Beyond The War Spin By E. J. Dionne Jr.

[T]he Democrats’ problem is not

just one of political tactics. It’s also rooted in a simple reality: Democrats in both houses of Congress have been divided on this war

from the very beginning. House Democrats are, on the whole, more dovish than Senate Democrats. And the party’s rank and file are, on the

whole, more dovish than its congressional wing.

There is no magic solution to this problem, and Republicans will continue to

exploit it. But if they do nothing else, Democrats have to stop being defensive in the face of Republican attacks. …

In any

event, why shouldn’t Democrats be divided on the war? So is the rest of the country. And so are Republicans.

What’s gone largely

unnoticed is that while Democrats show their divisions on the war in Congress, Republicans are more divided at the grass roots. …