NOT.
Posted on 01/07/2003 11:16:44 AM PST by kattracks
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., is dismissing critics who didn't like her praise last month for 9/11 terror mastermind Osama bin Laden as a group of politically motivated right-wingers.
"The far right has started their 2004 campaign," Murray told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer on Tuesday, alluding to her bid for re-election next year.
The Washington state liberal described her comments condemning the U.S. for not doing as much as bin Laden to help the people of the Middle East as merely a "tangential" concern.
"The number one issue for me and our state is the economy," said Murray, who is now her party's political director and chief fund-raiser in the Senate. "My job is to make sure people in Washington state have jobs."
But while reporters have given Murray a pass, newspaper editors around the country have been flooded with letters complaining that her remarks were at least as bad as the comments of ex-Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, whose praise for Sen. Strom Thurmond's 1948 segregationist presidential candidacy last month cost him his leadership slot.
And Washington state Republicans have challenged Murray to a debate over her claim that the al-Qaeda terror chief is actually a humanitarian, something she said her remarks were intended to provoke.
"It is a debate I think we ought to have," Murray told a group of Washington state high school students on Dec. 18, after insisting, "We've got to ask, why is this man [Osama bin Laden] so popular around the world? Why are people so supportive of him in many countries that are riddled with poverty?"
Answering her own question, the bin Laden-friendly Democrat explained:
"He's been out in these countries for decades, building schools, building roads, building infrastructure, building day care facilities, building health care facilities, and the people are extremely grateful. We haven't done that."
Though the White House has declined repeated requests by NewsMax.com for a reaction to Murray's pro-bin Laden outburst, reports on Friday said the Bush political team has stepped up pressure on popular Washington state GOP Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn to challenge the bin Laden booster in 2004.
Dunn, who has yet to decide on entering the race, said last week that while she doesn't think Murray should be forced to resign over her comments, her praise for the 9/11 mastermind was "ill-considered" and "stupid."
Even some of Murray's fans seem to concur on the latter point. "She's not the brightest bulb in the box," Fox News Channel commentator Ellen Ratner told Seattle radio host Mike Siegel on Tuesday.
After 9/11, I rather doubt that bin Laden can be dismissed as "tangential" concern.
Al-Qaida's Biological Warfare Program More Advanced Than Previously Thought ...
By John J. Lumpkin Associated Press Writer
Published: Jan 7, 2003
WASHINGTON (AP) - Discoveries in Afghanistan show that al-Qaida's research into biological weapons was more advanced than previously estimated by the United States, a new intelligence report says. While terrorists still prefer conventional bombs and other traditional methods of attack, they are becoming increasingly interested in using poisons, disease weapons and other biological weapons, the U.S. report says.
NOT.
Yeah, sure....she cares.....
So we can count on her vote for Bush's Economic Plan, right?
Has anyone actually emailed Ms. Murray for actual, concrete proof of Mr. Bin Lauden's "accomplishments". How many miles of real roads, how many hospitals with real doctors and OR's, how many "day care" centers. When, where and show me the photos.
Does Patty have an email address?
I hear that the great humanitarian, Osama bin Laden, is thinking of hiring capos and quislings in Seattle to deal with all the corpses he'd like to create there.
This is yet another lie. Her biggest issue is hiding from Washington State conservatives that want a public debate about her stupid remarks. She won't respond to any of the talk show hosts or political leaders that want to debate.
It's up to the Washington state voters in '04
Redundant.
Well, there's a law that needs to be changed. Senators police their own? Yea. Right.
That's about as sensible as a tenured teacher who cannot be fired for inadequate job performance.
They really put their big brains in charge, don't they?
I'm not the far right and even I want her removed..removed as far as she is from reality.
Infrastructure? Is she series?
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