Obstructionist-in-Chief Mitch McConnell Targeted Again on Iraq
Obstructionist-in-Chief Mitch McConnell
Targeted Again on Iraq
Check out These Ads Slamming Mitch McConnell
on Iraq Side-by-Side...Powerful
Washington - With Senate Republican Minority Leader and Obstructionist-in-Chief Mitch McConnell (KY) standing in the way of changing President Bush's disastrous policy in Iraq by obstructing an up or down, simple majority vote on a legislation to responsibly wind down the war, Americans Against Escalation in Iraq (AAEI) is on the air in Kentucky with a new television ad targeting McConnell over his continued support for President Bush's failed policy there - on the heels of AAEI partner Americans United for Change's own advertising blitz earlier this year. While the new AAEI ad shows footage of President Bush saying that "progress" is being made in Iraq at several junctures over the past four years juxtaposed with the rising death toll and cost of the war there, the Americans United for Change ad, which ran for several weeks in the Spring during key Senate debates over the war, shows clips of McConnell parroting Bush saying that "tremendous progress has been made."
While the Americans United for Change ad coincided with rising violence in Iraq despite President Bush's "surge" strategy, the AAEI television spot "progress" was released yesterday, the same day the Bush Administration released an interim report on Bush's strategy which showed that the Iraqi's have not met a single benchmark for success - not one.
The new advertising blitz also comes as the Senate is debating amendments to the Defense Authorization bill related to Iraq - including one to be considered next week which would begin to withdraw troops within 120 days with such withdrawal to be completed by the end of April next year. McConnell, in his role as Senate Minority Leader and as a "Loyal Bushie", is obstructing a straight up or down, simple majority vote on the legislation offered by U.S. Sens. Carl Levin (D-MI) and Jack Reed (D-RI).
The new ad also comes as McConnell has begun to losing control of the Senate Republican caucus with several high profile Senators speaking out against Bush's Iraq policy including Richard Lugar (IN), John Warner (VA) and George Voinovich (OH). In addition, McConnell recently lost control of a closed door meeting of Senate Republicans at which heated exchanges took place including a much publicized shouting match between Voinovich and U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) whose race for President has imploded over his steadfast support for Bush and the war in Iraq.
"Mitch McConnell must not know which way to turn," said Brad Woodhouse of Americans United for Change. "On the one hand, he is defending a defenseless policy in Iraq and being loyal to a President who led his party to defeat in the '06 elections and has stubbornly hung them out on a limb every since. Now, the man who is standing in the way of an up or down, 51 vote majority on legislation to end the war - literally standing in the way of the will of the American people - is under assault at home and is losing support within his own caucus.
"Mitch McConnell is losing control of his profile back home and his caucus in Washington because he continues to support a failed policy which has spun out of control in Iraq. If Mitch McConnell can't stand to stop hugging President Bush long enough to vote the right way on the war, the least he could do it is stop obstructing the clear will of the Senate and of the American people and allow an up or down vote determined by s simple majority on legislation to end the war. Obstructing a vote on such a grave issue as more Americans die everyday is abhorrent - and if Mitch McConnell continues to do so ads like these will be just the beginning."
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