Warner Runs Again

We now have an answer to the question as to whether John Warner will run again for Senator . The answer, I think, is yes. Yesterday he made what some claimed to be an earth shattering announcement that we should begin pulling troops out of Iraq by Christmas of this year.

Recall how he made that announcement: He lay the blame for the need to begin drawing down solely on the Iraqi government. Not a hint of criticism of the misguided and failed policies of the Bush administration. It's all the Iraqis' fault.

By couching his statement in this way, he expects to distance himself from the Bush policy without antagonizing Bush supporters in Virginia, whose numbers are legion. In short, he is attempting to appeal to both those who want us out of Iraq and those who want us to stay. This is an old tried and true Warner tactic.

I recall well during the impeachment proceedings against President Clinton that Warner straddled the issues then by voting for conviction on one charge and acquital on the other charge. I was watching the voting and as soon as Warner cast his second vote, I knew that he was positioning himself to run for Senator again. Clearly he was placing himself firmly on both sides of the impeachment issue, expecting to retain support from both those for and those against Clinton's impeachment.

Now, here he goes again, denying contamination by Bush and his Iraq policies on the one hand and with the other giving support to those who want the war over with. He's still catering to both sides on very important issues.