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War Fortunes Boost Campaign

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By MICHAEL GERSON Washington Post Writer's Group

Published: February 8, 2008

WASHINGTON - The largest political story of the last year has not been the struggle for conservative self-definition, or the racially charged fight between Clintonistas and other Democrats, or the infinitely varied failures of the Democratic Congress. It has been the turnaround in Iraq.

President Bush's announcement of the surge in January 2007 pleased almost no one - neither Democrats who embraced retreat at any cost, nor Republicans who suspected the shift in approach was too little, too late.

By the summer of 2007, the Republican presidential candidate most closely identified with the war, John McCain, was in serious trouble.

The revival of McCain's campaign was possible for one reason: the revival of American fortunes in Iraq.

This is a moment of rich political paradox. In spite of past bad blood between President Bush and McCain, it was Bush's decision on the surge that allowed McCain's remarkable comeback. If we ever see a President McCain, he will have President Bush to thank.

Michael Gerson's column is distributed by the Washington Post Writers Group.

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