Too late

By Creature

After years of hope (magical thinking) the GOP has finally taken the leap (fallen on their faces) from the force fed GWB optimism (lies) to increasing pessimism (covering their asses in an election year) regarding the situation on the ground in Iraq.

Rep. Gil Gutknecht (Minn.), once a strong supporter of the war, returned from Iraq this week declaring that conditions in Baghdad were far worse "than we'd been led to believe" and urging that troop withdrawals begin immediately. [...]

And freshman Sen. John Thune (S.D.) told reporters at the National Press Club that if he were running for reelection this year, "you obviously don't embrace the president and his agenda."

"The first thing I'd do is acknowledge that there have been mistakes made," Thune said. [...]

"It's like after Katrina, when the secretary of homeland security was saying all those people weren't really stranded when we were all watching it on TV," said Rep. Patrick T. McHenry (R-N.C.). "I still hear about that. We can't look like we won't face reality."

Their backs must be up against the political wall. The Washington Post has more.

(Cross-posted at State of the Day.)