Would Saddam survive?

Don't you remember Chris Matthews gushing over Bush when he landed on the aircraft carrier in early '03? He even, ehem, mentioned his package. :rolleyes:

MSNBC also let Phil Donahue go in '03 or '04 because of his criticism of the Iraq War. They did the same with Ashleigh Banfield, who criticized the media coverage of the war and NBC greatly diminished her profile before, you know, she just disappeared.

Yeah, it's hard to imagine MSNBC, in its current form, doing that - but, they did.
 
OTL, with 9/11 the Congressional Authorization was 77% in the Senate and 68% in the house

Without 9/11 all you have to do is an 18 point drop in the House, quite possible and there is no Iraq War
 
OTL, with 9/11 the Congressional Authorization was 77% in the Senate and 68% in the house

Without 9/11 all you have to do is an 18 point drop in the House, quite possible and there is no Iraq War

Even assuming the events would play out anywhere near OTL, the house vote was:
GOP: Y 215, N 6, X 2
Dem: Y 82, N 126, X 1
Ind: Y 0, N 1

Even if you get 100% part discipline with the Dems, you have a 215-215 tie, which the GOP can break by gettting either of those no votes on the floor.

Wait until 2003 to put it to a vote, and the GOP has an even stronger majority.

But IMHO, the butterflies of no 9/11 really change up things enough that the vote will depend on when it happens and the rationale, both of which are up for grabs. However, Bush was indisputably seeking a cause. I am absolutely certain one would have been found, and certain enogh that it could have been pushed though that said POD will not butterfly away the invasion w/o a suffucient explanation.
 
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