Sen. Warner on MTP-----now. says he trying to get the attention of Bush and

[rodeodance]

others

[rodeodance]

1. he talks of great respect for Military brass

[rodeodance]

2. He is talking of Military teams and home and In Irag (in Irag they want to stay and at home

they talk of stress and inability to sustain the numbers in iraq.

[rodeodance]

3. In the end he will leave the final decision up to Bush!!!

[rodeodance]

5. says Bush has got to put teeth to his numerous comments that we will not

be there forever.

says this is one way, if others have ideas, put them on the table.

[bigtree]

4. he still says Bush is the one who should set the timetables

not Congress. Seems like a waste of time to follow him. Remember the torture bill he was supposedly so against?

[rodeodance]

6. yes, in the end he pays deference to the office of the Presidency

[rodeodance]

7. in his logic, Congress is little more than 'advisary"

[bigtree]

9. he's full of shit.

he's just trying to cover for his party by making it look like he's opposed to Bush. In the end, he hopes he can get enough legislators behind some 'compromise' which will turn out to be essentially the same thing Bush wants, to continue on indefinitely. Just like he did on the torture bill.

[saltpoint]

16. Well, he's a Republican, so of course he's full of shit, but he's less full of shit

than many other Republican Senators we could name. Cornyn. Coburn. Sessions. Hatch. McConnell. And so forth.

John Warner is Mr. Military. His words stand against the president's here on the subject of the future of Iraq and our military's relation to it. If Warner has publicly criticized Bush, it likely means his private phone calls with his military contacts have at last performed a reality skingraft. This is very useful in advancing majority public opinion into the decision-making realm.

[Flubadubya]

18. It likely means his private phone calls with his military contacts...

have been surveilled by the Bushies... thanks to his and his fellow congress critters' complicity in passing that damned unconstitutional act!!! :grr:

[bigtree]

19. I'll bet you can't show me one instance where he's acted on those words on Iraq

we'll see.

[saltpoint]

22. I don't look to the Republican faction in Congress for much direction on

any subject, nevermind current foreign policy.

My point on Warner is the public impact of a traditionally pro-military voice now seen criticizing a sitting Republican for whom "freedom in the Middle East" had been considered definitional in 2001-04 or so.

If Warner's not aboard, things abroad are in question.

[bigtree]

24. He's already dismissed any legislation which would have congress set an end date

any bill that emerges which allows Bush to determine the end of the occupation is worthless.

My point is that his pattern is to appear to oppose the Bush administration and then attract others (including Democrats) to worthless compromises which they posture as a rebuke of the administration stance; like the torture bill.

I'd look for other coalitions which outflank him. I won't believe that he's anything more than cover for advancing administration policy until he proves me otherwise with meaningful votes cast for decisive legislation.

[saltpoint]

25. I endorse the glance away from Republican coalitions generally, toward a

view of melding a frame of reference against the President. Historians will take note of John Warner's 1) decision to publicly call for the troops home by Christmas 07 and 2) (possibly) his decision to opt out of the Senate sweepstakes for 08. He's a bit long of tooth these days and he's put in his years, etc., but on the other hand, he enjoys considerable power and that will end if he does not seek re-election.

And he's only raised a couple thousand bucks -- not enough cash in the kitty to run a residually effective campaign a year out from ballots.

It's looking more and more as if Tom Davis will be nominated for that seat for the Pukes and (I hope) Mark Warner for the blue team. And I expect the blue trend in Virginia to continue with a MWarner win.

Bush's dream of an oil-haven "democracy" along the Tigris-Euphrates Valley is done with, and JWarner's public dismissal, coming as it does pre-Petreaus, is one component.

___
edit: spellin'

[rodeodance]

21. yes, he has definately added a new item to the recipe.

[saltpoint]

8. John Warner is late to the picnic, but I'll take his criticism of Bush in the

prescribed dose. I guess it makes sense that the Bush administration isn't listening. It never has shown a gift for listening and it is intolerant of challenge.

John Warner must have something on the ball, or else Elizabeth Taylor wouldn't have married him. At the same time, I'm greedy for his Senate seat and hope he does step down so that another Warner -- the good Warner -- Mark -- can jump in there and give us a blue vote from the Old Dominion.

John Warner's criticism of the Bush administration's war policy this close to "Petraeus' report" is as clear a signal as there could be that there's no real support remaining for the president's failures abroad. John Warner is as close to the military as anybody in Congress.

[rodeodance]

10. I agree, and his criticism might, just might 'allow' other Repugs to speak up?

[saltpoint]

13. I hope so. A full chorus culminating around Labor Day would be good.

I expect Congress critters nationwide are getting an earful on their summer break and might be in a different frame of mind as fall's election/primary mindset kicks in.

[rodeodance]

15. He has put a rat in the pot for Bush that is for sure.

[rodeodance]

11. He says Bush really really feels for the dead troops.

[rodeodance]

12. Warner just said that Bush has the presidential powers. yup, that is th linch pin

he holds onto. With this, any comments he makes are timid

[rodeodance]

14. umm.to change the subject. I think he will not run again--giving hints of the 7day

workweek. He would be 88 at end of his term if ran again.

[MonkeyFunk]

17. Yeah

just saw that. It did sound like he was leaning toward not running again.

But damn, he looks and sounds pretty good for 80!

[rodeodance]

20. The military has always been his 'baby'----it will be hard for him to leave at this

time.

[pretzel4gore]

23. so you see why this thing must work its way out...

if there's a god; or if there's karma, the crimes committed on behalf of ma's apple pie just can't be 'awe shucked' and awed...warner is a typical mealie mouth coward who sukks pecker like a paid pro mediawhore when the going gets tuff- and he calls his arse a public servant arse! the sky aint falling but...we are a doomed species if we think pretending gonna buy the kid's lollipops!
not in georgebushamerica it isn't, nothing is free, to ordinary people, nothing! bush was not elected in 2k! SO, why does john warner consort with criminals? why is he hauling the rapist's water, or washing the windows of child pornographers ie the gopigs?...warner thinks bush, who's terrfied of every shadow, is fearsome, but ... the law is gonna be enforced soon, and lawless men like cheneybush are carrying bags o money containing explosive paintpacks outta the 1st national bank, in broad frigging daylight, while warner holds the door and summons getaway car!
the nutz on them nazipoohs!