Once an Aberration, Twice a Trend? Today Again Questions Dems' Lack of Iraq Plan

Today Show/NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[saganite]

Don't bet on it. The MSM realizes, even if the Democratic party doesn't, that the party has to be credible next year on Iraq if they hope to win elections. This is the way the MSM slaps the Dems upside the head to remind them to get their ducks in a row.

The Today Show concerns about no Democratic plan to get out of Iraq has nothing to do with reporting and everything to do with forcing the Dems to start offering a plan of their own instead of constantly criticizing.

[joe fonebone]

They are just buttering us up for the big shaft.........don't know what the plan is yet, but a leopard NEVER changes it's spots......

[Chuck54]

When a talking head asks them if they've got a plan, they say, "Of course, we've got a plan." Then they rattle off a list of things that Bush has been doing for the last 3 years anyway.

I've noticed that too and now Barack Obama has joined the "let's do what Bush is going to do anyway" brigade. No timetable, just let's draw down the troop strength.

The Senator who has never, never had an original thought.

[silent_jonny]

Norah then asked the obvious question: "But where is the Democrats' plan? They've yet to agree on an exit strategy."

Maybe the Dem's hypocrisy is so obvious that even the MSM can't ignore it.

[TomGuy]

It is easier to parot the continual chorus refrain of "Bush lied" than to present any concrete ideas or plans that would then be subject to challenge.

After all,

"The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly - it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over"

"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State."

"Intellectual activity is a danger to the building of character"

"Whoever can conquer the street will one day conquer the state, for every form of power politics and any dictatorship-run state has its roots in the street." [What happened in France for many nights recently?]

Joseph Goebbels quotes

[Coop]

Is it April 1st already?!?

[soloNYer]

Okay, here's what interests me. This being the second day that the Today show focused not on Bush's incompetence/misleading/evilness, and actually broke ranks with the Dems (who must be livid at their friends), seems to be a quick turnaround. At the same time, my liberal/socialist/Democrat talking point newspaper the Albany Times Union has run two days of actually talking to returning troops in the area, who are not shy in telling reporters that there has been success in Iraq...and that the media is focussing on the wrong stories.

I don't think this is a coincidence, it is another coordination of the press doing a 180. Not out of an objective look at the truth, but out of fear. I think the MSM is starting to see that the Dems are dragging them down, and are doing a quick CYA since it looks like Iraq may actually turn out to be a good turning point in history.

My prediction: Iraq will start to become less of a focus for the media (except basic reporting), while the battle lines are changed to another front in the War on Bush/Republicans. Look for another "scandal" unrelated to the war, as they fish around for anything/everything they can to put themselves back on the Bush Is Evil track for their hopeful Dem wins in '06 and '08.

[ThanhPhero]

Congress' power to "Declare War" is just what it says. Declare=to say, to state, to aver; it means to formally recognize that a condition of war exists. The presidential power to dispose of the troops and to fight a war is not affected.

In the extreme case if the US were suđenly invaded by a foreign army the president can counterattack without waiting for Congress to Declare War on the invading army. Declaration of war means just what it says, nothing more. You do not want Congress to declare war except in conditions that at least approach the severity of WW II. A Declaration of War is, essentially a suspension of normal Constitutional protections and relationshipsthat that allows the executive to take over the economy to direct the entire output toward the prosecution of the war. We have not been involved in any such war since 1945.

The president has the power to go to war outside the US any which way he desires but he has to get Congress to pay for it. Congress is still in control. Congress can't stop the president from sending the troops somewhere but the action is limited to what can be accomplished before the money runs out. Congress ended the war in Viet Nam and got a few million extra people killed because Congress cut off the money to operate.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Is it April 1st already?!?

OK, you got me. In fact the segment was entitled "Dems Ride to Rescue of Bush's Iraq Disaster" ;-)

[Raycpa]

This is an attempt at avoiding the rats plan being defined as the Murtha cut and run plan. I't will work too.

[TomGuy]

It is amazing, especially from the ranks of Senators, all the armchair quarterbacking of the WoT that is going on.

It was bad enough for the VietNam War to be run by politicians in Washington.

Now, a dozen or more Senators are trying to run this war. Ironically, their solutions/plans seem to be more political (as in hopeful career advancement -- to the White House in 08) than practical. They sway from 'reduce the number of troops' to 'we need more troops' to 'bring all the troops home now'.

[EmilyGeiger]

Do you think they are angry that the dems. didn't vote the right way last week and now they are going to turn on them? Not for long but enough to let them know they are not happy with their alliance?

[capydick]

I think the RAT'S plan is as follows:

1) They have already been briefed as to the planned (classified) draw down for troops next year. (As it turns out, as many as three brigades may be home by the end of the year, per a segment on F&F this morning.)

2)Start making fools of themselves prior to the draw down, demanding a draw down or begin planning the removal of our troops because the war cannot be won.

3)When the previously planned draw down begins, they take credit for pressuring the President to remove our troops. The media (of course) jumps on the bandwagon and asks the President to apologize to the nation for misleading the country into war.

4)Hitlery positions herself as a Senator who supported the war, had misgivings about how it was fought but, now offers herself as the person who can best heal the nation and move the nation forward.

And that, I believe is their plan; no plan at all but, positioning themselves to take credit for when the trrops begin to come home next year.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Don't think so. I think even the MSM realize it would have been disastrous for the Dems to vote for an immediate withdrawal.

I've noted various theories on the thread seeking to explain Today's unusual foray into reasonableness. For the time being I'm withholding judgment and until there's more evidence am assuming it's simply an aberration, akin to a lunar eclipse.

[Redleg Duke]

NBC probably sees the bottom line and it doesn't look good.

[StarFan]

I heard Lauer and wondered if, just perhaps, they've been bombarded with e-mails telling them to LAY OFF OUR PRESIDENT!

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Could Matt be a lurker on my Today Show threads? ;-)

[Verginius Rufus]

Isn't Norah O'Donnell the one who made the famous statement about kneepads?

[petercooper]

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Isn't Norah O'Donnell the one who made the famous statement about kneepads?

That was Nina Burleigh, former Time Magazine writer.