BCT Editorial – 11/30/05

This page was last updated on November 30, 2005.

Tread lightly; Editorial; Beaver County Times; November 30, 2005.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject editorial.

“Democrats had better tread lightly on Iraq because the American people, despite rising qualms about the Bush administration’s bungling of the post-war occupation, aren’t in step with them.

“The Washington Post reported a poll taken by bipartisan RT Strategies found that just three in 10 adults accept the Democrats are leveling criticism because they believe this will help U.S. efforts in Iraq. A majority believes the motive is really to ‘gain a partisan political advantage.’ Only 16 percent of those polled support immediate withdrawal, while a plurality of 49 percent believe that the troops should come home only when the Iraqi government can provide for its own security.

“The Philadelphia Inquirer reported another survey, this one done by a Democratic pollster, found that Americans - 48 percent to 34 percent - believe Republicans are better than Democrats at ‘security and keeping people safe.’

“Obviously, Democrats have a lot of work to do to win the trust of the American people.”

[RWC] I’m not sure how to take this editorial. Is the author telling Democrats they are getting too far ahead and the mainstream media needs more time to propagandize the American people? On the other hand, perhaps the author is telling Democrats they need better spin.

What the author fails to note is actions speak louder than words, and Democrat-supported national security policies for the last 30+ years have run counter to U.S. security interests.