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Mr. Miller actions on the floor of the RNC violates the Motto of us brave Marines who serve our country faithfully "Semper Fi" meaning always faithful. Whereas I have disagreed with the leadership in the Corps and my current employer, I have always lived by what the Marine Corps taught me, "Stay true to your chosen path and as it deviates from where you think it should be going, take positive steps to correct your direction." What Mr. Miller did was desert his party clear and simple. Where no Marine refers to himself as an "Ex" because we all remain true to the Corps long after retirement, reference to him as a "Ex" Marine is quite appropriate. If I were a Democrat I would hate this man; but I am a Republican and the only thing I can say is that I have no respect for a puke like him.
Posted by James Pierce at September 2, 2004 12:23 PM
It's not loyalty to follow morons over a cliff, Moby. And no "Republican Marine" would respond in that manner if they had seen Miller's speech. Nice try.
Zell '08
Posted by Gunther at September 2, 2004 12:34 PM
Wonder if when Bush wins the election, will they fit it on page one?
Posted by David Blalock at September 2, 2004 12:43 PM
Zell Miller did not abandon his party, his party abandoned him. And America.
Posted by Mrs Greyhawk at September 2, 2004 12:58 PM
It is the blind loyalty to a party that is screwing things up. Both parties have things that I disagree & agree with.... that is why I would be called a 'swing' voter... and this girl is swinging with the Zell.
Posted by Gail at September 2, 2004 12:59 PM
US Marines - no better friend, no worse enemy.
Sen. Miller's passion was that of a man betrayed. Betrayed by his fellow serviceman Kerry, in 1971, and by his party since 9/11.
I'm a Zell Miller Democrat.
Posted by Glenmore at September 2, 2004 01:09 PM
By Arnold's definition of a Republican, Miller is a Republican.
Posted by Another Zell Miller Democrat at September 2, 2004 01:28 PM
Zell's not as lean, not as mean; but still a Marine. They demean.
Posted by Michael Ubaldi at September 2, 2004 01:38 PM
In spite of the spin meisters, Chris Matthews, and other's attempts to twist, vilify or make irrelevant Zell's contribution, the fact is, that he probably influenced swing voters more than any other factor in the whole convention...perhaps in the entire election period. (See MSNBC's focus group of Independents/Swing Voters immediately following the speeches)
Here was the expression of principle over party....bipartisanship in time of war....and courage to say things about Kerry, Kennedy and the ME first over my country crowd that millions of Americans have thought FOR YEARS... and that was too politically incorrect or perhaps "sensitive" to say out loud. Zell came off angry, to be sure... but there is a difference between righteous anger, and the insane, stupid Gore/Dean screeching. Apparently many Americans can tell the difference...and baby, it resonates! Go Zell...you Da Man!
Posted by Erich at September 2, 2004 01:38 PM
In spite of the spin meisters, Chris Matthews, and other's attempts to twist, vilify or make irrelevant Zell's contribution, the fact is, that he probably influenced swing voters more than any other factor in the whole convention...perhaps in the entire election period. (See MSNBC's focus group of Independents/Swing Voters immediately following the speeches)
Here was the expression of principle over party....bipartisanship in time of war....and courage to say things about Kerry, Kennedy and the ME first over my country crowd that millions of Americans have thought FOR YEARS... and that was too politically incorrect or perhaps "sensitive" to say out loud. Zell came off angry, to be sure... but there is a difference between righteous anger, and the insane, stupid Gore/Dean screeching. Apparently many Americans can tell the difference...and baby, it resonates! Go Zell...you Da Man!
Posted by Erich at September 2, 2004 01:40 PM
Zell Miller did not abandon his party, his party abandoned him. And America
Yup. There will be a lot of us registered Dems who vote Bush this time around.
Posted by Dem for 30 yrs at September 2, 2004 01:52 PM
Senator Miller seemed to me to have remained quite faithful to Unit, Corps, God, and Country.
Please don't try to tell me that "Party" belongs in that list.
Posted by Alvar N. C. de Vaca at September 2, 2004 01:58 PM
RE:
"Schwarzenegger is not a Republican
McCain is not a Republican
Zell Miller is not a Democrat"
You do understand, of course, that only the MSM has the intelligence and wisdom to discern what a "real" Republican is. Not only is it implicit in MSNBC's coverage last night, it was explicit in MMoore's USA today column on Tuesday. In the column, he asked various delegates things about Gay marriage, etc. and, if a response didn't toe the party line, he claimed that the delegate was essentially a Democrat but too stupid to realize it.
In short, the Republicans are nasty, homophobic, racist and sexist and, if you don't think that you are any of those things then you aren't *really* a Republican and should *wake up*.
Posted by WildMonk at September 2, 2004 02:11 PM
Well said, Mrs. Greyhawk, Alvar N. C. de Vaca. As a man who volunteered for the Marines, and is (like Zell) a lifelong Democrat from North Georgia, I agreed with everything he said. Ooh-rah!
Posted by Grim at September 2, 2004 02:21 PM
Jamie,
You couldn't be more wrong. I'm about as partisan a Republican as one can be - but I'm first and foremost - by miles - an American first.
Calling Miller disloyal for putting country ahead of party is about as gross a misplacement of priorities as one can have. But then, maybe that's why you're a Democrat and I'm not.
Posted by Tim at September 2, 2004 03:14 PM
Wildmonk: you are a bigot pure and simple. Thanks for letting us all know that up front.
Posted by Ben at September 2, 2004 03:35 PM
Sen. Zell Miller is a breath of fresh air.
Calling him 'puke', as Mr. Pierce did, is disgusting. The impression is the poster is not representing his partisan nature in an honest light. Why have the DNC loyalists grasped this agenda of self interest? Party and personal gain, over Nation and the World? Is this the Clinton legacy? Corrupt demeaning Con? Dishonest slander is sinking the Democratic Party.
Sen. Zell Miller provides a serious dose of reality, to those dreaming of Christmas in Cambodia. And the DNC faithful respond with more denial. Painting their own as a monster?
Kerry is the Titanic, and the DNC the ice berg.
Posted by Mr. Tin at September 2, 2004 03:43 PM
>What Mr. Miller did was desert his party clear and simple.
See? It's true that Democrats think "Dissent is Patriotic."
That's why they don't allow it.
Posted by Mick McMick at September 2, 2004 03:48 PM
Ben,
WildMonk was being facetious, pointing out how the MSM seems to think that the rest of us who aren't involved in:
a. the MSM
b. state level politics or above
c. the movie industry
d. or are tenured at a university...
cannot think beyond a Jethro Bodine grammar school level, as well as how the MSM are quite complicit in broadcasting the Democratic Party's Talking Points IOT get Kerry elected...SPIN.
Mr. Pierce,
As an Active Duty Marine, I agree with your comment about calling oneself an "ex"-Marine. Ain't but two of those, and they both killed Presidents. Otherwise, you are, IMHO, waaaay off. Study some Jacksonianism. Miller's speech was a 100% pure distillation of that particular political philosophy. The crux of it is: In international affairs, don't get riled up easily, but when you do, take the fight to the enemy and don't stop until the threat has been completely irradicated. Suggest the blog "USS Clueless", some really clear, insightful thinking. Semper Fi Marine.
Capt Smythe
Posted by Capt Smythe at September 2, 2004 04:04 PM
Some more: This is straight from Instapundit.
MORE: A reader asks for an explanation of "Jacksonian." Guess I shouldn't have taken that for granted. Here's an interview with Walter Russell Mead, who coined the term as part of an explanation of four traditions of American foreign policy. Short summary: "[The idea is]: "Don't bother with people abroad, unless they bother you. But if they attack you, then do everything you can. . . . When somebody attacks the hive, you come swarming out of the hive and you sting them to death. And Jacksonians, when it comes to war, don't believe in limited wars. They don't believe, particularly, in the laws of war. War is about fighting, killing, and winning with as few casualties as possible on your side. But you don't worry about casualties on the other side. That's their problem. They shouldn't have started the war if they didn't want casualties."
A much more sophisticated discussion can be found in Mead's book, Special Providence. It's also worth looking at David Hackett Fischer's book Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America -- which meshes rather interestingly with the 4 styles of foreign relations that Mead identifies.
Capt Smythe
Posted by Capt Smythe at September 2, 2004 04:12 PM
I echo the endorsement of Steven Den Beste's blog USS Clueless as the best place to learn what Jacksonian foreign policy is all about. Unfortunately, you'll have to read the archives; SDB's blog is currently on hiatus until further notice. Just go to his site search page, type the word "Jacksonian," and hit the Search button to see the results.
Posted by Pat Berry at September 2, 2004 04:44 PM
Looking at the text of his speech (and hearing the relevant clip right now on Rush), He didn't say "Ex Marine." He said "Nothing makes this Marine madder. . ."
Posted by Ken at September 2, 2004 05:35 PM
Zell spoke my heart is my blog today.
Posted by Pat in NC at September 2, 2004 05:53 PM
Mr. Pierre: If I for a second believed that it was the habit of Marines to place loyalty to their political party (as you do) over loyalty to their nation and their Constitution, I might become upset at your post. To the best of my knowledge, Marines sweat an oath of loyalty to the Constitution... not to their party. If you swore a different oath, maybe you should start calling yourself an ex- marine.
Posted by DaveP at September 2, 2004 06:13 PM
I am a Marine and have been a lifelong Republican. This election I am voting Kerry. So I guess if Zell can change his mind (again and again and again) then I can too. Funny how that guy loves to be in front of that camera, 'eh?
Vote Kerry, people. This administration has failed America.
Posted by SemperFiOne at September 2, 2004 06:19 PM
Yup. There will be a lot of us registered Dems who vote Bush this time around.
Take heart. If Barack Obama is running in 4 years from now, you may see a lot of Republicans returning your favour in kind.
Posted by SkipKent at September 2, 2004 06:21 PM
If Zell is so disillusioned by the Democratic Party but he isn't a Republican, why doesn't he identify himself as an Independent?
He is a fair-weather politian and an embarassment (all that fire and brimstone emoting from the podium - yuk!) to both the D and R parties.
Posted by Elephant at September 2, 2004 06:29 PM
"If Zell is so disillusioned by the Democratic Party but he isn't a Republican, why doesn't he identify himself as an Independent?"
For the same reason, presumably, that all the disillusioned Democrats don't renounce their American citizenship and emigrate to Canada. Because Miller wants to save his party, not abandon it.
"(all that fire and brimstone emoting from the podium - yuk!)"
Did you have the same reaction to Al Gore's and Howard Dean's speeches? What about Michael Moore and Ted Kennedy? There's no shortage of fire and brimstone this year.
Posted by Pat Berry at September 2, 2004 08:30 PM
"Semper Fi One" - you're a liar.
I know some fellow military guys who will vote Nader as a protest because they're unhappy with Bush for one reason or another, but no Marine would piss on the graves of generations of MArines by voting Kerry.
Posted by GI Joe at September 2, 2004 09:00 PM
"I'm a Marine and I think we should lay down our weapons and solve America's problems by giving our enemies little wet kisses"
Posted by GI Joe at September 2, 2004 09:02 PM
There is no such thing as an ex-Marine. Once a Marine, always a Marine.
The lack of any knowledge of the military by the LSM is just mind-boggling.
Posted by Kathy at September 2, 2004 09:23 PM
I am a Democrat who was once part of the New Left. Like David Horowitz, I not only read history, I followed it in the news. Senator Miller has lived a more appropos time in history and has a perspective I do not. Nevertheless, he spoke thoughts I have had for at least a decade, and said them with the fire and passion we all should expect from leaders of both parties.
"Who will protect my family?" rings true. After following national politics for three decades, and especially the last year, the answer is clear to me. My thanks to Senator Miller for providing both the question and answer to a national audience.
Posted by John Furutani at September 2, 2004 09:28 PM
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