NYT, Nagourney, Hulse: Democrats Step Up Criticism of WH Response

[DeepModem Mom]

Democrats Step Up Criticism of White House Response
By ADAM NAGOURNEY and CARL HULSE
Published: September 8, 2005


WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 - After 10 days of often uncertain responses to the Bush administration's management of Hurricane Katrina, Democratic leaders unleashed a burst of attacks on the White House on Wednesday, saying the wreckage in New Orleans raised doubts about the country's readiness to endure a terrorist attack and exposed ominous economic rifts that they said had worsened under five years of Republican rule.

From Democratic leaders on the floor of Congress, to a speech by the Democratic National Committee chairman at a meeting of the National Baptist Convention in Miami, to four morning television interviews by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Democrats offered what was shaping up as the most concerted attack that they had mounted on the White House in the Bush presidency....

***

The display of unity was striking for a party that has been adrift since Mr. Kerry's defeat, struggling to reach consensus on issues like the war in Iraq and the Supreme Court nomination of Judge John G. Roberts Jr. The aggressiveness was evidence of what Republicans and Democrats said was the critical difference between the hurricane and the Sept. 11 attacks: Democrats appear able to question the administration's competence without opening themselves to attacks on their patriotism.

Not insignificantly, they have been emboldened by the fact that Republicans have also been critical of the White House over the past week, and by the perception that this normally politically astute and lethal administration has been weakened and seems at a loss as it struggles to manage two crises: the aftermath of the hurricane on the Gulf Coast and the political difficulties that it has created for Mr. Bush in Washington.

Their response may have allowed the Democrats to seize the issue that Republicans had hammered them with in the past two elections: national security....The Democrats' aggressiveness is not without its risks. The White House has been seeking to minimize the criticisms of Mr. Bush by portraying them as partisan, and some prominent Democrats have avoided going after Mr. Bush on this issue, aware of what the Republicans were trying to accomplish....


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/08/national/nationalspecial/08democrats.html?hp&ex=1126152000&en=d7fe69e3005f32d3&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[Laelth]

1. normally politically astute and lethal administration

Now, that's hitting the nail on the head!

:nuke:

-Laelth

[katsy]

2. Kudos!

:bounce: :applause: :bounce: :applause: :bounce:

A plea to the Dems: Don't stop!

[kodi]

3. Well, Keith Olbermann has shown bigger stones than any of them

I just wish one of the alleged democratic leaders had said what he said the other night. then i might think better of them now.

democratic party leaders always seem to have to need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.