The Thursday ‘BushWhack’ing

Been out sick last few days, lot to catch up on so let’s get to it…

• A proposal to lengthen troops’ home leaves from Iraq, a bill that was sponsored by Sens. Webb (D-VA) and Hagel (r-NE) failed with a 56 to 44 vote… 60 votes were needed to get it passed. Sources say that a “last-minute” campaign by the Defense Department and the White House aimed at killing the measure convinced Sen. John Warner (r-VA) to switch sides… (This is amazing… simply amazing. And yet, the Democrats are always demonized as not caring for the military… I think anyone with a brain knows better. And if you don’t, you’re a lemming. )
• At the same time, Senate republicans blocked a bid to restore rights of federal detainees…
• Trying to show that not all republicans are idiots (how’s that working out for ya?); a few ‘key’ republican leaders are encouraging their party's presidential candidates to get their heads out of their asses rethink their decision to skip debates that focus on issues important to minorities… (We have comprehension! Not going to debates aimed at specific ethnic groups is only going to create a backlash that could further erode relationships with those groups…. So on second thought republicans, continue ignoring them; it can only help us in November)
• Moderate republicans are finding themselves in a difficult position… do they remain loyal with Bush or face up to the reality of politics in America? Namely that the majority of Americans want us to get the hell out of Iraq. (Bush’s approval numbers are stagnant… they aren’t going up or down – so that should give them some clue as to what to do. But then again, they are republicans…)
• This should come as no surprise- Senate Democrats are already abandoning they’re push to bring US troops home from Iraq by next spring. (Apparently they’re all to busy looking for their balls)
• We’ll have a chance to see just how ballsy the Democrats are with the confirmation hearings for AG nominee Michael Mukasey scheduled to begin shortly…
• And have we mentioned? That a new Zogby poll shows “President” Bush’s approval ratings to be a scant 29%… which, by the by, is below his “worst Zogby poll mark of 30% in March” (‘Nuff said…)