Endangered Colorado Republican Marilyn Musgrave must be seriously feeling the heat. The far-right pro-war conservative, who has been working for months to "soften" her image, said Wednesday "I do hope we will hear good things from Gen. (David) Petraeus about the troop surge and what it has done, but I am discouraged."
The remarks to the Fort Collins Coloradoan editorial board mark the beginnings of an enormous flip-flop for Musgrave, who only two years lambasted her opponent Angie Paccione for a "disgraceful" "cut and run" strategy.
Musgrave used a wounded soldier as a proxy to attack Paccione in her attack ad, which may haunt her from its archive on YouTube.
Musgrave may also have to explain her new opinion to President Bush, who repeatedly praised her for her steadfast support on Iraq in the last election.
In a campaign stop in Greeley in November, 2006, Bush told the faithful:
"If you run into a Democrat, you might ask them a simple question, 'What's your plan?' "
"We have a plan for victory, and part of that plan is having folks in Congress who understand. ... Vote for Marilyn Musgrave," Bush says.
A year before that at a fund raising lunch in Denver, Bush said:
The stakes are high, and it's important to have members of the United States Congress who understand that. Marilyn Musgrave understands that we're in a time of war. And in a time of war, it's important to support those who wear the uniform, the men and women who are courageous enough to volunteer for the United States military. (Applause.) Marilyn is a strong supporter for our troops, and that's important.
Marilyn also understands what I know, is that we've got a strategy for victory in Iraq.
Two years later, Musgrave looks to be joining the troop-undermining, America-hating cut-and-runners, but she's not exactly diving in, nor taking full responsibility for her decision.
Musgrave told the Coloradoan that a troop withdrawal would signal a "blood bath," but since the "American people get their way" the reduction is inevitable.
Got that? It's not that she believes withdrawal is a good idea - in fact she thinks it's horrible - but those cowardly American people are going to force it on her.
UPDATE: Here's the YouTube ad, which she still proudly links off her website.
The tagline: "Marilyn Musgrave cares about veterans." Which is why I guess she's voted against funding for vets health care.