Posted on 05/09/2007 5:55:32 PM PDT by kellynla
TIM RUSSERT, NBC NIGHTLY NEWS: Brian, all eyes on the Republican party. How long will they support the president's position on the Iraq War? Yesterday may have been a defining, pivotal moment.
At two-thirty in the afternoon, in the private quarters of the White House, the Solarium Room, eleven Republican congressmen had a private meeting with the president, the secretary of defense, the secretary of state, the chief political advisor Karl Rove, and the White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, and others.
This delegation was headed by Mark Kirk of Illinois and Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania. It was, in the words of one of the participants, the most unvarnished conversation they've ever had with the president.
Another member has said he has met with three presidents and never been so candid. They told the president, and one said, quote, "My district is prepared for defeat. We need candor, we need honesty, Mr. President."
The president responded, "I don't want to pass this off to another president. I don't want to pass this off, particularly, to a democratic president," underscoring he understood how serious the situation was.
Brian, the Republican congressmen went on to say, "The word about the war and its progress cannot come from the White House or even you, Mr. President. There's no longer any credibility. It has to come from General Petraeus.
The meeting lasted an hour and fifteen minutes, and was, in the words of one, " remarkable for the bluntness, and no holds barred honesty and the message delivered by all these Republican congressmen.
BRIAN WILLIAMS: And Tim...how did the president react and how did this then affect the instructions for VP Cheney heading off to Iraq?
RUSSERT: One congressman said, "How can our daughters and sons spill their blood while the Iraqi parliament goes on vacation? The president responded, "The Vice President is over there to tell them, 'Do not go on vacation.'"
Developing...
FACT: The MSM polls were predicting a BLOW OUT +12 - +15 D over R . . . didn’t happen — the actualy margin was closer to +7 D. In fact, most of our losses were within the margin of error . . . Once again, the MSM polling results advantaged Democrats by 5-8 points!
FACT: Republicans turned out in approximately the same percentages as they did in the 2004 election . . . 2 senate seats turned from R to D because 2% of Libertarians changed their vote from Republican to Libertarian.
Bottom line: The 2006 election results were typical; the 2002 election results were atypical!! . . . BTW: Republican losses in 1986 were more devastating.
bush did not sell the war very well,
rumsfeld, franks, bremer, et al made big mistakes,
and the war has dragged on far too long.
all of this is predictable from the korean and vietnam wars; people get tired of wars; the left used their media against our troops.
so, enjoy your democrap president in 2009.
i am disappointed.
You said — “... because the islamonuts will be coming to a town near you shortly.”
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And that may be the *only solution* left at this point in time. Bring them on over here and bomb out a few American cities — and then, perhaps, the American people will be reinvigorated to begin the WOT all over again, this time a bit more deadly...
Heh dip, have you served your country? I have in the U.S. Marines from 84 to 88. My father fought in WW2 in the maines in the pacific and was gone from home for 2.5 years. My oldest brother was born during that time and was about two before my dad saw him. So pound sand wooden nickel, I mean lead penny.
You said — “Bashing Rasmussen proves you are a bitter jerk who hates President Bush and support the terrorist plan for Iraq more enough to dismiss accurate polls.”
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Well..., it’s sure interesting to see the Republican Party disintegrating right before our faces. Just looking at your words, I can tell it’s going to disintegrate even faster by the time we get to the elections...
You said — “RINO traitors. They should be thrown out of the GOP.”
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Well, that should go a long ways to making sure our Republican numbers in Congress diminish...
You said — “The voters are likely to oust more Republicans from Congress in 2008 if something doesn’t change in Iraq. These guys know that.”
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I guess these FReepers who want to throw out a bunch of Repubicans kinda want to help the Democrats along with their plans...
You said — “The GOP lost control of both Houses of Congress last November. Are you saying that was an illusion caused by polling firms? If so, why is Nancy Pelosi sitting in the Speaker’s chair?”
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Oh..., the “election” you mean?? Well.., they don’t want to believe *that poll* either. Come next election, neither will they believe that “poll” (you know..., just “manufactured” and a bunch of BS anyway, who can trust a poll, even if someone does call it an election...)
I think they’re gonna need Depends...
Good for you. You still sound like a keyboard warrior.
Yes, I retired from the Army before you signed up, sonny boy.
PING! Pass it along in light of the 11 Rinos and their fit today. Send it to the Captain and little green fb’s. Because until word gets out more...Republicans on the Hill won’t change...and we will lose the war on terrorism.
(This post is long, but maybe I will make a thread about how the 11 Rinos were duped by phone blasts from activist groups)
The MODERATE REPUBLICANS most likey...actually have a majority in their district who wants to finish the war with a win and get the job done. However, they are clueless to what their actual core constituency is screaming.
As a person who had experience with the field in the world of staffers...trust me on this...
It has nothing to do with real heat in their district. (Keep in mind, Boehner was at this meeting. He has not exactly been the Republican champ...more like total disaster...there is a reason Delay and others have always titled him the “Comfortable Caucus”. Because he is content with being minority...as long as he gets a high up gig out of it.) What it is... 11 Rinos just exposed themselves...and they were duped by phone blasts.
Phone Blasts and Letter blasts, much like fax blasts are set up by activist groups all the time.
So they will go to swing areas...and make a bunch of calls.
Congressional offices will make a count of calls on issues. And that is often how they rate what they THINK is the top issue for that area. BIG PROBLEM...Dem. groups will contact Dems in that district...and 1 Dem may make 30 calls.
The software, like IQ, will just make a count based on the number. However, 1 person making a call on 1 issue...30 times, is NOT the same as a real number of 30 callers.
SO, the staff gets duped by the number...when they run the report in whatever data base they are using, like IQ...and inform the member that...”hey, we got 1200 calls on this over the past 15 days. However, it is likely they only got those calls from 700 callers who made multiple calls.
And there are many of those activist groups doing that right now. You go to their web sites and they tell people that they should do it because it will fracture the Republicans. They may even pull names and addresses from phone books are voter data bases and claim to be the constituent...all the while, they are not. The trick works real good with letters.
And since most of the higher ups on Staff are as arrogant as many of the Congressional Members, they dismiss the fact that a web site by a group shows that this is going on. The result...the Dems plan is actually working. Dean was not stupid when he set up the big blogging groups through the Dem party. Republicans are clueless to it.
Why? Because they started on the Hill 20+ years ago before the internet boomed. And rather than do the work and keep up with modern strategy, they would rather stay comfortable, not rock a boat, focus on keeping their boss in a cushy committee seat, and live the good life.
Other folks who see these things going on and phone in to alert the member are dismissed by the young and older staffers, who have never worked in the real world, as being just some pain in the neck constituent. And Yes, the idiots talk about Freepers in the same light. All the while, Freepers are more clued in then they are.
BRINGS ME TO AN ASPECT OF THE EQUATION THAT MUST BE LOOKED AT>
Many are asking, “How could staffers from Congress be so arrogant and, at the same time, clueless to things outside of the Belt Way...to the point that they were asleep at the wheel and got their clocks cleaned in ‘06...and are still getting hammered”...
Well, I just mentioned it above. Most staff on the Hill are people who started as an intern in college, then a staff assistant (etc.) then moved up. Maybe left a bit for grad school...or to be a “govt. affairs officer” for some company/organization, then went right back to the hill when a majority rolled in. THEY HAVE ZERO EXPERIENCE IN REAL COMPANY WORK POSITIONS!!! It is like a little fraternity. They have never done anything but legislative/staff work.
Take it from a person who had experience with the field. It is a sad cycle. And the only hope for a person is to get burned out and get out of it. BECAUSE IT WILL NEVER CHANGE.
Need more proof...ask yourself why NOT ONE REPUBLICAN ON THE HILL...has called for Censure for Pelosi for violating the Logan Act with her trip to Syria.
They all take the position that ...”we don’t have the power to hold hearings and make noise against the other side”. Well, neither did the Dems in the 109th Congress. But they still got their message out...and pounded Republicans over the head for two solid years...and won in ‘06.
Republicans have yet to figure out how to hold one of those style pressers.
THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THIS...IS FOR PEOPLE TO CALL THEIR CONGRESSMAN AND DEMAND THEY TAKE A STAND, HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE AND BLAST BACK.
When a person runs for office every two years...they are too skidish to do anything, unless it looks like it affects their numbers.
Yes, folks. I am suggesting that Freepers move to lobby tactics.
You said — “Instead of bitching and whining, maybe the American voter should just say thank you.”
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Perhaps you should realize that the “American voter” has just outvoted everyone here on this board, especially in the last election. And most probably, in the next election, too.
And in that case, I would imagine that most of the “bitching and whining” in American will be coming from this board, rather than the American public...
And so..., the American voter will be getting exactly what they want. It will be most of the people here who will not be getting what they want.
Sound like a retired moron. I was not playing keyboard cowboy. I was citing the changes for the better in Iraq since the surge started and how we were not losing and GW was making the necessary changes to finish the mission. I never stated I was in the military until you mouthed off. A retired doggie. Must be a poodle. All bark and little bite.
That could not be more wrong. The President has been beating the drum...and with talent. Don’t be so easily suckered into the...”Bush can’t speak” world. That is what the media wants.
Secretary Gates said last week in Dallas that the surge is working, and is only 1/3 in force. Still 2/3 more ready to go. So it will be a quick turn around.
Funding does not end in September. That is only emergency spending. Appropriations and mandatory spending will keep things going.
And the way to win is to concede defeat on the biggest direct national security threat of our time.
Your game plan is Chamberlain-esque. And I don't mean Wilt.
You said — “IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHAT PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE BELTWAY (AND THE INTERNET) THINK OF OUR PRESIDENT, I SUGGEST YOU WATCH SOME OF THE VIDEOCLIPS FROM THE PRESIDENT’S VISIT TO GREENSBURG, KS TODAY:”
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Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to prevent losing Congress to the Democrats and it probably won’t be enough to prevent losing the Presidency to the Democrats and a large increase in the Congress, next time around.
Well, while you’re lauding how the future generations are going to look at President Bush, the Democrats will be making hay in Congress and with their new American President...
I guess we’ll have to wait for “history to be written” before we get any satisfaction out of all these losses...
They are the House version of the Senate 7 from the band of 14. RINOS.
Don’t worry. Boehner won’t be minority leader much longer. And those guys will be in a world of hurt with Putnam.
Even now, Putnam can turn the screws on them.
Who here has actually worked in the field...and had to tally the numbers as people see it...
Oh yeah...ME.
Hey, you’re both wrong.
To continue your logic, Hillary's term will bring more peril than ever before. Their approach will be one of legal prosecution. Al Quaeda doesn't care about a few of its operatives going to jail for the rest of their lives. They are over here, and they will strike And we will have a set of gutless cowards running this country. All they will be taking stock of, will be the political winds. With the help of the MSM they will bend the minds of the flyover country-folks to whatever they want. They will have the House, Senate, and Presidency. Perilous times are ahead for this country.
You said — “And 55 years later, that situation is still unsettled.”
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And no matter what Bush does, what the military does and how good our military is — 100 years later and we’ll still be fighting the Islamic terrorists (which happens to include about 70% of the Muslim worldwide population, when you count all the ones who *support* them, too).
The situation in Congress, and with the American public will change, one day — when those terrorists get their crack at bombing a major U.S. city. Then we’ll see some difference at the polls and on election day...
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