Target Rumsfeld
After all the moves by Republicans to "get the Democrats on record" through meaningless votes, I think this is a great move to turn the tables.
Would every Republican who thinks Donald Rumsfeld has done a good job please raise their hand? Could you take a step to the left Senator? I need better light if I'm going to put this in the campaign commercial.
Would every Republican who thinks Donald Rumsfeld has done a good job please raise their hand? Could you take a step to the left Senator? I need better light if I'm going to put this in the campaign commercial.
posted by mikevotes at
8:16 AM
9 Comments:
It is a good political move. And w/ Republicans like Chris Shays now copting the Ned Lamont line on Iraq, I bet some Republicans will join w/ Dems on this vote of no conficdence. That's if the vote happens.
By
Reality-Based Educator, at 12:43 PM
Yeah, they're gonna fight it like crazy. I don't know enough about the parliamentary maneuvers, but I would bet that they can at the very least force a couple of awkwadrd moves from the Repubs as they try to block this.
My question is, wouldn't this be more likely to get done if it had been sprung as a surprise? Who leaked?
Mike
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mikevotes, at 12:54 PM
Maybe it would have had a better chance of passing if they'd sprung it, but I think they might want some of the press on this and show just how divided Republicans are on the war now. Think about this: just three months ago, back in may, the repubs were shoving a a non-binding resolution on Bush's "Stand and Bleed" war policy down the Congress' collective throat and calling anybody who didn't agree with the policy traitors and cut-and-runners. Now suddenly some Republicans (albeit just a few like Hagel and Shays) are defecting from that policy and calling for troop withdrawl timetable. It's good politics for Dems to do this and let's face it, they do good politcs so rarely that they have to ride it when they can.
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Reality-Based Educator, at 3:44 PM
That's a good point, that doing it this way forces the question into every interview, even if the amendment is blocked and doesn't come to a vote.
It forces the discussion back into their camp, and points out their division.
I think you're right.
(And I can't say how happy I am that my "stand and bleed" phrase stuck with somebody.)
Mike
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mikevotes, at 4:15 PM
Here's the "stand and bleed" link.
http://bornatthecrestoftheempire.blogspot.com/2006/06/cut-and-run-or-stand-and-bleed.html
Mike
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mikevotes, at 4:38 PM
I thought "Stand and Bleed" stated the issue perfectly.
BTW, Stuart Rothenberg is now predicting that Democrats will retake the House in November. He upped his estimate of likely Democratic gains from 8-12 seats to 15-20 seats. Check out rothenbergpoliticalreport.blogspot.com/ for the details.
The political winds continue to blow against Repubs. No guarantees for November, but when Rothenberg ups his estimates to 15-20 seats for the Dems, holy shit. And only 74 days to go for Rove and Company to try and change the wind direction.
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Reality-Based Educator, at 8:01 PM
I saw that with some joy.
I'm still hesitant to call it until game day, as the Republicans have the ability to actually create the news.
Right now I'm viewing it as you describe it. Favorable winds. It all looks good, but we're a long way from port.
(Is that enough metaphors?)
I'll be really curious if there is a changeover whether the Dems will play it straight and really hold investigations, or whether they will wield them as a political club to be traded for favors.
Mike
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mikevotes, at 8:51 PM
There's an interesting piece in the NY Times tomorrow that says if Dems win back the House they may not hand out committee chairs by seniority alone but bring in other factors like merit and history of helping the party. The Times says this is Pelosi's way of throwing water on the GOP scare tactic that a chairman Conyers will bring articles of impeachment against the preznit on january 21st. It's smart politics for Pelosi to do this, but I also wonder what that means for potential investigations/oversight into the Iraq war, the attempted cooking of the Iran intel, etc.
And you're right, we are a long way from port. But port is getting closer and closer and Rove only has ten weeks left to try and change the dynamic of the election. And right now, that dynamic (negative for incumbents, really negative for Repubs) seems pretty locked in.
We'll see. It's a helluva place to be in late August, I know that. But Rove's created miracles before.
By
Reality-Based Educator, at 11:01 PM
I think that's a really good point about trying to defuse the Republican campaign, but it may also be used the way the Republicans did it to appoint "friendly" chairmen Like Joe Barton who is so deep in the oil companies' pockets.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 7:16 AM
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