President Bush’s deadline of 48 hours gives Saddam Hussein more than enough time to avoid a war in Iraq. A lot of Americans will be wondering whether it is enough time for the Democrats to swing behind the commander in chief. On the eve of the president’s speech last night, the wires were quoting the minority leader of the Senate, Thos. Daschle, as having “lashed out” at Mr. Bush, saying he had “failed so miserably” at diplomacy that America is on the brink of war. In a speech to the Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, the South Dakota Democrat asserted that he was “saddened that we have to give up one life because this president couldn’t create the kind of diplomatic effort that was so critical for our country.”

After Mr. Bush’s speech, Mr. Daschle put out a more conciliatory statement, and other political figures were already scrambling to find the ground on which to stand with the commander in chief the Americans elected, even if they are with the opposing party. Senator Lieberman was exceptionally forthright.” It’s time to come together and support our great American men and women in uniform and their commander in chief,” said the Connecticut Democrat, who aspires to run against Mr. Bush in 2004. Here in New York, the spirit of bipartisan support for the commander in chief got backing yesterday from two key Democrats, the state comptroller, Alan Hevesi, and its attorney general, Eliot Spitzer.

“Saddam Hussein is a threat to our country, to the Middle East, and to his own people,” Mr. Spitzer was quoted as saying by Frederic Dicker of the New York Post, which quoted Mr. Spitzer’s spokesman, Darren Dopp, as adding specifically that the attorney general “supports the Bush administration on the use of military action to remove Saddam Hussein, and he would like to see it done as soon as possible.” Mr. Hevesi was quoted by Mr. Dicker as saying he supports “the policy of removing Saddam Hussein from power” and noting that Saddam “has slaughtered his own people, invaded two neighbors and represents a terrible threat.”

No one is suggesting that the coming war requires Democrats, or anyone else, to forfeit the right of dissent, a point that was well made yesterday by a leading Republican in the House, Thos. DeLay. He also made the essential point: “If military action is necessary, the fault will clearly be Saddam Hussein’s.” The Texas Republican added in a statement: “There is a proper time and place for vigorous debate, but now is the time for America to speak with one voice. In the weeks and months ahead, let us rededicate ourselves to our common mission, the defense of freedom.” Once, the leadership in this country hewed to the proposition that politics stops at the water’s edge, and that is where the country is today.