Debate helps cinch one Dem's status [View All]

[drfemoe]

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/1012robb12.html

As the debate on Thursday night in Phoenix illustrated, the Iraq war continues to be the defining issue in the campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.

And while there was no "winner," Howard Dean probably advanced his cause the most, since the debate again underscored the purity and consistency of his position on the race's defining issue.

Although the country was largely united behind President Bush's march to war in Iraq, Democratic activists were not. Dean's vociferous opposition to the war when that was politically unpopular and risky made an emotional connection with a large segment of the Democratic base.
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Clark was obviously on the grill in the Phoenix debate but for reasons that have been misunderstood. Despite his favorable poll numbers, it's implausible that Democratic primary voters, who are disproportionately partisans and liberal activists, are going to choose someone who voted for Reagan and Nixon and was saying nice things about Bush as late as 2001 as their standard-bearer.

....snip.... continued ....

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/1012robb12.html