Lincoln Chafee May Be Hillary's Biggest Problem

[Purveyor]

y Peter Beinart
20 hours ago

In a field of Democratic presidential long shots, former Rhode Island senator and governor Lincoln Chafee, who announced his candidacy on Wednesday, may be the longest shot of all. As an authentic, uncompromising progressive, Bernie Sanders is poised to grab the bulk of those Elizabeth Warren enthusiasts who can’t reconcile themselves to Hillary Clinton. As the handsome, articulate, two-term governor of a mid-size state, Martin O’Malley at least looks like a plausible contender one day. Chafee, by contrast, in the words of Quinnipiac University’s Monica Bauer, “has the charisma of Walter Mondale wrapped in the political instincts of a small town city councilman, which he once was, and perhaps would have remained, if he hadn’t been the son of a famous political dynasty. He is George W. Bush with more intelligence but far less political talent.” And like Bush, Chafee was, until very recently, a Republican.

But Chafee could prove Hillary’s most intriguing challenger. It’s not because he’ll garner enough support to give her a scare. If anyone does that, it will likely be Sanders, who according to the New York Times is already “gain[ing] momentum in Iowa.” What makes Chafee’s candidacy intriguing is that he’s attacking Hillary on the issue on which she may be most vulnerable: her vote to authorize war with Iraq.

“I don’t think anybody should be president of the United States that made that mistake,” Chafee told The Washington Post in April. “It’s a huge mistake, and we live with broad, broad ramifications today—of instability not only in the Middle East but far beyond and the loss of American credibility.”

A version of this attack helped Barack Obama topple Hillary in 2008. That’s not likely to happen again, since Democrats care far less about Iraq this time.

more...

http://news.yahoo.com/lincoln-chafee-may-hillarys-biggest-problem-100700962.html

[Wilms]

1. What is Peter Beinart talking about?

What makes Chafee’s candidacy intriguing is that he’s attacking Hillary on the issue on which she may be most vulnerable: her vote to authorize war with Iraq.

“I don’t think anybody should be president of the United States that made that mistake,” Chafee told The Washington Post in April. “It’s a huge mistake, and we live with broad, broad ramifications today—of instability not only in the Middle East but far beyond and the loss of American credibility.”

For one, Peter Beinart HIMSELF supported the war (until he didn't). And while Bernie isn't "attacking" Hillary, it's quite clear that his vote against it stands in contrast to Clinton. Suddenly, to Beinart, it's Chafee who's appreciated for voting against the war...while mentioning Sanders in the same paragraph, and nearly suggesting that Sanders doesn't have that distinction.

[djean111]

2. I got the impression that he means that Chafee is going to run on the Iraq issue, which will keep it

out there, while Bernie is just going to run on the issues and policy, and not mention it. What Beinart felt about the war does not matter in the least. Chafee is going to pound on Iraq. Bernie is not.

[Wilms]

3. I see what you're saying.

The media plays it up a bit with Bernie...he does mention it...but he certainly doesn't pound on it compared to other policy issues.

Perhaps, however, Chafee attacking Hillary regarding Iraq may siphon her votes and hand them Sanders.

[djean111]

4. That's what I think will happen.

If Chafee keeps Iraq out there, it makes chattering about the poor veterans kind of a gamble for Hillary, methinks. And be interesting to see if she even mentions the bloated MIC budget. Those roads lead back to Iraq. A war on heroin addiction - whatever that is - is a safe subject (I want to know if that just means beefing up the War on Drugs industry), and yeah, voting for all is pretty good and safe, but that might be a states' rights thing that may never actually get off the ground. Won't change many lives if we keep getting DINOs to vote for.

[geek tragedy]

5. Everyone under the sun has had 12 years to process

her awful IWR vote.

At the same time, both members of our ticket in 2004 voted for it, as did our current VP.

It's the worst part of her record, but hardly kryptonite.

[CTyankee]

6. I am wondering why he wanted to make the metric system an issue in the campaign...

It may be a worthy idea, but there is no way most Americans are going to accept it, just like the 24 hour clock. Changing the metric system would throw most Americans into chaos as they try to figure out the pricing on everything in their lives.

I chalk it up to a wealthy, old family guy who has the leisure time to mull such things and think somehow it's a go with the broad swath of American voters.

[Evergreen Emerald]

7. Who?

[Proud Liberal Dem]

8. That vote is, in political terms, ancient history at this point and litigated extensively in 2008

and all it essentially did was authorize Bush to use force against Iraq if necessary but it wasn't a declaration of war. I disagree with the vote but Bush was the (P)resident at that time and he had final authority on the matter as CIC. HE pulled the trigger and invaded Iraq even though the UN weapons inspectors were on the ground up until the invasion and weren't finding any WMDs. People need to blame Bush/Cheney/Neocons for the Iraq disaster, not Hillary. I can't think of a single Democrat elected POTUS whom would've done the same thing in Bush's place (not even Hillary)

[Bluenorthwest]

9. First Chafee voted for George Bush who started an Iraq war, then later he voted for another

George Bush who predictably started another one but Chafee voted against that second war for the second Bush. Impressive on his part. Sort of.
On some days DU claims to care deeply about trade policy. Chafee is a big free trader who voted for CAFTA as a Republican while Hillary Clinton voted no on CAFTA as a Democrat. On days when trade policy matters to DU, that should at least be mentioned.

[Reter]

10. I like him

Not sure I'll vote for him in the primary, but he's a far better option than Clinton.

[brooklynite]

11. Hillary Clinton ran in 2008...

...the Iraq issue was debated then, and she got as many votes as Barack Obama.

I recognize some people here think this is a transcendent deal-breaker issue, but the average voter isn't focusing on it.

[Sheepshank]

12. Article is reaching. Attempting to create a topic of relevancy where none exists.

Last edited Fri Jun 5, 2015, 05:04 PM - Edit history (1)

searching high and low for any Hillary articles is getting more and more difficult, since the quality of the "problem" is starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel.

[davidpdx]

13. I don't think Chafee will do well in the primaries

He may compete with Hillary Clinton and Jim Webb for some votes, but that may only help the other candidates.