Most observers in the realm of world politics say that the so-called 'troop surge' in Iraq is working. Some of the very pundits whose warnings were used by the Democrats to call for an immediate withdrawal from Iraq are now saying that winning the war is entirely within reach.
Even many Congressional Democrats are beginning to say the very same thing.
The Democratic leadership, however, says that our recent successes in Iraq are cause for immediate withdrawal. This view is clearly not shared by many of the rank-and-file Democrats in the Congress, however.
So, what, exactly, is happening with the Democratic leadership?
One, Party leaders are definitely beholden to extremists who make up the core of the Party faithful. From Cindy Sheehan to Michael Moore, from Sean Penn to Harry Belafonte, from George Soros to Barbra Streisand, Democratic Party activists demand an immediate withdrawal from Iraq no matter what.
Two, the Democrats have staked out the War in Iraq as the single issue with which to win the White House in 2008. Thus, whether they like it or not, and whether they admit it or not, the Democrats have a vested political interest in our losing the War.
The fact that we are now winning does not figure into the 2008 campaign playbook, which assumed that Iraq would continue to drag Mr. Bush and the Republicans further down into the abyss, leaving a golden opportunity for the Democrats to seize the supposed failures of the War as a reason to put them in the White House.
Thus, for the U.S. to turn things around and actually begin to bring a volatile situation under control in Iraq would be bad political news for the Democrats.
And whether the Dems like it or not, this is precisely the predicament in which the Party and its candidates find themselves, i.e., being the Party that wins if America loses.
Three, without fail each member of the Democratic leadership is on record utilizing the most vitriolic rhetoric one can muster to condemn the War, though most of them voted for it, and to lambast the Republicans who supposedly 'got us into this mess,' which once again could not have happened without the help and support of Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, John Kerry, Harry Reid, and Ted Kennedy in 2002.
Each of the Senators mentioned above support withdrawal in spite of the turn-around produced by the troop-surge. Add to that members of the House, such as John Conyers, Nancy Pelosi, and John Murtha, and it is clear that the Party leadership is obviously paying no attention to the members of the Democratic rank-and-file nor their chosen pundits who once supported withdrawal but who now say the surge is working.
The attitude of the Democratic leadership seems to be that of, 'Now that we are winning, let's leave.' No real need to stay until the job is done, right?
Only if you have a vested interest in making sure that we do not finish the job. After all, the 2008 elections draw near.
Showing posts with label funding for war in Iraq. Show all posts
Showing posts with label funding for war in Iraq. Show all posts
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
More Spin From Katie Couric and CBS News
Washington, DC (TLS). CBS News has a long history of Leftist spin on its news stories, dating all the way back to Walter Cronkite's days as anchor. The bias only got worse with Dan Rather.
Now, Katie Couric and company have taken the news division at CBS to a new low in Leftist slant. Monday night's broadcast is a perfect case in point.
Couric introduced a story concerning the upcoming attempt of Congressional Democrats to pass a non-binding resolution against President Bush's plan to send more troops to Iraq in order to stabilize the country. After a brief description of the Democrats' plan, she stated, 'The American people seem to want the Democrats to do much more than just a non-binding resolution.
'Our latest poll,' Couric continued, 'shows that 53% of Americans want the Democrats either to cut off funding for the war altogether, or refuse funding for the troop surge.'
However, the graphic she placed on the screen painted an entirely different picture when one considers the whole story and not just the spin. According to the poll graphic, 45% of those polled want Congress to refuse to fund the troop surge. 8% want Congress to withdraw funding from the War altogether.
Obviously, when the 45% is added to the 8%, you get a 53% 'majority' who either desire a withdrawal of funds from our troops on the ground in Iraq, or a blocking of funding for the upcoming troop surge.
This carefully calculated slight-of-hand gives the appearance of widespread public support for de-funding the War in Iraq. However, let's turn this around and use the same tactic Couric and CBS News uses, except this time, let's apply it to the OTHER side.
For example, if 45% of those polled want Congress to refuse to fund the troop surge, then that means that 55% of those polled either want the surge fully funded or are not sure about it one way or the other. In like manner, if only 8% of those polled want Congress to de-fund the War altogether, then that means a whopping 92% of those polled wish for the funding of the War to continue.
Once again, using the Couric/CBS slight-of-hand formula, when 55% is added to 92%, that means that fully 147% of Americans support funding the troop surge AND funding the War in general.
147 percent.
Remember, I am using the very same formula and tactic that CBS used to arrive at their so-called 53% majority who either favor de-funding the entire War or blocking funding for the troop surge. And the number I get is that 147 percent of Americans support funding for the War AND the troop surge.
This scenario reminds me of what an accountant for a major healthcare organization told me several years ago. He said, 'Numbers can be manipulated to show whatever result administration and the trustees are looking for. It is amazing as to how figures can be manipulated to show differing results based solely upon how they are put together.'
Apparently this is the modus operandi at CBS News.
Frankly, if this is the manner in which the major polling organizations are arriving at their conclusion that the vast majority of Americans are resigned to failure and defeat in Iraq, then I question the accuracy of those polls. Polls can be made to say just about anything you want them to say, especially when you have spin-doctors at work such as we have at CBS News.
Now, Katie Couric and company have taken the news division at CBS to a new low in Leftist slant. Monday night's broadcast is a perfect case in point.
Couric introduced a story concerning the upcoming attempt of Congressional Democrats to pass a non-binding resolution against President Bush's plan to send more troops to Iraq in order to stabilize the country. After a brief description of the Democrats' plan, she stated, 'The American people seem to want the Democrats to do much more than just a non-binding resolution.
'Our latest poll,' Couric continued, 'shows that 53% of Americans want the Democrats either to cut off funding for the war altogether, or refuse funding for the troop surge.'
However, the graphic she placed on the screen painted an entirely different picture when one considers the whole story and not just the spin. According to the poll graphic, 45% of those polled want Congress to refuse to fund the troop surge. 8% want Congress to withdraw funding from the War altogether.
Obviously, when the 45% is added to the 8%, you get a 53% 'majority' who either desire a withdrawal of funds from our troops on the ground in Iraq, or a blocking of funding for the upcoming troop surge.
This carefully calculated slight-of-hand gives the appearance of widespread public support for de-funding the War in Iraq. However, let's turn this around and use the same tactic Couric and CBS News uses, except this time, let's apply it to the OTHER side.
For example, if 45% of those polled want Congress to refuse to fund the troop surge, then that means that 55% of those polled either want the surge fully funded or are not sure about it one way or the other. In like manner, if only 8% of those polled want Congress to de-fund the War altogether, then that means a whopping 92% of those polled wish for the funding of the War to continue.
Once again, using the Couric/CBS slight-of-hand formula, when 55% is added to 92%, that means that fully 147% of Americans support funding the troop surge AND funding the War in general.
147 percent.
Remember, I am using the very same formula and tactic that CBS used to arrive at their so-called 53% majority who either favor de-funding the entire War or blocking funding for the troop surge. And the number I get is that 147 percent of Americans support funding for the War AND the troop surge.
This scenario reminds me of what an accountant for a major healthcare organization told me several years ago. He said, 'Numbers can be manipulated to show whatever result administration and the trustees are looking for. It is amazing as to how figures can be manipulated to show differing results based solely upon how they are put together.'
Apparently this is the modus operandi at CBS News.
Frankly, if this is the manner in which the major polling organizations are arriving at their conclusion that the vast majority of Americans are resigned to failure and defeat in Iraq, then I question the accuracy of those polls. Polls can be made to say just about anything you want them to say, especially when you have spin-doctors at work such as we have at CBS News.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)