Letters to the Editor
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Hillary's Iraq Vote
I like Barack Obama. I'm genuinely inspired by the potential he represents. But you hit the nail on the head about Hillary's war vote for me. I have several problems with her, but that's the only one that I just can't get past. If she had apologized, I could probably forgive her (I forgave John Edwards, and I really didn't expect to; he also ran a really impressive and principled campaign). At times, I've wavered in supporting Obama; on health care, I trust Krugman. But then we come back to foreign policy, and it's clear that Hillary is most certainly not Presidential material.
Of all the people in the Senate, Hillary Clinton should have known what was going on. Her decision to vote for AUMF represented either a disturbing view on Congress' responsibility regarding war (as she has claimed), or a weak and cynical decision to be "tough" for the 2008 election eight years down the road. Whatever her reasoning, her judgment has proven to be a disaster, and her lack of leadership at that time does not give me any confidence regarding what her reaction will be the next time. Her instincts are bad and so are her advisers (including Bill on this issue). If they had been better, I think she could have been President in 2004 (but that would have required boldness that she just doesn't seem to have).
To top all of this off, she shows absolutely NO indication that she has even learned the simplest of lessons from her disastrous vote. Last October, she was ready to give George W. Bush the benefit of the doubt AGAIN on Iran. Now that's just stupid and arrogant (and it very well may have cost her the nomination).
Obviously, Hillary would be a far better President than GWB or John McCain, but that's a pretty low bar. Maybe if the Bush years hadn't been such a catastrophe, she would even be a great President. But the Bush years have left our foreign policy in ruins. Because of her muddle-headed and weak concepts of being "tough" and having "experience", she will not do what's necessary to get us out of the Bush ditch. Obama may (and probably will on some issues) disappoint me, but I just think he's clearly a better bet when it comes to moving us forward.
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calling it a mistake would be wrong.
I have a number of problems with Senator Clinton, chief among them her decision to authorise the Bush adventure. That being said I think she deserves a measure of respect for not copping out after the fact and claiming it was a mistake. All along Clinton has presented this as a difficult choice that had to be made; a less charitable interpretation would be that it was a calculated and measured response to the political tide. As Joan Walsh points out, there has been a parade of Democrats in congress who want their 2002 votes back. Most of these sunshine peaceniks have tried to argue that they were fooled by Bush or they thought he had more sense or.... It is an odd argument for someone who wants to be President, that he was less informed than the common citizens across this country who have been ridiculed and marginalized for opposing this war from the beginning. John Kerry tried this tactic, and he paid for it by being portrayed as a wind surfer with no moral anchor. Hillary Clinton has spared us this particular plate of horseshit. Sadly, she is still closer to the presidency than any of the Democrats in congress at that time who did not support the President, so her gamble is indeed not yet an error.
Many people have died in part because of Senator Clinton's political calculus. We should think about that when we consider telephone calls at 3a.m.
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Hillary's Nasty Pastorate
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barbara-ehrenreich/hillarys-nasty-pastorate_b_92361.html
Barbara Ehrenreich is a feminist
Barbara Ehrenreich is the author of thirteen books, including the New York Times bestseller Nickel and Dimed. A frequent contributor to the New York Times, Harpers, and the Progressive, she is a contributing writer to Time magazine. She lives in Florida.
There's a reason why Hillary Clinton has remained relatively silent during the flap over intemperate remarks by Barack Obama's former pastor, Jeremiah Wright. When it comes to unsavory religious affiliations, she's a lot more vulnerable than Obama.
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@madamfauntleroy
Wow. So... the women who wrote this is actually a feminist. That means that... well, technically all that means is that feminists can write ridiculous nonsense just like the rest of the world.
Every time I think that Clinton rumors have gone as far as is humanly possible, I get evidence that more absurdity is yet within reach. Clinton studying the bible with right wing Nazi sympathizers. I'm not quite sure how this is going to play in the media. Maybe the Republican Party will decide to run her as McCain's VP.
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jebldmm
Calling anything that Barbara Ehrenreich writes ridiculous would confirm the ignorance of the reader. I would not call Gloria Steinem ridiculous for supporting Hillary. But there are more feminists and white women supporting Obama than you can acknowledge. Take a look at all the people who have endorsed Obama, from Garrisson Keillor to Toni Morrison. I suppose they are ridiculous too in your book.
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Huge Anti-war Demonstrations Nationaly Today
But the war pigs were all oinking it up about their future goals for Iraq. Hillary one of many swiney senators who figured it would be fun to roll around in the mud in a foreign land. Clinton is contemptable.
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Well..
She cannot do this Joan, it won't help her. So sad to see how many Hillary haters are on this site. One thing I know , if she does not get the nomination I will vote for McCain in November.
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Hillary
We've already had the hell of the first 5 years of Iraq, what's in store for the next 5?
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@portland1
I expect that Hillary herself would work with Obama's campaign -- being one of his most important Surrogates -- carrying his message around the country.
The same way Senator Clinton would be one of his most important allies - perhaps becoming Senate Majority Leader.
Then Majority Leader Clinton, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and President Obama can end the war and seek to reverse all the other horrific actions taken during the last 7 years...
Unless, of course, embittered Hillary supporters vote for McCain.
McCain means: more war, more death, more torture, more corruption, more domestic spying, more loss of Constitutional rights, the loss of reproductive rights for women, the continuation of the corporate dominance of our financial system...