I'm old enough to remember when the Democratic Party and its leaders loved Tulsi Gabbard.
I remember when many seemingly common-sense, pragmatic Democratic voters lined up behind her in the 2020 Democratic primary. That's because her voice was beginning to resonate among those looking for a younger, more populist standard-bearer. Remember, Gabbard is on her own. demolished In a debate with Kamala Harris, she was eliminated from the preliminary season before her first nomination contest.
She was a member of the House of Representatives, a Democrat, and a tough, intelligent, and experienced military veteran with proven moral character and connected to the American people on many levels. If you're a forward-looking Democratic leader, what's not to like or admire?
But Gabbard suddenly realized that the Democratic Party no longer has the interests of the American people and the working class at heart, and is instead spot-welding with Big Tech, far-left billionaires, and anarchists whose agenda is to dismantle America. I decided that there was. From the inside.
In October 2022, Gabbard she announced that she was leaving Democratic Party. She stressed that the party represents an oligarchy, a government of “powerful elites” and for “powerful elites.” She also accused the party of trying to divide the country “by racializing every issue.”
Gabbard cut to the heart of the matter as to why she is resigning, saying, “Today's Democratic Party is hostile to people of faith and spirituality. They demonize police and commit crimes at the expense of law-abiding Americans.” Today's Democratic Party believes in open borders and uses the national security state as a weapon to go after its political opponents. Above all, today's Democratic Party is moving us ever closer to nuclear war. .”
Fast forward to today, and tens of millions of Americans agree with Gabbard. That appears to include the millions of Democrats who chose to vote for Republican Donald Trump in November 2024.
Not surprisingly, but still quite disappointingly, the Democratic leadership, which has learned nothing from the bombardment at the hands of President Trump, is now ferociously anti-Gabbard and has delayed her confirmation as Director of National Intelligence. He is even planning to do so. The Democrats who are trying to pull off this clearly partisan maneuver seem to have a very short memory.
Back in January 2021, then-President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Director of National Intelligence, Avril Haines, was the first of Biden's Cabinet nominees to be confirmed in a strong bipartisan vote of 84-10. Mr. Trump and Ms. Gabbard deserve similar consideration from Senate Democrats today.
Democrats need a break from boring partisan politics to remember that Gabbard served our country in uniform for more than 20 years and is currently a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve with three tours overseas, including Iraq. It should be stopped. She rightly put aside her personal political beliefs while in uniform, just as she would as Director of National Intelligence. The same Gabbard was their colleague in Congress for eight years while serving on the prestigious House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees.
As for the “baggage” that Gabbard repeatedly called “Russian propaganda,” it was Hillary who made much of that ugly slur after Gabbard made remarks about how disastrous a Clinton presidency would be for our country.・I want you to remember that it was Clinton.
As for Ms. Gabbard's “propaganda” regarding Ukraine, it is the same “propaganda” being peddled by President-elect Trump, Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, HHS candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and others. Don't forget too. It is “propaganda” precisely because it aims to end the bloodshed in Ukraine and bring peace to the region.
On Ukraine and other controversial issues, Gabbard is aligned with Trump and wants to drain the Treasury and American taxpayers by keeping America continually seeking to engage armed groups. He is not afraid to accept the common sense and insatiable aspirations of the elites who are caught up in the stereotypes. conflicts occurring around the world. As President Trump has continually and rightly pointed out, this strategy has brought us to the brink of World War III.
Gabbard is an extraordinary candidate and doesn't deserve to be “slowly guided” by Democrats on her way to confirmation. The public's voice is loud and it behooves Trump to field a candidate as soon as possible.
And every day that Democrats delay President Trump's national security nominees is a day that puts our country at greater risk. It's time for Democrats to get out of the sandbox, dust themselves off, listen to their voters, and do the right thing. America must come first again.
Douglas McKinnon He is a former White House and Department of Defense official.
