Say Anything Blog

Oh they’re still needlessly pessimistic, and more interested in partisan gain than finishing the mission in Iraq, they’ve just had to shift their criticism away from the security situation in Iraq and onto the political situation.

Democratic leaders in Congress had planned to use August recess to raise the heat on Republicans to break with President Bush on the Iraq war. Instead, Democrats have been forced to recalibrate their own message in the face of recent positive signs on the security front, increasingly focusing their criticisms on what those military gains have not achieved: reconciliation among Iraq’s diverse political factions.

This is commonly known as “moving the goalposts.”

What is perhaps even more interesting, however, is crumbling Democrat support for Pelosi and Reid’s withdraw-at-any-cost mantra.  Especially among Democrats who have, you know, actually gone to Iraq (Wall Street Journal subscription link):

The Kansas City Star‘s “The Buzz,” for example, reports Democratic Rep. Brian Baird “saw enough progress on the ground that he will no longer vote for binding withdrawal timelines.” Rep. Jerry McNerney “suggested that his trip to Iraq made him more flexible in his search for a bipartisan accord on the war.” Also changing his tune is Rep. Tim Mahoney of Florida, who says the troop increase ‘has really made a difference and really has gotten al-Qaida on their heels.

There are Democrats interested in the truth in Iraq, and interested in completing our mission.  It’s just too bad those Democrats aren’t in charge of the party right now.