Remember When Our VP Wasn't a Vampire?

TPMCafe : Gore on the Threat to American Democracy

"On the eve of the nation's decision to invade Iraq, our longest serving senator, Robert Byrd of West Virginia, stood on the Senate floor asked: 'Why is this chamber empty? Why are these halls silent?'

The decision that was then being considered by the Senate with virtually no meaningful debate turned out to be a fateful one. A few days ago, the former head of the National Security Agency, Retired Lt. General William Odom, said, 'The invasion of Iraq, I believe, will turn out to be the greatest strategic disaster in U.S. history.'

But whether you agree with his assessment or not, Senator Byrd's question is like the others that I have just posed here: he was saying, in effect, this is strange, isn't it? Aren't we supposed to have full and vigorous debates about questions as important as the choice between war and peace?"