Times sure are tough for the Democrats. As world attention is drawn to the conflict in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, people aren't paying much attention to the left's signature issue: Iraq. Well, Senate Minority Leader (he likes to say 'Democratic Leader,' so people aren't reminded he's in the minority) Harry Reid decided yesterday it was time to pump Iraq back up.
Reid decided that it's time to bring Iraq back to the Senate floor for debate. He declared yesterday that Iraq has spiraled into a civil war. Oh, but Harry Reid wants you to know he has been using restraint. According to him, he has been "somewhat gingerly approaching this. No longer. There is a civil war going on in Iraq. In the last two months, more than 6,000 Iraqis have been killed. That's averaging more than 100 a day being killed in Iraq and we need to make sure there is a debate on this." Poor baby.
Bill Frist's chief of staff called Reid's ploy a 'summer rerun.' That's about right. This is Desperation 101. Democrats, aware that they have absolutely nothing to run on this fall, are playing the only card in their hand: Iraq. It is the reason President Bush is unpopular and they think they can ride the wave. The only problem is sooner or later, voters will want to know what their plan is. Then it will become painfully clear that they don't have one. Nationally, Democrats have nothing to run for, at least nothing they want to promote openly. A platform of higher taxes and bigger government doesn't exactly resonate with most voters. The American people know we can't cut and run and they know we have to support the troops. That pretty much empties the left's tank when it comes to solutions.
Remember: for the Democrats to win, America has to lose in Iraq. It is the Vietnam template being replayed through and through.
