One of my favorite quotes by the easily quotable Israeli statesman Abba Eban was his reference to PLO chief Yasser Arafat. Eban summed up so much with: "Arafat never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity!"
The same might be said about Democratic Party strategists who have failed to take advantage of potentially impressive questions that could put the Republicans at least on the defensive, even in areas where they have made some good headlines for themselves.
And those kinds of oversights are frankly inexcusable in one of the most combative election years in a long time, one that could snatch the U.S. Senate Democratic majority by the Republicans.
Here are just a couple of areas Democrats have waited far too long to hit on:
Snowden
This man was cleared by an outfit run by a bunch of former Capitol Hill staffers who have reportedly collected more than $250M for conducting sensitive clearances. USIS has yet to be targeted with sharp questions about their potential screw-up with Snowden and maybe tons of other clearances that could be questionable. Why have they missed this juicy opportunity?
Also, Snowden worked for the major consulting outfit Booz Allen, which relies heavily on federal contracts. There’s not one indication that Democrats want itmpublicly probed for their relationship with Snowden and others with super top secret clearances.
VA Hospital Scandal
This disaster has existed since the Vietnam disaster. Returning veterans have suffered mental and physical traumas that have received short shrift in these hugely expensive facilities. While handling by the Obama administration of the whole scandal has been clumsy, the mismanagement hardly began with this administration.
While Democrats and the President are being bashed in the media and the Halls of Congress, why has the party failed utterly to face the Republicans with the fact they were AWOL long before now? Even worse, the Dems have missed the chance to ask just why veteran groups made much less fuss on the subject for years until the current Congressional election stage productions.
Benghazi
What occurred in that Libyan enclave was bloody and tragic. The Republicans have made mincemeat over the klutzy handling by the Democrats. Seems much of the shouting matches have centered on why either the administration allegedly failed to respond to calls for support or seemed unaware of the inherent dangers. Democrats, on the other hand, seemed to forget President Ronald Reagan got off scot-free when he sent 240 unarmed and unguarded United States Marines to their deaths in 1983 despite lengthy warnings from key staff here and there and even warnings by the late UK leader Maggie Thatcher.
These are three major areas, yet to be addressed at a time when power bases for both parties are more than a little up in the air.
And the real question for Democratic silence is: Why?
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Joseph J. Honick is president of GMA International in Bainbridge Island, Wash.
Maggie Moran, who is well-connected in New Jersey and New York Democratic politics, has established Moxie Strategies in Asbury Park, NJ.
Husch Blackwell Strategies has added FleishmanHillard alum Michael Slatin as a principal in its public affairs group.
Rory Cooper, a veteran Republican operative and policy specialist, has joined Teneo’s Washington office as senior managing director in its strategy & communications practice.
Brian Fallon, who served as national press secretary for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential run, is signing on next month as Vice President’s Kamala Harris’ campaign communications director.
TikTok is nothing more than a Chinese propaganda tool that poses “a grave threat to America’s national security and, in particular, impressionable children and young adults,” say two Congressmen who want the platform registered as a foreign agent.
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