We've already lost the war in Iraq, and the pullout is inevitable. There is just no win there, which is why Cheney and Lieberman are pushing so aggressively for an Iran war. So when the collapse happens, who do you think the base is going to blame?

You guessed it: liberals and the Democratic party. The party of "personal responsibility" sure isn't going to blame themselves for anything.

As for McCain, I have never understood the appeal. I have progressive and liberal friends who are impressed with him, and could never articulate a reason that makes sense to me, other than the fact than he is less obviously insane than Bush/Cheney.

The mainstream media love McCain. Maybe his campaign was always mostly wind, a hypothetical that the pundits and media professionals tried to stoke to life, while the substance of a winning candidacy simply wasn't there.

It's a good thing that the GOP candidate must march in lockstep for endless war, because that'll simply further alienate the GOP and their brimstone base from majority opinion on that and a host of issues. Although I keep noticing that the military's recruitment goals aren't being met, so the GOP base, while being adamantly pro-war, apparently aren't walking their talk. Maybe it's just the idea of permanent war that appeals to them, versus the actual fighting of it. Maybe they just want to WIN at something, and if it means bashing Third World heads by proxy, by jingo, they'll have it.

Which really mirrors their leadership, the whole chickenhawk mentality that continues to hang in the background with the GOP. It's curious that the only GOP candidate with real-war experience isn't winning the brimstoners' hearts and minds, despite his toeing Bush's line. Maybe McCain needs to do some horseback riding or something, get in touch with the base's fevered fantasies of able leadership.

Despite my tremendous respect for Glenn Greenwald's column, I have to disagree here. I wrote a letter in response to a similar column in Salon a couple of weeks ago--one might be able to find it by searching through my bin--but to recapitulate my main points:

1) McCain's political persona is defined by his supposed capacity for "straight talk" and "maverickism". (Both highly overrated, as Glenn among others has shown).

2) His support for the war in Iraq--and in particular his infamous Baghdad shopping trip--has blown a hole in that reputation for candor and honesty.

3) While your run of the mill GOP candidate (as GG documents) thrives on hypocrisy and pander-to-the base fanaticism, I think the dynamics of this work different for McCain. He has counted on a lot of lazy centrists and even liberals to buoy his political fortunes; now these fall away. Meanwhile, the GOP base never really accepted him as their guy in the way that your typical hypocrite is.

Thus, McCain's collapse is tied to the war, not because his stand in itself fails the test with the Party, but because it contradicts his particular (admittedly mythological) reputation.

I suppose this doesn't challenge Glenn's larger point about the GOP being the war party.

Who have railed at the media for explaining McCain's implosion through his support for the war.

As you point out, the counterintuitive argument (that all leading GOP candidates are pro-war) is compelling. Personally, I think immigration sealed the deal, but McCain has never been a friend of the base - McCain even voted against Bush's tax cuts, which as we all know is like pissing on a nativity scene.

(From the link attached below, McCain: "I voted against the tax cuts because of the disproportional amount that went to the wealthiest Americans. I would clearly support not extending those tax cuts in order to help address the deficit."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18573163/page/4/

As I said, total sacrilege.

Thus, McCain's collapse is tied to the war, not because his stand in itself fails the test with the Party, but because it contradicts his particular (admittedly mythological) reputation.

What's your evidence for this? What basis do you have for claiming that what the GOP wanted in McCain was maverick independence and they're disappointed that he supported the Iraq war too loyally?

That contradicts the evidence I cited about the GOP's view of the war, and it also contradicts everything I know about how they operate. So on what do you base these claims?

HANNITY: Have the Democrats become the party of surrender in the war?

GIULIANI: Sure.

Comedy gold. Sean and Rudy should take this act to the Catskills--- please.

Sorry for the OT, but this is just too much to pass up.

Anyone who hasn't seen it should head over to the WaPo and check out Bill (I founded the PNAC) Krystol's lastest bootlicking endeavor. It's truly pathetic - with a total of 179 pages of angry comments following.

A toddler could deconstruct his tripe.

I'm hoping Glenn will provide the service.

Here's a sobering thought

We've already lost the war in Iraq, and the pullout is inevitable. There is just no win there, which is why Cheney and Lieberman are pushing so aggressively for an Iran war. So when the collapse happens, who do you think the base is going to blame?

It may seem like minor semantic quibbling but it really isn't. It's precision in language.

1. The invasion, whatever its goals, and they have varied and been numerous was a major strategic blunder. See Powell Doctrine

2. The war, the defeat of the Iraqi army was a success.

3. The occupation and nation building failed, and failed miserably. See Powell Doctrine.

You guessed it: liberals and the Democratic party. The party of "personal responsibility" sure isn't going to blame themselves for anything.

Dolchstoßlegende

See: Stabbed in the back! The past and future of a right-wing myth

http://www.harpers.org/archive/2006/06/0081080

At least leave them with the illusion that are armed forces are invincible. If used for the pupose they are intended for, national defense and projecting power globally when necessary. they probably are.

What I think will be really interesting to watch is the Republican candidate switching from primary election mode to general election mode when he will have to appeal to the vast majority of voters who want this war wrapped up. The Republican base is becoming increasingly marginalized. Their signature social issues just aren't resonating anymore (I think gay marriage has lost its edge for them, creationism makes them look rediculous, abortion has too much fundimantal support among the general public...). This war and a general war policy seems to be where they're hanging their hat.

The Republican presidential hopefulls are all forging enormous Jacob Marley chains for themselves with their support of the Bush/Cheney Iraq policy that will be impossible to drag into a general election win.