The Lunacy of Jim Jeffords

The Jeffords Theory

U.S. Sen. Jim Jeffords, the Vermont Independent, may face a clear field right now in a 2006 re-election bid, but his March 22 performance on Vermont Public Radio's Switchboard program raised a few eyebrows.

For starters, Jeffords, who opposes the war in Iraq, predicted the Bush administration would start a war in Iran to help elect a third member of the Bush clan to the White House.

“I think it was all done to get oil,” Jeffords said of invading Iraq. “And the loss of life that we had, and the cost of it, was to me just a re-election move, and they're going to try to live off it. Probably start another war, wouldn't be surprised, next year. Probably in Iran.”

“Do you think that's likely?” VPR host Bob Kinzel asked.

“I probably shouldn't even talk on it, I just feel so bitter about the thinking that's gone on behind them, and the reasons they go to war and went to war,” Jeffords replied. “But I feel very strongly that they are looking ahead, and that there will be an opportunity to go into Iran and try to get their son elected president. I don't know, but you do it each time they (are) going to have a new president. I’m very, very (Jeffords chuckles). Oh, well, I better be quiet.”
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Jeffords spokesman Erik Smulson stood by this lunacy. He did not offer any words to soften this utter derangement.

Vermont Republican Party Chairman Jim Barnett commented, “That is the highest level of irresponsibility to suggest that the president has taken the nation to war and put thousands of lives at risk for political purposes. It's really outrageous, and reason enough that we ought to question Sen. Jeffords' ability to serve Vermonters in a way that makes us proud.”

Other Vermont Republicans question Jeffords' health, wondering if the 71 year-old senator shows signs of diminished mental capacity.

I'm in no position to speculate on whether Jeffords' health is to blame for his off-the-wall comments.

Taken at face value, his Bush dynasty conspiracy theory is simply inane.

To think that Jeffords was elected to the Senate in 2000 as a Republican absolutely boggles the mind.