While Democrats continue to escalate their rhetoric over the inevitable veto of a war funding bill, Senate leaders from both parties have begun talking about a post-veto appropriations measure.

Republicans have said they support benchmarks for the Iraqi government. But without a timetable for withdrawal of U.S. troops or a threat of withdrawing funding, it is unclear what — if any — consequences there might be for failure to meet benchmarks.

Democrats, meanwhile, are trying to figure out how to write a fresh bill that retains the support of their liberal, antiwar contingent while standing a chance of getting signed by President Bush.

Democrats today continued to criticize the president and demanded he just sign the bill that both chambers passed this week (HR 1591 — H Rept 110-107).

Republicans appeared ready to move on to the next steps. “Consequences are a little more divisive,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. “Benchmarks are less so. There is substantial sentiment for some kind of benchmarks.”

Senate Democrats, in New York City for a weekend policy retreat, hardened their stance.

“The President has a choice,” Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said. “Heed the call of the American people, a bipartisan majority of Congress and military experts to change course or keep our troops committed to an open-ended civil war.”