“Congressman Joe Sestak (D-7) said Monday that Afghanistan isn’t a quagmire of the Vietnam War sort, but called on President Obama to set clear benchmarks for an eventual exit from the country eight years after the American invasion. Without being specific about such benchmarks, Sestak avoided full-throated support of Obama’s defense of the war strategy earlier in the day.”

Well, Sestak back off Bush and gave him a blank-check without “benchmarks”.

So did Specter- irrelevant to the electorate.

Next.

Besides, Sestak is correct on the issue. Let’s not forget issues folks. What good does it do to win and be just like the Republicns would have been? Like, for example, abandon the public option from healthcare “reform”?

I hope Sestak comes out swinging very strong for the public option. I think he will, too.

Specter will vote for whatever he thinks will show him as loyal to Obama/Reid, even if it’s no real reform (because thats what he and his bankroll of HC lobbyist donors really want)

According to Nancy Pelosi, the House would lose 100 votes if the plan did not include the public option. Would Sestak vote against the bill if it did not contain public option, but did have co-ops?

I was disturbed last week at Rep. Sestak’s very cleverly staged health care forum in Philadelphia to see he needed the help of ACORN to organize his event, especially given ACORN’s well-documented difficulties with understanding the legalities of voter registration. I, and other veterans, were even more disturbed to see that Rep. Sestak also required and apparently accepted the services of MoveOn.org to get out the crowd to his event. I call it distrubing because MoveOn.org is the same organization that called General David Petraeus, a true American hero, “General Bretrayedus”. Why any retired 3-star admiral would associate themselves with that organization is beyond me. Many veterans feel betrayed by Rep. Sestak for his association with MoveOn.org and believe that an explanation is owed them. Pennsylvania already has one John Murtha. It doesn’t need another one.

Joe Eastman
United States Navy, Retired

Exit strategy??

Obama hasn’t even taken ownership of the war (Afghanistan) that he previously called the “good and necessary” war.

In reality, Obama can’t even tell us why fighting the Taliban terrorist enablers is suddenly more necessary than fighting the Saddam Hussein terrorist enablers in Iraq.

The Taliban didn’t strike America on 9/11 did they?? They are just a bunch of tribesmen who practice radical Muslim …. just as Saddam Hussein’s secret police practiced radical Muslim.

Kermit-
You need to go back to Sesame Street and learn how to read enough to follow the news.

The Taliban harbored, aided & abetted, and was allies with Al Quada. The terrorists training camps were in Afghanistan. Al Quada was based in Afghanistan. Iraq had NOTHING to do with Al Quada and 9/11.

Iraq wasn’t practicing radical Muslim ideology under Saddam. Women held jobs (teachers, judges, etc.) and weren’t forced to wear burkas. You really need to get a clue before you embarrass yourself further.

I think Sestak should get an exit strategy out of this race…. that is a good point about MoveOn.org. We have our war hero Murtha… also, where was Sestak (was he even?) calling for an Afghanistan exit strategy before he decided to run for the Senate… there’s something disingenuous about that in a sense.

Sestak tells an interesting story about Afghanistan involving him being with a guy with a briefcase (or suitcase) of money for payoffs. Sestak’s told the story like he was on some cool blackbag operation. Sounds to be like he’s was involved in an improper, undocumented expenditure of taxpayer dollars, as part of the millions (billions) unaccounted for.
Since he’s been in Congress, did he ever check around to find out if there’s a receipt?

My parents are convinced that Sestak will pull out before February petitions, while he can still change his mind and run to keep his seat.
I disagree. I think Sestak will hang in until the bitter end in case that some misfortune will befall Specter before the primary. Either way, I don’t get the impression that he actually enjoys being a congressmen and accountable to the voters who may question his “judgment”. Still a little too much “Admiral”, and not much to admire.

Yeah, that last point from a practical sense really leaps out at me and concerns me… with the continuity needed between a US Senator and their staff.