I stumbled across this news item that ran in the New York Times in 1983 -- I didn't remember that this had happened and most likely neither do you:
Seven Democratic Representatives today asked the House to impeach President Reagan for ordering the invasion of Grenada two weeks ago.
A draft resolution introduced by the seven said Mr. Reagan's action had been unconstitutional and thus an impeachable offense since it had usurped the power of Congress to declare war, ignored treaty obligations, and violated First Amendment rights in preventing the press from covering the invasion in its first few days.
There was no realistic chance in hell that Reagan would actually get impeached over the conquest of Grenada, which polls showed was hugely popular with the American people ("We win!"). But back in 1983, the Times at least thought that the concept merited a brief mention.
Last night, a senior member of Congress who was taking part in nationally televised presidential debates just a couple of months ago introduced lengthy impeachment articles against President Bush -- and it was a tree falling in the woods, a tree that apparently wasn't ground into newsprint. Not a word in the Paper of Record about the move by Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich, and not much elsewhere. Here's the scoop:
Cleveland Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich took to the House of Representatives floor on Monday evening to introduce a 35-count resolution to impeach President George W. Bush.
Kucinich claimed Bush "fraudulently" justified the war on Iraq and misled "the American people and members of Congress to believe Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction so as to manufacture a false case for war."
"President George W. Bush, by such conduct, is guilty of an impeachable offense warranting removal from office," Kucinich said.
Kucinich said in January that he planned to launch an impeachment effort against Bush, but delayed his effort after meeting with members of the House Judiciary Committee. The Judiciary Commitee hasn't acted on a bid Kucinich launched last year to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney.
True, this isn't happening any more than the impeachment of Ronald Reagan -- albeit for completely different reasons: Bush is leaving in eight months without impeachment, and most Democrats are petrified of anything that carries political risk. Indeed, it surely would be divisive, but you might be surprised to learn that public support for impeaching Bush is greater than you think. You probably didn't see this story, either:
A public opinion poll from the American Research Group recently reported that more than four in ten Americans — 45% — favor impeachment hearings for President Bush and more than half — 54% — favored impeachment for Vice President Cheney.
That alone would suggest that impeachment articles against Bush don't deserve a total new blackout.
I think you're overreacting a bit, Will. No one takes this seriously except Kucinich fans. Now, if Nancy P. had introduced the bill, I'm sure we'd be talking about nothing else.— montani semper liberi
Should the media be concerned whether or not people take it seriously? While I don't think it's a travesty, it does say something when an impeachment motion by a duly-elected Congressman is not reported by the media. In my opinion, the media's problems are more due to laziness than any kind of bias.— Politburo- Seriously, Will, you know the dog-bites-man versus man-bites-dog rule. Even when it's a mad dog like Kucinich, it's still not a story.— db_cooper
- "Should the media be concerned whether or not people take it seriously?" Maybe the media should give major coverage to every stupid act of political grandstanding in Congress. Make a resolution to declare July 22 National Pop-Tart Day front page news.— db_cooper
Comment removed.- "Should the media be concerned whether or not people take it seriously?"..............I assume that's part of a journalist's job. Certainly the substantive issues raised by Kucinich's impeachment bill are serious, but nothing new. Kucinich grandstanding again at this late hour in Bush's last term is a yawner.
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- Here's another resolution to impeach President Bush! http://www.rise4news.net/Gonzalez.html Oops, wrong Bush. Blowhards do this quite often on both sides. The trick is to pay attention when it actually will get traction.— db_cooper
- Republicans don't care if their leaders lie to them. They're used to it. Not to mention gullible. I mean, heck, they voted for Bush. Twice. As a "conservative"! lol— E.Plebnista
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- Billy Clump is still incensed that Bush won in 2004. Oh it hurts so much that he will not even make it through the next 6 months without supporting bogus impeachment charges. Congress voted to authorize the use of force. Impeach Congres Billy Clump!— Grill
- "This is why people think Kucinich and most liberals are idiots...not to be taken seriously" . . . . . . . . I guess 70% of Americans don't qualify as "people" in Xi Jah's elitist world view.
- "Congress voted to authorize the use of force. Impeach Congres Billy Clump!".........Don't worry, the People are on the case. 2006 was just a taste of the House-and-Senate-cleaning we're going to witness in November.
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Will Bunch, a senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News, blogs about his obsessions, including national and local politics and world affairs, the media, pop music, the Philadelphia Phillies, soccer and other sports, not necessarily in that order.
E-mail Will by clicking here.
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