Craig Crawford: Defying Bush Helps GOP Midterm Hopes (Craig's wish)

[ProSense]

Craig Crawford: Defying Bush Helps GOP Midterm Hopes

Craig Crawford Fri Sep 15, 2:42 PM ET

George W. Bush is taking plenty of lumps these days, even from his own party, but Democrats need not cheer. The latest rift - between the president and Capitol Hill Republicans on how to treat terrorist detainees - could actually help the GOP keep control of Congress, persuading moderate voters that the party can be trusted even if Bush cannot be trusted.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/20060915/cm_huffpost/029504

Not exactly -- Part I:

Position on detainee trials comes at political risk for GOP senators

Not exactly -- Part II:

Democrats Hold Solid Lead; Strong Anti-Incumbent, Anti-Bush Mood

Terrorism Focus Increases, But No GOP Boost

Released: September 14, 2006

Now for the real question -- Bush ducking war crimes:

Q: Did the U.S. treatment of captive al-Qaida members and other terrorism suspects violate Article III?

A: That remains to be seen. Bush insists that the United States "does not torture" but says CIA interrogators used aggressive, specially approved tactics to coerce suspected senior al Qaida operatives held at secret overseas prisons to cooperate. Published reports have said that some captives were put through simulated drownings, denied pain medication, deprived of sleep for days or forced to sleep naked on cold cement floors. A senior administration official, who briefed reporters under the condition of anonymity, said Friday, however, that the language in Article III is undefined and "hopelessly vague in certain respects."

The administration wants legislation to further clarify what Geneva Conventions violations are war crimes and what acts "in the gray area on the margins" would be prohibited.

more...

[bigdarryl]

1. This Crawford guy is pipe dreaming if

He thinks a rift beteen republicans help them keep control of congress DAMN talk about spin

[AX10]

2. What's with Crawford? He usually does not spin like this.

[bigdarryl]

3. All the taking heads have been ordered to make

Bush and the republicans out to be right on the issues and the Dem's look stupid. you noticed all week there has been nothing but good news for Bush by the media despite the increase in violence and more soldiers dead in Iraq they have been purposely ignoring this war lately.

[KoKo]

4. Kick and Recommend...Crawford is warning us to not sit back on this and

watch Repugs implode on their own...which was the Meme that Blitzer, Tweety and the rest were saying to Dems tonight on the Pundit shows.

Crawford walks a fine line...but his advice might be worth listening to as our Dems are told to just "sit back and enjoy" the Repugs immolate themselves. :shrug: A little pro-action like Murtha gave Tweety tonight and help from the rest of the Dems might be good. Murtha seems to be the only one who can articulate a great "RESISTANCE" to the Repugs. :shrug: Let's find another Murtha backup...because he shouldn't be out there alone.

[bigdarryl]

6. Who the hell else is out there you have

To many dem's trying to be republican like of coarse theres Feingold(by the way where the hell is he)why haven't the media types had him on the shows

[ProSense]

7. I don't think they

are watching the Repubs implode. This was, to borrow a headline I saw, the GOP "Tribunal Trap."

The aim here was to unite Republicans behind a bill and then force Democrats either to vote for or against -- demoralize the supporters of those who vote for and crush with 30 second ads those who vote against.

But if the White House actually gets tripped up in a fight with members of his own party over what kind of torture we should use, and that's the last legislative story out of Washington going into the election, that really seems like it would be a big disaster for the White House.

www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/009813.php

The Democrats know their position: torture is not allowed. But Bush is extremely exposed on this issue and trying to cover his tracks. The GOP push backfired and tripped Bush up even more:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2144333

[KoKo]

9. As Josh says. "Who's going to blink first," though?

Parsing out what Josh seems to day it could go either way. Just depends on whether the "oppostion Repugs" hold out longer than the Dems. :shrug:

[ProSense]

10. Doesn't matter!

JM is talking about Bush trying to give the appearance that he won a battle. Even if he loses, he'll probably attach a signing statement. The bigger issue is in the OP, and embracing the Dems' position and pretending to win, does nothing to cover him for his infractions.

[ChiciB1]

8. I Agree... Crawford Is From Florida Or Used To Write From Here...

but he's not very conservative. I think he really wants us to keep our guard up! I really really like Craig Crawford and always have. He's one who hasn't changed very much over the long haul.

[AX10]

14. True.

[KoKo]

5. BTW...thanks ProSense for the post and links.......n/t

[kentuck]

11. But it's a double-edged sword...

If the Repubs criticize their President, then many of the Presdient's supporters will frown on those Republicans. They have to be careful how much distance they put between themselves and Bush...

[Orangepeel]

12. Craig Crawford isn't conservative

he tends to treat politics like a football game he is commenting on, but I don't believe he cheers for the republican team.

He may very well be wrong here, but I don't think he is expressing his own wishes.

[NYCGirl]

13. That's a WARNING we should heed, not a WISH. Craig Crawford is a

good guy, and we should listen to him.