Watson Coleman: “I rise to talk about the men and women on the front line in Iraq defending America in the fight against terrorism. We…”

“I rise to talk about the men and women on the front line in Iraq defending America in the fight against terrorism. We cannot forget them. There are a lot of other things going on in Washington--including, by the way, the discussion of who said what to whom. I digress for a moment to comment on calls for a special prosecutor. I am a slight student of history. In 1999 there was an effort in this body, led by Senator Collins from Maine, a bipartisan effort, to put in place a provision to allow for a special prosecutor. It was blocked, it was stopped, by the very same folks today talking about the need for a special prosecutor. I will be very blunt: We are hearing rank political hypocrisy when it comes to claims about a special prosecutor. I also note the calls that: The administration did this, the administration did that. The President of the United States has been very clear. If someone in his administration leaked information or did something that is illegal, they will be held accountable. That is what the administration has said. We have to get away from the politics and simply do the right thing. The American public get it. They see through it. Unfortunately, it casts a negative light on everyone when every battle is a political battle other than simply doing the right thing. One of the right things, by the way, being done is, today the Pentagon has rolled out a program to bring troops home who have served in Iraq for over a year.”