Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is coming under fire from Jewish anti-war activists who say that her centrist position on Iraq could cost her the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008.
In the latest sign of the growing discontent among left-wing activists, Jonathan Tasini, a product of the Labor Zionist movement, launched a bid to unseat Clinton in New York's Democratic senatorial primary next year. Tasini, who has been endorsed by the country's most prominent anti-war activist, Cindy Sheehan, says his main reason for running is to criticize Clinton's support of the war.
No serious political prognosticator believes that Tasini will be able to parlay the increasing anti-war sentiment among Democratic voters into a victory over Clinton. Some observers say, however, that the rising anger over the war could trip up Clinton in the presidential primaries, if she chooses to run for the White House — which is why, they say, she wrote a 1,600-word letter explaining her war stance, sending it electronically to supporters November 29.
"Clearly her stance is causing her problems," said Douglas Muzzio, a political scientist at Baruch College. "That's the meaning of the 1,600-word missive to her supporters. Can the left mobilize enough to damage her? In the short run, no. In the long run, it depends on what happens on the ground. If it turns out to be a quagmire, her current and past stances put her in a hard spot."
http://www.forward.com/articles/7024