This post has been updated.
Following the release of a critical Inspector General’s report on the wait times at the Phoenix Veterans hospital on Wednesday, congressional Democrats joined their Republican colleagues’ calls for Veterans Affairs Sec. Eric Shinseki to step down.
As of Thursday afternoon, 11 Democratic senators, all up for re-election in 2014, had called for the secretary to resign.
On Wednesday afternoon, Sens. Mark Udall (D-CO), John Walsh (D-MT) and Kay Hagan (D-NC) all urged Shinskei to step down.
And by Wednesday night, Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Al Franken (D-MN), both of whom are facing tough re-election battles, joined in calls for the secretary to resign.
“I have tremendous respect for General Shinseki and honor his service to this nation,” Shaheen said in a statement. “However, it has become clear that after six years as head of the Department of Veterans Affairs, General Shinseki has been unable to solve other fundamental problems that plague the agency.”
On Thursday, Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), who is up for re-election in 2014, called on Shinseki to step down.
JUST IN: Sen. @MarkWarner (D-Va.): Shinseki “should step aside in order to allow our focus and our efforts” to focus on fixing the #VA
— Ed O’Keefe (@edatpost) May 29, 2014
Kaine: “I believe the only way to regain the confidence of our veterans…is for the President to select new ldrshp of this critical agency”
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) May 29, 2014
Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), who is fighting to keep her seat in a conservative state, on Thursday called for Shinseki to step aside.
Shinseki served our nation with distinction but recent unacceptable actions under his watch regrettably means new leadership is needed
— Senator Landrieu (@SenLandrieu) May 29, 2014
It will take a new leader with effective tools to fix these systematic #VA problems and provide the quality care our veterans deserve
— Senator Landrieu (@SenLandrieu) May 29, 2014
Notable Replies
" I have tremendous respect for General Shinseki and honor his service." But if supporting him will in any way hinder my being reelected to this “DO NOTHING” Congress, I will throw his azz under the bus in a New York minute! #POLITICIANSWITHOUTPRINCIPLES
Al Franken is in a “tough reelection battle?” How is this the first time I’m hearing about it?
I’m ambivalent on Shinseki pending further information, but if these spineless fucks had any gumption at all they’d be slamming their fucking craven GOP pals for filibustering VA legislation, creating a shitload of injured veterans in the first place, and skimping on the VA budget.
SEE: Sanders, Bernard
Again, pending further information, if firing Shinseki is a purely symbolic move and does nothing to address the actual problems, then fuck everyone involved in promoting that bullshit with a serrated broomstick.
Also, if Al Franken is in a “tough reelection battle,” then the Democrats are so fucked that they might as well burn some American flags at the tomb of the unknown soldier.
EVERY SINGLE goddamn one of these Dem assmuches needs to explain to the American public **what will come nex*t after Shinseki’s head is on the pike, after they’re done baying at the moon and rending their clothes off their bodies.
What will come next? Does “new oversight” equal “more funding”? Does the new guy get to create some sort of magic that makes things all better or does he get to stand there and make solemn promises that 5 years from now we’ll be revisitng while looking at HIS head on a pike
Damn idiots. Show some fortitude.
thunder let me leave you my favorite line about the Demowimps
As a GOPer member of Congress explained some years ago, bipartisanship consists of the Democrats doing what the GOP tells them to do.