Impeachment vote in Madison, Wisconsin

By Michelle Malkin  •  September 5, 2007 12:51 PM

Reader Deb sends this story from Madison, Wisconsin:

The eight Madison City Council members who abstained from voting to recommend that Congress impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney outweighed the nine citizens who made personal pleas to the council and presented more than 8,300 signatures demanding that the council recommend impeachment.

Just before 4 a.m. this morning, after an hour of impassioned debate, the city council failed to muster the necessary 11 votes to recommend impeachment.

The final vote was 8 to recommend impeachment, 3 opposing that recommendation and 8 abstentions.

Most noteworthy was an impassioned speech opposing the BDS measure by Thuy Pham-Remmele, a councilwoman born in Vietnam:

“I have been through war more than any of you can imagine,” Pham-Remmele said.

Recounting her premature birth after her mother fell as the family was fleeing the French in 1948, she proceeded to speak of America’s exit from the Vietnam War as a turning point in world opinion against the United States.

“It’s the part you chose not to look at that should haunt you forever,” Pham-Remmele said.

Saying she had not been home in 34 years and characterizing her decision to become a naturalized U.S. citizen as painful, Pham-Remmele said she knew the atrocities of war.

While lauding impeachment advocates’ good intentions, she asked, “Do you think Congress will listen to you?”

Looking directly at the spectator gallery, Pham-Remmele said, “It is easy to be like Jane Fonda and walk with the communists … and feel good about it. If you really want to save lives, think of something more concrete.”

Absolute. Moral. Authority. Right, MoDowd?

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  1. #1
    On September 5th, 2007 at 1:02 pm, ajmontana said:

    “It is easy to be like Jane Fonda and walk with the communists … and feel good about it. If you really want to save lives, think of something more concrete.”

    I really hate this saying but…
    You Go Girl!!!

  2. #2
    On September 5th, 2007 at 1:02 pm, TMoney said:

    A voice of reason in a sea of moonbatery. She hit the nail on the head when she opines

    “It’s the part you chose not to look at that should haunt you forever,”

    Seems that the folks who don’t learn from history are doing their dangedest to repeat it.

  3. #3
    On September 5th, 2007 at 1:06 pm, On-my-soap-box said:

    There is NO greater act of treason then so suggest – let alone vote – to impeach a sitting President during a time of war!!! For goodness sack, the overwhelming vote of congress to go to war was just that – overwhelming.

    We used to hang people for treason.

    What happened?

  4. #4
    On September 5th, 2007 at 1:08 pm, jrlingreenbay said:

    Ahhhh…the power of cheese….

    ( Sorry, had to throw that in there )

    Nice to see when fellow Wisconsinites have clarity of purpose and vision.

  5. #5
    On September 5th, 2007 at 1:49 pm, Mr_Conservative_Cat said:

    Think she’ll get as much media play as Cindy Sheehan? Think about it.

  6. #6
    On September 5th, 2007 at 1:51 pm, StephC said:

    I wonder what the reaction was from everyone after she said this. Do you think it might make them rethink their positions? Unfortunately, I doubt it.

  7. #7
    On September 5th, 2007 at 2:02 pm, bear1909 said:

    Hell no she wont get the play SheBiscuit did.

    What is good to read though is her piece about how the US lost the respect of the world by pulling out.

    When the Moon Loons say that Iraq is another Viet Nam, they should qualify that statement: “It will be another Viet Nam *IF* we pull out now.”

    What are City Council’s doing voting on Presidential impeachment recommendations anyway?

    Stick to potholes, sewers and making sure no one opens a madrassa on the taxpayer dime.

    Nitwits.

  8. #8
    On September 5th, 2007 at 2:03 pm, pgtips said:

    I hope she gets more airtime and gets to speak her mind more. Perhaps that will open the eyes of some.

  9. #9
    On September 5th, 2007 at 2:03 pm, purplepeep said:

    Madison has been a major nutso town for a long time.

  10. #10
    On September 5th, 2007 at 2:19 pm, Regulus said:

    #2 TMoney has it right.

    It’s people like those who favor such a ridiculous city council measure who embody a statement I heard about the signature characteristics of leftist thinking:

    1. Born of ignorance;
    2. Focused on irrelevancy; and
    3. Steeped in wishful thinking.

    They have learned nothing – nothing at all – from the tragic and disgusting lessons of their forebears of the 1960s and 1970s left, who proved that the Road to Hell is paved with “good intentions” and who made possible the killing fields, the industrial-scale re-education camps and the deaths, permanent displacement and lasting misery of hundreds of thousands of “boat people.”

    Those who favor such foolishness today, like that on display by the eight councilmembers who voted “aye,” would have us repeat the disaster of 1975: just freshened up a bit for the 21st Century and changed to a new location.

    God help us all if they and their ilk ever get their hands on real power.

  11. #11
    On September 5th, 2007 at 2:48 pm, locomotivebreath1901 said:

    We Americans sure are a fat, dumb, and pissy lot.

    What brain dead back assward government school politically obtuse historically ignorant pack of pandering commie bloviators dreamed up such a putrid gushing stream of cranial diarrhea to think that their self-important mud clump of a pothole council has any influence over whether or not the POTUS gets impeached or not????!!!!

    Them nor’easter maple suckin morons up in Vermont pulled this same political pudd last year. Result: zip, nada, nyet, zero, goose egg, NOTHING. But they feeeeeel better.

    Go read the constitution dipsticks!

    And listen to Ms. Thuy who has lived through the real horrors of these brutal murdering fascists that you zipper zombie democratic socialists love to kneel down & worship.

    Krykeee! God save the Republic.

    It’s ok. The doctor says I’m much better now.

  12. #12
    On September 5th, 2007 at 3:02 pm, serfer62 said:

    Loco Breath…why don’t you just say what you think

    LOL…

  13. #13
    On September 5th, 2007 at 3:16 pm, publiuswarmac9999 said:

    Madison is a beautiful small city with a very large and very left wing university. I have been there to lecture on a number of occasions. I will not go back because of the stupidity and ignorance I must constantly confront.

  14. #14
    On September 5th, 2007 at 3:16 pm, Milwaukee Mike said:

    I feel so proud, and yet, so very embarrassed of my state.

  15. #15
    On September 5th, 2007 at 3:30 pm, trinitytim said:

    feel good legislation for who?

    Certainly not me or any other decent, patriotic American. Feel good for moonbats who actually believe their own dribble.

    Ms. Thuy Pham-Remmele, thank you for so eloquently stating the reasons that John Kerry and Jane Fonda were so wrong. They were Idiots back then and they remain idiots today.

    During my tour of duty in Vientam my unit, the Big Red One, we never lost a single battle and I am not aware of any other military defeat. However,in spite of that fact we still managed to lose the war.

    Hence that age old saying, “You can win the battle but still lose the war”

  16. #16
    On September 5th, 2007 at 3:37 pm, CC said:

    Imagine my surprise when I saw Ms. Thuy’s statement as the lead story on CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, PBS, the NYT and LAT.

    Then I woke up.

  17. #17
    On September 5th, 2007 at 3:47 pm, HeatherRadish said:

    The Madison City Council has a website with contact information. Seems like they could use some copies of the Constitution, with the part about The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments highlighted.

    I’m pretty sure Sen. Feingold, who represents Mad-town (and me, unfortunately), has had some vague notions about impeachment since before 8300 morons brought their petition to the wrong legislative body.

  18. #18
    On September 5th, 2007 at 3:55 pm, On-my-soap-box said:

    locomotivebreath1901

    We’re not worthy!

    *claps

  19. #19
    On September 5th, 2007 at 4:03 pm, twoninerkilo said:

    Hey Trinitytim: I was with the Big Red One too; Recon 1/16th, Lei Kai, 67-68. Your right about the idiots.

  20. #20
    On September 5th, 2007 at 4:22 pm, greenLibertarian said:

    Thuy Pham-Remmele is an immigrant that we should be very proud to have: a person who became a true American.

  21. #21
    On September 5th, 2007 at 4:24 pm, shooter said:

    locomotivebreath1901 said:

    .
    Ditto, with energy!
    .
    When people hate to their very core, to the point of blindness as they do when inflicted with BDS, they can not see anything true…for fear of having to say they were wrong.
    The bds hate mongers will gladly kill thousands, if not millions of people, all in the name of selfish self righteous pride. They WILL kill before admitting fault. (scary, but there are parents among them)
    Narcissistic psychosis, is it not?

  22. #22
    On September 5th, 2007 at 5:06 pm, graysonret said:

    Not only don’t they know and understand the Constitution (Hey, read it!!), but they waste time debating and voting on something totally worthless. Thuy Pham-Remmele is the only real sober-minded person in the bunch. How many people have really sat down and read the Constitution and how it came into being? Impeach the President…on what??? 2nd question…why am I wasting my time writing about some idiots in Wisconsin?

  23. #23
    On September 5th, 2007 at 5:39 pm, elpresidente said:
  24. #24
    On September 5th, 2007 at 5:46 pm, RedRepub said:

    Double-checking the article , it says she thought the impeachment advocates’ intentions were laudable.

    What does that mean??????? She supports impeachment in a different form????

  25. #25
    On September 5th, 2007 at 6:57 pm, puhiawa said:

    700,000 dead Vietnamese, 2 million Cambodians, ? Laotians. This is the proud heritage of the American left.

  26. #26
    On September 5th, 2007 at 7:03 pm, mojoe said:

    Wow, I wonder if el presidente realizes how close he came to being recommended for impeachment by the Senate, no the House ummm, majority of Governors.

    What? It was the Madison City Council?

    Bwaaahaaaa hahahahahaha!

  27. #27
    On September 5th, 2007 at 7:28 pm, bvw said:

    Hoorah for the brave lass, Lady Thuy Pham-Remmele!

  28. #28
    On September 5th, 2007 at 8:11 pm, gunslingerpatriot said:

    Thank you Lady Thuy Pham-Rammele for demonstrating more courage than most native born American citizens will ever have.
    Especially a Senator who beached his swift boat to shoot a kid in a loin cloth.

  29. #29
    On September 5th, 2007 at 9:33 pm, Chief RZ said:

    The Truth will set US free.

  30. #30
    On September 6th, 2007 at 7:53 am, 3Steps said:

    It’s the part you chose not to look at that should haunt you forever,” Pham-Remmele said.

    Saying she had not been home in 34 years and characterizing her decision to become a naturalized U.S. citizen as painful, Pham-Remmele said she knew the atrocities of war.

    While lauding impeachment advocates’ good intentions, she asked, “Do you think Congress will listen to you?”

    Looking directly at the spectator gallery, Pham-Remmele said, “It is easy to be like Jane Fonda and walk with the communists … and feel good about it. If you really want to save lives, think of something more concrete.”

    American and specifically Madison, Wisconsin was very lucky this woman chose to become an American. If only we could get the ‘cut and run’ community to understand what she is saying.

  31. #31
    On September 6th, 2007 at 9:29 am, swj719AWG said:

    I’m sorry, but after looking at the copy of the constitution found in my “West’s Legal Environment of Business”, I’m afraid I don’t see Madison, Wisconsin’s city council in there for the whole “impeachment” thing.

    Could someone gimme a hint on where I could find it? Is it in the brown streak from the time the Dems used it to while their butts in 2001?

  32. #32
    On September 6th, 2007 at 9:29 am, swj719AWG said:

    bah. that shoulda been

    from the time the Dems used it to while their butts in 2000

    Sorry… Sci-Fi classics should not be argued over at this hour.

  33. #33
    On September 6th, 2007 at 12:54 pm, georgej said:

    I feel like starting a petition to demand the impeachment of the 8 city council members who voted for the resolution, and for the indictment for treason for them and all 8300 communist morons who signed the other petition, followed by an immediate trial and public execution if convicted.

    Who’s with me?

  34. #34
    On September 6th, 2007 at 2:39 pm, Bill DeFelice said:

    Now I know why that bridge collapsed.Under the massive weight of commie/puke al-Qeada loving bullcrap.

  35. #35
    On September 14th, 2007 at 3:24 pm, Wade said:

    If the Lord wanted to give the world an enema, he would put the tube in Madison.

  36. #36
    On November 6th, 2007 at 1:39 pm, Blind_Mule said:

    First off locomotivebreath LMAO how funny.

    Georfej I’m with you but the execution’s should be done with .22 cal. bullet’s it would only cost $581.56 tax payer dollars to execute 8308 commies, that’s only .07 cents per commie whata bargain.

  37. #37
    On November 9th, 2007 at 5:16 pm, leepro said:

    #11 locomotivebreath1901 said:

    We Americans sure are a fat, dumb, and pissy lot.

    What brain dead back assward government school politically obtuse historically ignorant pack of pandering commie bloviators dreamed up such a putrid gushing stream of cranial diarrhea to think that their self-important mud clump of a pothole council has any influence over whether or not the POTUS gets impeached or not????!!!!

    Them nor’easter maple suckin morons up in Vermont pulled this same political pudd last year. Result: zip, nada, nyet, zero, goose egg, NOTHING. But they feeeeeel better.

    Go read the constitution dipsticks!

    And listen to Ms. Thuy who has lived through the real horrors of these brutal murdering fascists that you zipper zombie democratic socialists love to kneel down & worship.

    Krykeee! God save the Republic.

    It’s ok. The doctor says I’m much better now.

    Ditto! Ditto!! And Ditto!!!
    …every ever-lovin’ word!

  38. #38
    On November 9th, 2007 at 6:42 pm, Kini said:

    Many of us immigrants feel the same way.
    Ditto!
    I read op’eds from people that are born and raised here, many whom never set foot in another country, claim the US has the worst human rights record. These people, I suspect are the impeachment crowd. These are the same people that believe what Clinton was impeached for, is not really sex or lying.
    History lessons be damned.

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