Pete Hoektra’s Exquisite Art of the Non-Answer

This Week had Terry Moran with Deputy National Security Adviser John Brennan and a congressional panel with Representative Jane Harman, Sens. Susan Collins, Joe Lieberman and Representative Pete Hoekstra who is currently running for Governor in Michigan. You have to give it to Terry, for trying. Excerpted from the transcript.  

MORAN: One more note on politics, Congressman Hoekstra. Once upon a time, there was a tradition of solidarity in refraining from criticizing the president at the time the nation was under attack. Three days after this attempt to kill 300 people over the skies of Detroit, you sent out a fundraising letter, and I'd -- I'd like to read a portion of it so our audience gets the full flavor of it.

You said, "I have pledged that I will do everything possible to prevent these terrorists from coming to Michigan, but I need your help. If you agree that we need a governor who will stand up to the Obama-Pelosi efforts to weaken our security, please make a most generous contribution of $25, $50 or $100, or even $250, to my campaign." Given that tradition, that once was part of this country, are you proud of that, of fundraising off of a national crisis like that?

HOEKSTRA: Well, I've been leading on national security for the last nine years that I've been on the Intelligence Committee. You know, over the last two to three months, I've been very concerned about where there administration has taken us on national security issues.

The refusal to acknowledge that the Fort Hood attack was a terrorist attack...

MORAN: But I'm asking about raising money off the attempted murder of 300 people three days after it occurred.

HOEKSTRA: I -- I am proud of the role that I have played in making sure that America is safe.

MORAN: And raising money off it?

HOEKSTRA: I've been right on the facts all along on this -- on the recent attacks, the connections with Yemen. The -- the differences between this administration and myself have been purely substantive. They have been policy. I've been trying to drive this administration in a policy direction that keeps America safe.

I think if you listen to the language that we have heard over this -- this morning, with the guests that you've had on the program, we are now at a point where we have come back. We've got -- we've got some political disagreements or policy -- excuse me -- we've got some policy agreements, but we also have a recognition that this threat is real, it is imminent, and that we need to come together in a bipartisan basis to fix it.

MORAN: All right.

Ah, shame on you, Terry Moran! How dare you question that somebody who has been leading on national security for years?  Just because he’s running for governorship in a state with over 15% unemployment, raising funds off the attempted murder of 300 people three days after it occurred doesn’t mean he is an opportunistic loaf of bread ... or does it? We need more people like him who can scare us out of our wits; because if not him, who will? If not now, when?

No better time than now to say boo!