GOP Slap Bush on Warner - Defy President’s Opposition to Benchmarks with Consequences
Republicans Slap Bush on Warner - Defy President's Opposition to Benchmarks with Consequences
GOP No Longer Marching in Lock Step with Bush
May 16, 2007 (Washington D.C._ - One week after 11 House Republicans marched to the White House and confronted the President on his failed strategy in Iraq, telling him he was out of time and that he had no credibility any longer on the war, Senate Republicans defied the President today in voting for legislation sponsored by U.S. Senator John Warner (R-VA) which would require the Iraqi government to meet benchmarks for progress in ending the civil war there and resolving political differences or suffer consequences. Senate Republicans defied the President after the Bush Administration has repeatedly said that it would oppose benchmarks with consequences."While the Warner benchmark legislation falls far short of where the American public is and where U.S. policy should be headed and was rightfully defeated, the vast Republican defections on the Waner bill represent the increasing isolation of the President on the war and Republicans running for political cover as fast as they can find it," said Jeremy Funk of Americans United for Change. "Not three weeks ago, President Bush sent Condoleezza Rice out to the Sunday talk shows to say that he would never accept benchmarks for the Iraqis tied to consequences for failure, but today nearly the entire Senate Republican caucus told the President and Condi to take a hike. There was a time when the President told his minions on Capitol Hill what to do - they stood and provided a crisp salute. Those days appear to be over. There is a wide gulf between the weak-tea Warner bill and real legislation to end the war in Iraq - but Republicans defying Bush on Iraq en masse represents real progress towards isolating Bush and his failed policy and safely ending the war in Iraq."
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