California Conservative

Based on this Washington Times article, it’s difficult to imagine how the Democrats’ leadership team could look more like a bunch of spoiled brats:

Democratic leaders rebuffed the invitation, saying they would not enter talks that include “preconditions” set by Mr. Bush. The offices of both Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said they will not meet under the current conditions. “It is difficult to imagine a meeting,” said Reid spokesman Jim Manley, adding that the president would have to reword his invitation before the congressional leaders would attend talks.

Jim Manley should tell his boss that he’s about to become political roadkill. He should tell Harry Reid that the American people aren’t amused by politicians playing games with troops fighting a war. Reid’s refusing President Bush’s invitation is likely to be seen as the actions of a spoiled brat.

C-SPAN ran the Senate Democrats’ press conference several times today. The thing that surprised me was Harry Reid acting like he had as big of a bully pulpit as President Bush has. He’s about to get taught a lesson the hard way. Reid is a somebody in Nevada but he’s a nobody nationally. He doesn’t even come close to having the name recognition that Nancy Pelosi has.

Mr. Bush was diplomatic when he invited members of both parties to the White House next week in an effort to move forward a pair of competing $100 billion bills passed by the House and Senate. The president had rejected both because each sets a timetable for U.S. troop withdrawal next year. “At this meeting, the leaders in Congress can report on progress on getting an emergency spending bill to my desk. We can discuss the way forward on a bill that is a clean bill, a bill that funds our troops without artificial timetables for withdrawal and without handcuffing our generals on the ground,” he said.

The American people don’t like the results of the Iraq War but they certainly aren’t as defeatist as the Democrats. That translates into a bad beating for the Democrats on this issue.

The White House, though, was more blunt about what it is looking for in the meeting. “This is not a negotiation,” said deputy press secretary Dana Perino.
But Democratic leaders, who have sought to wield the power of the purse, said Mr. Bush must negotiate if he wants to find a compromise. “He has got to deal with Congress,” said Mr. Reid, Nevada Democrat. “He’s got to listen to us. We are speaking for the American people. He is not.”

Reid is kidding himself if he thinks that he speaks for the American people. He doesn’t even speak for Senate Democrats. Barack Obama, Carl Levin and Chuck Schumer all have said that they expect the troops to get funded. Reid better start paying attention to Schumer or they’ll have a single session majority. Schumer knows that playing chicken with President Bush over the troops will turn Democrats into roadkill in 2008.

“The Democrats who pass these bills know that I’ll veto them, and they know that this veto will be sustained. Yet they continue to pursue the legislation. And as they do, the clock is ticking for our troops in the field,” said Mr. Bush, who maintains Congress is encroaching on his role as commander in chief. “These actions are only the beginning. And the longer Congress delays, the worse the impact on the men and women of the armed forces will be.”

I wish President Bush had cast the issue in this light long ago because he would’ve put Democrats on the defensive with this type of push.

“Our commanders have said they need the funds now,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said, adding that the Defense Department is preparing to reshuffle $1.6 billion to cover the immediate shortfall for the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. “The shortage has begun to kick in and to create problems in supplying adequate funding,” said the Kentucky Republican.
Mr. McConnell also said the delay may increase divisions among Democrats, who are split on how to move forward. “I know it’s kicked off a debate among Democrats on the advisability of cutting off funds for the troops,” he said. “This debate among Democrats is another reason why this could be dragged out entirely too long and needs to be dealt with now.”

This will cause some serious divisions between Senate Democrats and their MoveCongress.org supporters. That food fight won’t be pretty but it will be beautiful to Republicans watching Democrats form a circular firing squad.

Technorati Tags: Harry Reid, Barack Obama, Carl Levin, Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, DSCC, President Bush, Mitch McConnell, Military, GOP

Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 11th, 2007 at 2:21 am and is filed under Author: Gary Gross, Election 2008, Iraq, Military, Pelosi, Special Interests, Terrorism, W. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.