House majority whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) Monday told the Washington Post that a strongly positive report on progress on Iraq by Army Gen. David Petraeus likely would split Democrats in the House and impede his party’s efforts to press for a timetable to end the war. Said Clyburn, “I think there would be enough support [amongst Blue Dog Democrats] to want to stay the course and if the Republicans were to stay united as they have been, then it would be a problem for us…”

That’s not some renegade freshman Congressman making those remarks. That’s the third ranking Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives and the person most responsible for corralling his party’s votes.

_____________

UPDATE: In From The Cold makes an interesting point about the “recalibration” on Iraq by Democrats inside the beltway.