Hagel attacks Bush attacks on Democrats

Senator Chuck Hagel, a Republican who has been very critical of the Bush administration's Iraq policy, was very critical of the partisan attack by Bush and others on Democrats who are critical. Hagel Defends Criticisms of Iraq Policy. Hagel, a Vietnam Veteran, said that 58,000 Americans died in Vietnam because congress did not question war policy.

Hagel, a Vietnam War veteran and a potential presidential candidate in 2008, countered in a speech to the Council of Foreign Relations that the Vietnam War "was a national tragedy partly because members of Congress failed their country, remained silent and lacked the courage to challenge the administrations in power until it was too late."

"To question your government is not unpatriotic -- to not question your government is unpatriotic," Hagel said, arguing that 58,000 troops died in Vietnam because of silence by political leaders. "America owes its men and women in uniform a policy worthy of their sacrifices."

Hagel said Democrats have an obligation to be constructive in their criticism, but he accused the administration of "dividing the country" with its rhetorical tactics.

The Bush administration has been all about the politics of divisive politics but it's no longer working. Even Andrew Sullivan has noticed that the "genius" of Karl Rove's divide and conquer politics is no longer working.

BUSH AND THE POLLS: Some interesting context from MysteryPollster. What strikes me in the numbers is not so much the slightly waning GOP support for Bush and the intense Democratic opposition, but the shift among Independents. Last October, in response to the question: "Please tell me whether you agree or disagree with president Bush on the issues that matter most to you," 46 percent of Indies agreed with Bush and 50 percent disagreed: a pretty even split. The numbers now are: 28 percent agree, 63 percent disagree. In the end, the center counts. And Bush has lost it. All hail the genius of Karl Rove.

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