Friday, December 01, 2006
Read the report? That's why they have a staff.
As is well known by now, a report out of the Baker-Hamilton advisory panel is due out in draft form next week. By then though, it’ll probably be anti-climatic thanks to the ubiquitous “sources familiar with the proposal”. Iraq Panel to Urge Pullout Of Combat Troops by '08
Reaction to the report has been insightful:
"I think that the Baker report is . . . going to change the debate in this country," Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) told CNN”
(Change the debate how? Is John Kerry signaling yet another change in his position?)
Reaction to the report has been prescient:
“Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.), speaking on MSNBC's "Hardball," said that "I suspect there may be a growing bipartisan support in this country for what Jim Baker, Lee Hamilton, the other members of that commission have put together."
(All the while keeping in mind that no one’s actually read the report yet)
Reaction to the report has left the door open to choose a reaction:
“Sen. Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.), the incoming chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, offered a careful assessment: "It's a welcome change in course, although it's not as specific, or it's not as pointed, or it's not as clear as I would like."
(He may just be waiting for a growing bipartisan support to arise for one of them. Presumably, though, the incoming Chair will alert us as to which of the three criticisms he’s chosen to adopt.)
At the risk of sounding not-ready-for-Washington, I’m going to wait to actually read the report before I opine on its significance.
Reaction to the report has been insightful:
"I think that the Baker report is . . . going to change the debate in this country," Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) told CNN”
(Change the debate how? Is John Kerry signaling yet another change in his position?)
Reaction to the report has been prescient:
“Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.), speaking on MSNBC's "Hardball," said that "I suspect there may be a growing bipartisan support in this country for what Jim Baker, Lee Hamilton, the other members of that commission have put together."
(All the while keeping in mind that no one’s actually read the report yet)
Reaction to the report has left the door open to choose a reaction:
“Sen. Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.), the incoming chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, offered a careful assessment: "It's a welcome change in course, although it's not as specific, or it's not as pointed, or it's not as clear as I would like."
(He may just be waiting for a growing bipartisan support to arise for one of them. Presumably, though, the incoming Chair will alert us as to which of the three criticisms he’s chosen to adopt.)
At the risk of sounding not-ready-for-Washington, I’m going to wait to actually read the report before I opine on its significance.
