THE DEMO-WHOS?

Politics Over Principle (David S. Broder, September 22, 2002, Washington Post)

The party certainly has potential spokesmen, including the chairmen of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees and veterans of the Clinton administration Cabinet and National Security Council. Several things are going on, specific to Iraq. First, Saddam Hussein has no defenders in American public life. Almost everyone would like to see him gone. Second, there's a strong feeling he has been thumbing his nose for years at the United Nations and its inspectors. Third, no alternative strategy to reduce the threat of his using weapons of mass destruction is obvious. Fourth, the president, as commander in chief of the war on terrorism, has a standing that makes almost every politician wary of challenging him.

But there is something deeper -- and less justifiable -- at work. The Democratic leaders in Congress, in both the House and Senate, largely have abandoned principle and long-term strategy for the short-term tactics they think will help them in this November's election.

Of course it's worth noting that David Broder, who's been all over Republicans like ugly on an ape for several months now, is equally adept at reading polls, turning his guns on the poor Democrats as they retreat to the high grass. Posted by Orrin Judd at September 22, 2002 11:35 AM