It is Iraq Stupid.

Matthew Yglesias writes in Tapped:

THE WAR: IT'S HERE, IT'S REAL, GET USED TO IT. Yesterday's scummy GOP political stunts over Iraq were, of course, scummy. At the same time, though, Democrats are paying the price for the ostrich-like attitude they've taken to the war ever since the 2004 election. (emphasis mine)

Hear, hear. (or is it "here, here."?) Ignoring Iraq and hoping that people will decide to vote for the Democrats because of the Republican "Culture of corruption" is just not going to cut it. Democrat Francis Busby's defeat to fill Duke "center of the corruption storm" Cunningham hopefully is getting that point across loud and clear to D.C. I don't remember hearing Busby ever saying the words "Iraq" or "Busby"- she made a lot of good points about how the Republicans and the lobbyists in D.C. have totally changed our system into a "pay to play" one. However in the end, Busby not only lost- she lost to a FRIGGEN LOBBYIST! Talk about a slap the face.
I am convinced that one huge reason why the "Culture of corruption" argument will never work is because people generally think corruption is a problem of politicians not Republicans. The Democrats were very smart to strip William Jefferson of his important chairmanship, but most people will just get the message that there are corrupt Democrats too. Did any of the networks point out what a huge difference this was from how the Republicans deal with their crooks? No, of course not.
Today on CNN the reporter (a woman named Kopel- Ted's daughter maybe...) said that the Republican strategy in the House on this Iraq bill is "creative and effective". This is what we are dealing with people. This did not come out of Hannity or O'Reilly's mouth. This came from the REPORTER. The reporter from the "Clinton News Network". The faster most Democrats realize this and start talking like Jack Murtha the better. (If you missed the link to the video I posted yesterday watch it now- Murtha is right out of a John Wayne movie I tell you.)