More Proof That Getting Our of Iraq Soon is a Centrist Position

Rahm Emanuel, the 2006 DCCC chairman who gave many of us liberal activist fits by aggressively pushing centrist and conservative candidates in Democratic primaries has given us something to cheer about by urging party leaders to stick to their guns on Iraq funding.

He may not be a favorite among progressives, but nobody has ever denied that Emanuel is a savvy politician. The byline in an article on MSNBC on-line pretty much says it all:

Says Bush insistence on a war blank check will further damage his standing

The entire AP article can be read here.
Having an influential party centrist like Emanuel come out so strongly for Democrats standing up to Bush has got to be helpful in stiffening the spines of wavering  reps and great encouragement for those few who were initially afraid to vote against Bush on war funding to get with the program. It's also a clear message to the rovians that they are not going to split us on this issue. So much for the "Democrats divided" line so often put out by the MSM punditocracy.
I would think that this should also serve to make progressives feel a lot better about Rep. Emanuel. I know that it has lifted my opinion of him considerably. Our party needs cunning strategists as much as it needs strong idealists.

•  tip jar

  C'mon, I really want to be a trusted member.

  by MikePhoenix on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 04:28:06 PM PDT

•  I read Rahms memo

  and while he ends up at the right point in the end, his reasoning sucks. As for the Centrist coming on board fully, wake me up when Hillary apologizes, and Lieberman tells Bush to F off.  Until then Rahm is just hedging his bets. Rahms memo can be seen at TPM.

  by OneCrankyDom on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 04:41:06 PM PDT

  •  Lieberman is not a centrist or a Democrat.

    And despite her weakness in the past, Hillary is on board with standing up to Bush on funding.

    by MikePhoenix on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 05:03:01 PM PDT

  •  where opportunists go

    there goes the country.

    When DLC jostles to claim "out of Iraq" badge, much is accomplished.  Now Lieberman waaaaay out there man, miles if not lightyears from "reality based community".

    I would hope that this would extend to other progressive planks.  Of course, miles to go....

    by Piotr on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 05:12:32 PM PDT

•  How about

  we wait for a few days and see what comes of it all. We won't really know how this goes until Bush vetoes this thing and we are confronted with send it back as is, or give him what he wants. Hopefully, they will stuff in down his gullet. But, we shall see.

  by RustyBrown on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 06:16:09 PM PDT