All Fall Down

This is infuriating:

WASHINGTON (AP) — Divided by their liberal and moderate wings, congressional Democrats return from a monthlong recess without consensus on how to tackle several pressing issues, including Iraq and warrantless wiretaps.

Democrats control both chambers but lack the numbers to override President Bush’s vetoes of bids to mandate troop withdrawals from Iraq. They also have failed to significantly rewrite the administration’s electronic surveillance programs.

That leaves party leaders squeezed between two camps when the House and Senate reconvene Tuesday.

Anti-war lawmakers say any Iraq-related legislation that falls short of triggering troop withdrawals is pointless and gives voters the impression there is no sharp division between the two parties.

More moderate Democrats want to pursue proposals to require the administration to rest troops more often and draw up redeployment plans, even if such efforts strike some as more symbolic than substantive.

Democratic leaders tried to narrow the gap with conference calls during the recess, including one Aug. 23 that drew more than 100 House Democrats. Participants said no detailed plan emerged, in part because many lawmakers want to wait for September reports on Iraq from the Government Accountability Office and the Bush administration.

Harry Reid was elected as Minority (now Majority) leader because he threatened nobody and had no aspirations to higher office. He’s there because people like Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Chuck Schumer want him to be there. If he is foundering it is also a sign of their essential weakness in the face of Republicans simply outsmarting and outmaneuvering them time and time again. They’re sitting there holding a solid straight flush while their GOP opponents are drawing on a pair of fives. How much stronger do they need their hand to be until they act?

In the House Pelosi is constantly undermined by Steny Hoyer and Rahm Emanuel (one of the architects behind the removal of the Iran language from the supplemental, who is in charge of House messaging). If she tries to play tough with the Blue Dogs she risks losing her position and thus has no leverage.

Anybody who is thinking about occupying the White House ought to consider showing some leadership in the situation and demonstrate that they not only have some vision but the ability to unify the party behind them. The toxic distrust the public feels towards Democrats in the wake of the chaos they are so easily thrown into by a much weaker opponent not only damages the brand, it’s going to make it damn difficult to get anything done even in the event of an 08 victory — and that’s a best-case scenario.

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