I just figured out what I'm doing tonight at 8! I received this as the preview of tonight's Countdown:
President Bush expressed frustration on Tuesday with the congressional debate on Iraq war spending and accused majority-party Democrats of being "more interested in fighting political battles in Washington than providing our troops what they need." He also chided the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi for visiting Syria, saying it sent mixed signals to the government of President Bashar Assad. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/...
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Syria on Tuesday, leading a congressional delegation. Pelosi, who was met at Damascus airport by Syria's foreign minister, is the highest-ranking American politician to visit Syria since relations began to deteriorate in 2003. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/...
Senator Russ Feingold joins Keith.
The only way this could be better is if Keith were giving one of his special comments, and if Barack Obama were going to be joining him instead of Feingold. But, I'm still happy!
I'm quite sure that Keith will be covering the information in the article "Memo To Bush: 57 Days < 119 Days", presented at Think Progress.
During the reign of the Do-Nothing 109th Congress, Bush submitted two major supplemental spending requests. Each request experienced a delay far more than 57 days with hardly a peep of anger from the Commander-In-Chief. Details below:
February 14, 2005: Bush submits $82 billion supplemental bill
May 11, 2005: Bush signs the supplemental
Total time elapsed: 86 days
February 16, 2006: Bush submits $72 billion supplemental bill
June 15, 2006: Bush signs the supplemental
Total time elapsed: 119 days
After the 119 day delay, Bush did not say an "irresponsible" Congress had "undercut the troops" or that military families had "paid the price of failure." Instead, Bush told the conservative-led Congress, "I applaud those Members of Congress who came together in a fiscally responsible way to provide much-needed funds for the War on Terror."
It would really be nice if Keith covered Barack's statement from today:
"The American people and their Congress have said repeatedly that they will no longer accept a war without end in Iraq. If the President chooses to ignore the people’s will and play politics with the funding for our troops, Democrats and Republicans will continue to ratchet up the pressure on this Administration to change course in Iraq and bring this war to a responsible end, and I will continue to fight for my plan that would begin a phased withdrawal from Iraq with the goal of bringing all combat troops home by March 31st, 2008."
Or perhaps he could cover these two statements from Bush:
The solution to Iraq — an Iraq that can govern itself, sustain itself and defend itself — is more than a military mission. Precisely the reason why I sent more troops into Baghdad. - Today, April 3, 2007
Sending more Americans would undermine our strategy of encouraging Iraqis to take the lead in this fight. And sending more Americans would suggest that we intend to stay forever, when we are, in fact, working for the day when Iraq can defend itself and we can leave. - June 28, 2005
I'm quite sure he'll cover Nancy's reply to Bush's criticism of her trip to Syria:
"It's interesting because three of our colleagues, who are all Republicans, were in Syria yesterday and I didn't hear the White House speaking out about that," Pelosi said, referring to the Sunday meeting of Reps. Frank Wolf , Joe Pitts and Robert Aderholt with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus.
Watching Keith usually either leaves me with relief that my anger really is justified, or more angry because the idiocy in Washington needs to end NOW. Tonight, I'm hoping that sitting down with a bowl of Ben & Jerry's ice cream, cuddled up in the easy chair with my electric blanket, will bring the relief, rather than more anger.