Iraq: Lauer Accuses Congress of 'Ringing Someone's Doorbell and Running Away'

When it came time to pass an anti-war resolution, the Democrats were no better than a bunch of timid pre-teens on Halloween. That was the view Matt Lauer expressed in a colloquy with Tim Russert on this morning's "Today."

Lauer: "The Democrats in the Senate failed to pass this vote so they could even debate this Iraq strategy and there's even some who are talking about possibly bringing up the idea of revoking the 2002 authorization to go to war. If they can't pass a kind of symbolic vote, how do they ever have the kind of strength to do something more serious?"

Russert agreed that "it's going to be very difficult."

Matt wasn't done: "Looking at what happened in the House . . . over the weekend, basically the House did pass this resolution saying they oppose the surge in troops, but put yourself in the position of Joe and Mary Smith, living somewhere across this country right now, and you've watched these politicians for more than a month talk about passing a symbolic vote. Does it amount to little more than them ringing someone's doorbell and running away?"

View video here.

Acknowledged Russert: "the difficulty is, what substantively will change in the policy. And as of today, nothing."

Was Lauer egging Dems to knock down that Iraq war door, or merely mocking their display of impotence? In either case, Matt administered a rough knuckle-rap.

Mark was in Iraq in November. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net