Bottom line: ♦️In 2002/2003, many in Congress (both Dem & GOP, albeit too few) took their jobs seriously. ♦️Bush Admin officials were cynical and untruthful, but weren't clowns. ♦️They had a plan-- regime change & nation-building. It was a bad plan, but wasn't just "drop a GBU-57 and see what happens."

In 2002, the crucial blow against Democratic opposition to Bush's invasion of Iraq was the presidential ambition of House Speaker Gephardt. Biden, Kerry, and GOP Sens Lugar and Hagel were working hard to slow the push towards war. Gephardt blindsided his colleagues by rushing to endorse invasion.

Both of them obviously wanted to be President themselves someday-- both later ran, one won. Same calculus for then-Sen. Hillary Clinton. In 2003 (like every year) MANY Senators/Members saw themselves as future Presidents, and felt a vote against war would be a political deathblow. <more>