Important words here from Marc Cooper on the rhetorical battle in Congress over the Iraq war. Seems the Democrats are set to squander an un-squanderable political advantage, by legitimating the GOP’s “defunding the troops” claptrap and allowing the Bushies to own the terms of debate. Marc’s argument: The Dems should frame this in terms of refusing to provide “future funding for the conflict” [his italics]. War without end is exactly what the voters don’t want. By focusing on future funding, the Dems could harness the public mood very effectively.
As John Belushi once said, “But noooooooo….”
Instead, Nancy Pelosi, backing away from John Murtha’s proposal, declared, “Let me be clear: Congress will fund our troops.” Marc calls this “[a] bone-headed statement … which cedes the verbal game to the White House. No one is talking about de-funding the troops — except Tony Snow. It’s about de-funding the war.”
It’s hard to believe the Dems have no access to insight like this.
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