Blankley: Congressional Democrats from 1974 post-Watergate election are “fish-eyed sacks of loathsome bile and infamy”

In his November 16 column discussing this week's Senate resolution, which calls on the Bush administration to hasten the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, Washington Times editorial page editor Tony Blankley wrote that Congress' " 'Watergate babies'; ...young, anti-war Democrats" -- who launched their careers in the aftermath of Watergate -- " have grown old -- and age has not improved them. They plan to finish their careers as they started them -- in defeatism, betrayal, and national dishonor." Blankley went on to write: “Oh, that America might see the last of these fish-eyed sacks of loathsome bile and infamy: unwholesome in their birth; repugnant and stench-forming in their decline.”

In the column, Blankley criticized both parties for their handling of proposals to withdraw from Iraq, and suggested that President Bush “should veto any bill that would grant Congress even a syllable of war-fighting strategy.”

From the November 16 edition of The Washington Times:

It was 30 years ago when Congress last took the reigns of national war fighting. In August 1974, Richard Nixon had been scandalized and left office. The November 1974 election brought forth the “Watergate babies”; Congress filled with young anti-war Democrats. One of the first actions of the Watergate Congress was to vote to deny an appropriation of $800 million to pay for South Vietnamese military aid, including ammunition and spare parts. Historical records now reveal that five weeks after that vote, the North Vietnamese started planning their final offensive.

The morale of the South Vietnamese was broken by that symbolic congressional act of betrayal. The actual dollar cuts forced South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu to abandon the Central Highland in March 1975, leading to the collapse of our ally and the onset of genocide and police-state brutalities that killed more Asians than all the thousand days of the war did.

Now the Watergate babies have grown old -- and age has not improved them. They plan to finish their careers as they started them -- in defeatism, betrayal and national dishonor. Oh, that America might see the last of these fish-eyed sacks of loathsome bile and infamy: unwholesome in their birth; repugnant and stench-forming in their decline.

Now another Republican president has grown weak and struggles to hold on to his war-making powers. I am heartened that President Bush is finally fighting back. He should veto any bill that would grant Congress even a syllable of war-fighting strategy. Mr. President, don't believe a word of their legislative prose. They have defeat in their hearts, and they mean you ill. Stand and fight with veto pen and executive order in hand. Rally with defiant words those of us who would yet be your honored supporters. Let the long-suffering people of Iraq know that you will fight furiously for their redemption, and will be deaf to the impleadings of the weak and defeatist here in America.