This was emailed to me today. Even though I don't agree with most democrats views, Miller hit the nail on the head with this one. What do ya'll think?
U.S. Senator Zell Miller
Floor Statement: 'A House Divided Cannot Stand'
Remarks as Delivered on the Senate Floor
After watching the harsh acrimony generated by the September 11
Commission which, let me say at the outset, is made up of good and able members -
I've come to seriously question this panel's usefulness.
I believe it will ultimately play a role in doing great harm to this
country, for its unintended consequences, I fear, will be to energize
our enemies and demoralize our troops.
After being drowned in a tidal wave of all who didn't do enough before
9/11, I have come to believe that the Commission should issue a report that
says: "No one did enough in the past. No one did near enough."
Then thank everyone for serving, send them home and let's get on with
The job of protecting this country in the future.
Tragically, these hearings have proved to be a very divisive diversion
for this country. Tragically, they have devoured valuable time, looking
backwards when we should be looking forward.
Can you imagine handling the attack on Pearl Harbor this way? Can you
imagine Congress, the media and the public standing for this kind of
political gamesmanship and finger pointing after that "day of infamy" in
1941?
Some partisans tried that ploy, but they were soon quieted by the
patriots who understood how important it was to get on with the war and take the
battle to America's enemies, and not dwell on what FDR knew when.
You see, back then the highest priority was to win a war, not win an
election. That's what made them "The Greatest Generation."
I realize that many well-meaning Americans see the hearings as
"democracy in action." Years ago, when I was teaching political science, I probably
would have had my class watching it live on television and using that very
phrase with them.
There are also the not-so-well-meaning political operatives who see
these hearings as an opportunity to "score cheap points."
Then, there are the Media Meddlers who see this as "great theater" that
can be played out on the evening news and on endless talk shows for a week
or more.
Congressional hearings have long been one of Washington's most
entertaining pastimes. Joe McCarthy Watergate. Iran Contra. They all kept us glued to
the TV, and made for conversation around the water coolers and arguments
over a beer at the corner pub.
A Congressional hearing in Washington, D.C. is the ultimate aphrodisiac
for political groupies and partisan punks.
But, it's not the groupies, punks and television-sotted American public
that I'm worried about. This latter crowd can get excited and divided over
just about anything. Whether it's some off-key wanna-be dreaming of being the
American Idol, or what brainless bimbo The Bachelor or Average Joe will
choose or who will Donald Trump fire next week.
No, it is the real enemies of America that I'm concerned about.
These evil killers who right now, right now are gleefully watching the
shrill partisan finger pointing of these hearings and grinning like a
mule eating briars.
They see this as a major split within the Great Satan America. They see
anger, they see division, instability, bickering, peevishness and
dissension.
They see the President of the United States hammered unmercifully. They
see all this and they are greatly, greatly encouraged.
We should not be doing anything to encourage our enemies in this battle
between good and evil. Yet, these hearings, in my opinion, are doing
just that.
We are playing with fire. We're playing directly into the hands of our
enemy by allowing these hearings to become the great divider they have become.
Dick Clarke's book and its release coinciding with these hearings have
done this country a tremendous disservice, and someday we will reap its
whirlwind.
Long ago, Sir Walter Scott observed that revenge is "the sweetest morsel
that ever was cooked in hell."
The vindictive Clarke has now had his revenge, but what kind of hell has
he, his CBS publisher and his axe-to-grind advocates unleashed?
These hearings, coming on the heels of the election the terrorists
influenced in Spain, bolster and energize our evil enemies as they have
not been energized since 9/11.
Chances are very good that these evil enemies of America will attempt to
influence our 2004 election in a similar dramatic way as they did
Spain's. And to think that could never be in this country is to stick your head
In the sand.
That is why the sooner we stop this endless bickering over the past and
join together to prepare for the future, the better off this country will be.
There are some things - whether this city believes it or not - that are
just more important than political campaigns.
The recent past is so ripe for political second-guessing "gotcha" and
Monday morning quarter-backing And it is so tempting in an election year. We
should not allow ourselves to indulge that temptation. We should put our
country first.
Every administration from Jimmy Carter to George W. Bush bears some of
the blame. Dick Clarke bears a big heap of it because it was he who was in
the catbird's seat to do something about it for more than a decade.
Tragically, it was the decade in which we did the least.
We did nothing after terrorists attacked the World Trade Center in 1993,
killing six and injuring more than 1,000 Americans.
We did nothing in 1996 when sixteen U.S. servicemen were killed in the
bombing of the Khobar Towers.
When our embassies were attacked in 1998, killing 263 people, our only
response was to fire a few missiles on an empty tent.
Is it any wonder? Is it any wonder that after that decade of weak-willed
responses to that murderous terror, our enemies thought we would never
fight back?
In the 1990's is when Dick Clarke should have resigned. In the 1990's is
when he should have apologized. That is when he should have written his
book. That is, if he really had America's best interest at heart.
Some will say, "We owe it to the families" to get more information about
what happened in the past and I can understand that. But no amount of
finger-pointing will bring our victims back.
So, now we owe it to future families and all of America now in jeopardy
not to encourage more terrorists, resulting in even more grieving families,
perhaps many more over the ones of 9/11.
It's obvious to me that this country is rapidly dividing itself into two
camps: the wimps and the warriors.
The ones who want to argue and assess and appease, and the ones who want
to carry this fight to our enemies and kill them before they kill us. And,
in case you haven't figured it out, I proudly belong to the latter.
This is a time like no other in the history of this country, and this
country is being crippled with petty partisan politics of the worst
possible kind. In time of war, it is not just unpatriotic; it is stupid, and it
is criminal.
So, I pray that all this time, all this energy, all this talk and all
this attention could be focused on the future instead of the past.
I pray we would stop pointing fingers, assigning blame and wringing our
hands about what happened on that day David McCullogh has called "the
worst day in our history" more than two years ago
And instead, pour all of our energy into how we can kill these
terrorists before they kill us - again.
For make no mistake about it. They watch these hearings. They are
scheming and smiling about the distraction and the divisiveness they see in
America.
And while they may not know who said it years ago in America, they know
instinctively that a house divided cannot stand.
There is one other group that we should remember is listening to all of
this - our troops. I was in Iraq in January and one day when I was meeting with the 1st
Armored Division, a unit with a proud history known as Old Ironsides, we were
discussing troop morale, and the Commanding General said it was top notch.
And I turned to the Division's Sergeant Major, the top enlisted man in
the division, a big, burly, 6-foot-3, 240 pound African American and I said,
"That's good, but how do you sustain that kind of morale?"
Without hesitation he narrowed his eyes, and he looked at me and said
"The morale will stay high just as long as these troops know the people back
home support us."
Just as long as the people back home support us. What kind of message
are these hearings and the outrageously political speeches on the floor of
the Senate yesterday sending to those marvelous young Americans in the
uniform of our country?
I say Unite America! Before it is too late! Put aside these petty
partisan differences when it comes to the protection of our people.
Argue and argue and argue and debate and debate and debate over all the
other things - jobs and education and the deficit and the environment -
but please, please do not use the lives of Americans and the security of
this country as a cheap-shot political talking point.
__________________
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight..... It's the size of the fight in the dog."
One of my biggest regrets is that Zell Miller is retiring from public life. At age 72 he deserves the time he has to devote to his family and friends, but I will miss him.
My fovorite Zell Miller quote to date is: "I own more guns than I need, but not all that I want"
Its a shame Zell is retiring. He was elected govenor about when I moved to Alabama but I have alot of respect for the man. Why do I think if he was in the running Bush would have his hands very much full.
Its not just the people of GA thats loosing a Senator, American Gun Owners and Hunters and all the people in fact, are loosing a great and wise man. He will be missed for sure!
Zell Miller speaks out
