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The “Embarrassing” Democrats
David Broder, the dean of Washington pundits and no fan of the Iraq war, recently made a strong case that Harry Reid should step down as majority leader for recklessly claiming that the war is “lost.” Broder rightly called Reid “a continuing embarrassment thanks to his amateurish performance.”
Of course, Mr. Broder was then pilloried by the usual liberal suspects like Paul Begala who called Broder a “gas bag.” As a gas bag himself, Begala is somewhat of an expert.
But now like lemmings following the leader over a cliff, the entire 50 member Democratic Senate Caucus has written a letter to the Washington Post complaining of Broder’s comments.
Fellow Wa-Po columnist Kathleen Parker masterfully defends her colleague Mr. Broder and points out the absurdity of the Democrats outrage. Parker writes:
In a letter to The Washington Post that had the unmistakable whiff of a powder room manifesto, otherwise known as a hissy fit — as opposed to a “bed-wetting tantrum,” as Paul Begala described Broder’s column — the senators asserted that their leader is a “good listener,” who has an “amazing ability to synthesize views and bring people together,” and who also demonstrates a “mastery of procedure.” It is perhaps admirable, and certainly reassuring to Reid, that his fellow senators came to his defense. But this kind of overreaction to a columnist is rare, if not unprecedented, and betrays a disturbing hostility to legitimate criticism.
It also betrays something else: the group think of the Dems on Iraq. Because Joe Lieberman is clear-eyed in seeing the dangers in not finishing the job in Iraq, he was forced out of the Dem party. In reaffirming their confidence in Harry Reid, the Dems have reaffirmed that they are “lost on Iraq.”
Impeach Reid and Pelosi!