The Crawford Kid is still alive and well
Mac's Mind blog
By Macranger on 9/11
There is a interesting sub-story developing within this story:
"Democrats in Congress left a White House meeting with President Bush on Friday frustrated over what they perceived as his reluctance to embrace major recommendations from the bipartisan Iraq Study Group.
Democrats stressed to Bush in separate meetings the dire need for the administration to revamp its Iraq policy, but they don't expect him to embrace all 79 recommendations made this week by the panel, which was chaired by former Secretary of State James Baker and former Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Ind.
Bush said he talked about "the need for a new way forward in Iraq" in his morning session with leaders from both parties and chambers of Congress, "and we talked about the need to work together on this important subject."
But some Democrats came away unconvinced that major changes were coming.
"I just didn't feel there today, the president in his words or his demeanor, that he is going to do anything right away to change things drastically," Senate Majority Leader-elect Harry Reid, D-Nev., said following the Oval Office meeting. "He is tepid in what he talks about doing. Someone has to get the message to this man that there have to be significant changes."
Awww,….."Harry Reid, Abramoff on line one, he wants his parking tickets validated".
Anyway, buried in this story is this line this key thought:
"Bush had a friendlier afternoon meeting with leaders from the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of 44 conservative House Democrats united primarily on fiscal conservatism. Bush apparently was feeling them out to see if their political agenda could dovetail with his. But even they stressed that they expect to see him revamp Iraq policy.
"Obviously, he was most passionate in defending his position on Iraq," said Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark. "But we made it clear to him that the American people are ready for a new direction in Iraq. I think he's open to that. Maybe not all 79, but I think you'll see some of the recommendations from the Iraq Study Group implemented in the coming months."
Earth to Democats, you don't "expect" anything on the President of the United States, nor "make clear" anything to him. He's the Commander in Chief and calls the shots on the military and the war. Class over.
That aside, if you've notice this isn't the first time that the President has courted the Blue Dogs and it won't be the last. As you should know by now Bush isn't a true conservative, but more to the middle ground on fiscal and other domestic issues. The blue dogs want nothing to do with the uber moonbats like Pelosi and Reid and Durbin. If they are smart they will see that working with Bush could be mutually rewarding, although NOT along the grounds of national security. If they think Bush is going to budge on his principles they might as well pack it in now. Frankly, I don't see it as a deal breaker. The President in a time of war holds the trump, thats just the way it is.
But remember this is how Bush governed while in Texas and working with a Democratic legislature. This could be better than even winning the election and if he can get Lieberman to tilt the balance the next two years will be anything but a lame duck. |
