Reply #12: The DNC's greatest weakness:

[alvarezadams]

is that it's trying to be all things to all people. This DLC "strategy" of hic haec hoc cannot work - at best it leaves some people lukewarm while driving away the party base.

The DNC's stance on the war is neither here nor there. Ultimately, and as Kerry has had the balls to admit, the DNC overwhelming voted for the war powers that made the war possible. Only a handful have protested the abuse of said powers. The DNC tries to show that it is against the war yet cannot take the bull by the horns and do something about it - ANYTHING about it - because to do so it will have to admit that it was wrong in abdicating Congressional authority to the warmongers.

The political situation today with regards to the next elections is quite similar to that of 1864 - when the Democrats running against Lincoln were split between Copperheads, war democrats, etc.. In early 1864 Lincoln's goose was cooked and the GOP was certain that it was going to lose and to lose BIG. Yet:

"They must nominate a Peace Democrat on a war platform. or a War Democrat on a peace platform"
Abraham Lincoln to a friend

Of course, the pro-PNAC DLC has a lot to do with this; under no circumstance CAN they claim that they were wrong for supporting the war because they still DO. Pelosi et al have denied that they will call for any political responsibility amongst the admin and its supporters.

So indeed, as you say, the initiative is ours. But the willingness to actually take it seems highly unlikely.