Getting on "the right side of history"

Howard Fineman's column on MSNBC - What to make of the 'new' Middle East, includes a section on the struggle within the Democrats to shift the party's message in response to events overseas.

The real stress on Democrats is internal. Diplomatic successes in the Middle East will exacerbate the coming War of the Worlds between – for want of better terms—the party’s pro- and anti-war wings. The hawks will argue that Democrats can’t afford to be on the wrong side of history; the doves, that the war is and should be regarded as the biggest blunder of our time. Moveon.org and like-minded groups dismiss the moderate pro-war Democratic Leadership Council types as irrelevant. But progress in the Middle East will embolden the DLC crowd. They’ll bolt the party if they lose.

He calls them the "Pro and anti-war wings", but I think you could include a lot of the antiwar crowd as desiring a shift in message. The decision to go to war is two years and an election behind us, the insurrection is losing interest (and may be losing steam, I read Osama's request that Zarkawi take his fight out of Iraq as a sign that they are writing off that effort as a loser). The big story internationally will be the spread of democracy and peace. Even those who thought the war a great mistake need to put that behind them and address the current situation and the decisions we face, not the ones we've put behind us.

James Taranto's Best of the Web today includes a partial transcript of a remarkable interchange on the Jon Stewart show. Stewart seem to understand that it is time to focus on what it happening now. Especially if you believe that the administration is inclined to make mistakes. Perhaps the Democrats could save face by proclaiming that despite Bush's bungling, things are going well in the region and they want to make sure he doesn't do something stupid and provacative to upset it. I don't happen to agree with this position but it would be a reasonable one for the Democrats to take.

I also have to give credit to Stewart for his honest appraisal of the situation. I wrote Sunday about people who's political statements are not based on policies but on people. Stewart demonstrates that his concerns for the fate of this region is genuine, and not some way to put a good face on anti-Bush feelings.