Overplayed
It appears that at least some sanity has suddenly emerged in the Democratic party. A few people realize they seriously are in danger of trying to overplay their hand. Harry Reid is trying to back away from the far left agenda that was trying to dictate what the party should try to do to force a defeat in Iraq.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic leaders backed away from aggressive plans to limit President Bush's war authority, the latest sign of divisions within their ranks over how to proceed.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Monday he wanted to delay votes on a measure that would repeal the 2002 war authorization and narrow the mission in Iraq.
Senior Democrats who drafted the proposal, including Sens. Joseph Biden of Delaware and Carl Levin of Michigan, had sought swift action on it as early as this week, when the Senate takes up a measure to enact the recommendations of the bipartisan Sept. 11 commission.
Reid, who will huddle with Democrats Tuesday to discuss whether to postpone the Iraq debate, cited pressure from victims' families for quick action on the Sept. 11 bill as the reason for doing so.
"Iraq is going to be there — it's just a question of when we get back to it," Reid said, predicting it would be "days, not weeks" before the Senate returned to the issue. The war reauthorization legislation also appears to lack the 60 votes it would need to pass the Senate.
This political posturing isn't working out very well for the Democrats, I suspect. They are reading the poll numbers and realize they are following a path over a cliff as a party. I realize the left's shrieking machine is very loud, but the fact is that the American voters do not like losers – especially politicians who are planning to make the US lose a war. This is the real third rail for the Democrats. They can try to force a defeat on the US. But they will pay for it.
By cfaller96, February 27, 2007 @ 10:42 am
Just out of curiosity, Gaius, what poll numbers are you looking at? Are you looking at the Pew Poll that came out yesterday that said a majority of Americans want to withdraw from Iraq as soon as possible? Or are you looking at other polls that show an even larger majority wanting to see us withdraw within the year, the next two years, etc.?
The war was a mistake and is already lost, Gaius. The (vast) majority of Americans realize that now, and are just trying to get our boys out, in spite of a stubborn, incompetent President, and a weak, fearful Congress.