I just got this press release from The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Political Action Committee:
IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN VETS PAC STATEMENT
ON PAUL HACKETT LEAVING SENATE RACE:
"The Democratic Party loses credibility" on Iraq
JON SOLTZ, a 28-year old combat Veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Executive Director of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America Political Action Committee (IAVA PAC), released the following statement upon news that Iraq Veteran Paul Hackett was leaving the Senate race in Ohio, due to internal pressure from the Democratic Party.
"It is an outrage that the Democratic Party has forced Paul Hackett out of the race for U.S. Senate. Hackett brought credibility on the number one issue facing the nation – the war in Iraq. The Democratic Party loses credibility on that issue because he is no longer running, and because they had a hand in his decision.
Oy. As I said below, I like Hackett and hope he'll see fit to play politics in another capacity, but this is absurd. The Democratic Party didn't lose credibility because the leadership thought Brown, an experienced politician who created Hackett's special election organization and has an actual track record winning elections, would be better for the seat. That's what party organizations do.
Hackett was going to get whomped by Brown -- the polls, the money, and the organization were all pointing in one direction. But given the tone and stance Hackett had taken in the primary, he would've bloodied Brown, and Brown's counterstrike would've likely squelched Hackett's chances permanently. Bloody primaries that lack actual competitiveness are good for nobody. That the party managed to nudge him out of the race is a good thing. That they attempted to give their rising star a congressional seat -- which he's much more suited to at this point in his nascent political career -- showed good judgment and a willingness to invest in Hackett's future. That Hackett refused it shows a certain petulance. He's brand new to politics, he doesn't get to expect party support, or even indulgence, for a Senate seat. As Lance put it:
United States Senator is not an entry level position. It would have been a very rare thing indeed, to elect a Senator whose only political achievement to date was losing a Congressional election by fewer votes than a member of his party should have.
And Brown, with his congressional experience, will be a more effective senator, which does in fact matter. I'd love to see Hackett step back up to the plate and serve the party in a different capacity, but this moon-or-nothing attitude is rather ugly.
