January 10, 2007
This is Bush's 1968 (Peter Fenn)
The Republicans are quaking in their boots; 2008 looms in their reelection minds. Flash back to 1968, the Vietnam War is raging and students are demonstrating, the Democratic convention implodes, and Richard Nixon rides into the Presidency, promising a "secret plan to end the war." Democrats went from the New Frontier and the Great Society to losing a critical election.
Now, President Bush is forcing his party to either drink the Kool Aid of this new policy or go out and oppose him for these final two years of his Presidency on the most crucial issue that will define that Presidency. Not a wonderful position to be in if you are looking to November 2008.
My friend Tucker Carlson thinks the pressure is on the Democrats. Nope. The pressure after this evening will be on the Republicans. This may be a matter where one's politics and conscience may actually coincide. The Republicans who believe this policy is wrong should say so. If the Republican Senators who departed the White House were unwilling to support the President before the speech, how many will embrace it after tonight?
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The pressure is on the Democrats more so than the Republicans. The Generals in Iraq have said time and time again that they need more troops there, on the ground. So the Democrats have a choice, support sending more troops which helps the troops already there, or oppose sending more troops which will only show the rest of the world that Congress doesn't support it's own troops and doesn't support it's President and, ultimately puts the soldiers already there in greater danger.
Comment by Laurence Socci — January 10, 2007 @ 7:32 pm
This Is Bush's 1968…
The Vietnam War is being mentioned more and more…….
Trackback by War Stories — January 14, 2007 @ 2:34 pm
I disagree, Laurence. The Dems can sit still and do nothing and still stay ahead of the Republicans as long as there is no major step forward in Iraq, and no new voice rises from the Republican party. G.W. was given too much room to run early on and now his party has to bail on him or lose in '08.
Comment by Bret White — January 15, 2007 @ 1:22 am