The War And The Middle

A few days ago I wrote that President Bush has already spent all of his political capital and is now spending the republican Congress' capital on the Iraq war. An article in the LA Times seems to confirm that statement, particularly among right leaning centrists in the country. From the Times:

As Liz Larrison cooks up breakfast for customers at her family's diner in a farm town long friendly to the Republican Party, she listens as the regulars sling political opinions as easily as she slings ham steaks.

Increasingly, the talk these days revolves around Iraq, and it is the kind of talk that could spell trouble for the GOP.

Nobody is against the people fighting the war. I think you'll hear that everywhere," she said. "We're just against it going on and on."

On top of other woes confronting Republicans, the continuing violence in Iraq and President Bush's message last week that the deployment would last several more years has heightened Republicans' concerns about how voters such as Larrison will view the party in the November elections.

In fact, Larrison — who, like many of her customers, considers herself independent but tends to vote for Republicans — says she will vote against her Republican congressman.

Keep in mind, this story takes place in southern Indiana, a pretty conservative part of the country.

Found via Kevin Drum