Strong antiwar comments in recent days by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean have opened anew a party rift over Iraq, with some lawmakers warning that the leaders' rhetorical blasts could harm efforts to win control of Congress next year. - Washington Post

Well, I wouldn't know why the Democrats should be so concerned with what they said. I thought Nancy and Howard's sentiments were the same as the rest of America. Only unintelligent rednecks would think otherwise.

The critics said that comment could reinforce popular perceptions that the party is weak on military matters and divert attention from the president's growing political problems on the war and other issues.

Have you ever heard the saying, "Perception is reality?" Well, how is that any different than this case? In the case of the Democrats, this isn't a perception, it's a matter of record.

The president's "growing political problems on the war and other issues" are only problems because of these same Democrats who are worried about how we perceive them (with the exception of the border).

"What I want Democrats to be discussing is what the president's policies have led to," Emanuel said. He added that once discussion turns to a formal timeline for troop withdrawals, "the how and when gets buried" and many voters take away only an impression that Democrats favor retreat.

I would like proof that the Democrats do not favor retreat. With Murtha's recent comments and Howard Dean's, why should any of us have reason to believe otherwise?

Democrats, who have not controlled the White House since 2000 and the House in more than a decade, have tried over the past year to put aside deep philosophical differences and rally behind a two-pronged strategy to return to power: Highlight the growing number of GOP scandals and score Bush's unpopular war management.

Pardon me if I don't sense a bit of hypocrisy in that statement. Let's take a look at some Democrat scandals. In fact, let's just take a look at the last president's scandals.

I'll even take Monica Lewinsky out of the picture. Monica is not even the 'tip of the iceberg'

Here is just a taste of that list, as quoted from The Capitalist Conservative Republican Homepage:

Whitewater

• Cattlegate
• Nannygate
• Helicoptergate
• Travelgate
• Gennifer Flowersgate
• Filegate
• Vince Fostergate
• Juanita Broaddrick gate
• Pardongate

That list is not even close to complete, mind you.

The war is only unpopular to those who want Bush to fail. If Bush fails, Democrats win. What the Democrats fail to realize, however, is that if Bush fails in this war on terror, we all lose.

This isn't a U.N. mission Clinton would be quick to jump on if the moment looked right. This is our security. If the Democrats cannot understand that, they have no business running our country.

Copyright 2005 - John St. Michael

1. Jim VandeHei and Shalaigh Murray. Democrats Fear Backlash at Polls for Antiwar Remarks. Washington Post, The. 7 December 2005. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/06/AR2005120601707_pf.html

2. The Clinton(gate) Administration. The Capitalist Conservative Republican. 1998-1999. http://members.tripod.com/~GOPcapitalist/clinton-scandals.html

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