WP: Sen. Clinton Crafts Vague Stance On War With Eye to 2008

[Pirate Smile]

Sen. Clinton Crafts Vague Stance On War With Eye to 2008

By Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, December 12, 2005; Page A01

At a time when politicians in both parties have eagerly sought public forums to debate the war in Iraq, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) has kept in the shadows.

Clinton has stayed steadfastly on a centrist path, criticizing President Bush but refusing to embrace the early troop withdrawal options that are gaining rapid favor in her party. This careful balance is drawing increasing scorn from liberal activists, frustrated that one of the party's leading lights has shown little appetite to challenge Bush's policy more directly and embrace a plan to set a timetable for bringing U.S. forces home.

Clinton is confronting the Democratic Party's long-standing dilemma on national defense, with those harboring national ambitions caught between the passions of the antiwar left and political concerns that they remain vulnerable to charges of weakness from the Republicans if they embrace the party's base. But some Democrats say, the left not withstanding, her refusal to advocate a speedy exit from Iraq may reflect a more accurate reading of public anxiety about the choices now facing the country.

When Senate Democrats called on President Bush last month to explain the conditions and establish a schedule for redeploying U.S. forces, Clinton offered backroom advice on the language but let others take the lead on the Senate floor. When Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) called for redeploying all U.S. troops from Iraq over the next six months, the New York senator told reporters she was opposed. When her advisers were later asked whether she supports a two-year phased withdrawal advocated by a liberal think tank and embraced by Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, they demurred.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/11/AR2005121100846.html

[tabasco]

1. Rank and file democrats like myself

are sick of vague politicians.

Time to stand up for the People, Hillary.

Your type of politics make me :puke:

[Warpy]

7. Rank and file Democrats are sick to death of the crafted policy,

the tempered speech, the utterly spineless approach to all the problems this country is facing.

If Hillary Clinton can't stand up for what she believes in, she won't stand up to the tyrants.

We need someone who will. Hillary Clinton, do us a favor and stay where you are.

[justasoldier]

15. Hit the nail on the head

+1 - If you can't stand up for what you believe, then get off the soapbox!!!


justasoldier

[Canuckistanian]

2. A fence-sitter has never been popular

Was FDR? TR? JFK? Truman? These were people who had an opinion and stated it loudly.

[Oversea Visitor]

3. Dont worry

She got her eyes fix on being your president.
After when she got all your attention.
She do a super turn around on her stand.
Then all of you go goo gaa on her.
Then she WINS.

Just POLITIC.

Do you have better choice who you want to be president?
Sorry me think we the people has always been suckers.
We got no choice in this matter.
Just a choice of Evil, Lesser Evil, Bigger Evil...... definately no Saints as choice.

[IndianaGreen]

4. I won't support a prowar candidate

Hillary can stay in the Senate until she rots for all I care, but the White House? Forget it!

[Greeby]

5. There are two primary challengers

But as the last thread on the subject disappeared, I'll say no more :hide:

[IndianaGreen]

9. Kerry and Clark can whip her ass!

I hope they can cut her off at the pass before she brings the entire party to defeat in the Fall.

[salib]

6. Interesting line:

"Clinton has stayed steadfastly on a centrist path, criticizing President Bush but refusing to embrace the early troop withdrawal options that are gaining rapid favor in her party."

The only real criticism of Bush that is constructive is to say that we need to get out of there. This idea that one can simply be "critical", while offering no REAL alternative is pathetic, insulting to those that she presents it to, and a total abrogation of the trust that her constituents place in her to stand up, truly stand up and be counted, not lurking "in the shadows."

[cantstandbush]

8. If she runs in 2008, she will lose. n/t

[The Sushi Bandit]

10. Clinton is OFF my list

spineless... goes after easy targets like video game makers and wont stand behind Nancy Pilosi (a TRUE LEADER)

[justasoldier]

17. Time to kick her to the curb

[Emillereid]

11. What Billary needs to understand is that an illegal, immoral invasion of

a soverign country based on a pack of lies has NOTHING to do with national defense -- and she needs to start articulating and educating the American people on this. As long as she keeps speaking from within the republican frame -- and she does on almost every issue -- she's dead in the water.

[SaveElmer]

12. Bad headline...fair article...

Not a bad article actually. Hillary is taking a measured considered approach to the war in my opinion, reflecting the complexity of the situation. She has been consistent in this from the beginning as the article points out.

[oregonindy]

13. support anti-war candidate Steven Greenfield who is running as a DEMOCRAT

I'm sending money to the green anti-war candidate Steven Greenfield who is running as a DEMOCRAT!!!!

http://www.greenfieldforsenate.org /
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-11-27-hillary-race-dem_x.htm


she and zell lieberman are pro-war demopublicans who need to be replaced.

[MalachiConstant]

14. what do you think his chances are?

i'm not too familiar with him to be honest.





postscript:

i apologize in advance if this is against some rule i'm unaware of, but i'm going to plug my thread. i have started a thread suggesting a new DU group for career advice, and job seekers. if you're interested please check out this thread and reply:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x4430590

[justasoldier]

18. Yeah but will he do anything?

[sasquatch]

16. Will she be our party's "Nixon"?

:shrug:
She always gives me the feeling that she would be.

[Selteri]

19. Sorry Hillary I'm sick of politics as usual

Either you're for us or against the US. You can't stradle the fence on these issues and have MY support.