Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Pelosi's Disastrous Miscalculation
The Weekly Standard ^ | 11/30/05 | William Kristol

Posted on 11/30/2005 3:15:04 PM PST by Pokey78

The House Democratic leader may have just handed a victory to the Congressional GOP.

Today, Nancy Pelosi endorsed withdrawal from Iraq. Her statement is a political opportunity for the GOP.

Until now, it seemed to me more likely than not that Democrats would win back the House in 2006: Bush's numbers are bad; the GOP is getting no credit for a strong economy (which could in any case weaken by a year from now); the Abramoff scandal is going to get bigger; twelve years in charge of the House, and three years in control of all three elected bodies, have created weariness and dissatisfaction with the GOP. All this made me think the 2006 elections could result in a Speaker Pelosi.

I now think that unlikely. Pelosi's endorsement today of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq makes the House Democrats the party of defeat, the party of surrender. Bush's strong speech today means the GOP is likely to be--if Republican Congressmen just keep their nerve--the party of victory. Now it is possible that the situation in Iraq will worsen over the next year. If that happens, Bush and the GOP are in deep trouble. They would have been if Pelosi had said nothing. But it is much more likely that the situation in Iraq will stay more or less the same, or improve. In either case, Republicans will benefit from being the party of victory.

It goes without saying that Bush should seek victory in Iraq regardless of Congressional elections, and regardless of polling results. But Republicans on the Hill, whose nervousness has in turn rattled


some in the White House, should now realize that the die is cast. If, a year from now, Iraq is judged to have been a mistake and to be a disaster, the Democrats will benefit--for that is the position of their leadership. But if Iraq is judged to be a war worth fighting and winning--a war we are proud our soldiers are fighting and which we expect to win--that judgment will benefit the GOP in a way it might not have until Pelosi's statement today.

So all Bush has to do is fight the war. And if he really wants to torment the Democrats--and advance the war effort--he could make Joe Lieberman Secretary of Defense.

--William Kristol


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 109th; cutandrun; kristol; murtha; pelosi; wot
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-103 next last
To: Mo1

I did a drive by...through AirAmerika....and what THEY got out of today's speech...was the it is proof this war is about oil....

That we are splitting the country between Sunni and Shi'ite...so that we can move in and take the oil...

yeppers, that is what I just heard.


61 posted on 11/30/2005 4:24:27 PM PST by Txsleuth (9/11NEVER FORGET-NEVER SURRENDER, Sam Johnson, a REAL hero!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: Pokey78
And if he really wants to torment the Democrats--and advance the war effort--he could make Joe Lieberman Secretary of Defense.

No thanks, I'll stick with tried and true Donald Rumsfeld. Kristol is so full of it, I'm surprised it doesn't leak out of his eyeballs.

62 posted on 11/30/2005 4:25:43 PM PST by prairiebreeze (I am unapologetically and enthusiastically celebrating CHRISTMAS!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pokey78

My only worry is the shortage of CRUSHED GLASS TO CRAWL ON to vote Republican. I need at least 100 yards of broken glass, between me and the voting booth.


63 posted on 11/30/2005 4:28:17 PM PST by agincourt1415 (Democrats still lose)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pokey78
To: Poor Pitiful Pelosi


64 posted on 11/30/2005 4:28:32 PM PST by They'reGone2000 (<---and it's BUSH'S FAULT!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pokey78
It goes without saying that Bush should seek victory in Iraq regardless of Congressional elections, and regardless of polling results. But Republicans on the Hill, whose nervousness has in turn rattled some in the White House, should now realize that the die is cast. If, a year from now, Iraq is judged to have been a mistake and to be a disaster, the Democrats will benefit--for that is the position of their leadership. But if Iraq is judged to be a war worth fighting and winning--a war we are proud our soldiers are fighting and which we expect to win--that judgment will benefit the GOP in a way it might not have until Pelosi's statement today.

Hear that Senators? Your future is made or broken on Iraq. You keep up these Warner resolutions you lose. You fail to back the President, our troops and us in our offensive against the traitors in this country and look in the mirror if you lose election day. If you want to save your butts you'll do something useful for once in your lives and stand against the Dems/MSM/Polling winds and help us win the PR war while our troops win in Iraq. You aren't going to be able to distinguish yourself apart from the official strategy for victory anymore than the Democrats are going to be able to shake the moniker of 'cut and run' now. Shape up, get a Spine, and get in the game.

The House already stepped up, and unlike Kristol, I mark that as the tipping point with the President's first speech responsible for warming them up for the fight. Today just sealed our course.

"Some Democrats have been playing politics with the war in Iraq for partisan political gain. Today we saw real leadership. By looking past the rhetoric and examining the results on the ground, it's clear that we continue to make progress on the political, security and economic fronts, and that as Iraq progresses, so does our strategy." - Senate Majority leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.

Look at this! Frist said something strong and positive! I'm a little shocked, but commend this release. Especially notation of who the real leader in this country is.

Oh, and two remarks for Kristol.

1) We weren't going to lose the House. Even as furious as I've been I've only stated we'd keep a bare majority in the Senate, and retain Majority in House. Anything else is reflective of being out of sync with where the base was.

2) Rummy still isn't going anywhere "General". he's beloved by the base, not withstanding a few in this thread the minute minority, and well respected with deep affection from our troops. get over it. If I have my way he'll get the credit he's due by notching both Afghanistan and Iraq on his belt and leave when the Prez does in 2009. he will not be designated this generation's McNamera, to your dismay.

65 posted on 11/30/2005 4:30:21 PM PST by Soul Seeker (Mr. President: It is now time to turn over the money changers' tables.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pokey78
Pelosi will never be Speaker of the House. She will be gone from the House by next summer, and her departure will make Cunningham look like a choir boy.

The Abramoff and other scandals are going to take out far more dems than Republicans, in spite of the best efforts of the MSM to change the outcomes.

You saw it here first.
66 posted on 11/30/2005 4:32:56 PM PST by Natty Bumppo@frontier.net (An armed society is a polite society; a mobile society is a fulfilled one. Guns and cars = freedom)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mo1
Ya know .. I agree that the Republican Party needs to get it's act in gear. But to call them Marxist is a tad over board.

Have you looked at the OMB historical budgets?

Have you tallied the foreign debt owed to us that Bush canceled?

Have you compared increases in social welfare during Bush's term to increases in social welfare to RAT presidents' terms?

Have you tallied how much global charity was wealth transferred from us American taxpayers to dictators?

Have you recovered yet from the shock that Bush OKd $2000 debit cards to welfare groupies in New Orleans, even though they were already on the dole for housing, food and medical care? Did you have a relative working in the Wal-Marts as a cash register operator watching all these $2000 debit cards being used for luxury items?

Have you seen how many welfare programs have been given 50, 100, 150 and 200% increases in funding, when normally they only receive cost of living or slightly better, or about 3-4% increases?

Did you voice outrage when Iran, an axis of evil member and soon to go nuclear, was given millions of dollars following the Bam earthquake, knowing that this money will go toward development of missiles and nukes?

Were shocked by the BILLION dollar plus amount given to tsunami nations, when the destruction by Katrina on our own land was far, far worse than the destruction over there?

It is not hyperbole. By all factual measures, Bush has been the greatest spender on charity in the history of the world.

67 posted on 11/30/2005 4:33:18 PM PST by Dont_Tread_On_Me_888 (Bush's #1 priority Africa. #2 priority appease Fox and Mexico . . . USA priority #64.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: Pokey78

Joe Lieberman Secy of Defense...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH....nice guy who knows NOTHING about how to do a war!! Kristl is a hoot. Rumsfeld is the BEST Secy of Defense EVER!


68 posted on 11/30/2005 4:33:47 PM PST by Ann Archy (Abortion: The Human Sacrifice to the god of Convenience. T)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Patriot from Philly

Kristol is a pot stirrer.


69 posted on 11/30/2005 4:37:11 PM PST by Ann Archy (Abortion: The Human Sacrifice to the god of Convenience. T)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Dont_Tread_On_Me_888

Ok....you tell US how you would solve all of those problems...and you have to play fair..

you have to consider what the House and Senate are going to do when the VOTE on everything...


70 posted on 11/30/2005 4:37:25 PM PST by Txsleuth (9/11NEVER FORGET-NEVER SURRENDER, Sam Johnson, a REAL hero!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: AFreeBird

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2005/11/9/205510.shtml?PROMO_CODE=16E5-1

There's more info at this link but the name of her winery doesn't appear. I believe she's sold the winery mentioned here, and has since purchased different property in the Napa Valley.


71 posted on 11/30/2005 4:37:26 PM PST by whinecountry (Semper Ubi Sub Ubi)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: yldstrk
Pelosi s dumb as a post...

I've bumped into smarter posts!

72 posted on 11/30/2005 4:40:36 PM PST by kstewskis ("Thank you ladies and gentlemen, you've been a wonderful audience" ...Rocky Rhodes)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Pokey78

http://fallbackbelmont.blogspot.com/2005/11/open-post-on-victory-in-iraq.html
Wretchard weighs in. Interesting read.


73 posted on 11/30/2005 4:43:43 PM PST by Frank Sheed ("Fallacies do not cease to be fallacies because they become fashions." ~GK Chesterton.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Txsleuth
According to andrea Mitchell on Hairball today...the House REpublicans are running as fast as they can AWAY from President Bush and his speech today...because they see him losing the war...and the people...

I am listening to them right now...really sick aren't they?

74 posted on 11/30/2005 4:47:49 PM PST by Irish Eyes
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: CIB-173RDABN

BTTT


75 posted on 11/30/2005 4:48:33 PM PST by 185JHP ( "The thing thou purposest shall come to pass: And over all thy ways the light shall shine.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: speed_addiction

LOLOLOLOL!!! That is the FUNNIEST picture I've EVER seen!!!


76 posted on 11/30/2005 4:50:17 PM PST by Ann Archy (Abortion: The Human Sacrifice to the god of Convenience. T)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: Patriot from Philly

Do you HONESTLY think Lieberman would make a good Secy of DEFENSE??? He's NEVER had on a uniform....has NO idea of war....has NEVER held a gun probably (most Jews hate guns)....come on....this is serious business....not feel good crap.


77 posted on 11/30/2005 4:54:53 PM PST by Ann Archy (Abortion: The Human Sacrifice to the god of Convenience. T)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: new yorker 77
You said.....Bill Kristol comes across as a whiny loser.

BINGO!! THAT"S why he likes Joe Lieberman....they BOTH have WHINY voices!!

78 posted on 11/30/2005 4:58:30 PM PST by Ann Archy (Abortion: The Human Sacrifice to the god of Convenience. T)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: yldstrk

Dumb as a post...or dumber. Here she makes this huge announcement for immediate withdrawal RIGHT AFTER voting AGAINST immediate withdrawal just last week.


79 posted on 11/30/2005 5:02:28 PM PST by t2buckeye
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Irish Eyes

Alternate Universe....don't know what happened to our world...but...

I just got done watching O'Reilly...and it continues there...I saw Col. David Hunt..(who I thought was one of the reasonable ex-military experts)...and he said that the Bush Administration screwed up this war so bad for 21 MONTHS...that we will be in trouble for a while...

O'Reilly of course pounced on that...and was almost giddy that he said that...but when he went to McInerny and McInerny said it was more like 12 months...

and THEN went on to explain to pinhead O'Reilly that it take AMERICAN troops years and years and decades to be trained enough to be commanders in the field...and yet everyone is screaming that after 2 years...

the Iraqi Army isn't fighting the war on it's own...!!!


80 posted on 11/30/2005 5:20:20 PM PST by Txsleuth (9/11NEVER FORGET-NEVER SURRENDER, Sam Johnson, a REAL hero!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-103 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson