June 27, 2007
Avoid Labor-Day Rush; Panic Today
A number of Republican senators and representatives seem to be in a powerful hurry to declare the "surge" a failure -- nearly three months before the military assessment of its success. It truly makes one wonder what they fear most: defeat or victory?
The newest to join the parade of victory deniers (who predict doom and defeat but refuse to vote for timetables for withdrawal) are Sens. Richard Lugar (R-IN, 64%) and George Voinovich (R-OH, 56%). Previous timorous lawmakers include Sens. Olympia Snowe (R-ME, 36%), Susan Collins (R-ME, 48%), Chuck Hagel (R-NE, 75%), Gordon Smith (R-OR, 72%), Norm Coleman (R-MN, 68%), and Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee John Warner (R-VA, 64%).
Hm... odd: Something seems to stand out about that group of Republicans, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Something about those little numbers after their party and state identification -- the number that measures Republican partisanship.
Oh, wait, maybe this is it: The mean average "Republicanness" of the group of knee-knockers appears to be 60%; the mean average of the rest of the Republican conference is 87%.
Think maybe that could explain it?
Oh, and here's another amusing example of the "multiple layers of editing" that is the hallmark of the elite media. According to the New York Times:
For months, Mr. Lugar has kept his skepticism about the president’s Iraq policy largely to himself, seldom offering anything beyond a hopeful wait-and-see statement. A soft-spoken cardinal of foreign policy, Mr. Lugar is known to his colleagues as anything but a bitter partisan, which made his remarks all the more stinging. [Defeatism is "more stinging" because Lugar is a wishy-washy RINO?]
And according to AP:
Earlier this year, Voinovich and Lugar said they doubted the troop buildup in Iraq would work. But they declined to back a resolution expressing opposition to the troop increase because they said it would have no practical effect. The two senators also refused Democratic proposals to set a timetable for troop withdrawals.
I suppose the only way to reconcile the two is to assume that when Lugar expressed his doubts, he must have been talking to himself. I picture an argument between the two halves of Dick Lugar -- somewhat like the one between Smeagol and Gollum in the Lord of the Rings movie... alas, Gollum appears to have won.
Lugar and Voinovich insist they will still vote against timetables, withdrawals, and defeat; but they simply cannot resist kicking the American military at the least opportunity.
Hatched by Dafydd on this day, June 27, 2007, at the time of 5:32 AM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this hissing: http://biglizards.net/mt3.36/earendiltrack.cgi/2212
Comments
The following hissed in response by: snochasr
I never took statistics in school, so perhaps you will excuse my ignorance of the term "mean average." Do I assume that these Senators have doubts AND a surly attitude? I believe it, of course and find it a very ingenious method of assessing groups of Senators. Thank you.
The above hissed in response by: snochasr ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://biglizards.net/blog/nav-commenters.gif)
at June 27, 2007 6:08 AM
The following hissed in response by: gregdn
You ain't seen nothin' yet. By the end of the year the rush to the exits will become a stampede on the GOP side of the aisle.
The above hissed in response by: gregdn at June 27, 2007 7:16 AM
The following hissed in response by: Terrye
I live in Indiana and cautious is the word that comes to mind when one talks about Lugar. He is covering all bases. He is supposedly meeting with the National Security Advisor later this week and perhaps he will be satisfied with what he hears. I doubt very much that Lugar will vote for withdrawal however.
The above hissed in response by: Terrye at June 27, 2007 1:04 PM
The following hissed in response by: hunter
Our governing class has become so sorry that they see nothing wrong with aiding and abetting the enemy, committing sedition against our troops, undermining the war they voted for, and openly promoting the imposition of goevernment censorship on the people's speech.
Sen. Lugar is simply indulging a bit in what his colleagues seem to enjoy so much. No big deal in modern America.
In a patriotic America, he would be shown the door, his Senate field offices at home would be subject to daily protests or worse and he would be hurrying to clarify and neutralize his statements.
But we are so degenerate at this time that we tolerate lefty calls for defeat of America, their calls for killing Republicans, and their demands for censorship in silence.
The above hissed in response by: hunter at June 28, 2007 5:04 AM
The following hissed in response by: Dan Kauffman
He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign
SUN TZU ON THE ART OF WAR
The above hissed in response by: Dan Kauffman at June 28, 2007 7:40 AM
Post a comment
Thanks for hissing in, . Now you can slither in with a comment, o wise. (sign out)
(If you haven't hissed a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Hang loose; don't shed your skin!)© 2005-2009 by Dafydd ab Hugh - All Rights Reserved
)
