By Jim VandeHei and Shalaigh Murray
Washington Post Staff Writers
Strong antiwar comments in recent days by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean have opened anew a party rift over Iraq, with some lawmakers warning that the leaders' rhetorical blasts could harm efforts to win control of Congress next year.
Several Democrats joined President Bush yesterday in rebuking Dean's declaration to a San Antonio radio station Monday that "the idea that we're going to win the war in Iraq is an idea which is just plain wrong."
Rahm Emmanuel
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Rahm Emanuel (Ill.) and Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (Md.), the second-ranking House Democratic leader, have told colleagues that Pelosi's recent endorsement of a speedy withdrawal, combined with her claim that more than half of House Democrats support her position, could backfire on the party, congressional sources said.
Steny H. Hoyer
These sources said the two leaders have expressed worry that Pelosi is playing into Bush's hands by suggesting Democrats are the party of a quick pullout --an unpopular position in many of the most competitive House races.
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[The Democrats seem to have a very slow learning curve, especially on this issue - Iraq. If the disastrous presidential campaign of John Kerry didn't teach them anything else, it should have made it clear that "reporting for duty" doesn't win elections.
Ah well, it seems we have our work cut out for us.
But one thing we have to make clear is that we will not back any candidate who doesn't call for immediate withdrawal of the troops. To play politics with U.S. and Iraqi lives is simply unacceptable - Dan]
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