Obama's first salvo targets Hillary Clinton

[RiverStone]

Senator Barack Obama yesterday launched his toughest attack yet on his rival Hillary Clinton, blasting her for backing the "tragic mistake" of the Iraq war and voting to give President George W Bush a green light from Congress.

"It should never have been authorised," he said in Ames, Iowa, where he was campaigning the day after he announced he was running for the White House. "Even at the time, it was possible to make judgments that this would not work well.

Senator Barack Obama: 'I am in it to win it'

"I feel good about the fact that my judgment was we shouldn't be proceeding and I think that speaks hopefully to the kind of judgment I'll be bringing to the office of president."

Mrs Clinton, he charged, was also vague about how she would end the war beyond promising to bring it to a close if she were elected. "How she wants to accomplish that, I'm not clear."


full story here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/02/12/wobama12.xml

[Clark2008]

1. Doesn't this apply to Edwards, too?

[RiverStone]

3. yes but with credit for owning he made a mistake...

Edwards, after a little soul searching has taken full responsibility for making a "wrong" decision. I was wrong he said. Hillary acknowledges the vote; but has to date never said the same three words owning wrongness like John did. In my mind, that puts Edwards in a different tier - though I will lend my support to any candidate that does not need to apologize at all (Obama, Clark, Kucinich, Gore).

Both JE and HRC are as culpable and when 23 other senators voted NO back in October of 02, I see no reason why anybody would have voted YES other then political expediency and or drinking BuchCo's kool-aid on Iraq. Though at least JE was humble enough to acknowledge he made a mistake. That I appreciate. I can't fathom how HRC moves forward with her plans to run without owning that she was wrong as well???

[blm]

2. He should blast her for supporting Bush's DECISION to invade when weapon inspectors

were saying there was no reason to invade.

ANY president should have the authority to go to war, as Obama will find out if he ever takes office, but where Hillary REALLY went wrong was supporting Bush's decision to invade when the evidence gathered by weapon inspectors was pointing AWAY from the need of military force.

Supporting Bush at THAT point was where Hillary was most wrong and her continuing support for Bush's military decisions throughout 2003-2006, and it would be MOST effective for Obama to frame it that way.