Memory disconnect
If you recall, Bush was against having these elections.
To his credit, he changed his mind.
(In some other pols that would be regarded as a flip or even a flop)
Re: republican blue fingers.
I'm of two minds (as usual.)
On the plus side they could be showing unity with the Iraqi voters.
On the minus, they're debasing what the Iraqi voters went through by using it as a cheap gimmicky photo-op.
I'm leaning towards the latter.