Patterico's Pontifications

7/15/2005

Joe Wilson: Opportunist

Filed under: Politics — Patterico @ 7:13 am



At Blogcritics.org, Art Green checks into Joe Wilson’s assertion that he contributed to both Bush and Gore in 2000, which Wilson apparently offers as evidence that he’s not a partisan Democrat.

No — it’s just evidence that he’s an opportunist.

From the transcript of the TODAY show interview:

Gangel: Your critics have said that this is partisan on your part, that you are part of a Democratic attempt to discredit Iraq policy.

Wilson: That’s simply not true.

Gangel: You are a Democrat?

Wilson: I exercise my rights as a citizen of this country to participate in the selection of my leaders. And I’m proud to do so. I did so in the election in 2000 by contributing not just to Al Gore’s campaign but also to the Bush-Cheney campaign.

Now: what kind of person contributes to both candidates in a presidential campaign? I submit to you that such a person is not someone simply interested in seeing the best leader selected. Such a person is someone who wants something from the winning candidate. Like a plush ambassadorial assignment, for example.

So Joe Wilson, masquerading as a concerned citizen, reveals himself once again to be primarily interested in self-promotion.

P.S. In his Blogcritics.org post, Green asks whether Wilson’s a liar on this issue. I rather doubt it; nor do I much care, since we already know Wilson is a liar on other issues. But I’m grateful to Green for highlighting Wilson’s claim, which is pretty amusing, regardless of its truth.

18 Responses to “Joe Wilson: Opportunist”

  1. “Now: what kind of person contributes to both candidates in a presidential campaign?”

    Lots of people do. At least in the business world. There are lots of reasons to contribute. I would imagine that you would contribute to the son of your ex-boss for one reason, and to another candidate for another reason.

    actus (cd484e)

  2. Lots of people do. At least in the business world.

    Thank you for helping to make my point. In fact, I almost included businesses in the post, for that exact reason.

    Patterico (756436)

  3. Self-promotion? In Washington, D. C.? Egads, man, what next!

    Dave Schuler (0fc1c9)

  4. Now, now – let’s be fair. Joe Wilson is just very open minded and nuanced. He is capable of supporting both Bush and Kerry, just like he was capable of determining that Saddam both attempted and did not attempt to procure uranium from Niger.

    eddie haskell (8fd1a1)

  5. “ust like he was capable of determining that Saddam both attempted and did not attempt to procure uranium from Niger”

    I’ve heard of the latter, but not the former.

    actus (cd484e)

  6. I’ve heard of the latter, but not the former.

    Go back and look at the Senate report that demolished his credibility. It sets forth the evidence provided by Wilson corroborating the theory that Saddam tried to buy yellowcake from Niger.

    Patterico (f17d01)

  7. The problem is the Bush family genetic preference for liberals. W knew Wilson was a FOB before he sent him on his mission. That Wilson stabed him in the back is no surprise to me. The surprise is that the Bushes seem to be unable to learn from past mistakes. W is still making nice to liberals; who will put another knife is his back if they can.
    If W had ignored Wilson none of the smear of the last 2 years would have happened. He (W) did it to himself. Wilson is a scoundrel but Bush gave him the opportunity. A case of very poor judgement

    Rod Stanton (7b6143)

  8. “It sets forth the evidence provided by Wilson corroborating the theory that Saddam tried to buy yellowcake from Niger.”

    Even so, that is someone other analyst’s interpretation of wilson’s data. That is not Wilson saying that Iraq was attempting to get yellowcake.

    actus (cd484e)

  9. I seem to recall also that Wilson was working as a lobbyist at the time, which makes the campaign-contributions-as-a-sign-of-non-partisanship angle even more laughable.

    I thought I blogged about this the first time he made that comment a year ago, but I can’t find the post.

    Doc Rampage (47be8d)

  10. “that is someone other analyst’s interpretation of wilson’s data. That is not Wilson saying that Iraq was attempting to get yellowcake”

    Got it. Depends on the meaning of ‘attempting’.

    Didn’t we do this like 8 years ago?

    Sweetie (f6fb72)

  11. Even so, that is someone other analyst’s interpretation of wilson’s data. That is not Wilson saying that Iraq was attempting to get yellowcake.

    No, that was the former Niger prime minister’s interpretation of Iraqi efforts to expand commercial relations. Apparently he didn’t think that Iraq was interested in livestock, cowpeas, or onions.

    Patterico (756436)

  12. I have lost several comments on this thread: one a response of mine to Actus (which I reposted in substantially similar form), one from Actus (which is he invited to repost, unless he has realized that he was wrong and decides not to bother), and others from Boman and others.

    I don’t understand why I am losing comments. I think it has something to do with the blog’s move last night to a different server.

    If you have posted a comment that got lost, please e-mail me at patterico AT patterico DOT com.

    Patterico (756436)

  13. Well, he clearly gave $1,000 to Bush; I’m not sure why Blogcritics.org sees that donation as questionable. For what it’s worth, Valerie Wilson gave $1,000 to Gore and nothing to Bush.

    Nels Nelson (e88b48)

  14. Item #7 is right on the money.

    Jo macDougal (01f1b7)

  15. “Go back and look at the Senate report that demolished his credibility. It sets forth the evidence provided by Wilson corroborating the theory that Saddam tried to buy yellowcake from Niger.”

    For my own edification, could you more specific regarding where within the Senate report this notion is asserted?

    Terrence (51a7fb)

  16. “I don’t understand why I am losing comments. I think it has something to do with the blog’s move last night to a different server.”

    C’mon, Patterico – just admit you did it under orders from Karl Rove to suppress the telling of truth to power. We won’t blame you.

    Scott (57c0cc)

  17. Terrence,

    Try reading this post of mine and the links cited therein. It gives you a basic overview.

    Patterico (8a8417)

  18. Your post doesn’t tell him where it is. Page 43 of the report. Right after page 39 where ‘The CPD [conter proliferation division] reports officer told committee staff that the former ambassadors wife “offered up his name”‘ for the trip to Niger. Read the whole thing!

    nittypig (4c1c43)


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