Political Analysts Discuss Iraq, Anti-Wal-Mart Strategy and Allen Comments

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• MARGARET WARNER:

  Now to the analysis of Shields and Ponnuru, syndicated columnist Mark Shields, National Review senior editor Ramesh Ponnuru. David Brooks is away tonight.

  Welcome, gentlemen.

• RAMESH PONNURU, National Review Senior Editor:

  Thank you.

• MARGARET WARNER:

  Mark, some pretty deadly statistics out of Iraq this week. First of all, July had the highest number of civilian deaths ever since the occupation began among Iraqis and, secondly, highest number of IEDs directed against the U.S. and Iraqi troops. Is this kind of news having any perceptible impact on the campaign, and in particular on the Republican strategy and message?

• MARK SHIELDS, Syndicated Columnist:

  Yes, I mean, the Republicans don't see any tunnel, let alone any light at the end of the tunnel, or the beginning of the tunnel. I mean, it is getting worse. Somewhere between three out of five and two out of three Americans have concluded that the war was a mistake.

  And the problem that Republicans are dealing with, Margaret, is this, that not only have the attacks or the number of Americans wounded doubled since January, but the last good day of news was June 7th. That was the capture of the leader of al-Qaida in Mesopotamia, Mr. Zarqawi, and he was killed. And since then, attacks are up 60 percent.

  So it is a political albatross. Every Democrat I've talked to believes firmly that the president will withdraw some measure of American troops before Election Day, but on what pretext and on what justification, I have no idea.

• MARGARET WARNER:

  So if it's a political albatross — first of all, do you agree with that, Ramesh? But, secondly, what do Republicans do with that? If you're running for re-election, and you voted for this war, and you've never called for a pullout, you've stuck with the president, what do you say?

• RAMESH PONNURU:

  Well, one of the things that I think we can really see over the last few months — now, it used to be that Republican congressmen would go to Iraq and then they'd come back and say, "Well, you know, there are some signs of hope, more signs of progress." That's just not happening anymore.

  The White House used to be able to count on a sort of echo chamber effect among its allies that just isn't there anymore. And increasingly that leaves them alone and isolated.