The mind of a Republican: Jim Walsh's "Iraq Journal"

Rep. Jim Walsh's break with the White House on the war, diaried yesterday here, was obviously not an overnight decision but had been planned for some time, with his trip to Iraq over the weekend obviously just a formality.  The headline on today's Syracuse Post-Standard is My Iraq Journal, by Jim Walsh, in which the nine-term Congressman lays out in full detail (perhaps deeply annoying and disingenuous, to Democrats) his rationale.  

Walsh, of course, is facing a second serious challenge for his seat from Dan Maffei in NY-25, so his political reasons for doing this are pretty transparent.  The guy desperately wants to keep his job.  However, this article is worth reading only because it shows how the mind of a rank-and-file Republican works, and also probably reflects the attitudes of many Americans who initially supported the war.  

•  Walsh remains vulnerable anyway.

  Walsh's noisy early support for Bush's militarism, and the way he would back down to pressure from "the leadership" has long been the millstone that can send him to the bottom of the local political "Onondaga Lake."

  The change is so transparent that Dan needs only speak in terms of "fair weather friends' when it comes to Walsh's epiphany.  

  We need change.  Walsh is NOT the man to bring meaningful change to either our home, or our Congress, or our country.

  Walsh is representative of the do-nothing Republican Rubberstamps that allowed Bush to do so much damage to our nation and our Constitution.

  Walsh must go.  

  by boilerman10 on Wed Sep 12, 2007 at 05:11:08 AM PDT

  •  Walsh

    has just been around for too long.

    by NYCO on Wed Sep 12, 2007 at 05:14:03 AM PDT

    •  that too...n/t

      by boilerman10 on Wed Sep 12, 2007 at 05:16:12 AM PDT

    •  Respectfully

      You give Walsh entirely to much credit here. He in fact is NOT breaking with shrub in any way shape or form. That diary merely says he favors "a draw down in troops", it does not say he wants withdrawal, it mentions no time-table. In fact you could credibly say he favors shrub's plan!!! How is Walsh's position any different?

      by SteveLCo on Wed Sep 12, 2007 at 11:30:07 AM PDT

•  I dream of the day

  ...when the state of New York can be declared a republican-Congressman-free zone. Three down, six to go.

  by MBNYC on Wed Sep 12, 2007 at 05:26:01 AM PDT

•  Walsh=Slimy

  Walsh is one of the slimiest of so-called "moderate" Republicans. He's always trying to find one or two select issues prior to each election, where he makes statements like this to create the illusion that he's a "moderate" and
  "independent-minded" Republican. However, when push comes to shove, this always ends up being nothing more than meaningless rhetoric and Walsh always votes how Bush and his party leaders tell him to.

  Walsh is adept at creating the illusion that he is a reasonable, moderate, independent-minded Republican. His actions and voting record, however, say the opposite.

  by gunthertoo on Wed Sep 12, 2007 at 06:51:01 AM PDT

•  NY 26: no such luck

  My representative, Tom Reynolds, will NEVER see the light. He doesn't represent us; his entire career in Washington has been about representing the Republican party.

  by Historical Pessimist on Wed Sep 12, 2007 at 11:00:11 AM PDT