Novak: War is worrying Republicans

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.suntimes.com/output/novak/cst-edt-novak20.html

The defeat on Iraq aid that the Senate handed President Bush on Thursday, when normally dependable supporters defected, was presaged four days earlier when the respected Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee called on Bush to act more like a president. Sen. Richard Lugar's comments, unexpected in their bluntness, conveyed a major political message. Members of the president's party are really worried about the war.

Lugar's stance on NBC's ''Meet the Press'' was the exception among Republicans in openly implying Bush is not in control. Nevertheless, GOP senators returned from the weeklong Columbus Day recess reporting discontent by constituents. Defections by congressional Republicans in supporting loans to Iraq reflected deep unease.

<snip>

Other senior senators share Lugar's concern. Sen. John Warner, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, is reported to be unhappy (though it is unlikely he ever would go public). Many GOP lawmakers who do not share Lugar's opinions have their own concerns.

Freshman Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has no doubt Bush is in charge. He knows from personal experience because the president tried to dissuade him from supporting a proposal to lend Iraq half of $20 billion in reconstruction money. Graham never was intimidated by party leaders during eight years in the House and has not changed in the Senate. He feels there is nothing the American people should feel ashamed about in lending some money to oil-rich Iraq.

Sen. Sam Brownback, a conservative Bush loyalist from Kansas, also affirms the president is in control. But at town hall meetings during the recess, he felt the public's alarm over casualties in Iraq. Like Graham, he defied Bush as the Senate voted 51-47 (with Lugar and Biden both backing Bush in this instance).

1. Midwest

Someone Novak doesn't mention in his column is Chuck Hagel, who according to this story @ http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&e=9&u=/ap/20031021/ap_on_go_co/hagel_bush
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Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel is strongly criticizing Congress, saying it gave President Bush (news - web sites) too much latitude in conducting foreign policy following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Hagel, of Nebraska, voiced his disapproval Monday in a speech at the Gallup Organization World Conference in Omaha.

"When the security of this nation is threatened, Congress and the American people give the president great latitude," he said. "We probably have given this president more flexibility, more latitude, more range, unquestioned, than any president since Franklin Roosevelt — probably too much. The Congress, in my opinion, really abrogated much of its responsibility."

Brownback from Kansas, Hagel from Nebraska. VERY interesting. Doesn't bode well for Bush.

[jbfam4]

2. Interesting

We have the same article in our paper, but the heading is:

Senate GOP Sends a Message on Iraq

[Skittles]

3. *THEY'RE* worried about their POLITICAL FUTURES

these young soldiers are LOSING THEIR LIVES. :puke: