Swelling Call to Quit Iraq Is Peril for Kerry

Wall Street Journal ^ | 05/17/04 | Jacob M. Schlesinger

[TonyInOhio]

WASHINGTON -- A coalition of liberal activists is expected this week to begin mobilizing support for removing American troops from Iraq. Though problems in Iraq hurt President Bush most, swelling withdrawal sentiment could also complicate the campaign of Democratic challenger John Kerry.

The Massachusetts senator supports maintaining U.S. troop levels and perhaps even increasing them in the short term, while soliciting help from allies toward reducing U.S. occupation forces later. But on a conference call tomorrow, an alliance of 39 groups organized under the banner of "Win Without War" is expected to rally behind a call for a more definitive withdrawal. If the campaign gathers steam, it could open a rift on the political left and fuel Ralph Nader's antiwar message at Mr. Kerry's expense.

[TonyInOhio]

Time for the looney left to begin eating its own.

[CWOJackson]

Add to those calling for us to get out: the constitution party candidate and representative ron paul.

It's not just the left that doesn't get it.

[adam_az]

Michael Moore looks like he's already eaten half of them.

"Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son."

[adam_az]

The Constipation party are about as pro-constitution as the Greens are pro-environment.

[Americanwolf]

It is actually simple the are following Kerry's lead the He protested against the war before he protested for it, his campaign just forgot to tell these libs which way he is protesting... The Democrats... Americans national party of Nicompoops and Idiots

[COEXERJ145]

Add to those calling for us to get out: the constitution party candidate and representative ron paul.

Didn't you know? The Constitution Party is the only thing that can save us from disaster. /sarcasm

[CWOJackson]

Yes, Whoopi has been cancelled...they will be the summer replacement.

[Billthedrill]

Kerry's strategy was to let his anti-war credentials and past activities give him credibility with that wing of the party without having to come out directly against the Iraq deployment, which risks alienating the rest. Now he either has to choose or attempt to weasel-word his way through, and I don't think either is a comfortable alternative for him.

[pierrem15]

Time for the looney left to begin eating its own

I've been wondering whether or not that isn't the strategy of the Bush campaign: ook weak, and allow the foaming mouth leftists of the Dhimmicrats to emerge like cockroaches into the light od day.

[antaresequity]

This is why the Administration went to congress for additional funding.

To force Kerry to revisit the vote issue. If he votes for funding, his radical left will splinter off...if he votes against it, his moderates will see him as a waffler and soft on terrorism and national security.

Of course he could skip the vote...but that too will make him look bad to everyone. Not taking a position on it will make him look weak both to the moderates, and the leftists.

Its a no win situation. The Administration needs to push hard on the funding and force a vote.

[XJarhead]

It's all going to be moot. The June 30 transfer of sovereignity is going to result in a steady reduction of U.S. forces in Iraq through the end of the year, probably beginning in early July. Coalition troops will be withdrawing from urban areas, turning over more and more responsibility to Iraqis. The result will be a perception that the war is going better, and that Iraqis are accepting responsibility for their own government. There will be talk of elections in Iraq, and the prosecution of Saddam.

All of this is going to mean a big net plus for Bush. And its going to hurt Kerry because he's on record for wanting more forces and more U.N. involvement. Bush is going to be able to rightly claim that if Kerry was in charge, we'd have a huge, looming U.N. screw-up on our hands.

Those who misunderestimate Bush do so at their own peril.

[Phlap]

It would take a lot of luck for Boston '04 to turn into Chicago '68. But it could happen.

[TonyInOhio]

It would take a lot of luck for Boston '04 to turn into Chicago '68. But it could happen.

A guy can dream, can't he?

[ken5050]

Do you think Kucinich will get a speaking gig at the Dem convention?

[XJarhead]

One can only hope. But if he does, I'm guessing it won't be primetime....

[TexasCajun]

John Kerry, "I was for troop withdrawl before I was for it!"

[jmaroneps37]

Throw in the Queer Eye Crowd, dancing around in NYC this Summer demanding universal gay marriage and lurch will have even bigger trouble.

[jmaroneps37]

Throw in the Queer Eye Crowd, dancing around in NYC this Summer demanding universal gay marriage and lurch will have even bigger trouble.

[no_problema]

it cdnt happen 2 a better sob!

today's papers carried a pic of kerry w long hair w the viet nam vets against the war.

[sarasota]

Sure seems like it. The Dems will destroy themselves without much help from us.