Reid Unmoved by Calls For Iraq Compromise

[bigtree]

Top Senate Democrats Expect GOP to Face Rising Public Pressure to Withdraw Troops

Washington Post
Friday, July 20, 2007; Page A04

Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid offered no apologies yesterday for his decision to reject compromise efforts to alter President Bush's Iraq strategy that had the support of a growing number of Republicans.

"We did the very best we could," the senator from Nevada said in response to criticism that he had cut off debate on Wednesday just as a bipartisan consensus on milder Iraq proposals was emerging. "I strongly believe we should have a bipartisan foreign policy." But he added: "We need to do something to change the course of the war."

Although Reid's strategy won him praise from antiwar advocates who are demanding that Congress do nothing less than force an end to the conflict, it has painted him as being as much of a hard-liner for ending the war as the president is in arguing that it is too soon to bring the troops home.

The Democratic leader's unyielding stance has frustrated many lawmakers, who had hoped the Iraq debate would avoid the partisan pitfalls that have stymied so much legislation in recent years in the narrowly divided Senate. He angered many Republicans when he called a rare, all-night debate on the war Tuesday that lasted 24 hours, until Wednesday morning when the GOP refused to give up its filibuster of a Democratic troop-withdrawal measure.

But Reid's leadership team has placed a bet that -- after a month-long recess at home with voters in August, followed by a Sept. 15 assessment of the war's progress from Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq -- Senate Republicans will feel the pressure to give up and endorse stringent Democratic withdrawal timelines.

more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/19/AR2007071902627_pf.html

[babylonsister]

1. Good, good, good! nt

[wryter2000]

10. I'm with you.

Better, and better, and better. The Dems are finally standing up. No more compromises with people who have no intention of compromising back.

[JacquesMolay]

15. Damn, he's showing some backbone. Stand right in their f***ing faces ...

... and don't flinch. Go Reid!

[tonkatoy57]

2. As Predictable As the Sun Rising in the East

I love this part: “it has painted him as being as much of a hard-liner for ending the war as the president is in arguing that it is too soon to bring the troops home”

And this: “The Democratic leader's unyielding stance has frustrated many lawmakers, who had hoped the Iraq debate would avoid the partisan pitfalls that have stymied so much legislation in recent years in the narrowly divided Senate.”

Why is it that when the Republicans controlled the House and Senate there was never any hand wringing about all out, cut-throat politics? I wonder why only the Democratic leaders have to be above the fray statesman, unwilling to be sullied by “partisan” politics.

I can barely bring myself to believe that the Washington Post has some sort of predetermined story line that buttress particular ideological beliefs.

Say it ain’t so.

[bigtree]

4. they absolutely are determined to prop up the republican party

With the republicans firmly positioned on almost every issue well outside of the vast majority of Americans, the media still insists on giving their arguments parity with the Democrats' as if their obstinacy was some sort of legitimate response to the concerns of Americans instead of just partisan obstruction.

[blondeatlast]

3. Keep giving 'em Hell, Harry! Our soldiers deserve nothing less. nt

[Deb]

5. Thanks for posting

I'd love to be a mouse in the room of some GOP campaign strategist's meetings now.

Kudos to Sen Reid and his team!! :kick:

[Bitwit1234]

6. Hang in there Harry ---

It is about time the senate showed some spine. Don't let the republicans take the upper hand. AND I bet one damn thing when they go back to their home states in August they will surely get an earful.

The people that bush/cheney with the help of the wilted turd rove scared the crap out of people before the two elections have come awake and see the writing on the wall from those killed in Viet Nam and they finally at long last.....say it is time to STOP THE KILLING AND DRAINING OUR TREASURY BRING OUR TROOPS HOME WHERE THEY BELONG.

[Selatius]

7. The Republican senators were pissed for one reason only

Those who wanted a "compromise" wanted to take home news back to their constituents that they are making progress towards ending the war at a time when most of the country has rejected the war and rejected Bush. When Reid took away the bill, they were left with nothing good to show their constituents back home.

[bigtree]

8. called their bluff

I especially liked the shot during the debate of McConnell filibustering with supposed defectors Dominici and Coleman sitting on their hands behind him. They are going to have to either sign on to Democratic efforts or sit there in opposition behind their warmongering leadership.

[wryter2000]

11. Ding, ding, ding

Exactly, and Reid took that away from them. They either have to start behaving like human beings or kiss their Senate seats good-bye.

[blondeatlast]

12. That's the best, most concise explanation of what the maneuvering was all about.

I'd like to recommend your post.

Heck--I'd like to plaster it across 1000 billboards!

[mzmolly]

17. Yes, they wanted to "claim" progress while delaying progress, and

they wanted to blame the Dems for not doing XYZ. It's so nice to be able to debate on our terms. It's been far too long.

[ClassWarrior]

9. One more R puts this on the Greatest Page.

NGU.

[corkhead]

13. the complicity of the corporate press has never been so obvious

it is the only remaining glue holding this criminal cabal together. I am surprised that they would give up so much of what little remains of their credibility.

[blondeatlast]

20. They don't even know what credibility is anymore. Seriously, they don't.

When they started taking their stories, ready-written by the RW tanks such as the Heritage Foundation's Press Room and decided it was too damn difficult to pick up the gawdam phone for another take on the issue. the die was cast.

Read ANY major news story and you can pretty much pick out the e-mailed "facts."

[EFerrari]

14. Don't give in, Mr. Reid!

K&R

[mzmolly]

16. Ah, so NOW they want to compromise with Democrats, isn't that sweet?

:eyes:

WTG Harry!

[ClassWarrior]

18. LOL

:hi: mol...

NGU.

[mzmolly]

19. NGU

:hug: :hi:

[blondeatlast]

21. They want their mommies to protect them from those big, mean, Democrats.

You should have seen a RW acquaintance of mine when she heard Specer's meltdown the other day. She thought he was a Democrat.

I took no pleasure--none whatsoever, I swear I didn't, I'm not a sadist, I really mean that--in straightening her out

:rofl:

[mzmolly]

22. LOL

Them "angry Republicans" can't get enough! :hi: