Governor Douglas: Build the Ribbon and He Will Come
January 14, 2008
Was that Governor Jim Douglas at the award ceremony for the Vermont National Guard over the weekend? My, oh my, it was. Funny, huh, that the Guv didn’t turn down this invitation and, instead, suggest they invite President Bush to be the guest of honor? Because is was Douglas who told the anti-war folks last week that talking to him about the war was a waste of time since it’s President Bush we needed to be speaking to. But when it comes to war ceremonies or war funerals, Douglas is your war man for sure.
It’s all typical Douglas: Duck, dodge and negate. Come on, the guy’s learned a few things over his 35 years of being a professional politician. Which brings to mind a talent of his that is perhaps his best: Pretending to be an “aw-shucks” outsider when he’s really the king of insiders – 35 years of drawing that government paycheck, baby.
Douglas wants to duck and dodge the war when it’s not involving jingoism (ceremonies) or tragedies (funerals). If he can wrap himself in the so-called glories of war, Douglas is all for being the man Vermonters can cheer or tear-up with.
Just don’t bother him with the “issues” of the war. You know, things like how he, as the commander-in-chief of the Vermont National Guard, communicates to President Bush about the war. Douglas, for example, is following the polls on the war and now says he supports an “exit strategy.” Fine. Welcome aboard the sanity train. But has Douglas expressed this to Bush, the literal war leader, the man he campaigned for, and the man who invited Douglas and his wife over for a sleepover in the White House? Nope.
Douglas also ducked and dodged when the horrors of Abu Ghraib were first breaking. I remember going to his press conference at the time and asking him about the torture and humiliation going on there. Did Douglas, I wanted to know, support those who were calling for Donald Rumsfeld’s firing? Nope. It’s up to President Bush, he said.
And that’s been typical Douglas throughout these war times. He’s ducked and dodged the sticky war issues of the day (torture, funding, effectiveness, legality, etc.) and hoped no one would bother to ask him about his very close connection with the man (and men) who continue to lead us down this ill-fated war path. Aw shucks, he would say, it was just a night in the White House. You know, kind of like a favor for being the chairman of the President’s re-election effort in Vermont.
But when it’s yellow ribbon time, watch Douglas nudge his way to the podium. He did it last weekend when he doled out medals to members of the Vermont National Guard who had recently returned from more than a year of serving in Iraq. He feels your pain. He understands your commitments (will, as much as a non-server could). He mourns your loss. He honors your service. He supports the troops. He supports the President (when convenient). But, please, do NOT ask him about the war.
Our efforts to engage Governor Douglas on the war during his State of the State speech last week was my second attempt to bring some anti-war activism to his doorstep. The first was shortly after the war broke out when I showed about 40 Montpelier High School students how easy it was to get into one of his press conferences. Once there, they demanded some answers, specifically, did he support the war? “That’s an issue for President Bush. You’ve come to the wrong place.” Hmm, the students wondered, it’s up to President Bush to decide if Douglas supported the war? Weird. But welcome to the world of duck and dodge.
And Douglas did the same last Thursday when eight of us begged this question – via banners — during his speech: What About the War? Sorry, folks, wrong house, he said. But feel free to bug the neighbors about it.
Sadly, it’s this kind of obfuscation – ducking and dodging – that we’ve come to expect from Douglas on a wide variety of issues. Douglas punted, for example, on health care reform, thus forcing the ridiculous non-solution known as Catamount Health. He did the same on energy issues and global warming when his fear of the bold – even when the bold is necessary – led to his veto of the energy bill. And the same for campaign finance reform, as his intransigence on that issue is effectively killing it for the upcoming election season.
I guess it’s really not too difficult to understand the Douglas Doctrine. You simply show him the ribbon, and he will come. Otherwise, don’t bother him.
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Bravo!
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Uh… Sandy… this is not an opera. If you’re going to say something, please try to make sure that it’s actually meaningful.
Michael,
Thank you for pointing out just why our governor is so respected, and is re-elected in an overwhelmingly Democratic state.
The simple truth is that he is good at what he does. That’s why he has survived 35 years as a public servant. You’re lucky if you last 5 years in whatever you are doing - so surely you must have some respect for him.
Once again, our famous Mr. Colby hasn’t bothered to check his facts! I’m thinking this blog should be placed in the “comedy” category.
Anyone with basic research skills would know the following:
“Every member of the National Guard belongs to two organizations — the National Guard of the United States and the National Guard of his or her particular state.”
The members of the Vermont National Guard who get called up to serve in Iraq are called up under the authority of the United States. This is civics 101, Michael. Maybe you should spend less time painting posters, and a little more time doing actual research.
So while the facts aren’t convenient to you, they support the Governor’s proposition that he is not the one who has control over whether or not they go to Iraq.
As far as your lambasting the Governor for supporting the troops when they come home - what kind of cruel person are you? These are Vermont citizens who have served bravely. They deserve our respect - whether or not you agree with the cause.
The simple truth is that the people of this state like Governor Douglas. It’s a democracy. I’m terribly sorry that you don’t get to pick the Governor personally. Maybe there is a small Central American country that is better suited to you.
“Build the ribbon and he will come” —
Brilliant!
With seven words you captured the man’s essence, everything worth knowing about him.
Due Process
if we waterboard
the candidates
do you think
they will confess
gagalations!
we were right
they don’t mean
what they say
now let’s put them
in a cage
and watch them
perform tricks
o democracy
it works!
you’ve got our vote
we saw it on TV