Gosh, remember the days when Democrats were supposed to be panty-waisted girly men too scared to defend America and too soft to exercise US power abroad?
Well, maybe you don't. We cats do. For the benefit of those of you who are just kittens, we'll explain: This unfortunate reputation arose from Democratic opposition to the Vietnam War (even though it was one of our own Presidents who waged it for awhile). Then, the Republicans took it and ran with it, painting war heroes like Senator George McGovern — who flew a helluva lot more bombing missions than armchair patriots like Dick Cheney ever did — as "peaceniks" and weak sisters.
Meanwhile, GOP guys were the manly men who wore codpieces and could be depended on to defend America — even though they'd ignored that Presidential Daily Brief from August 6, 2001 and nearly 3,000 people died as a result.
Well, those days are over. Because who would have thought we'd have such a badass Democratic President as Barack Obama? The third Commander-in-Chief to win the Nobel Peace Prize (we're counting President Gore here) has killed Osama bin Laden, bombed Libya, and now wants to go after Bashar al-Assad. A shrinking violet he is not.
We cats are not debating the question of Syria, although unlike other lefties we're not yet rushing to condemn the President's plan. (Our memories reach back beyond Iraq and Afghanistan to the Clinton Administration's successful action in Kosovo, where other, equally appalling atrocities were taking place.) We just think that whether or not Congress approves an airstrike, it's going to be tough for awhile for Republicans to accuse Democratic Presidents of being military milquetoasts.
(PHOTO: "Mission accomplished," ugh.)
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