"The Iraq war reemerged Thursday as a dividing line between the two major Democrats remaining" (LAT)

[jefferson_dem]

...

The Iraq war reemerged Thursday as a dividing line between the two major Democrats remaining in the presidential contest, as Barack Obama used a Los Angeles debate to argue he has the judgment to lead the nation out of war and Hillary Rodham Clinton asserted that she has the gravitas to do the same.

<SNIP>

The gravest distinction came on the war, which loomed large as an issue as the presidential race began but has gradually diminished in the Democratic contests. With the war again the focus, the race reverted to the campaign's purest distillation: Clinton's experience against Obama's judgment.

As she has before, Clinton refused to apologize for voting in the fall of 2002 to give President Bush the authority to use military force against Saddam Hussein. At the time, Obama came out strongly against the war, so it looms as one of the key distinctions between the two. Their Senate votes on war-related funding since Obama was elected in 2004 have been similar.

"I think I made a reasoned judgment," Clinton said in defending the vote. Then she tried to pin the blame for the war on Bush: "Unfortunately, the person who actually got to execute the policy did not."

Twice Clinton insisted that it was time to focus on what the country would do "going forward" -- in effect, leaving behind the discussion over the war vote. She cited Sen. John McCain's criticism of Democratic desires to leave Iraq as proof that she meant to pull American troops out.

"It will be important, however, that our nominee be able to present both a reasoned argument against continuing our presence in Iraq and the necessary credentials and gravitas for commander-in-chief," she said. "That has to cross that threshold in the mind of every American voter."

Obama, however, insisted that Clinton's authorization vote defined who would run the strongest race for the White House in November.

"I will be the Democrat who will be most effective in going up against a John McCain -- or any other Republican, because they all want basically a continuation of George Bush's policies -- because I will offer a clear contrast as somebody who never supported this war, thought it was a bad idea," Obama declared.

He directly took up Clinton's implicit criticism of his "gravitas."

"Sen. Clinton mentioned the issue of gravitas and judgment," he said. "I think it is much easier for us to have the argument when we have a nominee who says, 'I always thought this was a bad idea, this was a bad strategy.' "

<SNIP>

http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-debate1feb01,0,7634101.story?track=ntothtml

[Adelante]

1. And it's about time

Iraq War. Pound it, O.

[MethuenProgressive]

2. If the Iraq War really meant anything to Democrats, Bill Richardson would still be in.

http://www.thedifferenceoniraq.com/

(Odd that Bill still has this site up...)

[pdxmom]

3. The bottom line for me is that I was totally against the IWR, because I knew

without a shadow of a doubt that Bush was going to straight to war once that passed. I trusted nothing he said to the contrary. I expect a Democratic congressperson to at least be as insightful about Bush as I am.

[rodeodance]

13. I see that a very narrow 'bottom line". Others like social issue play a role for me also.

[pdxmom]

16. Oh, I meant just in regards to the IWR issue. I look at a variety of things

for my overall choice of a candidate, and social issues, especially education, are high on my list as well. My bottom line was just on the Iraq issue and how I would make a choice there.

I have a little scorecard of pros/cons in my head with check marks on both sides.

[rodeodance]

4. "pin the blame for the war on Bush:: HEY dude it IS Bush's war!

[joshcryer]

7. Hehe, we posted at the same time I think. Funny isn't it? Gotta love these editorials.

[rodeodance]

9. it is basically a hit a on Clinton.

[jasmine621]

5. Well, if Obama is really thinking about the future, he would should

stop harping back to a past vote and deal with the present and the future. Just saying nice words and saying I was right then and she wasn't is not enough for me and most Americans once you get outside the circle of Hillary bashers.

[joshcryer]

6. I like how the LATimes says she "tried to pin the blame on Bush," dismissing that the blame *was*...

..."on Bush."

What a joke.

[JohnnyLib2]

8. Get ready--the RW radioheads will exploit the hell out of this.

Probably while playing patriotic music......

[rodeodance]

10. and a few flags

[JohnnyLib2]

12. LOL, I forgot Limbaugh's pay-per-view.

[rodeodance]

14. Its part of there MO--the scene. They would naked without the flags.

[rodeodance]

11. In this statement, Obama FORGETS he 'didn't know how he would vote" !!

Obama, however, insisted that Clinton's authorization vote defined who would run the strongest race for the White House in November.

"I will be the Democrat who will be most effective in going up against a John McCain -- or any other Republican, because they all want basically a continuation of George Bush's policies -- because I will offer a clear contrast as somebody who never supported this war, thought it was a bad idea," Obama declared.

[jefferson_dem]

15. Red herring and you know it.

Take it up with Teddy.

"From the beginning, he opposed the war in Iraq. And let no one deny that truth," he said, an obvious reference to former President Clinton's statement that Obama's early anti-war stance was a "fairy tale."

http://www.nbc17.com/midatlantic/ncn/news.apx.-content-articles-NCN-2008-01-28-0008.html

[JorgeTheGood]

17. The LAT is a pro-Obama ...

anti-Hillary, all things neocon shill. No more - no less.

That birdcage liner might be better off writing articles explaining why the state of CA has serious budget problems, why the state spends more on prisons than colleges, why real estate is in shambles, why jobs are leaving the state and why produce is at a record high when CA produces 1/3 of our food.

Instead of responsible reporting, they spend their time trying to divide the dem party and push voters away from Hillary and toware BO so they can then turn their weapons of slander and hate on him during the GE.

Get used to saying President John McCain suckas.

[bigtree]

18. If activists in the party try and make this a significant 'dividing line' it will be foolish

Both share the same views on Iraq, outside of the resolution Obama was in no position to vote for. And, all of the republicans we're running against are on the extreme opposing side of the issue.

[JohnnyLib2]

19. Excellent point, IMO.

Years ago, an experienced campaign vet. told me very directly to always think 6 months ahead, if not longer. "You may be needing the votes on something else......" So simple, yet so profound.