The debate in recent weeks over Bush-era anti-terror policies has given Republicans a much needed political focal point at a time when leaders of the minority party in Washington have struggled for a direction, though it remains to be seen whether the party will be able to turn such issues to its lasting advantage.
Some Republicans sense a political revival as they force Democrats on their heels by pressing their arguments on national security, which culminated Thursday with a showdown between President Obama and former Vice President Dick Cheney delivering dueling speeches.
Republicans also have been hitting hard at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has backtracked after accusing the CIA of lying to Congress about its interrogations of terror detainees.
GOP strategist Scott Reed suggested to the Wall Street Journal that the danger for Democrats is that their recent missteps might turn into a growing series of blunders.
"While the GOP has driven the debate on Pelosi, this was a self-inflicted wound and the beginning of death by a thousand cuts," Reed said.
But Pelosi still has strong support among Democrats, who say she likely will keep her leadership role in the House.
"This is just a dust-up that occurs often inside the Beltway," South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn, the third-ranking House Democrat and chief vote-counter for his party, told the Wall Street Journal. "She's not lost any ground with her caucus."
In their speeches, which came amid intense scrutiny of Obama's plan to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Obama defended his anti-terror policies while Cheney forcefully claimed they were making the country less safe. - FOX News Story
No comments:
Post a Comment