Boorish Russ Feingold

Russ Feingold is an absolute embarrassment to the people of Wisconsin.

When he questioned General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker during the hearings, he didn't even show them enough respect to allow them to answer.

He badgered them.

Here's an example of an exchange between Feingold and Ryan Crocker, and Feingold and Gen. Petraeus:


(TPM)

Transcript (All Spin Zone)

FEINGOLD: And by the way, General, I’d like to know, when will the level of American troops’s deaths start to seriously decline in Iraq?

PETRAEUS: First of all, if I could just come back to your earlier comment, with respect, Senator, what this is is an example of a commander focused on his area of responsibility area. And that is my mission. It is to accomplish the military tasks that are associated with this policy, not to fight the overall global war.

FEINGOLD: I respect that and I understand, but I guess, in the broader context, here, of our discussions, this is the most critical hearing we’ve had and yet it’s only about Iraq.

But go ahead and please answer the question: When can we expect the troop deaths to decline in Iraq?

PETRAEUS: It might be, again, that Admiral Fallon or others would be the ones that, or the chairman, to comment on that.

There has been a gradual reduction in deaths in Iraq, since about June, I believe it was. That, unfortunately — in August, we suffered a number of non-combat related deaths due to two helicopter crashes, although the number of combat deaths was lower.

FEINGOLD: General, just let me follow…

PETRAEUS: We need to see what happens in ensuing months.

FEINGOLD: I want the American people to know that in every single month this year, January, February, March, April, May, June, July, and August, a significantly greater number of troops died than in the previous month in 2006 — in every single month.

And according to my information, there’s already 32 this month. So, to suggest that there was some decline in the number in June and July, versus other months, does not address the fact that the number of troops’ deaths has greatly increased. And I’m not getting an answer that even begins to suggest when we can tell the American people that the number of troop deaths will decline.

PETRAEUS: Senator, we are on the offensive, and when you go on the offensive, you have tough fighting. That was particularly true, again, during the period immediately after the start of the surge of offenses in mid-June and continued for a while. It appeared to have crested then and was coming down. And, again, we will have to see. We had a tragic loss yesterday, in fact, in some vehicle accidents, that again, you know, are just very, very sad….

Feingold behavior was unacceptable.

I have no problem with him asking tough, albeit lame, questions.

I do have a problem with Feingold treating an American ambassador and general in such a disrespectful manner.

It made me sick when Feingold tossed out, "And by the way, General, I’d like to know, when will the level of American troops’s deaths start to seriously decline in Iraq?"

He really said, "General, when are you going to stop killing our troops?"

It's disgraceful the way some U.S. lawmakers have treated Gen. Petraeus and Amb. Crocker.

Feingold is a disgrace. He should be ashamed of himself.

I'm ashamed a senator from Wisconsin acted so despicably.

"Until this moment, Senator, I think I never really gauged your cruelty or your recklessness."

"Let us not assassinate this lad further, senator. You have done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?"

(United States Senate)