Have you noticed what's been going on with your boy Jim Rutenberg in The New York Times for the last two weeks? ("Your boy?" He's not ours.)
Richard Luger speaks out against the war. Did you catch that fawning press? Pete Domenici joins him last week and BOOM! Ruten-tootin-Rutenberg's got an article in the paper.
Those Republicans, they care.
Right?
You might think that. We warned you about it, actually.
Remember?
The country's turned against the war. The Republicans know they need more than their base to win. You'd see defections. By the time the general election rolled around, conventional wisdom would be on the side on the Repubes. They'd be the party that woke up. Remember all of that?
If not, your homework is to read "Editorial: The Party of Stella Toddler" which ran the last Sunday of May.
You'll grasp what's going on.
You may grasp why we, unlike Lotta Links and other alleged left sites, haven't run fawning coverage. We ignored the idiot who backed down when Bully Boy called him French in 2002. But we're not fawning over Dick and Pete. Others are.
Amazing considering they haven't done anything. They've talked, but it's not like they crossed party lines for a vote yet. It'll happen.
But are you noticing the narrative already emerging in the press. Just focus on Rutenberg's stories from last week and the week before. Isn't it strange that Republicans get named. Dems? They're "Democrats." It's almost as though no Democratic running for president or in Congress has spoken out.
This is how the GOP attempts their 2008 wins. They have to dump the war. (All but Senator Crazy know that.) They've got to step away from it. It's not a campaign winner. So they move away and the same press that, for example, ignored Ted Kennedy's call for a withdrawal years ago, now rushes in pieces about these 'maverick' Republicans. Look at 'em go, bucking the system.
While Dems stood still, Republicans were ahead of the game. All all you Dem sites posing as left, grab some common sense and quit propping up the narrative with your nonsense headlines about Dick and Pete and "Oh look!" b.s.
This was their plan, the Republicans, all along if the country turned against the war in this large of numbers. It's the roll out and if you're a Dem site, quit playing GOP advance team.
Pete and Dick have talked. They haven't done anything.
But they talked! Contrast the press treatment they're getting with what Kennedy or Dennis Kuckinich or any other Democrat, making the same or stronger statements, got.
That wasn't news, argues the press. This is 'bucking' a system! Ted Kennedy's lone voice in the Senate wasn't bucking the system?
Of course it was. But the war's gone, beyond lost, and the press needs a hero and an excuse. So it's build up the Republicans. And, back them up, because if they only wised up, it's cover for the press as well. It's a mutually self-serving relationship which is why the narrative may work. Dems don't need to be assisting.