The Release Democrats Should Send Out First Thing Monday Morning

Stopping The White House Talking Point In Its Tracks

In his weekly Saturday morning radio address, President Bush set the week's talking point for the right wing, broadcasting Lords of Loud.

"(For the Democrats) To oppose everything while proposing nothing is irresponsible"

This morning, Vice President Cheney, along with intimating that the majority of Americans are "validating the Al Quaeda view of the world," took the talking point to the friendly confines of Fox News Sunday.

"They have absolutely nothing to offer in its place...they have an obligation to put forward their proposal."

Senator Jon Kyl (R, Ariz) hoisted the petard on Meet The Press.

"They have nothing specific...nothing concrete."

It's one of those Red Rove Herrings™ that have been a staple of the far-right for years. And why not, it gives Hannity, O'Reilly, Limbaugh and their callers a battle cry that has been honed on the elementary school playgrounds since the New Deal. "If you're so smart why don't you come up with something better."

Of course, the Democrats have come up with a lot of suggestions. Even the President, ever since he admitted that his ideas were only exacerbating the situation, admitted he's listened to many ideas, including those from the Democrats and war critics within his own party.

John Murtha(D, PA) called for redeployment.

Joe Biden (D, Del) has proposed a partition plan for Iraq, a Tri-Part solution.

Chuck Hagel (R, ) advocates a border watch.

John Kerry (D, Mass) has offered a comprehensive plan to end the civil war.

Others have introduced political solutions: summits dealing with Iraq and the countries bordering it, the Arab League, NATO, and the Permanent Members of the United Nations Security Council.

Of course it's a Catch-22.

The President's plan calls for Victory™, even if victory cannot be attained. The Democrats (and a growing number Republicans) look at our Bush-led Iraqi experience and see that actual victory is not only unobtainable, but that any escalation will only lead to more lives and prestige lost, call for a pullout and redeployment. But they aren't calling for Victory™, ergo, the Democrats have no plan at all.

So, this week, every single right wing radio show will do the job they're there for an mount the "they have no idea" band wagon. That's why it is imperative that the Democrats chop off the Lords of Loud agenda before it can start.

But why quibble with the fact that his latest talking point ignores the facts on the ground. It's nothing new. Except now, with the results of the last election, the mainstream media has actually begun to print the Democratic voices somewhere in the first ten paragraphs of a story covering the newest Republican propaganda.

I proposes, that if the Democrats were smart, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi issue a Monday morning release sent to every media outlet entitled...

"Our Plan To End The Killing In Iraq That The President Doesn't Seem To Get Or Hear So Perhaps Someone In The Media Might Read This Release To Him And The Advisor Who Keeps Telling Him To Send Out The Talking Point That We Don't Have A Plan."

And then, list the plans they have introduced.

If this is done, then talk radio can get back to the important issues concerning our failed effort in Iraq...Barbara Boxer calling Condoleezza Rice single.

Steve Young is the author of "Great Failures of the Extremely Successful" and his column appears in the LA Daily News Sunday Opinion page...to the left of O'Reilly's...really.