The Decider vs The Extreme Left

by digby

Tony Snow just said:

This is a defining moment in some ways for the Democratic Party. I know a lot of people have tried to make it a referendum on the president. I would flip it. Indeed it is a defining moment for the Democratic party whose national leaders have made it clear that if you disagree with the extreme left in their party they’re going to come after you.

I think it’s worthwhile to trace through the implications of that position because it is clearly going to be one of the central issues…One of the positions is that we leave Iraq on a timetable and we need to do it soon…

[blah, blah, blah, democracy, terrorists, blah blah, Taliban, war on terror, blah blah, Iran, North Korea, democracy…]

Some of the leadership of the Democratic Party believe that the proper way to address this is to point a finger at the United States and counsel walking away. The view of the president is that this is a challenge but it is also an opportunity and let me outline that part.

Democracies operate on different principles than totalitarian states. In a Democracy you have to respond to the will of the people. In a democracy within the United States whether it be Joe Lieberman and Ned Lamont competing for votes in Connecticut or on the local level dealing with the needs for people to have safe streets, good schools and services they can depend upon. Those are the things you respond to — the stated desires of the people.

That’s was a nice little lesson, Tony. Thank you very much.

Poll: 60 percent of Americans oppose Iraq war

Wednesday, August 9, 2006; Posted: 6:00 a.m. EDT (10:00 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Sixty percent of Americans oppose the U.S. war in Iraq, the highest number since polling on the subject began with the commencement of the war in March 2003, according to poll results and trends released Wednesday.

And a majority of poll respondents said they would support the withdrawal of at least some U.S. troops by the end of the year, according to results from the Opinion Research Corporation poll conducted last week on behalf of CNN. The corporation polled 1,047 adult Americans by telephone.

According to trends, the number of poll respondents who said they did not support the Iraq war has steadily risen as the war stretched into a second and then a third year. In the most recent poll, 36 percent said they were in favor of the war — half of the peak of 72 percent who said they were in favor of the war as it began.

Sixty-one percent, however, said they believed at least some U.S. troops should be withdrawn from Iraq by the end of the year. Of those, 26 percent said they would favor the withdrawal of all troops, while 35 percent said not all troops should be withdrawn. Another 34 percent said they believed the current level of troops in Iraq should be maintained.

It would appear that the people stated their desires quite clearly — both in polls and in elections. I suppose they can keep claiming that 60% of the country is “extreme left” but I don’t think anyone will believe them.

Snow was virtually incoherent this morning. If I didn’t know better, I’d say the white house is rattled. As well they should be.

Here’s my favorite Snow line:

In the totalitarian states the despot alone has the opportunity to declare what he or she wants to do. And frankly, they are much more warlike.

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

“I hear the voices, and I read the front page, and I know the speculation. But I’m the decider, and I decide what is best.”

Here’s some video of Snow today. And Think Progress has more on Snow’s bizarre performance, here.

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