LesserFool
01-24-2005, 02:48 PM
http://www.ariannaonline.com/columns/column.php?id=755
This will be the third time since the war began that the president has come to the Hill looking to refill his Iraqi coffers. The last two times, congressional Democrats helped rubber-stamp his requests, forking over $152 billion in military funding. The time has come for Democratic leaders to say: "Not this time, Mr. President."
This is indeed what Democrats should do. But, if they do, it will be in their usual incompetent way with no plan for how to deal with the public relations (PR) fallout. For whatever reason, the Democrats have not figured out the PR mastery of this administration. Maybe it's because they think Bush is too dumb to outsmart them. Whatever the reason, the fact is that Democrats are repeatedly put on the defensive whenever they take a principled stand. This time will be no different.
Don't think Karl Rove isn't ready for this. Democrats will be smothered in charges of "not supporting the troops." Bush will use the bully-pulpit to browbeat the Democrats for "obstructing the spread of democracy." And GOP campaign managers will be plotting how best to use the vote against Democrats in 2006. And Democrats will sit around wondering what the heck hit them.
For better or worse, it's all about public perception. As long as Democrats ignore or lose the perception game (and that's what it is, a game), these kind of votes will seal their fate. Just ask Max Cleland. If the GOP can successfully depict a man with limbs blown off in Vietnam as "voting against the troops," they have the will and capacity to destroy any public official.
This will be the third time since the war began that the president has come to the Hill looking to refill his Iraqi coffers. The last two times, congressional Democrats helped rubber-stamp his requests, forking over $152 billion in military funding. The time has come for Democratic leaders to say: "Not this time, Mr. President."
This is indeed what Democrats should do. But, if they do, it will be in their usual incompetent way with no plan for how to deal with the public relations (PR) fallout. For whatever reason, the Democrats have not figured out the PR mastery of this administration. Maybe it's because they think Bush is too dumb to outsmart them. Whatever the reason, the fact is that Democrats are repeatedly put on the defensive whenever they take a principled stand. This time will be no different.
Don't think Karl Rove isn't ready for this. Democrats will be smothered in charges of "not supporting the troops." Bush will use the bully-pulpit to browbeat the Democrats for "obstructing the spread of democracy." And GOP campaign managers will be plotting how best to use the vote against Democrats in 2006. And Democrats will sit around wondering what the heck hit them.
For better or worse, it's all about public perception. As long as Democrats ignore or lose the perception game (and that's what it is, a game), these kind of votes will seal their fate. Just ask Max Cleland. If the GOP can successfully depict a man with limbs blown off in Vietnam as "voting against the troops," they have the will and capacity to destroy any public official.