawi as "a real thorn in the side of the Americans" and calling his death "significant."

[Grampa Dave]

Hopefully, this will be what Murtha's career as a Rat Traitor Congressit will look like the day after the election this November:

[RedRover]

But rather than focus on Murtha, or Cleland's behavior now, some folks want to live in the past. What their motivation is, I don't know.

I agree that we need to keep focused on the present. Diana Irey won't be elected because John Murtha did or did not deserve a Bronze Star with a V or because Max Cleland did or did not fall on his own grenade. Diana Irey will be elected because she is the better candidate who will serve her constituents with far greater effectiveness than a career politician who has lost his way. She will bring honor to her district.

[Mrs. Ranger]

""Bet our crowd Sunday will be bigger.""

"I hope you're right, but I wouldn't bet money on it."

Oh I would if I gambled. OTOH, is a "sure thing" gambling?

aka: Sept. 30 - Penn State home game :) I didn't check the schedules for Pitt, IUP, St. Francis, etc., and as I recall, a few area high schools still play on Sat. afternoons.

I have no idea who planned this thing on a Saturday morning at 11 am, in the fall, but they obviously don't know the area. ;)
I figure, at best, they might get the same size crowd they did last time - unless it's raining and then they'll be lucky to get anyone. ;)

And I apologise for seeming to fall off the face of the earth, but these days I can't even make plans from one day to the next and that's the way it's shaping up to be for the foreseeable future. :(

If I'm here and if I'm able, I'll be there on the 1st.

[Coop]

Given's FR's lackadaisical response to previous rallies and other threads for this one, I'm still not optimistic.

[jackv]

Saw this loser on billmaher doing their typical bush bash...how dumb he is, how he attacked his patriotism. He implied no one dare question the politics of any who ever served in the military. Good grief, he's pathetic!!

chritopher hitchens however was masterful. Well worth watching:

http://www.malcontent.biz/blog/?p=1922

(thanks to rodguy911)

[Marine_Uncle]

Post #166. Coop. Where do we sign up to sit at freema's table?

[Coop]

Trust me, you don't wanna sit there. She doesn't carry Mountain Dew!