Dissenting Democrats and the Syrian War
When you've lost MoveOn...
The debate over Syria hasn't just opened up a split between pro- and anti-war Republicans. It has opened up a split between pro- and anti-war Democrats. Some of the Dems opposing the intervention are the sorts of dissidents you'd expect: Rep. Alan Grayson of Florida, for example, has a history of looking for left/right anti-establishment alliances, and it's not surprising to see him breaking with the president on this issue. (One of the most entertaining interviews I've seen in the last few weeks is this exchange between Grayson and an incomprehending MSNBC host.) This, on the other hand, might come as a jolt:
Yes, MoveOn has a history of antiwar activism, but it also has a history of Blue Team loyalism. In voting to oppose the president's preferred policy in Syria, it has given the former priority over the latter. We live in interesting times.