Sessions is no Arlen Specter/Olympia Snowe centrist Republican so this is worth noting. Reducing the number of troops isn’t the same as withdrawal, of course, and Sessions was careful to say that much will depend on what Petraeus says in his progress report, but with elections coming up Congress is clearly inching towards the exit whether or not Bush is serious about joining them or Iraqis think it’s a good idea.

The clip picks up with Schieffer having just finished repeating what Mitch McConnell said to reporters on Friday, that “the handwriting is on the wall that we are going in a different direction in the fall, and I expect the president to lead it.” It’s been edited for brevity.

Click here to see how pathetic the shift towards a different direction has already become.