Sharron Angle was only saying that some in Congress have failed to follow the Constitution and live up to their oath of office, not that there were traitors within the legislative branch, her campaign explained today.
In a 2009 radio interview with Bill Manders, released today by the Harry Reid campaign, the host allowed that there were “home born, homegrown enemies” of the nation, “And I for one think we have some of those enemies in the walls of the Senate and the Congress.”
“Yes, I think you’re right, Bill,” Angle replied.
Really? There are enemies in the walls of the Senate and Congress? (Technically, I should note that “Congress” is the word we collectively use to refer to the Senate and the House, so Manders likely meant to say “House” there, but who can really know?)
Anyway, I sent an e-mail asking if Angle would please list those “domestic enemies” for this blog. Here’s what I got back from Angle’s director of communications, Jarrod Agen:
This is literally an example of people trying to put words in Sharron’s mouth. Sharron agrees that elected officials solemnly swear to support, protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies domestic or foreign, and that they will bear true faith, allegiance and loyalty. It’s pretty weak for Harry Reid, who famously went on national television and told our the troops that the “war is lost,” to now try and attack Sharron for saying ‘yes’ in a radio interview.”
OK, just for a second, I have to note how totally awesome it would have been if Agen had instead responded to my e-mail by saying, “Um, yeah, Steve, it’s Harry Reid. He’s the domestic enemy.” That would have been sweet. But you’ve got to work with what you get, so…
It should be noted that the actual oath senators take is this:
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.
It should be further noted that a failure to uphold the oath — essentially abandoning one’s duty to support and defend the Constitution against its enemies — is akin to giving aid and comfort to the enemies of the United States, which as we all know is the constitutional definition of treason.
Which brings us to the fact that Angle didn’t just say “yes,” as Agen asserts; she said she agrees with Manders that enemies of the United States lurk “in the walls” of the Senate and the Congress. She didn’t mean termites, people. She meant traitors. And that’s still a pretty serious charge.
Again, how totally awesome would it have been if Angle had the courage of her convictions, and said that yes, she believes Reid has committed treason by failing to follow the Constitution, and went on to detail evidence of those failures. Because then we could get ourselves a good debate going on what the Constitution means today.
Sadly, we won’t have that. Oh, well, back to work.
UPDATE: Asked about the 2009 comment on a local talk show host Thursday, Angle refused to back down.
Tags: Harry Reid, Sharron Angle
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