Senator Patty Murray resigns

US Senator Patty Murray of Washington said today that she was resigning from office. This announcement was due to the strong response by Democratic leaders to statements Murray made while addressing a group of high school students in Columbia River High School in Vancouver, Wash. Senator Murphy told the students that America should follow the example of Osama bin Laden, who is popular around the world because he builds day care centers, health care facilities, roads and schools. She also told students that the United States does not do these things. When she asked students to consider alternatives to war, she threatened that – “the cost of waging war could result in cuts to domestic programs such as Pell grants for college students”

Democratic furor over her remarks grew, fanned when Representative Nancy Pelosi publicly rebuked Senator Patty. The Democratic Whip’s criticism, and the Democratic Party’s widely reported, if tacit, desire that Senator Patty step down helped to seal the her political fate. Senator Patty apologized repeatedly, but to no avail.

Republicans were also infuriated by her remarks. Former Senate Republican leader Trent Lott issued a public statement which said:

“Like all Americans, I was disturbed by Senator Murray’s comments. They were offensive, hurtful and wrong. Worst of all, they do not appear to be isolated remarks.”

“At a time when our country should stand as one, Senator Murray’s comments serve only to divide.”

“We must continue to be a nation where people are judged by the content of their character. Standing before a group of high school students, praising a man who has murdered thousands of American citizens, is wrong in so many ways. ”

“Americans deserve leaders who will stand up for their citizens and help our nation to move forward.”

Senator Tom Daschle expressed relief that Senator Patty had decided to step down. “She took the honorable course both for his country and for her party,” Mr. Daschle said in a statement issued by his office. Teaching students that we should emulate a mass murderer, threatening them with the loss of student aid if they support the war was an divisive and uninformed act. National unity is essential as we confront the many challenges both at home and abroad.”

…..

Yes, some of the post above is fiction. The Democrats have not criticized Senator Patty Murray in any way. Unfortunately, she is still in office.

But Senator Patty did make those comments about Osama bin Laden’s ‘efforts to help the poor.’ While lying to students about Osama’s generosity (and our lack of it), she neglected to mention that bin Laden’s vision of the perfect Islamic state in Afghanistan included the horrific repression of women, the slaying of the members of rival tribes by the thousands, and the traditional Sharia-law inspired hand-chopping, hanging, and soccer-field executions. Osama’s popularity grew among Islamists after Sept. 11th, and fell when the Taliban ran like rabbits for the Pakistani border.

How did women in Afghanistan respond to to the loss of their ‘benefactor,’ Osama bin Laden? They praised “the fumigation of the Taliban pestilence and their al-Qaeda carriers”

How would women in Afghanistan describe Senator Patty? The senator, who has received more than $90,000 in contributions from the Feminist organization Emily’s list, would probably be seen as one of the typical ‘mealy-mouthed’ western feminists who collude with Islamic fundamentalists.

I wonder how the high school students responded. My son told me that when the kids in his high school were forced to listen to stupid, uninformed speakers, they would put them on the spot, ask difficult questions just to see them sweat. I hope the kids in Columbia River gave Patty Murray hell.

What about the Democrats and the media? There has been a considerable conservative outcry – but CNN hasn’t even covered the story. If there has been any response from the Democrats, it’s been pretty quiet. What will they do? Will they defend her? Or will they deal with Murray as the Republicans dealt with Lott? Will there be outrage, will the Democrats condemn Senator Patty for her remarks? Will they give Senator Patty hell?

Waiting for the Democrats to respond….waiting.

Something tells me that I’ll be waiting a long time….

[Link to Senator Murray’s remarks courtesy of Little Green Footballs]