Matthews posits to Biden (2:00)

So, if we woke up tomorrow morning and the President has already taken the action, would the senators...would Hillary Clinton stand up and salute like she did in the last war? Would all the Democrats, so..., the regular Democrats, say, we've got to back the President, rally round the flag?

That's what I fear, that he knows he can get away with that. That your party won't challenge him. [Biden (on a remote link) tries to get in, but defeated by the delay] Because Hillary won't challenge him on Iraq yet! [Biden again defeated by the delay]

I'm just waiting for somebody to say, You can't act, Mr President, like this is a dictatorship.

Biden is pitiful:

Well, what I'd say now, You can act, Mr President, if you do act, Mr President, it is clearly against our interests for you to do that.

This is a nation of 70 million people, Mr President. You already have us in deep trouble because of the incompetence of your civilian leadership, Mr President, in Iraq. In Iraq we're a long way from being able to be victorious, Mr President.

For God's sake, don't make another stupid mistake. That's what I'd say.

There the clip ends. Unfortunately - because I get the impression Matthews had at least one comebacker.

And - well, clearly, when it comes to cowering on national security, Biden is Olympic standard.

With all the authority of a senior member of the senior legislative chamber in the Republic, his proposal for preventing a catastrophic war against Iran (plus who knows what allies it might pick up) is to whine Please don't do it, pretty please?

Luntz has the line for Bush already, I'd be sure:

Now, I'm sure I did the right thing in invading Iraq back in 2003. Not everything went as well as we'd hoped, but invading was absolutely the right thing to do.

My opponents - or most of them, at least - think differently. They think the invasion was wrong.

And they're certainly entitled to their opinion. In this great democracy of ours, we're all entitled to our opinions.

Strange thing is, though that's their opinion, they just won't come out straight and say so. They hedge and hum and use fancy words and never get to the point.

I'm a plain sort of guy: if someone's got a beef with me, let them come right out and say it!

Thing is, if these folks are so unsure of themselves to make their argument to the President of this great Republic, how are they going to get on with the leaders of foreign countries who don't have our interests at heart?

Are you happy to leave the defense of the United States in the hands of a bunch of guys who wouldn't say Boo! to their President?

It needs some work. But you get the drift.

Every general just lurves to pull off a flanking manoeuver. And Dem cowering on national security just invites one.

When the Dems need Chris Matthews to point this up, they are in real trouble, polls or no polls!