Talking Points

There is a new right-wing talking point going around about yesterday's vote in the House- that the Democrats are being hypocrites of democracy because of their outrage that the Republicans put withdrawal up for a vote. I have seen this in a few places, the latest of which is a blog post by conservative commentator Carol Platt Liebau. She states, "Having lied for months, if not years, about the President and the way the war in Iraq began, Democrats are now outraged -- outraged! -- that the Republicans actually forced them to do what elected representatives are supposed to do, i.e. vote on whether the USA should withdraw from Iraq."

Like all recent right-wing critiques against those against the war (ie. those coming from the White House), this one is big on hysteria and short on facts. Liebau's point would actually be a very valid one... if they were debating/voting on Murtha's withdrawal resolution. As I stated earlier today, they were not. The Republicans ignored Murtha's resolution and introduced their own BS resolution with completely different language (ignoring his 'earliest practical date' stuff and just making it as insensible as possible so everyone would have to vote no). Now that is not what I call democracy. This was not a real vote. If it had been, yes the Democrats would be wrong to cry foul. But this is merely a cheap political stunt meant to discredit those in the House in favor of withdrawal. I would hope, for their sake, that the Republicans can do better than this. The President and his administration, having lied for months, if not years, about the way the war in Iraq began, will need all the allies they can get.

I await Ms. Liebau's new column insulting the whiny General Casey.