Reid vs. Lieberman

by Taylor Marsh

Let's get something straight. Escalation is not about whether Congress has the constitutional authority to keep Bush from escalating the war in Iraq. Turley laid that out last night on Olbermann. It's whether Congress has the spine to stop Bush. The Founders made it clear.

What Democrats must be willing to do is block funds for the escalation plans of the president, but they need Republicans on board to get the job done. Mr. Bush needs money to escalate and if Congress puts a halt or conditions to those funds Bush would have to veto anything sent to him, which is not what he wants to do.

Tough.

Democrats have to lead and play hardball to get this done.

But we've got a huge problem brewing in the Senate.

A top GOP senator said that he "will filibuster" any Democratic attempt to decrease funding for President Bush's new Iraq plan, the Associated Press reports.

"At a news conference, McConnell accused Democrats of secretly favoring a plan to cut off funding for the troops - an allegation that Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. denied," AP reports.

"The fundamental decision to stay on offence and to finish the job, I think is correct, and we believe the president is heading in the right direction and tend to support him," Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell said before Bush's speech last night.

McConnell also talked to some right-leaning bloggers earlier this morning to earn their support for his potential filibuster, telling them on a conference call with other journalists that he expects Independent Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman to also join in with the Republicans. ...

Top GOP senator 'will filibuster any Democratic attempt to decrease funding for Bush's new Iraq plan

Obviously, Mitch McConnell is not Bill Frist.

However, Harry Reid didn't come up through Nevada politics and succeed spectacularly because he was a pussy. Reid's reply to Mr. Bush today: NO ESCALATION. NO WAY.

The battle lines are drawn.

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