"Recruiting Scandal: The House GOP's desperate choice for desperate times"
So says the New Republic about Allen West, the Broward Republican and Iraq war veteran challenging Rep. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton, for re-election.
West, the article says, is getting little help from national Republicans who were once focused on ousting Klein: "The GOP's greatest embarrassment of all might seem to be Florida's 22nd, where the party that Iraq destroyed is running a candidate charged with violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice," the article notes.
It says that West "was on track for a generalship when his unit was assigned in August 2003 to interrogate an Iraqi policeman who had supposedly turned Benedict Arnold. The policeman refused to cooperate, so West dragged him outside, pushed his head into the sand, and fired a gun next to his face to get him to sing. 'I'd do it again if I had to,' West told the New Republic. 'It wasn't torture. Seeing Rosie O'Donnell naked would be torture.' "
West got plenty of attention last night. His talk of spurning Al Jazeera earned him a spot on MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann as "Worst Person in the World."
West fans consider the diss by the hero of the left a bit of a coup: "A friend e-mailed to tell me that...West, Republican candidate for Congress in Florida’s 22nd District, has been named "Worst Person in the World" by Keith Olbermann," West's campaign blog notes. "Congratulations to all those who’ve worked so hard to help Colonel West win this prestigious honor."
Eye roll. Thanks for running the DCCC/FL Dems talking points, Herald. Maybe you could put the actions in a little more context: the policeman in question DID sing, and West's 4th ID troops were able to attack and kill a group of Iraqi Fedayeen who were preparing to ambush and kill them...based on the actions West took. Rough? Sure. Against the rules? Probably. Deserving a court martial? Hardly.
Posted by: Fighting4th | July 29, 2008 at 08:19 AM
Badge of Honor Col. West received last night!!!!
Posted by: Tommya | July 29, 2008 at 08:23 AM
The Herald, like New Republic, is always able to see the cloud instead of the rainbow---or turn a hero into a villain. Thank God our future isn't in THEIR hands!
Posted by: red | July 29, 2008 at 08:31 AM
Keith Olbermann shows again that he is nothing more than a terrorist and a traitor who desperately needs to be treated the way the Constitution calls for all traitors to be treated.
Posted by: Douglas Ragan | July 29, 2008 at 08:37 AM
God Bless Allen West! We need more patriots like him running for office. We don't need gutless, liberal lifelong politicians in Washington... we need real thinking men like Allen West in our nations Capitol who can speak with resolve and experience on national defense and on those issues that impact us back here at home. Vote for West... a real change to come for Washington attitudes.
Posted by: lmdlharr | July 29, 2008 at 08:53 AM
Allen West is an American hero that we can ALL trust in Congress.
www.allenwestforcongress.com
GO WEST!
Posted by: MKap | August 02, 2008 at 10:09 PM