Purple Reign

As I was saying, the Dems are likely to sweep the board in grand style.  OK, I didn't say that, but you bet I might have.

So What Does It Mean?  I endorse the point made by Michelle Malkin that Republicans lost but conservatism did not.  One straw in the wind is that the ban on affirmative action passed in Michigan; the bale of hay blowing by is the number of conservative Democrats that unseated Republicans.  James Webb, who is poised to become the next Senator from Virginia, is not exactly your grandfather's progressive, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania is pro-life and the NY Times profiled several pro-gun, pro-life, pro-capital punishment (I'll bet) new Congressfolks such as Heath Shuler in North Carolina or Ted Strickland in Ohio.

So one of the important Washington story lines will be, who is Nancy Pelosi?  Is she a committed, unreconstructed Dinosaur-Lib or can she manage the tension between the newly elected conservative Purple Dems and the Dean-led "Democratic wing of the Democratic Party"?  She is surely shrewd enough to realize that her safe-seat uber-lib Chairman are not in touch with the swing district voters that helped the Dems regain their majority.  If Speaker Pelosi can manage these competing factions within her own party it will be great for America (and I am not worried.)

Time will tell.  But while we wait, we get a glimpse of both the battles and the solution from Christy Hardin-Smith of the firedogs, who rips into Rahm Emmanuel for saying that Democrats "cannot allow the party's liberal wing to dominate the agenda next year".

However, Ms. Smith also poses the solution, since she then demands that Henry Waxman be given free rein to investigate everything under the sun - Ms. Pelosi and Rahm Emmanuel can placate the loony left by giving them hearings but shouldn't allow them more than perfunctory involvement in the drafting of legislation.

Just a thought.

UPDATE:  If Miracle Max is with me, who will stand against me?  (OK, take a number...):

Rahmbo rulz..  I disagree with firedoglaker Christy and Mighty Atrios. Rahm said all the right things. One could hardly expect him to bellow, "To the wall, Yanqui!" Under present circumstances, nothing will get done that is not bipartisan.

MORE:  Eventually I hope to scratch out some thoughts on Two Dimensional Democrats - my notion is that the typical left/center/right breakdown fails to capture a key component of Democratic angst and that there are plenty of Dems who are not typical progresives or lefties on a range of policy questions but just want to see members of their party beat up on Bush.  I noted this in a recent Kerry post when I described the Fight Club Democrats.  The two dimensions are Policy and Pugnacity, but I will come back to this.

Comments

[clarice]

We will have a hard go of it holding a lamp up to all the skullduggery. What say you to encouraging a nationwide plan in which thousands say they will violate CFR limitations on free speech the next election? If the WaPo and NYT performance is any measure, CFR demands that the people sit by while the one party media and fake 527s dominate the news.

[Don]

I love it when guys who completely failed to predict what just happened opine with breezy certitude about what's about to happen.

[Pofarmer]

I suppose that since the Dims are all about corruption, they'll be looking into Senator Reed's(D-NV) land deals and ties to mob lawyers?

[Jane]

What's your prediction Don?

[TexasToast]

It's morning again in America.

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

[clarice]

I'm looking for a TM-Kaus ticket:The Get Real Party, if you will.

Kaus:

"Just Asking: What does it tell you about a political party if in a year of epic disaster for their opponents the best they can hope for is a 51-49 majority in the Senate? ... Update: Matt Yglesias says it tells us the Senate is constitutionally malapportioned. I agree. But that's still a problem for the Dems! And many readers email to point out that only a third of the Senate was up for election. That's true too. But it's also true that the Democrats have had other elections, with other Senate seats, to build a stronger majority and they haven't. ... The 2004 election, with its famous "wrong track" numbers, should have been good for the Democrats, while it's hard to imagine a more favorable climate than the current one. My point is, if this is the high water mark for the Dems in the Senate, it's a low high water mark. ... The same can probably be said for the House, though it's too early to tell exactly how big Pelosi's margin will be. ... 8:21 A.M."

[Geek, Esq.]

Dems shouldn't have much trouble keeping unity--the ability to duck potentially divisive votes is a major perk of majority status.

There will always be some netroots people thinking they can intimidate the powers-that-be. Those threats aren't worth the paper they're written on.

[shaman]

You people will hold on to any little shread of denial to say conservatism didn't lose.
Why was Arnold running as a Liberal?
Why did Steele have blue signs saying STEELE DEMOCRAT?

If you people would stop the denial and lying amongst yourselves,you may,some day,win something.

Enjoy BOTH back benches--LOSERS.

Gloat O' Meter/off

[Bob]

Don... Here's something anyone could have predicted!

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20061108/D8L8SCSG0.html>Hamas Chief: Truce With Israel Is Over

Looks like the Arab street now thinks the US has been neutered! I hope Pelosi can figure this out...

[Semanticleo]

"Ms. Pelosi and Rahm Emmanuel can placate the loony left by giving them hearings but shouldn't allow them more than perfunctory involvement in the drafting of legislation."

Placate the looney left?

REAL conservatives don't tolerate corruption
so is Maguire or Malkin see themselves as the conservatives who emerge unscathed in this bloodbath?

REAL conservatives should be screaming for
transparency even more than the 'looney left'

Get a grip on your self-righteous sublimations, Maguire. You, Reynolds and other so-called moderates cannot separate yourself from the conservative 'loonies' whom you shamelessly have enabled these 6 years.

[Sue]

If you people would stop the denial and lying amongst yourselves,you may,some day,win something.

::grin::

Gotta love 'em...their own party leaders are telling them the country just elected moderate to conservative democrats but they will argue to the bitter end that progressives won last night.

[shaman]

Weep,wail and gnash your teeth-LOSERS.

All you Limbaugh/Hannity/Malkin/etc. lovin neocons are through.
I,for one,am going to enjoy watching you cannibalize yourselves.

Gloat O' Meter/off

[Jane]

.their own party leaders are telling them the country just elected moderate to conservative democrats but they will argue to the bitter end that progressives won last night.

Emmanuel has pretty much thrown the progressives to the wolves. That probably explains the acute need for attention we are seeing today. It's the only ray of light in an otherwise dim day.

[Sue]

Weep,wail and gnash your teeth-LOSERS.

::grin:: Hard to keep a straight face, considering the wailing and gnashing of teeth has reached a crescendo in here.

[shaman]

Sue:

No matter 'what' was elected,progressive will be the direction we go.
Hey,I can't blame you neo's for wanting to make yourselves feel better after the 'thumpin' ' you took last night.
Try a couple Aspirin with your kool-aid.

Gloat O' Meter/off

[anonymous]

OK guys,fun's over lets get down to policy,what are we going to do about the WoT,a nuclear Iran,immigration,Iraq? Come on team,I know you want to try Bush before you shoot him,whatever,but there are things to do.

"You people will hold on to any little shread of denial to say".
If you misspell one more word Shaman, you idiot,you are going to get a slapped wrist.Being a butt buddy only gets you so far!

[Sue]

Jane,

The moonbats haven't figured out yet (well, FDL has, maybe we should point them in that direction) that Emmanuel set out to get moderate to conservative democrats to run. Heath Shuler, the new rep from NC, was courted by the republicans to run with a R (I bet he is glad he didn't do that ::grin::). There are lots more like him.

[Miracle Max]

Hey I'm pro-gun and pro-cap punishment. Two out of three ain't bad. Am I a conservative Democrat?

[hit and run]

I really really don't feel good at all today. Lethargic. Unmotivated.

Because of the election?

Uh, yeah.

Because of who won?

Uh, no.

Because I friggin' stayed up til 3 in the morning and got in to work before 7.

::YAWN:::::::Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Sue]

No matter 'what' was elected,progressive will be the direction we go.

You better hope you don't. Your reign will be short-lived.

[Sue]

Drudge is teasing that Bolton is the next to go.

[shaman]

'anonymous':

I can only assume that you are really Dale in Atlanta who has hi-jacked anonymous' good name.

Nice try,but you're too stupid to pull it off.

Gloat O' Meter/off

[vnjagvet]

To the trolls on the thread:

You all get to celebrate and gloat until January.

Then you must watch your elected leaders participate in governing rather than just kibitzing,campaigning, winning and gloating.

In order to do that in time of national peril, we'll see if your leadership is up to the task. In order to be up to the task, they will have to work with the Bush administration and vice versa.

What has up to now been kind of a game for your team is now deadly serious.

History will now judge them as closely as it will judge the Bush Administration for results.

We will be watching.

[jack]

"All you Limbaugh/Hannity/Malkin/etc. lovin neocons are through. I,for one,am going to enjoy watching you cannibalize yourselves."

Yes. Cannibalizing is exactly what is about to happen. In 2005 the repugs were assured they had nothing to worry about by the BushCo team. Now? Now they will see BushCo as completely incompetent. As light shines into the formerly opaque windows of the White House revealing the corruption and incompetence within the remaining repugs will be looking for something, anything, to save face. Impeachment will be their only option and they, as much as the dems, will initiate it.

[Semanticleo]

"they will have to work with the Bush administration and vice versa."

Yeah, but Bush has to learn the accepted definition of 'work with'. Hint: it's not
'do it my way, or else'

[anonymous]

Shamen,you cringing little wretch,it is Gloatometer,O'Meter is Irish.How dare you question my orders,no more "Brokeback Mountain" for you.
Nothing worse than an imbecilic sycophant.

[jack]

"In order to do that in time of national peril"

Oh, do you mean the neocon-manufactured islamobogey peril?

[shaman]

Jack:

You're so correct,my man.
I long for that day.

Gloat O' Meter/off

[anonymous]

Jackoff,
Will you get it right,they aren't "neo-cons",the new conservatives were former liberals.Sheesh,where did I get all these stupid minions? It's like the Three Stooges on acid.

[rrk]

I think this "mandate" can be filed under Be Careful What You Wish For.

Though it should be that the Democrats now must actually articulate policies, there is an alternative. The Smith's and Kos' in their closet will be banging the door down, so let the show trials begin (for the next two years).

[jack]

Shaman

I think we will witness the handing down of the first life sentence for an American president.

[shaman]

TROLL ALERT !!!

Someone [Dale in Atl.] has hi-jacked 'anonymous' respected and good moniker.

TROLL ALERT !!!

[jack]

anonymous

The drunken rant of topsecretk9 is unmistakeble. You don't fool anyone.

[anonymous]

Jack:

You're so correct,my man.
I long for that day.

By the sound of the hand job you are giving him,you've already had that day.

[shaman]

Jack:

On that day,the V.U. meters on my Gloat O' Meter will be off the charts. LOL

[Jack]

Shaman,
You can use you tongue slicker than a $20 whore.

[jack]

Have a good day Righties and neocons.

Just kidding. As usual, eat crap and die.

[shaman]

Jack:

I don't think it's k9,she is way too vague.

This depravity can only belong to Dale in Atl.
He is a impure inbred pervert.

[Enlightened]

"I love it when guys who completely failed to predict what just happened opine with breezy certitude about what's about to happen"

Uh you might want to rethink that. I do believe many conservatives predicted the loss in all their breezy certitude some time ago.

[rrk]

Perhaps it is now safe for shaman jack to preview their very own plan for the future?

[Enlightened]

It smells like s--t in here, the swamp must have emptied early today.

[azredneck]

The KosKids always expect everyone to act like they do. Sorry, guys. No weeping and wailing. No calls for investigations into election fraud. No accusations of stolen elections. We lost, pure and simple.
So what now? Identify the problems, prioritize and find solutions--what else? Enough of the rock throwing and lying spin.
GWOT, out of control spending, corruption and a continuous stream of 'gotcha' votes in both houses (almost on party lines, regardless of the subject) are my priorities. Let's roll--party's over,there's work to do! Mine & yours.
GWB made the first gesture this AM. Your turn!

[Shamen]

"As usual, eat crap and die".

Gee,Jack I didn't know you were into that,it's a bit far out for me.

[JM Hanes]

"Cannibalizing is exactly what is about to happen."

LOL! So far the only folks who have showed up looking to feast on conservatives are the trolls.

[Shamen]

The dying bit.

[Bill Arnold]

Re impeachment, this Democrat was happy (though surprised) to see their Republican congressperson go down, because her voting for Clinton's impeachment indelibly marked her as a partisan hack. (Revenge took a while). However, I will hold my new congressperson to the same standard of not wasting our time on nonsense, and am drafting a letter to him which says this.

[JM Hanes]

TexasToast:

If you actually make it this far down the thread, congrats to you and your guys. You won bigger than I thought you would (or wish you had), but Rahm Emmanuel sure pulled through -- which took some heavy lifting in his own party -- and if I were a better person, I'd even have to give Chuck Schumer points for the remarkable Senate turn around. You've done some heavy lifting on Tom's board yourself, and you deserve to enjoy this day. So, Cheers. In a good way.

[azredneck]

Thanks BA. That's a start. In return, I will wait in silence for my revenge--hopefully not as patiently as you did!
In the interim, what issues have you suggested that your congressperson concentrate on in not wasting OUR time??

[MayBee]

Do you all remember the ergonomics in the workplace bill the Dems tried to pass after the 2000 elections?
Please, I hope they don't try stuff like that again.

[Sue]

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/11/08/D8L92OB80.html>Democratic Priorities. Why did I think this wouldn't be # 1?

Military: Force an immediate drawdown of troops in Iraq and conduct oversight hearings on missteps on the war. The announcement Wednesday that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was resigning met Democratic demands that he step down to take responsibility for the situation in Iraq.

[Bill Arnold]

Bush wields a veto pen, and the Democratic majority will not be veto-proof.

[Sue]

Check the news alert at Fox:

Dow Industrials Post 12,176 Record Close, Boosted by Election Confidence

They didn't even wait until they took office to start giving dems the credit for a booming economy.

[MayBee]

Another dead meme: Incumbents have gerrymandered themselves into jobs for life.

[Tom Maguire]

I love it when guys who completely failed to predict what just happened opine with breezy certitude about what's about to happen.

I love it when Derek Jeter hits a home run in the at-bay following a strikeout.

I [opposite of love] it when A Rod sits in the dugout fuming about who knows what and strikes out again.

It's morning again in America.

MoUrning, thanks.

Gloat O' Meter/off

And yet it keeps coming back on - one might infer that "On" is the default setting.

Hey I'm pro-gun and pro-cap punishment. Two out of three ain't bad. Am I a conservative Democrat?

Miracle Max, we would be delighted to see you up as a Purple Dem but I don't think you are interested and I am pretty sure Hell has not quite frozen over yet.

[PeterUK]

May I congratulate the commenters of Jom for the mature and sportsmanlike way in which they have accepted this reversal.
I also extend my condolences to the people of Iraq.

[Tom Maguire]

Someone [Dale in Atl.] has hi-jacked 'anonymous' respected and good moniker.

Am I reading this? Now we have anonymously jumped an anonymous shark.

But just for grins, someone tell me - is the "anonymous" we see here the same "anonymous" I see on other boards?

[Tom Maguire]

You've done some heavy lifting on Tom's board yourself, and you deserve to enjoy this day. So, Cheers. In a good way.

Nicely articulated JM - I second that emotion.

[Don]

I wasn't being sarcastic Mr. Maguire-I really love it.

Jane-as to my prediction-well I won't wax too philosophical but something new is going to be born.

The old style Tom Foley/Dan Rostenkowski Democrats are dead. If Pelosi tries to revive that, it's curtains. OTOH the old Reagan "government is the problem" mantra is also dead.

What's to emerge for the 21st century is a politics of managerial competence and minimalist intrusion into private affairs-a melding of the best the Dems and Repubs had to offer for the last 50 years.

Now, if you guys thought I like to rip Republicans, hell, I can't wait to trash Democrats. That's how I was raised!

[Pofarmer]

What's to emerge for the 21st century is a politics of managerial competence and minimalist intrusion into private affairs-a melding of the best the Dems and Repubs had to offer for the last 50 years.

That sounds all flowery and all. But untill I see some proof, I ain't buyin the pudding. Color this MO redneck skeptical.

[PeterUK]

"What's to emerge for the 21st century is a politics of managerial competence and minimalist intrusion into private affairs-a melding of the best the Dems and Repubs had to offer for the last 50 years."

You might want to look at the EU model," politics of managerial competence and minimalist intrusion into private affairs",can't be,won't be done,it is against the nature of the beast,history is going the other way.

[Specter]

Well...gotta laugh at the netroots - nutroots like shaman, jack et. al. Remember that Lamont was your shining light for the "progressive" movement. Guess what - he got his ass whooped by a moderate - and not only that but a moderate that said he would not be beholden to either party. How's that grab ya?

[ghostcat]

Three points:

1. Both the Rep and Dem cauci in the House will become more conservative ... not less ... in January.

2. A CNN poll released last week had a considerable majority of Americans thinking goverment is too big.

3. Exit polls yesterday had a similar majority identifying the Reps as the party of Big Government.

Stir vigorously and contemplate.

[Barney Frank]

What's to emerge for the 21st century is a politics of managerial competence and minimalist intrusion into private affairs-a melding of the best the Dems and Repubs had to offer for the last 50 years.

Ahistorical.

[Appalled Moderate]

The noteworthy thing about this wave is that it brought in some conservative democrats (while sweeping out moderate republicans). The end result may be that hard left people, or the just simply inappropriate (Alcee Hastings) will not get the wrong Committee chairmanships.

Also, maybe Bush (and the current jackass who runs the Sadrite government in Iraq) actually finally received a message he could understand about Iraq.

Who knows. The Dems did better than I thought they would, so I am modertely pleased.

[Jane]

What's to emerge for the 21st century is a politics of managerial competence and minimalist intrusion into private affairs-a melding of the best the Dems and Repubs had to offer for the last 50 years.

Yeah, I'm sure that is speaker freeze-face's first goal!That sure is the goal of the woman who has let jefferson sit in office after finding $90k in his freezer. You know the one who wants Alcee hastings to chair the intelligence committee. You know the one that says NOW she can come up with a solution in Iraq.

She has no interest in your little model. But I suspect knew that when you voted.

[Terrye]

It just amazes me how these troll things can get their asses handed to them year after year and then they get one victory {up one in the Senate whoopeeeeee} and they just go nuts. Acting like bad children and jumping around. Truth is the Dems won in spite of them and not because of them.

for now. There is always tomorrow.

[SteveMG]

Congrats to the Dems.
Seems to me that one thing they must do is reward their liberal/left supporters. After all, they've been keeping things together these past five years.

Lots of investigations - Waxman may get his own show on MSNBC - to be sure.

And that's not a phony "please, please do this" argument. Gotta' reward your friends.

Though, I'd love to be a botox particle on a certain person's face during one of those meetings when James Webb and Barbara Boxer discuss the role of women in the military.

Might be an interesting conversation.

Yeah, had to get a cheap shot in.

SMG

[Don]

Jane-you're such a firecracker-its so hot. You know why Repubs lost?

You surely voted Repub in 1994. So did I. We birthed these bastards, honey!

But I disinherited the ungrateful little fuckups a long time ago, while you kept making excuses for their bribery, credit card theft, and pedophilia all the way till the cops came and hauled their sorry asses into the sunset.

Congresspeople aren't heroes-they're belligerent pack animals who have to be whipped mercilessly to get any use out of them.

I won't be cutting the 110th any slack whatsoever. If you guys had spewed some of your venom on the 109th-they might still have the majority.

[SteveMG]

Oh yeah, one more thing.

Where's the hell Bin Laden when we really need you?!

Man. Geez, the CIA and Reagan give you all that money, we let you take credit for knocking down a couple of buildings, and when we really have to have you deliver, you're nowhere to be found.

Don't make terrorists like they used to, that's for damned sure.

SMG

[rrk]

This is what I call exciting: a conservative-democrat infusion hands the gavel to a conservative speaker (just ask her constituents), with the Kos chorale cuing up.

[crosspatch]

I hear Jefferson is taking Pelosi freezer shopping next weekend.

[MayBee]

Oh man.
I just read on FDL that Pelosi called Christy Hardin Smith to say thank you.

[PeterUK]

SteveMG,
Times have moved on,that's "suicide botox" you are looking at,one raised eyebrow out of place....

[Bill Arnold]

Specter - Guess what - he got his ass whooped by a moderate - and not only that but a moderate that said he would not be beholden to either party.
Lieberman was pushed over the hump mostly by Republicans - they mostly didn't vote for the designated Republican. (There was a generous contingent of independents and some Democrats as well). It was (or should have been) the obvious outcome, but spinning it as a victory of moderation is silly.

[Sue]

One of the headlines at Yahoo reads
Voting system worked, with some hiccups". Anyone want to guess what the headline would have been had republicans maintained majorities?

[Jane]

Don,

Nice dodge!

[Lesley]

Geez.

I've observed an interesting phenomenon on this thread: the sore winner.

[Fahagie]

It's not fair. We're not supposed to blame the voters. We're not supposed to make wild conspiracy claims. We're not supposed to map out Diebold's senior management to check for overlaps with the Dem party.

I'm switching to the Dems. They're better at losing.

[Specter]

BA,

Don't be absurd. If the election was about moving "progressives" into office, Lamont would have won no matter what. It is your side of the world that is saying the sweep was a "mandate" for "progressives". Don't make excuses - the fact is that a moderate who will be beholden to no party won. Not Unready Neddy - he got his butt kicked. Remember, CT is truly a blue state. The fact is that most of the Dems who won ran on much more conservative platforms than "progressives".

[ajacksonian]

Luckily I had no dogs in this fight, because the real loser is the American People saddled with a Two Party System that CANNOT drag itself out of the 20th century. That was the majority who didn't vote and it is a vote of No Confidence. And that silence speaks louder than any words I have heard from either Party.

[Sue]

http://corner.nationalreview.com/>Nancy Pelosi just told Brit Hume that the war in Iraq is "not a war to be won but a situation to be solved."

[Sue]

And that silence speaks louder than any words I have heard from either Party.

I haven't seen the figures, but I heard the republican turnout was around 40%. Not enough to stem the tide. And the independents broke to the left. All of which is kind of an obvious statement.

[lonetown]

Although I would have greatly preferred the Reps keeping majorities even I have to admit, it would be hard to outspend them.

I think if the Dems go off on multiple investigations that would be a mistake on their part. And I think if the Reps adapt the Dem strategy of non-deal making that would be a mistake.

That being said watch ut for a "comprehensive" immigration plan, more weak pee on the SCOTUS, and some medical socialism.

No tort reform - never was going to happen anyway.
And we'll probably ditch Iraq (shame on us).

[Extraneus]

Speaking of Lamont, Joe Lieberman must be seriously thinking about his options tonight.

[Sue]

I can live with a democratic majority (it would seem I have no choice, but that is beside the point). What I ache for is the loss of judges and Iraq. Look for Stevens to step down soon. He won't wait until 2008 and a possible democratic president. And Iraq is gone. Murtha is being courted for the Appropriations Committee. To reward him for not challenging Hoyer.

[PeterUK]

If there was a low turnout,this was partly voter alienation,partly protest vote.Very similar to local elections here,,voters will protest as above but also by giving their votes to independants,these things change for a general election quite drastically.
Not a vote of confidence for the Republicans,who should adopt a stance of sweet reasonableness and cooperation,allowing the Democrats to to tie themselves in knots placating the extreme left.
The only serious downside is the fate of Iraq.

[Sue]

It seems a number of republicans in VA voted for Webb.

[TexasToast]

Sue

What is wrong with a moderate judge? Bush isn't going to appoint the second coming of William O. Douglas - but the new senate won't approve a mini-me Scalia.

Sandy O'Conner looks about right.

Iraq?

Would someone on the right define "winning" in a way that does not require the Iraqis to become children of the enlightenment?

[anonymous]

There is always tomorrow.

Posted by: Terrye | November 08, 2006 at 03:12 PM

Not if "the smoking gun ... [is] a mushroom cloud." (Condaleeza Rice)

Now, those who will -- go and enjoy your victory; and those who must -- stay and mourn your loss; but let us all remember the 1st Commandment:

Thou shalt not take the name Anonymous in vain.

[Extraneus]

Sure, I can define "winning," and we already did. The objective (official U.S. policy as of 1998, I believe, and more recently implemented with the approval of quite a few of these same forgetful Democrats) was to change the regime, and implicit in that was to help them get a democratically elected government in place. All of this was accomplished with a minimal loss of life, especially on the American side. The only thing left is to help the government until they can secure themselves and their country from enemies both foreign and domestic. The only problem with this last part is that the Democrats have essentially allied themselves with these same enemies.

One difference between now and Vietnam is the "new" media, which won't quite so easily allow the Democrats to get away with abandoning innocent people to the horrors that awaited the Vietnamese and Cambodians when these same "anti-war" agitators prevailed last time.

[Jane]

Sandy O'Connor doesn't look right for one reason - she makes it up when she doesn't have the law on her side. I've no issue with her politics, I do have an issue with applying them, without precedent on the bench.

[Sue]

What is wrong with a moderate judge?

Nothing. Your idea of a moderate judge is a liberal judge. Mine is a strict constitutionalist. Scalia-like.

Would someone on the right define "winning" in a way that does not require the Iraqis to become children of the enlightenment?

We won the war. Do you think leaving Iraq is the answer? Are you willing to allow AQ another Afghanistan base of operation? This time with oil revenues instead of poppies? What do you see happening there once we pull out?

[Extraneus]

See Sue, that's one more thing Bush should be blamed for, and probably the biggest. When he strode across that carrier in his dashing flight-suit, the "war" was won. All else was what used to be called a "mopping up" operation, and not that much different from previous aftermaths. Only he didn't ever say this or make the point. Instead, he allowed the continued use of the "war" moniker, which so many liberals like to use for their own ends. How he didn't see this is kind of a testament to his limitations as a strategist, but it is what it is.

[anonymous]

Considering the historic 'bumper crop' of poppies grown in Afghanistan last year (under U.S./NATO occupation) a dysfunctional petroleum industry may not seem so attractive.

And we are already seeing the beginning of a veritable flood of low-priced heroin in Europe and the United States.

Viva Bush !

[Sue]

See Sue, that's one more thing Bush should be blamed for, and probably the biggest.

He did make that point. Repeatedly. It got drowned in the photo op gone bad. Whoever had that idea should have had their ears lopped off.

I am watching a political announcement on tv about the situation in Darfur. Rapes and killings. Asking Bush to do something. I want to know what the difference is between the people of Darfur and the people of Iraq?

[SunnyDay]

Bush didn't go to Darfur - therefore he should have. He did go to Iraq, therefore he shouldn't have.

That's the way it is.

Listened to Schumer bitching that Bush never told them anything, they couldn't help with Iraq. Well, unnhhhhhhh maybe if you weren't going on TV and calling him a liar, Mr. Schumer.

I wonder if these tactics will continue.

[Extraneus]

He did make that point. Repeatedly.

That the "war" in Iraq was over and won? If so I stand corrected. I guess the message just never hit me directly enough through the haze of opportunistic politics.

[Extraneus]

Sorry, I didn't mean "over," just won.

[lurker]

Nancy Pelosi just told Brit Hume that the war in Iraq is "not a war to be won but a situation to be solved."

And she supposedly wants to send more troops to Iraq.

Boy, that's gonna be another fight between her and Murtha.

[Sue]

Ex,

Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed. (Applause.) And now our coalition is engaged in securing and reconstructing that country.

The problem Bush had and has is the democrats change from day to day on whether or not we are at 'war' in Iraq. If it suits them we are. If it doesn't we aren't. As Pelosi said today, it isn't a war it is a situation.