cowering democrats on MTP

the dems are making a pretty pathetic showing on meet the press this morning: i'm hearing tim russert vigorously making the dem's case to the republicans for them solo. i'm hearing the case and the burden of proof being turned back on the dems: "everyone was briefed on this program, why didn't you raise objections then?" brilliant technique, making it the dem's fault for not objecting vociferously enough. sorta like powell et al saying it was up to the iraqis to produce evidence of having destroyed WMD, and failure to produce evidence of destroyed WMD thereby must and can only mean possession of WMD. the republicans are flinging everything they can out there: outdated, time constraints, inch-thick warrant applications process, every president has this authority, etc. etc. where is the opposition? "the briefings this week were very helpful...," "the program should continue...," etc. pathetic.

the democrats should really pack up and go home. why do they get harmon (who's not been pretty soft on this) and daschele (who's got zero clout now) instead of feingold or leahy who can speak forcefully on this? and why do we not get specter or graham or some republicans who have opposed this? we get the weakest dems and the strongest reps on this issue.

then it turns into an attack and defence of james risen and his sources. daschele: "well tim i deplore leaks and i think a lot of what hookstra says is right." pathetic.

this is all even more ironic given how on this week, donna brazille says how the dems are ready for a fight with the president on this one, how they are not going to let themselves be portrayed as week on national security, etc. (and this time it's george will making the opposition case.) do the dems coordinate their message AT ALL?

at least the NYT editorial page has the good sense to tell it like it is...