House condemns MoveOn.org attack

WASHINGTON (AP) – The House on Wednesday overwhelmingly voted to condemn the liberal advocacy group MoveOn.org for a recent advertisement attacking the top U.S. general in Iraq.

By a 341-79 vote, the House passed a resolution praising the patriotism Gen. David Petraeus, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, and condemning a MoveOn.org ad that referred to Petraeus as ‘General Betray Us.’

The liberal group’s full-page ad appeared earlier this month in The New York Times and has served as a rallying point for Republicans. President Bush called the ad ‘disgusting’ and criticized Democrats such as Sen. Hillary Clinton, the front-runner for the party’s nomination, for being afraid of irritating the group.

‘Such unwarranted attacks should be strongly condemned by Republicans and Democrats alike,’ said Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., during brief debate on the resolution.

The resolution was attached to a stopgap measure funding Cabinet budgets until mid-November.

Wisconsin Rep. David Obey, a veteran Democrat, recounted how he left the Republican Party during the era of Sen. Joseph McCarthy, R-Wis., and said that lawmakers have an obligation to criticize their allies as well as their enemies when they go too far.

‘I have got an obligation to be equally upset when that kind of juvenile debate emanates from the left,’ Obey said.

The Senate passed a companion resolution last week.

Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.