• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!
  • Welcome to our archives. No new posts are allowed here.

Tom Harkin FEARS Limbaugh's support of troops

Stu Ghatze

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2005
Messages
531
Reaction score
0
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Conservative
Democratic senator from Iowa, Tom Harkin fears Rush Limbaugh's support of our soldiers in Iraq.

Apparently the good senator prefers that our soldiers be entreated by epithets such as terrorists themselves, torturers, murderers, & baby killers?

Hey Tommy, ...the majority of our servicemen KNOW who support them, & the military, & they also know & recognize the people like you who do nothing but tear them down at every opportunity!;)
 
Stu Ghatze said:
Democratic senator from Iowa, Tom Harkin fears Rush Limbaugh's support of our soldiers in Iraq.

Apparently the good senator prefers that our soldiers be entreated by epithets such as terrorists themselves, torturers, murderers, & baby killers?

Hey Tommy, ...the majority of our servicemen KNOW who support them, & the military, & they also know & recognize the people like you who do nothing but tear them down at every opportunity!;)

I just heard on Limbaugh that Harkin didn't even serve in Vietnam, as he had claimed, he lied about his war record he was stationed in Japan. I think Tommy boy may have bit off more than he can chew by taking on Limbaugh.
 
Harkin Bio

Both Dem. Sen Tom Harkin and Rep. Sen Charles Grassley serve all their constituents, no matter what party that constituency is from.
Both men also serve this country as honorable public servants as chairmen of senate committees.

You two might want to quote some sort of proof before posting libelous statements.
ted
 
Paladin said:
Harkin Bio

Both Dem. Sen Tom Harkin and Rep. Sen Charles Grassley serve all their constituents, no matter what party that constituency is from.
Both men also serve this country as honorable public servants as chairmen of senate committees.

You two might want to quote some sort of proof before posting libelous statements.
ted





Libel....?:smile: Good God man, I said nothing remotely associated to libel. The man Harkin went on an hour long dissertation in the senate about Rush Limbaugh having air-time to our soldiers, & HE did not like it that Limbaugh has access to our soldiers via the air-waves!

Pity, ..IF it was left up to liberals like Harkins, ..our soldiers would be engaging in self flagellation.

Limbaugh HONORS our soldiers, & NEVER tears them down....something that MANY senate democrats cannot say.;)
 
Stu Ghatze said:
...libel....? Good God man, I said nothing remotely associated to libel...

Sorry. The other respondent said Harkin lied, I made an emotional leap and attributed that to you. I'll do better in the future.

galenrox said:
...we're the same place that elected Chuck Grassley, a far right wing republican, as our other senator (and he's a fantastic one too, although his campaigns are pure bullshit, but he's really there for the workers)...

Iowans are intelligent about our senators, we elect people who serve us and the US well.
ted
 
Stu Ghatze said:
Libel....?:smile: Good God man, I said nothing remotely associated to libel. The man Harkin went on an hour long dissertation in the senate about Rush Limbaugh having air-time to our soldiers, & HE did not like it that Limbaugh has access to our soldiers via the air-waves!

Pity, ..IF it was left up to liberals like Harkins, ..our soldiers would be engaging in self flagellation.

Limbaugh HONORS our soldiers, & NEVER tears them down....something that MANY senate democrats cannot say.;)

Rush went on Armed Forces radio during the Clinton administration. His program was not on the list offered to the soldiers who nevertheless wrote in Rush asking for all three hours. Rush was #1 or #2 choice of a large majority of the active military. They reluctantly allowed one hour of Rush and he is broadcast at night overseas (from the US). Many of the guys are listening in via internet now though and recording the show for their buddies. I believe Rush is the only conservative talk show they get. They do get all the networks and PBS 24/7.

I heard most of Harkin's rant about this. He said flat out that the troops are being indoctrinated by so much of Rush and gave some ridiculous number of minutes they hear Rush every week (well over 2000 minutes). In fact the troops get Rush 300 minutes which would be what...3% of the week? Harkin wants Rush taken off Armed Forces Radio.

The guys love Rush because he does affirm them, reports the good things they are doing, and defends them when they are wrongfully accused. They sure as hell don't get ANY of that from the networks or PBS. The guys want Hannity too. Wonder what kind of hissy fit that would produce?
 
galenrox said:
Dude, you're talking about my senator, and he is well loved here in Iowa. And unless there's a left wing equivalent being offered to the soldiers too, then I fully understand why he's opposed to Limbaugh being played over there, sending them into war and then forcing them to listen to propaganda, christ, have you lost your damn mind? Oh wait, my bad, dumb question.
He is a great representative of this state, which is not a leftist state, which would raise the question to your logic that if he's such a leftist, how come he was elected in Iowa? I mean, we're the same place that elected Chuck Grassley, a far right wing republican, as our other senator (and he's a fantastic one too, although his campaigns are pure bullshit, but he's really there for the workers).
And I must say, I believe we as a whole are a frickin ton smarter than you.






You humor me Galen..Huh huh:smile: ! Listen, IF our soldiers do not want to listen to Limbaugh then LET them exercize their right by not TUNING into his radio show.

Now..that wasn't too hard to figure out,.. now was it?

WE KNOW the REAL reason that Harkin, ..your beloved liberal democratic senator does not want our soldiers to have access to Limbaugh, & It is because Limbaugh tells them what in the hell is REALLY going on in the political world, & THAT is precisely as to why Harkin does NOT WANT them to have access to to the soldiers.

Harkin probably prefers the soldiers to "believe" the horsecrap that the war in Iraq was based on a lie by the Bush administration, ...just like the senate democrats WANT everybody to believe.

Huh huh, ..sorry but the majority of service people do tune in to Limbaugh, & DESPISE the way the media is reporting on the war in Iraq, ..& many of them also despise the way the democrats are characterizing the whole war.

This should not surprise you, ..it sure as hell does not surprise me either; ..afteral it was the Kerry people who tried like hell to NOT allow overseas military ballots to be counted during the 04' election!

Most american service people DO support their president, ..it just sounds to me that Harkin simply just does not like it, ..& blames Rush Limbaugh for it!

I think its great that Harkin has lashed out against Limbaugh; ..it only proves Limbaugh correct on so many things.

It also sounds to me that Harkin wants censorship for our soldiers. Oops, ..I mean to say he wants "conservative" censorship.

Our soldiers have tons of access to liberal websites, ..the mentality types of the "move on dot orgs, & the Ted Soros crapola that "they" spew is much more acceptable to Harkin, I would suppose, ..& the rest of the leftists sites that have little good to say about our military, ..IF they are not condemning them first for being like Ghengis Khans as Mr. Kerry had said about our servicemen in Viet-nam!

Our service people KNOW who really support them, ..& it sure as hell is NOT the liberal media, or the democratic party leadership at large, ..either!

And Harkin knows that the military knows it too; ..& is probably bitter that our military personnel do not hate Bush, or Limbaugh as much as the democrats WANT them to!:smile:

Geezus Galen, ..even a blind person does not need "braille" to see what all the fuss was about with Harkin lashing out against Limbaugh.

Huh huh...it is as evident as yeast in dough!:2razz:
 
Stu Ghatze said:
Democratic senator from Iowa, Tom Harkin fears Rush Limbaugh's support of our soldiers in Iraq.

Apparently the good senator prefers that our soldiers be entreated by epithets such as terrorists themselves, torturers, murderers, & baby killers?

Hey Tommy, ...the majority of our servicemen KNOW who support them, & the military, & they also know & recognize the people like you who do nothing but tear them down at every opportunity!;)


Meh...Harkin is a controversial democrat playing the game with the rest of the liars. That does not mean he is a bad guy..Just a good politician.

Candidate Harkin Stretches the Truth


"While in Vietnam, Mr. Harkin photographed the infamous Con Son Island "tiger cages" used by the South Vietnamese government to house political prisoners. In an October 1970 article in the Progressive magazine, Mr. Harkin wrote that, worried that his incriminating photographs would be seized by pro-war forces opposed to their publication, he gave them to Congressman Smith, who, cautioning him that "publicity never does any good," indicated he would lock the photos in his safe "for six months or so until this blows over."

"I could not believe my ears," Mr. Harkin wrote. "That was the most public-be-damned statement I had ever heard from an elected official in our government."

As soon as he and the members of the committee arrived back in Washington, Mr. Harkin wrote, he urged Mr. Smith to remove the rolls of film from his suitcase so they could be rushed to the congressman's office safe. Then "I reached over, grabbed the film . . . and put the film in my pocket. Smith turned around. 'OK, let's go put them [the rolls of film] in the safe,' he said. 'No,' I replied, 'I am going to keep them. . . . I feel I have a higher obligation to those 500 human beings in the tiger cages." He subsequently sold some of the photos to Life magazine for $10,000, which helped pay his way through law school. "

The Bark of Tom Harkin


If they add a 14th channel with liberal propaganda Harkin will be satisfied. Thats not too much to ask. Everyone can be free to switch to whatever channel they want.
 
Last edited:
galenrox said:
I've got an honest serious question, and I want an honest serious answer. Can you read? and the follow up, do you have some sort of birth defect or mental disorder that doesn't allow you to process information?

I just ask because you MISSED THE POINT ENTIRELY
I was noting that unless they have a leftist equivilent, then it's nothing but propaganda. Like, if they'll play the young turks or Ed Shulz or Stephanie Miller over there too, I have no issue with Rush being played, the idea is balance, if someone's a leftist, let them be a leftist, and vice versa, but only allowing broadcasts from people who think favorably of the president and the war is flat out plain and simple propaganda.

Well, right now they are getting five hours of Rush and 163 hours of PBS and network radio, all of which is left oriented each week. Balanced enough?
 
Stu Ghatze said:
...Harkin is probably bitter that our military personnel do not hate Bush...

No, he is probably bitter that Bush and other rep/con chickenhawks bailed on any form of responsible military duty.

galenrox said:
damn, you're in Iowa too, I didn't notice that. Where's Urbandale?

It's a suburb of Des Moines. I'm a middle school teacher in DM.
ted
 
A little no more info on another sle proclaimed hero...Its obvious like Kerry Harkin is a fraud........Why do liberal dems always claime to be war heros?

http://instapundit.com/archives/017246.php


In 1979, Mr. Harkin, then a congressman, participated in a round-table discussion arranged by the Congressional Vietnam Veterans' Caucus. "I spent five years as a Navy pilot, starting in November of 1962," Mr. Harkin said at that meeting, in words that were later quoted in a book, Changing of the Guard, by Washington Post political writer David Broder. "One year was in Vietnam. I was flying F-4s and F-8s on combat air patrols and photo-reconnaisance support missions. I did no bombing."

That clearly is not an accurate picture of his Navy service. Though Mr. Harkin stresses he is proud of his Navy record -- "I put my ass on the line day after day" -- he concedes now he never flew combat air patrols in Vietnam. . . .

Mr. Harkin's Navy record shows his only decoration is the National Defense Service Medal, awarded to everyone on active service during those years. He did not receive either the Vietnam Service medal or the Vietnam Campaign medal, the decorations given to everyone who served in the Southeast Asia theater. "We didn't get them for what we did," Mr. Harkin says. "It's never bothered me."
 
galenrox said:
As someone who listens to PBS a lot, they try to be unbiased. It's not really possible, but they make a valiant effort.?


Oh its entirely possible but its boring.
The CBS local affiliate in South Texas where I grew up was that way. The lead newscasters name was Walter Furley. Watching him was like watching a pot boil water slowly but you got the facts straight up. I really liked it after hearing the bs commentary on NBC and ABC.




Just the facts maam---Sergeant Joe Friday
 
galenrox said:
As someone who listens to PBS a lot, they try to be unbiased. It's not really possible, but they make a valiant effort.
That is interesting though. That's why I asked, I honestly have no idea what other radio shows they have.
But one thing is that PBS doesn't ever outright say "Bush is bad" or "The war was wrong" etc. I mean it's obvious where they stand, but Limbaugh is a blatant conservative while PBS is moreso closet liberals. I'm curious if anyone knows if there's anyone on the radio over there regularly stating clear opposition to the president and to the war, you know, the opposite of Limbaugh. I don't doubt they'd listen to Limbaugh more, I don't kid myself about the general politics of the army, but I think the option should be available.
But yeah, do you know?
And not to be a dick, but where did you get those numbers?

Hey you try to be a dick, but you really don't do a very good job of it. :)
I have a lot of friends and relatives in the armed forces who tell me how it works. I think you can get a schedule here: http://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/
The thing is, from time to time the troops get to vote on what they want on the radio, and it was the troops themselves who asked for Rush--wrote him in when he wasn't offered as an option. If they had asked for Air America or something like that, they would have gotten it. They didn't ask. And if you think PBS doesn't criticize the president, you don't listen to enough Moyers. :)
 
galenrox said:
I've got an honest serious question, and I want an honest serious answer. Can you read? and the follow up, do you have some sort of birth defect or mental disorder that doesn't allow you to process information?

I just ask because you MISSED THE POINT ENTIRELY
I was noting that unless they have a leftist equivilent, then it's nothing but propaganda. Like, if they'll play the young turks or Ed Shulz or Stephanie Miller over there too, I have no issue with Rush being played, the idea is balance, if someone's a leftist, let them be a leftist, and vice versa, but only allowing broadcasts from people who think favorably of the president and the war is flat out plain and simple propaganda.





Are YOU serious???:2razz: You think it wrong because the soldiers listen to Limbaugh because Limbaugh is a Bush supporter, ..& YOU & Harkin want the soldiers to have equal time for those that hate Bush..? Huh huh, ..Oh my god, you & Harkin are hilarious! :smile:

The soldiers have ALL kinds of sources for unfavorible news about Bush, ..& they get it on the news, & on the Ted Soros sponsored, & democratic party endorsed supported websites!

BTW, ..it was the soldiers who requested to be able to listen to Limbaugh's radio program.

And, ..just in the same fashion of liberal "twisted" fairness, ..some of your liberal democratic senators opined that terrorists should be granted with "constitutional" rights (Dick Durbin)..& that some senate democrats even said our servicemen were as bad as the terrorists themselves! (Dick Durbin again)

Service people are NOT mandated to listen to Limbaugh; ..let THEM exercize the option of shutting the g-damn radio show OFF ..IF they choose to.

Thats called "FREEDOM", ..& IF Harkin finds it unfair, ..let the senate liberals take up a collection from the Ted Soros's , or any of the disgustingly wealthy liberals to finance their own liberal Bush bashing radio network. Maybe they can talk Al Frankin into donating his time for it!

Us conservatives know the real score here, ...& that is that senate democrats want liberalism to be "institutionalized" everywhere, ..& that includes the military!

If our service people find Limbaugh to be a liar, ..or just plain full of shyte, They will not listen anymore to his show just in the same fashion that MOST liberal radio talk shows have been a complete failure, & get little of the market share of listeners anymore.

Harkin is shrewd, & a bit disingenuine.......he really does NOT want anybody to hear Limbaugh because he, ..like the modern democratic party prefers to pretend to be something it isn't; ..just like ALL of the democratic presidential candidates do.

Limbaugh does NOT pretend to be anything other than what he himself espouses in his belief system, & exposes the hypocrisy of the left. If the soldiers do not want to believe him, ..THEY do not have to.

Harkin fears the consequences of freedom to believe, or disbelieve Limbaugh...& does not want our soldiers to even have that CHOICE!
 
Last edited:
Stu Ghatze said:
..some of your liberal democratic senators opined that terrorists should be granted with "constitutional" rights (Dick Durbin)..& that some senate democrats even said our servicemen were as bad as the terrorists themselves! (Dick Durbin again)

If you want to go with off-topic comments, here are a couple.
The chairman of the Iowa Republican party called anyone who disagrees with Bush "unpatriotic".
The former SecofEd Rod Paige said supporters of the National Education Association (teachers) are terrorists.

Only proves that there are knuckleheads on both sides. But I can only find dem/libs who are willing to admit their mistakes. Rep/cons try to justify their foibles.
ted
 
Paladin said:
If you want to go with off-topic comments, here are a couple.
The chairman of the Iowa Republican party called anyone who disagrees with Bush "unpatriotic".
The former SecofEd Rod Paige said supporters of the National Education Association (teachers) are terrorists.

Only proves that there are knuckleheads on both sides. But I can only find dem/libs who are willing to admit their mistakes. Rep/cons try to justify their foibles.
ted






OFF TOPICS? Hardly, they are excellent examples of a "twisted" fairness doctrine that liberal democrats engage themselves in, ..& I might add, Quite appropriate here as well to display!

Harkin might have well said it this way: "Us liberals demand equal time, even though the soldiers do not want to listen to us; ..so we can air a show that espouses hating Bush"!

To the liberal thats called; "fairness"...& what they would call honest dissertation!:smile:
 
galenrox said:
Dude, you're talking about my senator, and he is well loved here in Iowa. And unless there's a left wing equivalent being offered to the soldiers too, then I fully understand why he's opposed to Limbaugh being played over there, sending them into war and then forcing them to listen to propaganda, christ, have you lost your damn mind? Oh wait, my bad, dumb question.
He is a great representative of this state, which is not a leftist state, which would raise the question to your logic that if he's such a leftist, how come he was elected in Iowa? I mean, we're the same place that elected Chuck Grassley, a far right wing republican, as our other senator (and he's a fantastic one too, although his campaigns are pure bullshit, but he's really there for the workers).
And I must say, I believe we as a whole are a frickin ton smarter than you.

dude you're ****ed limbaugh get's one hour of play and the rest of military radio is NPR, ummm are the troops really hearing right wing propoganda, or are they hearing left wing prop? Have you listened to NPR before?
 
Stu Ghatze said:
OFF TOPICS? Hardly, they are excellent examples of a "twisted" fairness doctrine that liberal democrats engage themselves in, ..& I might add, Quite appropriate here as well to display!

Harkin might have well said it this way: "Us liberals demand equal time, even though the soldiers do not want to listen to us; ..so we can air a show that espouses hating Bush"!

To the liberal thats called; "fairness"...& what they would call honest dissertation!:smile:

The topic was about Harkin and Limbaugh. You brought up Durbin. That is off topic and you managed to drag at least one other down that road with you (me).

Harkin didn't say that, you jumped to conclusions and tried to interpret his words to fit your argument and way of thinking. And then you made a generalization about how all dem/libs feel and think. If I was to debate the same way, I would allude to that being the debate style of all rep/cons. ;)
ted
 
Paladin said:
The topic was about Harkin and Limbaugh. You brought up Durbin. That is off topic and you managed to drag at least one other down that road with you (me).

Harkin didn't say that, you jumped to conclusions and tried to interpret his words to fit your argument and way of thinking. And then you made a generalization about how all dem/libs feel and think. If I was to debate the same way, I would allude to that being the debate style of all rep/cons. ;)
ted





I NEVER said that Harkin said it, ..but it is OBVIOUS he fears having our soldiers having access to Limbaugh.

Why is Harkin so worried about those soldiers who want to exercize THEIR rights to listen to what, & who THEY choose?

I thought "liberalism" was all about free thinking? Yea, ..as long as its confined to "liberalist" views, ...right? :2razz:
 
Its great to see Harkin's amendment voted down.........Let the market decide what is broadcast.........If the troops want liberal radio so be it........It won't happen though...........
 
galenrox said:
I'll check it out, I didn't know that

The thing is, I try not to be a dick, but naturally I am a dick, and thus I come across as a crappy dick (oooh, that sounds dirty)

I listened to NPR a bunch before I got Sirius radio, and maybe just cause I'm in a red state, but they never had anyone on who outrightly spoke out for liberal causes, and they did have people come out and outrightly speak for conservative causes, but that was just because it was so damn obvious that they were all liberals.

I really don't have any serious problem with NPR. I don't believe they are fair and balanced, and thus I resent having to fund them, but it isn't a big deal for me. Given an option to eliminate their funding, I honestly can't say how I would vote though I tend to favor letting the market decide. They do put on some excellent programming. I think I would vote for an equal representation of liberal/conservative in program management and then they probably would provide a valuable public service.

At least Rush doesn't pretend to be the least unbiased and you know exactly where he is coming from whether or not you disagree with him. And I did take strong exception to Harkin's public accusation that the troops are being indoctrinated by five hours a week of Rush Limbaugh. I expect a US senator to give the troops more credit and to be more supportive of the First Amendment. I'm sorry if he is your senator and I'm sure he does some very good things for Iowa. But on this issue, he was out of line and wrong.
 
Last edited:
galenrox said:
Dude, to be perfectly honest, I don't know anything about what they play over there. AlbqOwl already pointed that out.
I was pointing out in the situation which I incorrectly assumed was going on, which was that they wanted to play Limbaugh and not liberal equivalents, that would be propaganda. It's clear that's not what's going on, so I was wrong.

Still support Harkin, still don't understand why people keep going out trying to tell me what I should think of my senators, and I once again stand corrected.

ya it should be really simple let the troops decide what they want to listen to it's not as if anyones forcing them to listen to it. I think Harkin was just looking for some attention and he figured Limbaugh would make a good wipping boy, that oxy-cotton popping fat ass <------- see it's easy.
 
Stu Ghatze said:
I NEVER said that Harkin said it

No, you said he might as well have said it. That's why I said you tried to interpret what Harkin was thinking.

Stu Ghatze said:
but it is OBVIOUS he fears having our soldiers having access to Limbaugh.

It's sort of hard to argue against your points, since you provided none. You only provided your assumptions, interpretations and opinion.
But from what I could glean, what is OBVIOUS is that Sen. Harkin wanted someone as a counterpoint to the reactionary right wing rhetoric that Limbaugh vomits up.

Stu Ghatze said:
Why is Harkin so worried about those soldiers who want to exercize THEIR rights to listen to what, & who THEY choose?

Where did Sen Harkin curtail anyones rights?

Stu Ghatze said:
I thought "liberalism" was all about free thinking? Yea, ..as long as its confined to "liberalist" views, ...right?

That's one definition.
I ask again, where did Harkin try to curtail what one thinks.
Reread the off-topic comments I provided. It is a small step from those comments to having strictly policed thoughts, courtesy of the rep/cons. ;)
ted
 
Trajan Octavian Titus said:
I just heard on Limbaugh that Harkin didn't even serve in Vietnam, as he had claimed, he lied about his war record he was stationed in Japan. I think Tommy boy may have bit off more than he can chew by taking on Limbaugh.

Hmm and I recall Mr. Limbaugh having to resign from ESPN because he tried to take on Donovan McNabb, calling him an overrated quaterback in the NFL with much hype because he is what.. oh yeah black. Nice, I'm glad you can give creedance to what Father Dittohead has to say. :roll:


http://espn.go.com/gen/news/2003/1001/1628537.html
 
debate_junkie said:
Hmm and I recall Mr. Limbaugh having to resign from ESPN because he tried to take on Donovan McNabb, calling him an overrated quaterback in the NFL with much hype because he is what.. oh yeah black. Nice, I'm glad you can give creedance to what Father Dittohead has to say. :roll:


http://espn.go.com/gen/news/2003/1001/1628537.html

If you're going to criticize somebody at least use the correct facts. Limbaugh did NOT say that McNabb was overrated because he was black. He said that the media overrated McNabb because they wanted a black quarterback to succeed. At the time he said that, McNabb's stats weren't as good as many other quarterbacks who weren't receiving such good press, and Rush drew a conclusion based on that. Nevertheless, it was a statement sufficiently politically incorrect to cost Rush his spot at ESPN.
 
Back
Top Bottom