Rep. Murtha: Democrats will pick up 40 to 50 House seats in '08 on issue of Iraq

[DeepModem Mom]

The Hill: Murtha: GOP will turn on Iraq when ’08 pick is made
By Mike Soraghan
September 17, 2007

House Appropriations Defense subcommittee Chairman John Murtha (D-Pa.) said Monday that he expects that Republican lawmakers will begin abandoning President Bush’s Iraq policy after the GOP picks a presidential candidate next year.

“As soon as the primaries are over, you’ll see Republicans start jumping ship,” Murtha said in remarks at the National Press Club.

Murtha also predicted that, despite the unpopularity of Congress, Democrats will make broad gains in next year’s election because voters are upset with the war.

“People are frustrated, but you’re going to see a big Democratic increase,” he told reporters after his speech. “I think we’ll pick up 40 (to) 50 seats.”

The lawmaker, a key adviser to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on military issues, is not waiting on the presidential calendar to push for a broad troop withdrawal from Iraq. Murtha said he expects the Iraq war supplemental spending bill, up for debate in October or November, to include a specific date for withdrawal....

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/murtha-gop-will-turn-on-iraq-when-08-pick-is-made-2007-09-17.html

[Warpy]

1. Not if they keep rolling over and playing dead

every time Stupid wants more money for his favorite toy.

They have got to tie funding to a timetable for withdrawal.

If they don't, they can't expect the party to win additional seats in 2006.

They were sent there to do a job. If they don't do it, they deserve to lose.

[tridim]

3. I don't think that matters..

Most people understand that ALL of the Republicans are part of the problem while only a handful of the Democrats are acting as enablers.

The Democrats are obviously the lesser of two evils, and the majority are not evil at all.

[Warpy]

7. People who pay attention know that

but most people see a party of wimps that was sent to make changes and refuses to make the effort.

[maxsolomon]

2. impeaching him in retrospect ain't gonna cut it

lets see something, anything that gets in president narcissist's way from this congress NOW. you've nearly had a year.

[bluestateguy]

4. I'm skeptical of that

I'm thinking that a pickup of 10 would be optimistic, and they might even lose half a dozen or so at worst. There are a lot of first termers in red districts who will have to fight hard to win reelection.

[rmgarrette64]

6. I have to agree

Then again, Murtha is acting as a politician. Create the appearance of inevitability, and it may yet follow. So no complaints about what is probably an overoptimistic estimate.

On the other hand, I'm nowhere near as sanguine as most that we'll pick up seats over Iraq. It does depend both on how things go over there, as well as how we perceive things as going over there. At least among the people I know, there really has been a change in perception. Gen. Petraeus' testimony was quite effective, although the lead-up to it helped a lot - he was confirming what people have heard recently, not just coming out of the blue.

If he is successful, I don't know what will happen in the elections.

R. Garrett

[AtomicKitten]

5. Not with their crap approval rating they won't.

[polichick]

8. They should stop counting their new chickens and...

...use the power us old chickens gave 'em ~ before we fly the coop!