September 27, 2007
The N.H. Democratic Debate: Blurring The Lines Of Distinction
The longer the seemingly endless presidential primary season drags on, the more it's beginning to look like there's not much, substantively or ideologically, to distinguish the top tier of Democratic contenders.
Indeed, front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton more or less admitted in her numerous television appearances over the weekend that she and her fellow Democrats were united on the subject of universal health care, and that her much-vaunted plan wasn't even all that different from those proposed by John Edwards and Barack Obama.
And when it comes to the issue most voters claim is the most important to them -- the war in Iraq -- last night's Democratic debate in New Hampshire further blurred the lines of distinction among the top three. Debate moderator Tim Russert of NBC News pulled no punches, kicking off the event with a specific and pointed question for all the candidates: Will you pledge to remove all U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of your first term in January 2013?
The answer from Clinton, Edwards and Obama was a resounding "no," which suggests that all three of them now have at least one eye on the general election, not on winning over anti-war activists and the left-wing netroots.
Russert put the question to Obama first, who answered only after pointing out (for the umpteenth time) that he was against the war before it began, when he was serving in the Illinois state Senate. The senator indicated that, if elected, he'd discuss the matter with military officials and begin a "phased redeployment" as soon as he took office. "I believe we should have them all out by 2013," but he said he couldn't make that promise.
Obama and Clinton agreed that, in all likelihood, some U.S. military presence would be needed to protect U.S. diplomats and civilian humanitarian workers and to conduct ongoing counterterrorism operations. Pulling everyone out by 2013 should be a "goal," Clinton said, but "we don't know what we're going to be inheriting."
The most surprising answer to the question came from Edwards, who has adopted very tough rhetoric on the war, accusing both President Bush and the Democratic-led Congress for failing to end it. Despite those claims, Edwards echoed his fellow top-tier candidates and told Russert he "cannot make that commitment" to remove all troops within the first term. However, he did attempt to distinguish himself from Clinton and Obama by saying he would remove all combat troops and end all combat operations "over a period of several months" upon taking office.
The bottom rung of the Democratic ladder, not surprisingly, was more willing to go out on a limb and predict a full withdrawal within the first four years. Sen. Christopher Dodd, Rep. Dennis Kucinich and Gov. Bill Richardson all took up Russert's pledge without qualifications. Richardson was particularly forceful in proclaiming the "fundamental difference" between his position on the war and that of his opponents: While they're for "changing the mission," he's for "ending the war."
Richardson, a former diplomat and the current governor of New Mexico, also drove home that point in a new TV ad that debuted on New Hampshire airwaves this week. The 30-second spot featuring three prominent liberal bloggers showcases Richardson's latest attempt to court the anti-war netroots.
But perhaps Richardson should have saved himself the trouble (and advertising dollars), because it appears the netroots aren't as obsessed with getting every single soldier out of Iraq as one might think. According to the Hotline's Blogometer (subscription), Clinton won the debate among liberal bloggers, who were impressed by her ability to "command the forum." Perhaps the Democratic candidates aren't the only ones with their eyes on the ultimate prize -- a White House victory for the Democrats in 2008.
The New Hampshire Union Leader and NBC's First Read have more on last night's debate. MSNBC also has video of the proceedings.
Posted at 4:20 PM
Posted to:
Campaigns, Democrats, Iraq, WH 2008
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