Out of the 81 representatives and 29 senators of the Democratic Party that voted to authorize military force against Iraq, only two can truly be said to have prospered. Rep. Rod Blagojevich was elected as Governor of Illinois and Sen. Harry Reid was promoted to Majority Leader. Some other members have since acquired chairmanships or (in Chuck Schumer and Steny Hoyer’s cases) leadership positions, but no other pro-war voters have advanced to higher office. In fact, they have all (save Blagojevich) lost in every single attempt to advance their careers. Here is the sad state of the pro-war caucus in the House:
Gary Ackerman (NY)-
Rob Andrews (NJ)- lost senate primary to Frank Lautenberg in 2008
James Barcia (MI)-deceased
Ken Bentsen (TX)- lost senate primary to Ron Kirk in 2002
Shelley Berkley (NV)-
Howard Berman (CA)-
Marion Berry (AR)-
Sanford Bishop (GA)-
Rod Blagojevich (IL)- elected Governor of Illinois in 2002
Bob Borski (PA)- retired after redistricting
Leonard Boswell (IA)- just survived primary challenge in 2008
Rick Boucher (VA)-
Allan Boyd (FL)-
Brad Carson (OK)- lost 2004 senate race to Tom Coburn
Bob Clement (TN)- lost 2002 senate race to Lamar Alexander
Robert ‘Bud’ Cramer- retiring in 2009
Joe Crowley (NY)-
Jim Davis (FL)- lost gubernatorial race to Charlie Christ in 2006
Peter Deutsch (FL)- lost senate primary to Betty Castor in 2004. Mel Martinez won the seat.
Norm Dicks (WA)-
Cal Dooley (CA)- retired in 2004
Chet Edwards (TX)-
Eliot Engel (NY)-
Bob Etheridge (NC)-
Harold Ford Jr. (TN)- lost senate campaign in 2006
Martin Frost- lost reelection in 2002. Victim of Tom DeLay’s redistricting plan
Dick Gephardt (MO)- did not win single primary in 2004 presidential bid
Bart Gordon (TN)-
Gene Green (TX)-
Ralph Hall (TX)- switched to GOP in 2004
Jane Harman (CA)- narrowly survived primary challenge in 2006
Baron Hill (IN)- defeated in 2004. Re-elected in 2006
Joe Hoeffel (PA)- lost senate challenge to Arlen Specter in 2004
Tim Holden (PA)-
Steny Hoyer- Majority Leader of House of Representatives
Steve Israel (NY)-
William Jefferson (LA)- under indictment
Chris John (LA)- lost senate bid to David Vitter in 2004
Paul Kanjorski (PA)-
Patrick Kennedy (RI)-
Ron Kind (WI)-
Nick Lampson (TX)- defeated in 2004 as part of Tom DeLay’s redistricting. Won election in DeLay’s distict in 2006.
Tom Lantos- deceased
Nita Lowey (NY)-
Ken Lucas (KY)- retired in 2004. Lost election bid for old seat in 2006
Bill Luther (MN)- defeated in 2002. Victim of redistricting
Stephen Lynch (MA)
Carolyn Maloney (NY)
Ed Markey (MA)-
Frank Mascara (PA)- lost primary against John Murtha after 2002 redistricting
Jim Matheson (UT)-
Carolyn McCarthy (NY)-
Mike McIntyre (NC)-
Mike McNulty (NY)- retiring in 2009
Marty Meehan (MA)- retired in 2007
Dennis Moore (KS)-
John Murtha (PA)-
Bill Pascrell (NJ)-
Collin Peterson (MN)-
Dave Phelps (IL)- lost to Shimkus after 2002 redistricting
Earl Pomeroy (ND)-
Tim Roemer (IN)- retired in 2003
Mike Ross- (AR)-
Steve Rothman (NJ)-
Max Sandlin (TX)- defeated in 2004. Victim of Tom DeLay’s resdistricting plan
Adam Schiff (CA)-
Brad Sherman (CA)-
Ronnie Shows (MS)- defeated in 2002, after redistricting
Ike Skelton (MO)-
Adam Smith (WA)-
John Spratt (SC)-
Charlie Stenholm (TX)- defeated in 2004. Victim of Tom DeLay’s redistricting plan.
John Tanner (TN)-
Ellen Tauscher (CA)-
Gene Taylor (MS)-
Karen Thurman (FL)- defeated in 2002. Victim of redistricting
Jim Turner (TX)- retired in 2005. Victim of Tom DeLay’s redistricting plan
Henry Waxman (CA)-
Anthony Weiner (NY)- lost the 2005 Mayoral primary in NYC
Robert Wexler (FL)-
Al Wynn (MD)- lost primary to Donna Edwards in 2008
And here is the sad state of the pro-war caucus in the Senate.
Max Baucus (D-MT)-
Evan Bayh (D-IN)-
Joe Biden (D-DE)- 2008 presidential bid went nowhere
John Breaux (D-LA)- retired in 2005
Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
Jean Carnahan (D-MO)- defeated in 2002
Tom Carper (D-DE)-
Max Cleland (D-GA)- defeated in 2002
Hillary Clinton (D-NY)- defeated in 2008 presidential primary despite being heavy favorite
Tom Daschle (D-SD)- defeated in 2004
Chris Dodd (D-CT)- 2008 presidential bid went nowhere
Byron Dorgan (D-ND)-
John Edwards (D-NC)- lost 2004 presidential election as part of John Kerry’s ticket. Won no primaries in 2008 presidential bid
Diane Feinstein (D-CA)-
Tom Harkin (D-IA)-
Fritz Hollings (D-SC)- retired in 2003. Democrats lost seat to GOP
Tim Johnson (D-SD)-
John Kerry (D-MA)- lost 2004 presidential bid
Herb Kohl (D-WI)-
Mary Landrieu (D-LA)- only vulnerable Democratic senator in 2008 election
Joe Lieberman (D-CT)- lost 2006 primary to Ned Lamont. Now an Independent that is supporting John McCain
Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)-
Zell Miller (D-GA)- retired in 2005. Endorsed George W. Bush’s reelection and spoke at Republican National Convention. Democrats lost seat to GOP
Bill Nelson (D-FL)-
Ben Nelson (D-NE)-
Harry Reid (D-NV)- Majority Leader
Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)-
Chuck Schumer (D-NY)-
Bob Torricelli (D-NJ)- did not run for reelection in 2002 because of scandal
What does this tell you about whether or not Barack Obama should pick someone as his running mate that voted for the war?
What does this tell you about whether or not Barack Obama should pick someone as his running mate that voted for the war?
Actually, not a whole lot. Those folks would have to still be in the Senate and the House for the most part. And I think that we should not pick the VP from the Congress when there are some good governors and former governors available. Or folks who were not, are not now, and never will be in the Congress–er, like a certain General.
The fortunes of these folks suffered for other reasons. For example, in Max Cleland’s case although he supported the views of his constituency a non-entity won (or stole) the Senate seat.
Finally, our ire about the 2002 vote overlooks those who have not repented and it overlooks the fact that the war vote was specifically intended and timed to put Democrats in a bind right before the election. (See the Downing Street Minutes). The war was an act of domestic politics by the Bush administration, which was afraid of losing seats in the off-year election. What actually happened in Baghdad (from their point of view) was coincidental, er collateral damage.
Yeah, I guess that didn’t work out to well for them.
I would not be too concerned about the Veep stories just yet. Most of them are trial balloons or bs promoted by the people who desperately claim they aren’t seeking the position. Distractions at best, junk food for the brain at worst.
Also available in orange.
Well I’d go there just to rec you, but my isp is still blocked and the site still won’t load. Somehow I don’t miss it anymore.
Wow, several politicians really took a fall. Are you suggesting a connection between their votes and their deaths for Lantos and Barcia?
of course not.
The inclusion of their deaths in the list of woes had a certain “God smote them for their votes” quality. I doubted that was your intention.
By contrast ‘no’ voters that prospered:
It more tells me he should not pick ANY member of congress.
Most of this strikes me as a reflection of the disgust with congress overall. Yes, the Iraq vote matters, but more of an extreme example of how congress, in and of itself, does not reflect the values and concerns of the average American. Overall, congress is HATED by American’s. Most American’s know in their heart that most of our problems are congress’s FAULT. They are not part of any solution. By any measure, every congress of the last 30 years has been a failure. It’s no shock that so many have failed in ‘career advancement’ when they have ALL failed the American public. And many of that public know it.
This is doubly true for any Obama administration. I see all sorts of ‘dream’ cabinets, almost all of which are made up of congressmen of doubtful abilities to do ANYTHING, let alone solve problems in an original way. To make up a cabinet of a bunch of congressional losers is a recipe for failure.
The reason Obama might escape this mood is because;
My big take on this election is simple. We have all coasted along on what have been caretaker congresses and presidents for 40 years. We can no longer afford that. We can no longer allow ourselves to vote against our economic interests because of emotional appeals. OUR LEADERS NEED TO STEP UP! And that means most have to step aside.
nalbar
right, so the 147 members of Congress that voted against the war should all be dismissed out of hand.
That is not what I am saying.
I am saying Iraq is just one of the many ways congress has failed most Americans over the last 30 or so years. Your post implies that the only reason these particular people failed to advance their careers is because of one particular vote. I disagree. I believe that particular vote is just part of a pattern, and THAT particular policy failure made a lack of empathy for our problems more apparent to most people. Just because a person voted the ‘right’ way in this particular case does not absolve them of all previous votes. Even you will agree that some of those ‘no’ votes might not be because they opposed asserting American power over seas, but maybe just in that particular case.
Obama said it all when he said (sorry, I will have to paraphrase) that it is not good enough to change how we went to the decision to go to war, but change the MINDSET behind the decision.
That is true for every important issue facing our country. Apparently you disagree.
nalbar
I guess I kind of agree in a general sense, but there have been many people that have advanced politically since 2002. Just so happens that only one Democrat that voted to authorize force is among them.
Berman has to go. Not only was he pro-war, he is in the pocket of the recording and movie industry and is one of the worst offenders when it comes to pushing stuff like petpetual copyright and having the government enforce the obsolete RIAA/MPAA business model.
Yeah I know it’s not up there on the scale of the Iraq war, but it still makes me grumpy.
Hard to say that Blagojevich has really prospered when the Democratic Speaker of the State House of Representatives is circulating a memo with the particulars for his impeachment. I’d say the governorship is probably the end of the line for him politically, and there may still be a prison cell in his future.