McQ, yesterday does as good a job as anyone [1] showing the split amongst the Democrats over Iraq.
Rep. Obey: “We’re trying to use the supplemental to end the war. But you can’t end the war if you vote against the supplemental. It’s time these idiot liberals understand that.”
[…]
“Liberal groups are jumping around without knowing what the hell is in the bill.”
[…]
“We don’t have the votes to pass [Rep. Lee’s Amendment]. We couldn’t even get the votes to pass a nonbinding resolution one week ago. How the hell do you think we’re going to get the votes to cut off the war?”
[…]
“I’m the sponsor of the bill that’s going to be on floor. And that bill ends the war. If that’s not good enough for you you’re smoking something illegal…
[…]
“You’ve got your facts screwed up … we can’t get the votes! You see a magic wand in my pocket? How the hell we going to get the votes for it? We ain’t got the votes for it. We do have the votes if you guys quit screwing it up.”
Nah … the Democrats aren’t split. No frustration evident there. Hello, netroots, are you listening?
Well, let’s hope they’re not… I suppose this is a matter of perspective, but it amuses me no end that Obey doesn’t consider himself a liberal… apparently his voting record notwithstanding.
McQ says:
I’ve been claiming, in the face of polls that supposedly show overwhelming opposition to the war in Iraq that, in fact, the opposition, for the most part, is mostly concerned with the way it has been managed. Success will change that.
Well, Bruce, I’m not sure we can say that, where the Democrats are concerned. You know as well as anyone, that the polls tend to lean to the far left anyway. Certainly, what objection exists among the center and right are with regards to management. But that’s hardly unanimous, or even a majority. But amongst the Democrats, it is all rabid drooling, ‘cut and run’ anti-war at any cost. And Obey is one of these.
The difference is, and the reason for Obey’s outburst, is that he’s been exposed to the reality of the situation. His idealism, such as it is, simply won’t stand up to that reality. He’s right; the Democrats simply don’t have the votes. And it must be a bitch learning that one the hard way as he apparently has.
The reason that the Democrats don’t have the votes is because nobody, save the extreme left, likes the cut and run nonsense the Democrats are pushing.
There’s a lot of being made over Obey apologizing, indeed, groveling to the woman to whom he’d laid out the facts. But as Michelle [2] points out, the door slam in the woman’s face was something that I would not consider exactly apologetic.
Obey’s tantrum contains many things. most importantly, it contains all warning to the Democrats. Drop the cut and run, or pay for it at the next several elections.
Addendum: (David L) From Red State [3]:
Finally, with :38 remaining in the clip David Obey tells the moonbats to “go f*** with somebody else.” As Rush Limbaugh said today, “you created these kooks, you deal with them.”