Bush Blackmails Congress on Iraq; Withdrawal Top Issue for 2008Paul Hogarthbyline‚ Apr. 27‚ 2007After both houses of Congress passed separate bills setting a deadline to get out of Iraq, the House and Senate passed a final budget calling for withdrawal and sent it to the President yesterday. Bush has vowed to veto the legislation, while having the nerve to blame Democrats for holding up funding for our troops. But despite overwhelming public support for what Congress is doing (and anemic approval ratings for the President), the media refuses to state the obvious – George Bush, not Congress, is jeopardizing the war’s funding by threatening to veto. Today I leave for San Diego to attend the California Democratic Convention, where Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards and other candidates will address the delegates. As California voters prepare to pass a February 2008 proposition that calls for us to get out of Iraq, presidential candidates will be scrutinized this weekend on where they stand – and have stood – on withdrawal. With the current showdown between the President and Congress, presidential candidates must make a strong case to party delegates that they are worthy of support on this issue. |