McClatchy: Opposition to Iraq war simmers in America's heartland

[Pirate Smile]

Opposition to Iraq war simmers in America's heartland

By Steven Thomma
McClatchy Newspapers

TOPEKA, Kan. - President Bush is losing the heartland.
Conservative Kansas - home to the Army's Fort Riley, the U.S. Cavalry Museum, Republican icons Dwight Eisenhower and Bob Dole, and the place that gave Bush back to back landslide majorities - is turning against the Iraq war.

Kansas Democrats are quicker to oppose Bush, but growing numbers of Kansas Republicans also are rejecting his plan to send more troops to Iraq and the war itself. That threatens Bush's hope to maintain a solid base of support for his war policies and undermines White House efforts to portray war opposition as partisan Democratic politics.

"The president's war ideas are not very popular here," said Tim Shallenburger, the chairman of the Kansas Republican Party. "Even good Republicans are getting frustrated and believe the president is being stubborn. ... Seven out of 10 good conservative Republicans may not want to say it, but they oppose the war."

-snip-
"Those who are with him are barely speaking up, and everybody else is keeping their lips zipped for fear of making an enemy," said McKnight, who opposes Bush's troop-increase plan for Iraq.
"People are fit to be tied over all of this."

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/16502238.htm

[salin]

1. Sounds like sentiments in Indiana...

maybe we are a harbinger for the next election - if bushco and the national GOP and their mouthpieces don't do a reversal (which they don't appear likely to do). In October 2006 we had 7 gop congressional reps and 2 democratic congressional representatives; in January 2007 we have 5 democratic representatives in congress an only 4 GOP representatives. Maybe we harkin the way for other rust-belt/bible buckle states.