A lot has been said already on how ironic it is that the Bush Administration followed Barack Obama’s policy of entering into diplomatic talks to influence our enemies, such as Iran, after GOP talking heads bashed him on that very policy for weeks. Well, there’s also a local edge to that irony: the MN GOP did the same thing to Ashwin Madia.
Exactly a week ago the MN GOP issued a press release lambasting Madia’s position on Iran; using this quote as a focal point (quoting the release):
Madia: Iran A “Concern” That Can Be Dealt With “Diplomatically.” “On Iran I have been very concerned by some bellicose language that the administration is using and some democrats are using to describe Iran. I think that they are a concern but I think we can deal with them diplomatically. When I think we use their language it puts us on a foot that we don’t want to be on.”
What a completely left-wing radical idea! Who would cower in front of our sworn enemies like that? Who’s so yella’ that they’d embrace evil with such wussy junk like diplo- hold on, something’s coming in on CNN: “The Bush administration has decided to break with previous policy by sending one of its most senior diplomats to engage Iran’s top nuclear official, the White House announced Wednesday.”
Whoops…
Hat Tip: Jeff Rosenberg at MN Campaign Report
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So Ashwin Madia has been right on Iran all along.
I guess the Minnesota Republican Party and Erik Paulsen have proven once again that they do not understand the issues. Erik Paulsen and the MnGOP may think that the best policy is to go to war with Iran, but Ashwin Madia shows us yet again that he has a much better understanding of the foreign policy issues that face our nation.
We need to keep the Minnesota Republican Warmongers out of Washington.
Vote for Ashwin Madia — the common sense choice!
“Vote for Ashwin Madia — the common sense choice!”
Well, that’s one slogan. I prefer:
“If you liked George W. Bush, you’ll love Erik “The Hustler” Paulsen!”
But, that’s just me…..
“If you liked George W. Bush, you’ll love Erik “The Hustler” Paulsen!”
ahem…. the point of this post was that Madia and Bush are in lockstep on this issue. Is agreeing with Bush suddenly a good thing now?
Who agreed with whom, Dan?
Respectfully, DtM, you missed the point. The point was that the Bush administration has spent a good long while rattling its saber at Iran and the local GOP has spent plenty of time doing the same at Madia. Meanwhile, Madia has said consistently that an aggressive diplomatic approach is the right way to go with respect to Iran, and now the Bush Administration is following suit. The policy is aggressive diplomacy. The politics is attacking someone for that policy because you think it will win you votes with soccer moms in the Third District.
Good policy by Madia, bad politics by the Republican Party.
Actually, Bush, Paulson, and soon, McCain are going to be FOLLOWING Obama and Madia on this. And YES, it is a good thing to speak with our adversaries.
I understand the point of the post to be that Ashwin Madia was right on Iran all along and the Bush Administration has caught up. I welcome the Bush Administration’s policy change on Iran and hope they will bring more of their policies into conformity with Madia’s.
I have a different question. Will Paulsen’s foreign policy stay to the right of Bush on Iran or would he like to provide some more details? Because as it stands right now the MN Republican Party and Erik Paulsen have proved once again that they do not understand the issues of our country and are out of touch with not only Minnesotans, but all Americans.
DTM,
The point, is that finally, after years of bad policy and failures and stubbornly sticking to losing strategies, the Bushies are finally seeing the light of rationality. A light which Obama and Madia have had the sense to see from day one. Yes, Bush finally agrees with us.It is just too bad it hass taken billions of lost dollars, thousands of lost lives, and the decimation of our world clout for him to wake up.
“A light which Obama and Madia have had the sense to see from day one”
By day one, you mean December 2007 when candidates began to outline their issues? Madia is a candidate — not an elected official. He has the luxury of introducing a stance when he is good and ready. Bush has been President since 2000. Big difference.
Whatever message Madia has refined in the past six months on the campaign trail is great, but let’s remember that as a candidate you get to be the ultimate Monday Morning Quarterback — so-and-so policy isn’t working so I’m choosing a different one. Good political sense, but hardly anything to be heralded.
If I enter the race today and announce that we need a different approach to housing lending which will prevent foreclosures, does that make me a hero?
No, DtM. That would make you a parroter of Obama’s policy.
“If I enter the race today and announce that we need a different approach to housing lending which will prevent foreclosures, does that make me a hero?”
No, but it makes you a Democrat!!!
“Madia is a candidate — not an elected official. He has the luxury of introducing a stance when he is good and ready. Bush has been President since 2000. Big difference”
Sorry DTM, the Iranian policy is a policy framework as a basis for future action, not a look back policy like in Iraq.
What gets your stuck in your craw is that Maida os an intelligent and articulate candidate who formulated a policy framework, for which he was criticized, but now being copied.
Unreal. Erik “The Hustler” Paulsen, on his website, STILL doesn’t have an Iraq Policy.
“Erik Paulsen for Congress: No items contained the text “iraq”.”
Well, I’m sure Boy Blunder And The Plunderers will tell Erik what to say, when they finally let him meet the public……
The Bush Administration and the GOP has had almost 8 years to craft a good foreign policy, and for the majority of that time they held the majority in all branches of government.
Ashwin Madia is not Monday morning quarterbacking. He is an Iraq War Veteran who spent time helping them to craft their rule of law, so he knows something about the Middle East. And he is obviously willing to do his homework.
And now the Bush Administration is doing exactly what Madia said needed to be done 6 MONTHS AGO.
The Minnesota Republicans and Erik Paulsen — Wrong on Iraq. Wrong on Iran. Out of touch with Minnesotans and all Americans. We are already at war on 2 fronts. Who is going to fight in Iran?! You, DTM?
We need to send Ashwin Madia to Congress and keep the Warmongers of the Minnesota Republican Party out of Washington!
I’ve lived in the district longer than Paulsen has been my representative. And, I have to say he’s never out there in the community, let alone out there on issues. I’ve never seen a town hall or meet the candidate coffee opportunity to talk with my representative. I don’t receive surveys that I hear about from my neighbors. I guess he thinks he’s just got to represent his party and not his constituents. And, when I’ve e-mailed him, he doesn’t respond to them. It’s kind of like at July 4th at Eden Prairie’s Round Lake Park. Paulsen stayed in the GOP booth for the short time he was there. Madia walked the grounds, introducing himself and shaking hands. Quite a difference view of serving the people. To my view, Madia wants to serve the people. Paulsen, the GOP.
Fair enough, Bush’s policy is now resembling that of other politicans. But let’s not try to claim there is some kind of causal effect between the position of Senator Obama, or an even newer candidate like Madia, and guys like Bush shifting his position. As early as Janaury 2007, people like Barbara Lee (D), Ron Paul (R) and the great Chuck Hagel (R) were pushing for a firm diplomatic tact with Iran. In fact, the bill that Obama has his name on prohibiting unauthorized force with Iran was co-authored by Sen Sam Brownback (R). If anything, Barbara Lee should get the credit for establishing this policy direction, and people like Senator Obama, candidate Madia, or President Bush all copied her policy. I actually agree with the policy — but we need to give credit where credit is due.
Plus, issues like this are hardly static. With each new month, there is new intelligence on Iran, and that new intelligence helps shape policy.
The headline of this post is mostly correct. The MN GOP originally criticized any Dem candidate who held this view on Iran, and now Bush is sharing the view. But trying to claim that Obama and Madia created the policy stance and now everyone is copying it is taking it to the point of absurdity.
Before TFRWG points out that I left out a source, here is a good place to see who was all creating this policy direction in early 2007 http://www.newiranpolicy.org/536/15101.html.
I think what is really absurd is having a Republican candidate for the House of Representatives have a blank page on his campaign website on the subject of Foreign policy, and specifically Iraq, Iran or Afghanistan. Does he not have a position, even though he has be running for this job for almost a year now? Is he afraid to put anything on his website that might make him take a stand on an issue? Or does he think this election will be a slam dunk so he doesn’t have to work very hard?
I remember Paulsen from the early years, and things have changed. It has been 14 years since he door knocked my home. I also agree with EP Dem. I never see notice of coffees, events or session wrap ups. He wouldn’t even appear on “AT Issue” last month.
And, for the record, I voted for that young and eager candidate. Not any more. Erik just doesn’t do the job like he used to, and he has become too partisan. Name me one vote where he has crossed party lines.
Ashwin Madia is working his heart out talking to people and explaining his positions on all of the issues. That dedication is what I will reward with my vote.
Oh — DTM, you have named some good people just now. Maybe Erik should read some of their stuff. He might learn something.
I don’t share the sentiment that Paulsen is inaccessible. I’ve met him on a couple occasions, and neither time did I have to go out of my way to do so. And, in Paulsen’s defense, the invites for his events aren’t exactly being posted on MNPublius. In fact, if I didn’t read lefty blogs as part of my daily repotoire, I wouldn’t be aware that Madia has made himself avaialable for house parties, etc. The general population hasn’t gotten these invites, people who tend to read this blog have.
I’ve contacted Paulsen in the past, and gotten satisfactory responses. And no, I’m not a big time contributor or GOP operative. In fact, my politics tend to be well to the left of Paulsen.
Paulsen is analytical — is is a student of government. He is not the gregarious, overly extraverted type that we often get in politics. And that is OK by me. I’d rather have someone who has the intellectual horsepower and does their homework than someone who is a good old boy. Paulsen has the horsepower.
I can’t speak for Madia as you all can. I’m sure he is a great guy. But the fact that Paulsen tends to be analytical and a bit of a bookworm isn’t all bad when it comes to knowing the issues. I can think of others I respect — Kent Conrad, Collin Peterson, and Tom Coburn to name a few who fall into that mold. Heck — you could make a case that Margaret Anderson Kelliher is more of a thinker than a talker, and she seems to be plenty popular around here.
Why not talk to those that are our enemies? I know this whole thing that happened before WWII broke out and we need to make sure that it never happens again. But there is nothing wrong with avoiding war. But we also need to make sure that our enemies know that we are not afraid of them and that if provoked there will be a response. Would you stand by and be attacked and not do anything about it? I personally know what it’s like to be attacked unprovoked and the response was brutal. I didn’t know I had it in me. That is what we have to make sure that Iran and everyone knows. You just can’t do that.
So, good that he wants to talk to Iran but make sure that nothing will be given away and that we don’t have to go and send in our young men and women, for any reason. Diplomacy is a good thing. It is what kept the cold war from getting hot. Each knowing that the other could do some damage, if provoked.
Iraq? Why not get out of Iraq? But we just can’t pull out like we did in Vietnam. Remember the killing fields that happened afterwards? We have to do everything in our power to prevent that as well. Also remember it is not congress that decides. From what I learned that is ultimately the President that does this. There was never a declaration of war. Only an approval to send troops. The last declaration of war was WWII. But that is neither here nor there.
dtm…Madia’s no armchair quarterback. He has stayed consistent on his approach to Iraq and Iran from the first debate (one that Eric Paulsen declined, or should I say ignored) and the last 8 plus months have only shown how “spot on” he was and continues to be. Could it be that because he’s actually served 4 years in the Marines and spent 6 months in Iraq working with they top officials, our Generals, the European Union and others. He has a track record of understanding and knowledge. Paulsen has consistently ignored inquiries about his position on Iraq and other subjects, and his web site still says nothing about Iraq. For sure on foreign affairs and Iraq , Madia’s experience trumps the entire Legislative career of Paulsen. Congress needs more strong Patriots, not another triple-speak politician.