The Party of Ideas

No serious person believes that the United States ought immediately to withdraw our troops from Iraq. The Democrats, of course, disagree with the President's plans (or, as they say, his lack of plans), and the President's policy.

But if the Democrats wish to be taken seriously -- if a few of them think running for President might be a good idea -- then it would seem necessary for them to do a bit more than simply providing Dave Barry with material for his annual year-end review, "A Year on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown:"

In a strongly worded rebuttal, the Democratic leadership points out that, when you get right down to it, there is no Democratic leadership.

[snip]

In response, the Democratic leadership pledges to churn out irate press releases for a while, then totally lose interest.

[snip]

In a strongly worded rebuttal, angry congressional Democrats state that, because of a scheduling mixup, they missed the president's speech, but whatever he said, they totally disagree with it, and if they once voted in favor of it, they did so only because the president lied to them.

[snip]

President Bush visits Russia for an important photo opportunity, after which he describes Russia as "a foreign country where they speak Russian," an assertion that is immediately challenged by congressional Democrats.

[snip]

In response, Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee, led by Sen. Joe Biden, vow to, quote, "get on television a lot."

[snip]

This outrages congressional Democrats, who respond with a two-pronged strategy of (1) demanding that the troops be brought home and (2) voting overwhelmingly against a resolution to bring the troops home.

But the Democrats are not without deep thinkers, and apparently have hit upon a new position with respect to the war in Iraq, as reported by John Podhoretz at NRO:

Since Murthamania went the way of the Bay City Rollers, elected Democrats need a new line on Iraq. And they've found one. They're against our staying in Iraq indefinitely, and let me tell you, they don't care who knows it. They're standing tall against all those who say America should stay in Iraq forever. Richard Durbin just said as much on CNN's "Late Edition," while in early December, Hillary Rodham Clinton put it this way: "I disagree with those who believe we should pull out, and I disagree with those who believe we should stay without end."

I'm not making this up.