The Polls Are In: Democrats Should Not Back Down On Deadlines!

The polls are in, and the Democrats cannot lose by standing firm, forcing Bush's hand, and continuing to send him firm deadlines for withdrawal for Iraq!

Opinion Research, for CNN, found that a solid 54% opposed Bush's veto of the last bill. More importantly:

Now that the veto has been cast, 57 percent of Americans said they want Congress to send another spending bill with a timetable for withdrawal back to the White House, the poll found -- but 61 percent would support a new bill that dropped the timetables in favor of benchmarks for the Iraqi government to meet to maintain American support.

The slightly larger majority favoring benchmarks is irrelevant. Fully 57 percent want the Democrats to essentially send Bush the same bill! The Democrats are so far behind the public, on this, and we need to wake them up! In fact, today's USA Today/Gallup poll adds confirmation:

Six in 10 support setting a timetable for withdrawal and sticking to it regardless of what's happening in Iraq; 36% say the United States should keep troops in Iraq until the situation there improves.

At what point do the Democrats realize that there is no political downside to standing firm? I'm not one who often criticizes the Democratic leadership, but these numbers could not be more plain! Key Republicans are panicking, and major media outlets that formerly supported the war are now openly calling for us to simply leave! And the news from Iraq just continues to get worse!

Radio stations attacked and torched.

Doctors prevented from fleeing the country.

No medical facilities to treat wounded Iraqi soldiers.

And another bombing, today, which left at least 14 people dead.

And the Pentagon says 35,000 more troops are being told to prepare for deployment to Iraq in December!

So, Vice President Cheney is in Iraq on another propaganda and oil tour, while Iraq's national security adviser is making the rounds, in Washington:

In a whirlwind series of closed-door meetings that began with Representative John P. Murtha and ended with Senator Carl Levin — two Democrats who have been leading the charge for American troop withdrawals — Mr. Rubaie sought to make the case that an American pullout would be catastrophic.

“I know that they are running out of patience, and I understand this very well,” Mr. Rubaie said in a Monday interview in which he outlined his case. “And we have to play the political game. But I feel we are on the last mile of a walk toward success, and if they let go and don’t take our hand, I feel that we are going to lose everything.”

Catastrophic? Like what- it will turn into a civil war? Lose everything? Like what- 655,00 of your people dead?

It's over! The American people know it! It's time for the Democrats to realize that the American people know it! Stand up to Bush! Force his hand! Send him the same bill, with the same firm deadline! Watch the Republicans squirm and jump ship! It's the right thing to do. It's the politically advantageous thing to do! It's the moral thing to do! Don't back down! The people are leading; it's time for the leaders to follow!