Through a little effort on this Blog and others, the Bush Straw Man on "benchmarks" has now been blown up. Benchmarks, of course, were Bush's idea in the first place and finally that came back to haunt him. Now, it seems his Veto might also. As several of us said right after the Veto, call it a game and let Bush stew in his own juice. He had the money in his pocket and rejected it. Had he said yes, he'd have the money, blown off the benchmarks and timeline and all would be just as he wanted it. This stupid move on his part seems to be the last straw for a lot of people on the Right. He could have continued the War, lied enough about Benchmarks to keep the Dems away at the same time being able to claim he "heard the people", and strung out his Surge to the end of his term. But no, Mr. Tough Guy had to use a Veto, because nobody tells him what to do. Even himself.
Posted by T2 at May 14, 2007 11:45 AMThis is purely a gut feeling, but I think that the Republicans are torn - they know that the only way to hang on to power is to stick together, and if they start fracturing on Iraq, they'll lose that power. But they also know the longer they keep backing this war, and covering up for the corrupt amongst them (most of them, I'm sure, had their hands in the cookie jar), the more they alienate themselves from their voters. I wouldn't be surprised if Rove or Cheney's got the goods on a lot of them, and they're not able to break away without their crimes, infidelities or embarrassments becoming public.
Posted by iamcoyote at May 14, 2007 12:30 PM"I want to assure you, if they vote to ask us to leave, we'll be glad to comply with their request."
This is a pretty bold bluff from Repubber McConnell, given that a small majority of the parliament now favors a withdrawal date being set. I suppose we know that Bush/Maliki doesn't favor this, it can't come around to bite the Repubs in the ass.
BTW, Repubbers, if we're staying there so they don't follow us home, and because we're preventing a "full scale" civil and regional war, and because we don't want to give a propaganda victory to bin ladin (who will say we "cut an' ran!"), all of these supposed reasons for staying will still exist after the Iraqi parliament votes for a withdrawal date. So how could we possibly "comply", Repub Clowns?
Mitch Mac, how are you gonna re-spin all your past Repub parade of horribles after we're told, "Get out"?
Posted by euzoius at May 14, 2007 12:50 PMiamcoyote, I think you are right to a point. Remembering that we are, after all, dealing with politicians, at least some percentage of them are actually decent, thinking people. I think they are appalled, but are, as you say, a prisoner of their Party for now. How many of them are at the Hagel Point is anyone's guess. But on the other point, I think that probably many of them have as much on Rove and Cheney as vice versa. Truth is, and everyone knows it, most of D.C. would love to see Karl and Dirty Dick thrown to the dogs. Confronting Bush with Cheney absent is one thing. When a group of representative GOPer congressmen go to Cheney and publically read him the riot act....then I'll believe the cookie is about to crumble.
Posted by T2 at May 14, 2007 12:53 PMWhen those fucktard republi-cons start voting against bu$h is when I'll believe them!
Posted by Seven of Six at May 14, 2007 01:03 PMT2, you're right, confronting Bush is nuthin' since he's the figurehead in more ways than one. I'd love to see just one Rep. or talking head or anyone tell Cheney bullshit to his face when he spews his lies - but they've all seen what happens when you cross Darth. I have no doubt he'd find a way to plant a little kid in the traitor's bed just to get back at the troublemaker.
SoS, you're absolutely right. You just can't believe them when they say something. It's what they do and how they vote that counts.
Posted by iamcoyote at May 14, 2007 01:26 PMWhen those fucktard republi-cons start voting against bu$h is when I'll believe them!
Exactly. The single most amoral group of people living on this planet, supporters included. The only difference between a republi-con and a bucket full of shit is the bucket.
Posted by phidipides at May 14, 2007 05:16 PM