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BACKGROUND ON VOTE VETS
By Michael B. Brodkorb | May 9, 2007
A dedicated reader of Minnesota Democrats Exposed sent me background information on Vote Vets, the group running attacks ads in Minnesota against Senator Norm Coleman.
Please check back to Minnesota Democrats Exposed for more information.
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VoteVets.org
Formerly the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) PAC
Founded and supported by Veterans and seasoned campaign operatives, IAVA PAC views defense policy as an American priority, not a Democratic or Republican partisan issue. – Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America PAC Web site, http://www.iavapac.org/about.html
For the sake of all Americans, we cannot allow partisanship to dominate the debate around Iraq, Afghanistan and the threat of terrorism. – Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America PAC Web site, http://www.iavapac.org/about.html
In 2006, Vote Vets Worked to Elect Democrats to Congress:
- Group's Chairman said it was "unlikely" they'd work on behalf of Republicans: "The new PAC's policy agenda — which Soltz said candidates must endorse to obtain its support — makes it unlikely it would support many, if any, Republicans." (Los Angeles Times, 1/26/06)
- Stated mission, according to VoteVets.Org: "The goal of the VoteVets.org PAC is to put Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans in Congress who are critical of the execution of the war in Iraq and representative of the principles of VoteVets.org PAC in the US Congress…” (Vote Vets.org, Accessed 5/9/07)
Failed Democrat Presidential Candidate Wesley K. Clark serves on Board of Advisors:
- Gen. Wesley K. Clark, who ran for the Democratic nomination for president in 2004 and who serves on the board of advisors of IAVA PAC, said (according to Federal News Service) of George Soros: "And it's a real honor for me to be here, participating in this program and introducing a man who is a man of vision, a man of courage and a man of action, George Soros."
- Called Himself "HONORED" to be with George Soros: GEN. CLARK: Well, thank you, Ambassador. And it's a real honor for me to be here, participating in this program and introducing a man who is a man of vision, a man of courage and a man of action, George Soros. George has earned his place in the elite of the American business community. He's one of the principal innovators in financial management. But more than that, he is a patriot, he is a great philanthropist, and he's a good neighbor.
Co-Founder and Chairman of Vote Vets, Jon Soltz, has been “LOYAL SUPPORTER” and “ATTACK DOG” for John Kerry:
- According to the Associated Press State & Local Wire (Oct. 26, 2004), Jon Soltz, the executive director of IAVA PAC, “has been stumping for about seven months for Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry and has proved a loyal supporter and, at times, an attack dog for the senator from Massachusetts.”
Has Worked and Stumped for John Kerry:
- In 2004, Soltz coordinated veterans' outreach in Pennsylvania for the presidential campaign of Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.). Source: Los Angeles Times, 1/26/06
- "America needs a new commander in chief," Soltz said. "I know John Kerry will give us a fresh start. He's the only one who will bring allies to our side which will allow us to lower troop levels over there." Source: Associated Press State & Local Wire, 11/1/04
Has Called America “Less Safe” at least THREE times:
- Jon Soltz, 27, of Pittsburgh, an Iraq War veteran campaigning for Kerry in Iowa, said Bush and Cheney have "serious credibility problems in regards to the war in Iraq.""The two of them together have created a mess in Iraq and we're less safe," he said. Source: Associated Press State & Local Wire, 11/1/04
- "As a veteran I am deeply troubled that George Bush and Dick Cheneys wrong choices have made a mess in Iraq and left America less safe." Source: Associated Press State & Local Wire, 10/30/04
- "We are less secure because our Army is so overextended," said Jon Soltz, coordinator of Vets for Kerry, speaking at the Firefighters Union Hall in Council Bluffs. Source: Omaha World-Herald, 10/25/04
Failed Democrat Congressional Candidate Paul Hackett Serves on Board of Advisors:
Hackett famously called President Bush a “chicken hawk” during the 2006 election:
- "…[T]he quickest route to political oblivion could be the one chosen by Paul L. Hackett: calling President Bush a ''chicken hawk'' for not serving in Vietnam…” (New York Times, 7/27/05)Changed Name in 2006: “The political action committee known as the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America PAC changed its name last week. The PAC, which has begun endorsing veterans of the Iraq war and Afghanistan conflict who are running for Congress, will now be known as VoteVets.org. Jon Soltz, an Iraq war veteran and the PAC's chairman, said the name was changed in part to avoid confusion with its parent organization, the nonprofit Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.” (Roll Call, 7/20/06)
Topics: Uncategorized | 22 Comments »
May 9th, 2007 at 6:36 pm
Ironic that a self-proclaimed anti-partisan group won’t support Republicans and only works for Democrats… of course, I forget… non-partisan means “Democrat”… Hogwash.
May 9th, 2007 at 8:02 pm
These guys are learning the lesson of John Kerry and John Murtha: fight in a war, come home, speak against it and run for political office.
May 9th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
Well, unlike Mike Brodkorp, Norm Coleman, or the majority of the right wing talking heads these people have gone and sacrificed for our country.
So, really, after going and botching the war in Iraq (which the political director of the MNGoop even admitted yesterday) are we safer now than we were 6 years ago?
Probably not.
It could be worse, it could be an anonymous group created a week before the election so it’s donors aren’t revealed until after the election.
Sean
May 9th, 2007 at 8:21 pm
The swift boating of another batch of veterans begins! Very telling that there isn’t one word about Norm’s position in response to these ads. (Actually if anyone knows what Norm’s position is, kudos) Oldest trick in campaigning: if you can’t answer a charge, attack the person making the charge.
May 9th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
Sean,
I’d like to see you campaign on the fact that we are less safe than we were 6 years ago. We just uncovered yet another plot by Islamofascists to murder our troops. The Bush administration has worked diligently to uncover and prevent terrorist attacks. Thanks to bringing the war on terror against the terrorists we haven’t had an attack in almost 6 years.
May 9th, 2007 at 8:58 pm
Well terrorists are too busy forming organizations in Iraq and killing our troops there. It is much closer to home and much easier. Americans have been attacked for the past 4 years now in Iraq by terroristic methods.
The ad apparently never says Norm’s name (someone told me this so I got this from word of mouth) and it really only attacks Bush. Maybe a lot of people wont even make the connection for Norm’s sake.
May 9th, 2007 at 9:20 pm
Chris, you are reasoning is getting into a dangerous area. The fact that the US hasn’t been attacked may be because of law enforcement efforts. It may be luck. The US was attacked on its soil in ‘93 and then not again until ‘01. Just because we are expecting to be attacked again doesn’t mean it will happen in a time frame we expect. The talking point that “we haven’t been hit, so we are doing it right” will absolutely evaporate if we get hit again. If Bush wants us to credit him for there not being a domestic attack, who do you think will get blamed if the ball is dropped and we get hit again?
May 9th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
[...] Behold. The worst opposition research ever produced known to man: Minnesota Democrats Exposed dossier on the political arm of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), VoteVets.org. [...]
May 9th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
Andrew,
Your comment begs the question: Would you rather have them attacking us at home?
Otter,
I would not call killing Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Amjad Farooqi, Mohammed Atef, Ali Qaed Senyan al-Harthi (aka Abu Ali), Abu Hazim al-Shair, Omar al-Farouq and capturing Abu Faraj al-Libbi, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Abu Zubaydah, Ramzi Binalshibh, Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi, Mohammed Haydar Zammar, Ali Abdul Rahman al-Ghamdi, and Mohamedou Ould Slahi using “law enforcement” techniques. The only way we will “drop the ball” again is if Democrats who deny there is a war on terrorism (like John Edwards) get elected in 2008.
May 9th, 2007 at 9:52 pm
“The swift boating of another batch of veterans begins!”
Where do even begin? First of all, the SBVT only went after Kerry, not a “batch of veterans”. And pretty much all they did was publize Kerry’s quotes. Kind of like free advertising for Kerry.
May 9th, 2007 at 10:02 pm
If by “swift boating” you mean “expose the truth”, o.k., it’s swift boating.
May 9th, 2007 at 10:12 pm
Correction, there hasn’t been a terrorist attack on American soil since the Anthrax attacks.
May 9th, 2007 at 10:19 pm
Another way the ball could be dropped is to ignore PDB’s that say things like “Bin Laden Determined…” or not heed the warnings of terrorism czars, etc. Law enforcement is responsible for the Ft Dix thing, the guys you mentioned are overseas (I think).
May 9th, 2007 at 10:47 pm
Otter,
The guys I mentioned were captured or killed by the U.S. military. Another way the ball could be dropped was to have terrorism for eight years (beginning with the first attack on the World Trade Center in 1993) and thinking law enforcement was going to end it. We did nothing during the Clinton administration when 9/11 was being planned.
Since you mentioned the Fort Dix “thing” as you put it, I wonder when the Democrats are going to blame our presence in Bosnia and Kosovo for the past 14 years as being responsible for why they hated us so much they were going to try to kill our troops.
May 10th, 2007 at 6:24 am
Oh yeah I forgot … its Clinton’s fault, always is.
May 10th, 2007 at 7:39 am
It’s no more Bush’s fault (8 months in office, and never briefed by the Clinton administration on the al Queda threat) than it is Clinton’s (8 years in office, didn’t have an al Queda strategy, underestimated the threat).
It’s fair to say Clinton could/should have done something, but didn’t. But in fairness to Bill, the whole world was underestimating the threat.
Still, Clinton halved the strength of the U.S. military during his administration… so, it’s ridiculous to blame Bush for unpreparedness for today’s conflicts.
May 10th, 2007 at 8:56 am
Follow the cash. The spin is that these war vets are magnanimously throwing their names behind a grassroots effort to solve our war dillemma. That’s poppycock.
Each one of these guys is getting a direct or indirect cash benie for joining the chorus.
That’s how George operates. It’s a partisan scam.
May 10th, 2007 at 9:01 am
It would be nice to have your terrorists in a box, but we don’t get to “choose” where they attack us. They are killing Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan, because that’s where they have the highest chance of success.
They will do the same in America when the chance arises and are likely waiting for the perfect opportunity to get maximum death and destruction to fuel their worldwide PR machine.
All we are doing by being in Iraq is making it easier for them to recruit new members and fueling more hatred for America throughout the world.
May 10th, 2007 at 9:39 am
MDE what happened? When you receive a press release of oppo research, you’re pretty good at consistently citing your source.
But a “dedicated reader”? This is especially ironic considering the thrust of the OR is that VOTE VETS claims to be non-partisan but isn’t. Yet you don’t reveal that you’re using an OR drawn up from a non-partisan source.
May 10th, 2007 at 10:15 am
[...] It's 18 months before the November '08 elections, but Vote Vets is already running ads targeting Senator Norm Coleman. "In the ad, Batiste directly accuses Bush of not listening to the commanders who tried to tell him how badly things were going in Iraq, of 'continuing to pursue a failed strategy that is breaking our great Army and Marine Corps” and of 'place[ing] our nation in peril.'" Source: The Big Question/Star Tribune, May 9, 2007 [...]
May 10th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
Oh NO, Is there anyone in he universe who can take Westley Clark seriously?
Clark is the bumbling fool who almost started WW3 by ordering troops to attack Russians in Kosovo.
May 10th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
[...] Vote Vets is having a press conference at 2:30 p.m. in St. Paul to discuss the ads running against Senator Norm Coleman. I'm here to live-blog the event, so please check back. [...]