The Goalpost-Shifting Of The Democrats
I decided to follow up yesterday's Five Myths piece with another look at Harry Reid and Nancy "No-Show" Pelosi. The inconsistencies between Democratic positions on the Iraq war in just a matter of weeks are astonishing, once one does a little research. It was just in January that Democrats scolded the White House for not listening to its generals. In at least one case, the vacillation occurs within the same interview.
For instance, here's what the two Democratic leaders had to say earlier in the year:
* Senate Democrats voted unanimously to confirm General Petraeus in January.
foxnews.com
* “Listen to the generals.” - Sen. Harry Reid, 01/19/2007
prnewswire.com
* “If the President won't listen to generals, he won't listen to the American people, who have spoken for a new direction, then perhaps he will listen to us, Congress, when we send him a supplemental bill that acknowledges reality in Iraq.” - Reid, 03/26/2007
transcripts.cnn.com
• “Just listen to the generals.” - Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 02/27/07
• transcripts.cnn.com;
Got all that? Now here's a few more quotes from the last ten days for comparison:
* “The Pentagon first approached Armed Services Committee aides to set up a briefing [with General Petraeus], but panel aides said they were “too busy” to schedule a meeting next week, the administration official said. A second attempt to set up a briefing with the Speaker’s office was likewise declined.” - Roll Call, 04/18/2007
rollcall.com;
* “Initially, some Democrats rejected the offer to meet with General Petraeus, but said they changed their minds to avoid being cast as unwilling to compromise.” - NYTimes, 04/19/2007
And for those looking for constancy in Democratic leadership even within a single day, we get nothing but disappointment:
* He's the man on the ground there now. … I agree with General Petraeus. … …I stick with General Petraeus. … He's the commander on the ground there.” – Reid on Gen. Petraeus, 4/23/07
• “I don’t believe him.” - Reid on Petraeus in the same interview
• transcripts.cnn.com;
•
So we should listen to the generals but avoid meeting with them, and support the commander in the field but not believe him. That sums up the Democrats on the war since they took control of Congress. There's been room for plenty of criticism about the war strategies in Iraq over the past sixteen months when insurgencies started becoming much more deadly, but the vacillation of the Democrats serves as a reminder of why American voters don't trust them with national security.
Posted by Ed Morrissey at 11:10 AM
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