Feel better? I don’t.
I happened to meet with Carper today as a member of the Progressive Democrats for Delaware. It was very nice of the Senator to sit down with us. It was an honest and open exchange and I left with a renewed respect for him ….however….
You knew there was a however, right?
My main concern going into the meeting is that based on his record, Tom Carper still does not seem to “get” George Bush. How could he fall for the GOP’s games and still vote to give Bush more power knowing all that we know?
So I asked directly about the Lieberman Kyle amendment noting that his vote in favor of the resolution, which declares the Iranian government a terrorist organization, seems to give George Bush an unwarranted benefit of the doubt. It assumes Bush will act with restraint – while Bush has never demonstrated any willingness to be constrained by decency, reason, logic or common sense.
Senator Carper said that he and other Democrats meet with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates frequently and does not put Gates into the same category as a Don Rumsfeld or a Dick Cheney. Gates, according to Carper, knows that actions have downstream consequences and is aware of the fact that attacking Iran would consolidate the Iranians against the US.
Senator Carper has a small point there. In fact, Gates was quoted in the final version of the bill which eliminated some of the most wreck-less and belligerent language adding:
“Secretary of Defense Robert Gates stated on September 16, 2007 that “I think that the administration believes at this point that continuing to try and deal with the Iranian threat, the Iranian challenge, through diplomatic and economic means is by the preferable approach. That the one we are using. We always say all options are on the table, but clearly, the diplomatic and economic approach is the one that we are pursuing.”
I said something like, “So, you think Gates can fill the role of adult?” And Carper said, “Yes.”
Even so, I did not leave the meeting brimming confidence that Senator Carper really comprehends Bush’s uncanny ability to fuck things up.
UPDATE: Debra Cagan, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Coalition Affairs to Defence Secretary Robert Gates, hates all Iranians.
Where is your adult Senator? This women should have been fired yesterday.