Battle For the Democratic Party

The Washington Times discusses a renewed battle brewing for the soul of the Democratic Party. The liberal wing of the Democratic Party is again facing a challenge from many of the more moderate Democrats. In an open letter last month from the centrist Democratic Leadership Council, 17 members led by Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) stated that Democrats had "to make clear to the American people that winning the war on jihadist extremism will be the Democratic Party's first priority this year and every year until the danger recedes." The DLC reiterated its belief that the existing strategy that caters to the Far Left of the party does not work politically: it's "a delusion to think that if we just turned out our voters, we could win national elections."

The liberal Americans for Democratic Action objected to the DLC suggestions, saying, "I can't tell the difference between the positions the DLC puts forward and Republican policy...I've read this before and I am not carried away by it. Nobody in the Democratic Party, and that most especially includes the liberals in the Americans for Democratic Action, opposes fighting the terrorists." [The only problem is that they don't see the "insurgents" in Iraq or Afghanistan as terrorists.]

Unfortuantely for Democrats, they can't expect to convince the American people that "winning the war on jihadist extremism will be the Democratic Party's first priority" unless they actually do something to make that statement believable. And therein lies the main problem.