Democrats increasingly confident they can sway Senate against war John Byrne

Published: Saturday July 7, 2007 Print This Email This It could be Senate Majority Harry Reid's (D-NV) moment. The New York Times will report Sunday that the Democrats' Senate chief is increasingly confident that he'll be able to sway the Senate into voting for withdrawal. Against the backdrop of a seething public -- including those of his own party who feel Democrats haven't done enough to seek an exit from Iraq -- and a coterie of Senate Republicans who have warmed to the idea, Reid suggests he may find enough votes to withdraw. We havent done enough, Reid tells the Times. Reid's efforts to temper America's involvement in Iraq have been frustrated by a former member of his own party. Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), who supported Reid in his bid for the Senate leadership, votes against him on the war. "Sensing momentum from the new Republican defections, Mr. Reid and other leading Democrats intend to force a series of votes over the next two weeks on proposals to withdraw troops and limit spending," the paper's Carl Hulse and Jeff Zeleny report. "Democrats are increasingly confident they can assemble majority opposition to administration policies." It is going to be harder for Republicans to not sign on to something with bite in it, a clear Congressional assessment that change is needed, Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) says. I think it is more likely there will be a majority around here that say we should begin to redeploy some forces by a certain date, and I hope it would be a larger majority. The full story is



