New York Times: Passage Of Iraq Bill Showcases Dem Unity, Purpose

[babylonsister]

Picture at link; if only Lieberman wasn't in it.


http://electioncentral.tpmcafe.com/blog/electioncentral/2007/mar/24/new_york_times_passage_of_iraq_bill_showcases_dem_unity

Election Central
New York Times: Passage Of Iraq Bill Showcases Dem Unity, Purpose
By Greg Sargent | bio

In a news analysis piece today, The New York Times gets it right, arguing that the successful passage of the House Iraq bill yesterday showcases Democratic unity and represents an early success at corralling the party's majority at a complex and high-stakes moment:

(W)hatever the flaws of the plan approved Friday, it is a Democratic plan, and one that received a strikingly — some would say shockingly — unified vote from House Democrats. Republicans did not make it easy; only two voted for the measure. But Democrats produced the 216 other votes from their own ranks, mindful that this was simply a must-win for Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the party as a whole. If only for this vote, the Democrats overcame the longstanding divisions over national security that critics love to highlight as “Democrats in disarray.”...

...the vote did several things for the Democrats. It was a sharp rebuke to the president, a clear message that “his policy of more troops, more money and more time has overstayed its welcome,” as Representative Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, the Democratic caucus chairman, said after the vote. It established a tough initial stance for the legislative bargaining that will follow, on Capitol Hill and with the Bush administration.

It also demonstrated the evolution of the Democrats into a governing party that considers itself on equal footing with the executive branch and is willing to challenge President Bush on an array of fronts.

Yep. A critical victory at a critical time. It'll be interesting to see where it leads. Now it's the Senate's turn.

[Skinner]

1. That's an odd choice of picture for the story.

The title of the NYT story is "Democrats Unite Around an Iraq Plan of Their Own"

The picture is: "A group of senators opposed to the Democrats’ plan at a news conference Friday. From left: Joseph I. Lieberman, John McCain, Lindsey Graham and Tom Coburn. President Bush threatened to veto the legislation."

Were they not able to find a picture of "Democrats Unite Around an Iraq Plan of Their Own"?

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/24/washington/24assess.html

[babylonsister]

2. I didn't even notice who else was in the pic; couldn't get past Lieberman. nt

[AX10]

3. I agree.