Washblog

Baird in Vancouver

By emmettoconnell
Tue Aug 28, 2007 at 08:23:51 AM PST
Section: Clark County Topic: Democrats

From Democracy for Vancouver:

Baird at one point insinuated that - when the crowd let out a huge round of boos for his upbeat Iraq trip report - they were booing the troops, which worked the crowd into a frenzy. He was then fighting an uphill battle for the better part of the hour. We lost count of how many times he evoked Al Queda and noted that the magic six month figure came up more than once. It was really ugly and awkward.
From a great report from Ridenbaugh Press:
One man seemed to place his finger on the feeling here when he compared protests about Iraq and other Bush Administration policy to a 9-1-1 call: The people have been calling 9-1-1 to report an emergency, but no one ever responds, including Congress. They have felt ignored, and now they're furious about it. Many, clearly, had hoped for more change when a new majority was seated in Congress in January, only to find much less than they'd hoped for.

This was an unusual town hall meeting for Baird; one woman who had attended several of his meetings previously said the turnout for this one was much larger, and the tenor always had been a lot different.

The ground is shifting. Depending on how Iraq and Baird's responses to it develop in the rest of this year, the congressman easily could wind up with a primary challenger - a serious one, backed by some of his own former supporters. Or maybe the play-out is something else. But we do know this: We've never seen a congressional town hall meeting so bitter and angry at the member of Congress, and that has to mean something.

Other reports from Slog and NPI Blog.

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Baird in Vancouver | 8 comments (8 topical)
Youtube Video; Brian Baird confronted Vancouver TH

Rep. Brian Baird faces angry confrontations from his constituents and supporters regarding his change in position on Iraq war in 3 hour TownHall meeting in Vancouver, Washington last night - August 27, 2007.

I'm also one more angry, confused constituent, keenly disappointed in Brian Baird's change of position.  I'm also the mother-in-law of a returning Iraq veteran who will be leaving for his second deployment to Iraq in October 2007..2 months from now.

I don't want Rep. Brian Baird to sleep any better at nights than I will be sleeping knowing he has given public support to the course of the Iraq war - the surge and keeping our troops there - in the upswing of troop deaths, in the chaos of tribal/civil war among the factions, in an action not contained by military actions but in need of authentic political process...

 

On the Surge in Iraq "--we have set the bar so low it's buried in the sand at this point." - Barack Obama

by Lietta Ruger on Tue Aug 28, 2007 at 12:17:50 PM PST

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Pacific CO; Brian Baird, Jon Soltz, Darcy Burner
  Jon Soltz, with VoteforVets (pac) and a returning Iraq veteran was in Washington state yesterday speaking at a panel Darcy Burner put together to confront President Bush appearance at Rep. Dave Reichert fundraiser in Bellevue.  Jon Soltz then went down to Vancouver, Washington to be at Rep. Brian Baird's Town Hall meeting in Vancouver, where he spoke urging Brian Baird to reconsider his dramatic change in posture to become a supporter of the ongoing staying the course strategy and political foreign policy in the Iraq war.  

  Brian Baird is my Representative - I live in his district, Pacific County, and he is therefore, my Representative in Congress.  He voted against the war in Iraq.  I have not had issue with him until very recently.  Late in June or early July, in our little, itty bitty locla newspaper, Pacific County Press, issued once a week in South Bend, WA, there was one of those happy articles about how things were going well in Iraq. Understand that our little, bitty newspaper doesn't write much about Iraq - except at those respectful holidays as Veteran's Day, Memorial Day, and when my husband, Arthur, has one of his letters to the editor published. At least the Pacific County Press is willing to publish his ltte, so we appreciate that we do get to participate and have a voice in local community.  

(Side note;  the other little, bitty newspaper, Willapa Harbor Herald, that is published in the town next door - 5 miles away in Raymond, WA, also only once a week published hasn't yet published any of  Arthur's letters to the editor and hasn't said why they won't. But we have a good guess why they won't as we are given to understand it is a Republican dominated staff or editor...I really should fact check this as I'm repeating what is rumored.)

   Back to the article in the little, bitty Pacific County Press, South Bend.  It very much sounded like Brian Baird, who had been to the Middle East recently on fact-finding trips was singing hurrahs in support of the surge based on his interaction with military leaders and soldiers. I called his office then, a bit upset at how the article presented Brian Baird's views and reviewed the article with one of his staffers.  

  Upon reviewing it with Baird's staffer, the article was not actually citing Brian Baird, it was recasting a press release from military that pointed to Brian Baird's visit and remarks.  Ahhh, well then, knowing the military has to make it's press sound hurrah (hooyah), I didn't take issue with Rep. Baird at that time since it was not his office that released the article and I didn't have the impression from the staffer that Brian Baird had definitive thoughts on supporting a continued presence in Iraq.

  I did tell his staffer though that the article seemed somehow misleading, at least to me, in that it inferred Brian Baird was supporting the surge - remaining in Iraq and that there was signs of progress in Iraq.  I thought she might want to pass along to him that the military press release might be capitalizing on his fact-finding trip to their own advantage and that didn't sound like Rep. Brian Baird representing us in Pacific County;  representing me in Pacific County, as a military family with 2 returning Iraq veterans; one about to leave in his second deployment to Iraq in October.   She said she would pass my message along.  

  I don't know if she did or didn't, but now here in August 2007, with Brian Baird's own press release of hope in Iraq, it seems he has shifted his position - considerably!  You know, I've become discouraged, disheartened as this war drags on into the fifth year, and I know my own family will feel the effects with direct impact with second deployment for one, and not such a good turn in events for the other.  And I recognize for myself, that after this long, the messages that made sense in the beginning years of this war to not go in, to get out, not to escalate, not to continue the course unabated might need to be re-examined here at the five year mark.  So, I don't take issue with my Rep. Brian Baird taking another look.  

  His conclusion has merit - in that we do have an obligation of reparations to the Iraqi people - to repair the damage done.  But I contend it's not the troops who owe that debt, and I would wish to hear from the Congressman why he believes it is the troops who must bear the cost for this Adminstration's mistakes, for the faint heart of Congress in doing nothing to influence a shift in course.  

  I would ask him why it is my son-in-law, father to my three grandchildren who must pay the price when he has already once paid the price in his first deployment to Iraq;  why it is my nephew who is still paying the price; why it is any of our troops who have already paid the price.  I would ask him where he is getting his information and is it the full spectrum of information or what the military leaders and troops are 'required' to say when a Congressman comes a visiting.  I would ask him to listen to the likes of people like Major General Paul Eaton (ret. Fox Island, WA), General Wesley Clark, and returning Iraq veterans like my two and  Jon Soltz, who have a different take on progress in Iraq.

  Not waiting though for a call back from my Representative Brian Baird's office, I took the liberty of writing a letter to Jon Soltz, returning Iraq veteran, to thank him for being in Washington state yesterday and speaking out both at Darcy Burner's 'Burn Bush' panelin the afternoon  and again directly to Brian Baird at the Town Hall meeting in Vancouver, WA in the evening.  And I sent a copy of the letter to Brian Baird's office and to Darcy Burner, which I've decided to share in my next comment.      

On the Surge in Iraq "--we have set the bar so low it's buried in the sand at this point." - Barack Obama

by Lietta Ruger on Tue Aug 28, 2007 at 01:09:58 PM PST

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Letter to Jon Soltz, Brian Baird, Darcy Burner
 As I said in my previously posted comment, I would share the letter I sent today to Jon Soltz, returning Iraq veteran, who graced us yesterday in WA state at two significant events;  Darcy Burner's 'Burn Bush' panelin Bellevue, WA in the afternoon and Rep. Brian Baird Town Hall in Vancouver, WA in the evening.  

  Yesterday, of course, President Bush, (a Commander-in-Chief I cannot bear to be reminded yet must live that reality daily as a military family)visited Washington state also, Bellevue, WA, a fundraiser for Rep. Dave Riechert.

  My thanks to Jon Soltz, to Darcy Burner and disappointment in my Representative Brian Baird.  Here is the letter I sent today:

Dear Vote Vets
Attention: Jon Soltz;
Attention:  Representative Brian Baird
Attention:  Darcy Burner

    This email is intended for Jon Soltz and I hope you will be able to pass it along to him.  I have sent copy to my (D)Representative Brian Baird, and also Democrat for Congress in 8th District, WA in 2008, Darcy Burner.   Jon Soltz was in Washington state yesterday, speaking as a panelist at a 'Burn Bush' fundraiser event initiated by Darcy Burner to correspond with the arrival of President Bush in Bellevue, WA to support a fundraiser for (R) Representative Dave Reichert.   Darcy Burner is running against Dave Reichert again in 2008.  She ran against him in 2006 and lost by 7,000 votes.  She has 'netroots' support and is a grassroots candidate.

  In Darcy's panel yesterday, Major. General Paul Eaton (ret.) has endorsed her with a supportive statement while simultaneously pointing out that we are in a Constitutional Crisis and that duty demands we take action.  I am in contact with Darcy from time to time to speak in my voice as a military family in Washington state with 2 returning Iraq veterans.  She is also a military family and we share in common that we are what are called 'military brats' -- raised in the military life; military culture.  I sent her an email yesterday to thank her for putting together this particular panel, which included the likes of Major. General Paul Eaton (ret), Jon Soltz, returning Iraq veteran, Navy Captain Larry Seaquist and others at at time when President Bush, a Commander-in-Chief, I cannot respect was in town to support a Republican Representative in one of our most wealthy districts who supports President Bush's continued stay the course in Iraq foreign policy.  Darcy responded with an email 'Lietta, my pleasure'.  I believe she  knows I sincerely meant my gratitude as I have spoken with her to encourage her to take a stronger position in her campaign in 2006 and now in 2008 of troops home now (which does not mean instantly, rather it means responsibility and in accord with military protocols).

   Jon Soltz then also attended a Town Hall meeting in Vancouver, WA that same evening to speak to (D) Representative Brian Baird who voted against the Iraq invasion, but now five years later after recent trips to Iraq has changed his mind and believes we need to continue the occupation of Iraq.  It happens that (D) Representative Brian Baird represents my district - he is my representative.   We are a military family with 2 returning Iraq veterans, my son-in-law and my nephew, both with 1st Armored in  OIF, extended 15 month deployments, March 2003 -- August 2004 (extended due to Sadr City uprising in March 2004).   My son-in-law will be leaving for his second deployment to Iraq in October.  He is notified it will be another 15 month deployment and he has intimated that it is being whispered it will more likely be 18 months.    My nephew has other difficulties resulting from his deployment to Iraq and in respect for his wishes, I may not say, but suffice it to say that it is life-changing.

     I had phoned my Representative Brian Baird's office in Olympia, WA yesterday morning to register that as a constituent with 2 returning Iraq veterans and one poised to redeploy in second deployment in October, I have grave concerns about Rep. Baird's change of position.  The person taking my call was rather uninterested and I had to press him to say I would like a return phone call from Rep. Baird.  The person (sounded like a young man) said he would pass along my message, but was not inclined to take my name, return phone number which I gave to him anyway.  I did not leave that phone call feeling like