Reidblog [The Reid Report blog]

It seems Kerry and McCain are now dueling over Iraq -- Kerry now seems to regret voting for the war and has put forward a plan for phased withdrawal, while McCain is in full neocon mode, defending the invasion and calling for more troops, even as he makes a show at criticizing the president's war strategy.

Message: neither man is electable as president at this point. The American people have already rejected John Kerry (though I think he's right about withdrawing from Iraq); and even if McCain could get through the primary, having alienated much of the GOP right, and as right as he is on the question of torture, the Arizona Senator is at odds with public opinion on the war. Most Americans don't want to prolong the disaster in Iraq, let alone send more of our young men and women over there, no matter how desperately the necons try to argue for staying the course. Besides, there's a certain lusty hug McCain might want to eradicate from the Internet before moving on to the primaries...