Dean accuses Republicans of giving Bush a green light on Iraq escalation.

[madfloridian]

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/02-05-2007/0004520842&EDATE=

Today, Senate Republicans blocked an up-or-down vote on a resolution concerning the President's escalation of the War in Iraq and his refusal to offer a new direction that the American people demanded in November. Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement:

"This is the most important issue facing our nation and the American people have made it clear where they stand. We believe that the American people deserve to know where their representatives in Congress stand on the President's escalation of the Iraq War. Why are the president's supporters in Congress afraid to have to stand up and tell the American people where they stand on the president's efforts to escalate the war? By voting to block this debate, Republicans have essentially given a green light to President Bush to continue down the same failed strategy in Iraq.

"This bi-partisan resolution is a critical first step to holding the
president accountable and it is the basis for the first real debate on the President's flawed Iraq policy since the war began nearly four years ago. This obstructionism makes it clear that Republicans in Congress are not interested in offering a new direction in Iraq that the American peoplecalled for last November."

[illinoisprogressive]

1. I love Howard Dean

[fooj]

2. Ditto.

:loveya:

[Robbien]

3. All right Dean!

Everyone voting today to shut this down "voted to support President Bush's escalation in Iraq."

Keep repeating it.

[laureloak]

4. Republicans just want to play Whack-A-Mole in Iraq. n/t

[patrice]

8. They're too chicken-shit or too stupid to stand up to the "being against this war

emboldens the enemy" rhetoric that they were pounded with last week.

It will be an exceedingly sad thing to have to say "We told you so" when, inspite of this escalation, the enemy comes here anyway, which they WILL someday. Too bad that won't be any satisfaction to those of us who are trying to tell them, but they've got their asses covered anyway with this vote, so, like the IWR, it doesn't matter what really happens.

[patrice]

5. That's my guy!

I've been feeling pretty bad today. Thank goodness for Howard Dean and those 1 million, 57 thousand+ people who participated in the MoveOn/True Majority calling campaign last week.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

6. 1 mil and change. NIIICE!

:applause: MKJ

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

7. I will phone Sen. Smith OR. in the morning.

I thought he had changed his mind about the war. He blew it. Anyone else from Oregon want to join me. Senator Gordon Smith (R) [phone]

[madfloridian]

9. Even Hagel backed down.

I guess the GOP has true power over their senators. We have too many caucuses who think of themselves first in our party.