Cleland Still Bitter, Still Doesn't Get It

During a going away party for former Senator Tom Daschle in D.C. a couple of night ago, former Senator Max Cleland delivered a few choice words. Showing that he's still enormously bitter, and that he still doesn't understand why his Senate career fell apart, Cleland was far from eloquent.

"This message to those who attack you, you reap what you sow, so watch your back. We're still following the leader, and you can all go to hell."

Such kind words. The Democrats, and Cleland himself, would like to believe Cleland was voted from office as the result of some right-wing witch hunt, some organized character assassination. The truth is so far from that. The sad part is they can't (or won't) acknowledge it.

We Georgians voted Cleland out of office because he was far, far too liberal. His voting record spoke for itself. Being as far to the left as Cleland seemed to be is a political death sentence in Georgia now. Rather than admit that he let down his constituents, he'd rather live in a world of hate and anger. Fine, it suits him. He garnered a tremendous amount of sympathy, which is partly how he got elected lieutenant governor and then senator, but sympathy only goes so far. When the true story came out about how he lost his limbs (hint: it wasn't actually in combat like most people think, and it wasn't at the hands of anyone else), many Georgians opened their eyes and began looking objectively at Senator Cleland. When his voting record became an issue, that was it. One thing you can't hide from is your voting record. Ask John Kerry, he knows.

It's a shame to see someone crack and get loopy like Cleland seems to have done. Sad.