Dem Critics Grasp at Straws at GOP Seizes Iraq Initiative

Pandering to the the impatient nutroots has clearly been a disastrous strategy for the Democrats, as they're now mired with an alltime low approval rating with no clear prospects for improvement.

Their leadership, the inept Nancy Pelosi and the bumbling Harry Reid, have been invisible for weeks while some Democrats have grown to realize that the course we're on in Iraq has markedly improved.

Granted, regardless of what General David Petraeus reports in September, many Democrat will dismiss it out of hand, as they long ago made up their minds that defeat for America is their only hope of retaining power.

Which brings an interesting contrast as clear thinking Democrats (yes, they exist) have "recalibrated" their strategy and have come on board with the realistic approach currently taken by the administration.

Momentum Shifting To GOP In Iraq Debate

With congressional Democrats still groping for a unified Iraq withdrawal strategy, the eyewitness reports from individual Democratic lawmakers who've recently visited Iraq appear to have changed the dynamic in the debate over the war. The Kansas City Star's "The Buzz," for example, reports Democratic Rep. Brian Baird "saw enough progress on the ground that he will no longer vote for binding withdrawal timelines." Rep. Jerry McNerney "suggested that his trip to Iraq made him more flexible in his search for a bipartisan accord on the war." Also changing his tune is Rep. Tim Mahoney of Florida, who says the troop increase 'has really made a difference and really has gotten al-Qaida on their heels.'" As the Washington Post says this morning, "Democratic leaders in Congress had planned to use August recess to raise the heat on Republicans to break with...Bush on the Iraq war." Instead, "Democrats have been forced to recalibrate their own message in the face of recent positive signs on the security front, increasingly focusing their criticisms on what those military gains have not achieved: reconciliation among Iraq's diverse political factions."

Republican leaders and Administration officials are looking on with interest at the newly found Democratic support for the troop surge. A GOP congressional aide tells the Political Bulletin, "We think it is interesting to hear Democrats reluctantly admitting that the surge has been a tactical success. It's fascinating considering the ride they've been on since January and that all Democrats in Congress voted to condemn the surge in one form or fashion." Republicans are speculating that with the recent drop in blockbuster attacks and American troop deaths in Iraq, the Democrats are a bit concerned that pushing for an immediate withdrawal might appear defeatist.

Read the rest.

Of course, Baird, Mahoney and McNerney aren't exactly household names; nor should you expect them to be, since the media is generally ignoring them.

Which brings us to the pathetic John Murtha. Increasingly irrational and out of touch with reality, the buffoonish bully from Pennsylvania, rather than confront reality and get with the program, what does he do?

He contributes another piece to the House Organ of Hate, The HuffPost.

The American People will not Accept Patience

Murtha recites some numbers, but provides no references to back any of it up. He just declares that Americans have no patience, but offers no solutions.

He panders to a niche audience of far left kooks who have no clue, no strategy, no understanding of what really is happening in Iraq.

But they hate Bush and really, nothing else matters. Instead of listening to Democrats who recently have returned from Iraq, they give voice to and promote and angry man consumed by rage, a man whose past military experience is null and void in today's world. In sum, a man nobody in their right mind should pay any attention to.